To identify those lawyers who practice marital and family law and have the special knowledge, skills, and proficiency, as well as the character, ethics, and reputation for professionalism to be properly identified to the public as board certified marital and family lawyers. The standards also contain provisions to allow judicial officers who regularly preside over marital and family law cases to achieve board certification in marital and family law.
Who May Apply?
Minimum standards for marital and family law certification, provided in Rule 6-6.3, include:
Practice of law for at least five years;
Substantial involvement in the specialty of marital and family law — 50% or more — during the five years immediately preceding application;
Handling of at least 25 contested marital and family law cases in the five years immediately preceding application, with at least seven trials;
75 hours of approved marital and family law certification continuing legal education in the five years immediately preceding application;
Peer review; and,
A written examination.
Becoming Board Certified
All applicants for board certification or recertification should carefully read the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar to be sure you have met each of the requirements prior to filing your application. Unless the rules provide for a waiver of a specific requirement, each of the requirements must be met by the dates indicated in the rule.
New Applicants
The application filing period runs July 1-August 31 of a given year to determine eligibility to sit for the exam in March of the subsequent year (see calendar for details). Applications must be postmarked by August 31. Eligible applicants who pass the exam will be officially certified in June.
REAPPLICANTS
If you’re eligible to sit for the exam from a previous application, you may file the short application.
All applications for recertification must be postmarked by midnight May 31 at the conclusion of the 5-year period of certification. All requirements for recertification are to be completed by this date. June 1 after the fifth year of certification is the effective date of recertification.
A single, 3-month recertification file extension will be granted if accompanied by a properly executed application for extension and payment of the appropriate fee.
To identify those lawyers who practice marital and family law and have the special knowledge, skills, and proficiency, as well as the character, ethics, and reputation for professionalism to be properly identified to the public as board certified marital and family lawyers. The standards also contain provisions to allow judicial officers who regularly preside over marital and family law cases to achieve board certification in marital and family law.