The Florida Bar News Updates http://www.flabar.org 02/15/2010 www.floridabar.org Mon, 15 Feb 2010 -0400Move underway to require e-swapping of documentsBy Gary BlankenshipSenior Editor Service of documents between attorneys will be accomplished by e-mail instead of regular mail under a rule change accepted in concept by a Bar rules committee. Ft. Lauderdale attorney Paul Regensdorf presented the amendment to the Rules of Judicial Administration Committee January 21 at the Bar’s Midyear Meeting in Orlando. He said it was developed by a special committee comprised of a member from each of the 10 procedural rule. . . ...http://www.flabar.org/DIVCOM/JN/JNNews01.nsf/RSSFeed/A0F91C37A69502E7852576C1004A7ED4Mon, 15 Feb 2010 -0400Board supports creation of an ‘Actual Innocence Commission’By Jan PudlowSenior Editor When David Rothman looks into the eyes of Florida’s wrongfully convicted, he can’t imagine what goes through their minds. “But I know what is going through my mind. It’s anger, frustration, and such a sadness that someone can spend most of their life in prison knowing they. . . are innocent. . . . These folks spent decades in prison knowing they are innocent, and there’s nothing out there to prove it until the Innocence Pr. . . ...http://www.flabar.org/DIVCOM/JN/JNNews01.nsf/RSSFeed/E0E73244C92AC182852576C1004B88ABMon, 15 Feb 2010 -0400If not done right, e-filing could hurt more than helpBy Gary BlankenshipSenior Editor Shifting Florida courts to electronic filing and record-keeping could offer a path to a more efficient court system for parties, judges, lawyers, and clerks. If it works. If it doesn’t, it might be a confusing system that baffles lawyers. Parties could find personal, confidential, and sensitive information that was supposed to be protected published on the Internet. Judges could find their decisionmaking hampered and slowe. . . ...http://www.flabar.org/DIVCOM/JN/JNNews01.nsf/RSSFeed/E2F587A08BC5164F852576C1004A85FBMon, 15 Feb 2010 -0400Lawyers line up to assist HaitiBy Annie Butterworth JonesAssociate Editor Florida lawyers seeking ways to contribute to Haitian earthquake relief efforts can do so directly through The Florida Bar’s Web site. The Bar — working in concert with the International Law Section — has set up links at www.floridabar.org that allow members to make contributions directly to the American Red Cross to help the Haitian people with food, water, temporary housing, and medical attention or to local nonprofit major trauma. . . ...http://www.flabar.org/DIVCOM/JN/JNNews01.nsf/RSSFeed/036CBCBFFF6413FF852576C1004A94E9Mon, 15 Feb 2010 -0400Hawkins in line to become Bar presidentGonzalez ends his campaign, citing the needs of his clientsBy Gary BlankenshipSenior Editor West Palm Beach attorney Scott G. Hawkins has become president-elect designate of The Florida Bar after Coral Gables attorney Ervin A. Gonzalez withdrew from the race. Hawkins will become the Bar’s 2010-11 president-elect when he is sworn in at the Bar’s Annual Convention in June. Gonzalez is one of the lead plaintiffs’ attorneys in the class action lawsuits over defective Chine. . . ...http://www.flabar.org/DIVCOM/JN/JNNews01.nsf/RSSFeed/89A2EFDDAFEAA38F852576C1004A6FC4