The Florida Bar Board of Governors met virtually March 25, 2022. The Board’s major actions and reports received included:
The Board of Governors voted to approve an approximately $45 million Bar general fund budget proposal, which requires Florida Supreme Court approval and maintains a 22-year trend of avoiding member fee increases. The proposed general fund budget anticipates $40.1 million in total operating revenues, essentially unchanged from the previous year. Operating expenses of $44.6 million are projected to rise less than 1% over the current year’s budget level. The budget has been posted for public comment and will be submitted to the Supreme Court in June.
ONLINE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
The COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery Task Force, newly renamed as the “Special Committee on Changes to the Practice of Law,” presented two possible online dispute resolution platform options for civil disputes. Matterhorn demonstrated a “Turbo Court” online dispute resolution system and Tyler Technologies demonstrated their “Modria” platform. The task force expects to make a final recommendation in May. If the board approves, the proposal will be forwarded to the Florida Courts Technology Commission for further review.
In addition to the automated platform project, the task force is monitoring a growing number of Supreme Court workgroups and committees. One, the District Court of Appeal Workload and Jurisdiction Assessment Committee, generated a majority recommendation to create a Sixth District Court of Appeal, recently endorsed by the Florida Legislature.
The task force is also monitoring Supreme Court workgroups on the Improved Resolution of Civil Cases, Trial Court Technology Strategies, Judicial Practices in Trial Courts, and Sanctions for Sham and Vexatious Litigation. The task force has already begun drafting proposed comments to Workgroup on Improved Resolution of Civil Cases proposed rule amendments. Read more in the Bar News.
GREATER PUBLIC ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICES
The board also approved a Program Evaluation Committee proposal to create a Special Committee for Greater Public Access to Legal Services upon request of the Supreme Court to provide alternative proposals to “improve the delivery of legal services to Florida consumers and … assure Florida lawyers play a proper and prominent role in the provision of these services.” President Mike Tanner called for the committee after the Supreme Court announced it would not adopt most of the recommendations from its Special Committee to Improve the Delivery of Legal Services. The board opposed certain recommendations, including testing nonlawyer ownership of law firms, fee splitting with nonlawyers, and expanding the work paralegals could perform. The new special committee has been instructed to forward its recommendations to the Supreme Court by December 30.
CONSUMER PAMPHLETS
The Board approved a plan for updating and more aggressively promoting The Florida Bar’s extensive library of consumer pamphlets, including expanded Spanish and Creole editions. The collection includes 46 titles from judicial elections and adoption, to wills, home buying, parenting and divorce, and power of attorney. The recommendations included reducing print costs, expanding translations and topics, and creating a promotional plan.
The board also:
- Approved adding Member Options property and casualty insurance to the Member Benefits Program to replace Geico, a member benefit that expired in February.
- Civil Procedure Rules Committee proposed amendments to Rule 1.453 (Jury Request to Review Testimony) providing guidance when a civil jury requests to review testimony presented at trial. The proposed amendment would mirror a similar rule for criminal matters.
- Family Law Procedure Rule Committee proposed amendments to 12.200 (Case Management and Pre-Trial Conferences). Suggested by a judge, the proposed amendment would delete a final sentence in subdivision (c) and conform the rule to current practice.
IMPORTANT LINKS AND REMINDERS
AT THE MIC WITH PRESIDENT MIKE TANNER
President Mike Tanner sits down with new State Courts Administrator Ali Sackett to talk about the court priorities during the 2022 Legislative Session. Watch now!