IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA RULES OF JUVENILE PROCEDURE. (2024)

The Florida Bar's Juvenile Court Rules Committee (Committee) has filed a report proposing amendments to Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure 8.240 (Computation, Continuance, Extension, and Enlargement of Time), 8.315 (Arraignments and Prehearing Conferences), and 8.510 (Advisory Hearing and Pretrial Status Conferences).¹ The Committee, by a vote of 26-0-0, approved the amendments to rule 8.240, and by a vote of 25-0-2, approved the amendments to rules 8.315 and 8.510. The Florida Bar's Board of Governors unanimously voted to recommend approval of the amendments. Before filing its report with the Court, the Committee published its proposals for comment in The Florida Bar News. No comments were received by the Committee. The Court published the Committee's proposals in the June 1, 2024, edition of The Florida Bar News. No comments were received.

After considering the Committee's proposals, we adopt the amendments as proposed. In general, the amendments rephrase the rules for clarity and the new language will help to make the rules more easily understood. In addition, editorial changes are made throughout the rules in accord with In re Guidelines for Rules Submissions, Florida Administrative Order No. AOSC22-78 (Oct. 24, 2022).

Rule 8.240(b) (Enlargement of Time) is amended by reorganizing the circumstances for enlarging a deadline into two subdivisions rather than as provided in one paragraph.

Rules 8.315(c) and 8.510(b), because both govern pretrial conferences—one for dependency and the other for involuntary termination of parental rights, respectively—are amended to align their structure and formatting and to provide that the same matters to be determined are separately listed in both rules.

Accordingly, we amend the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure as reflected in the appendix to this opinion. New language is indicated by underscoring, while deleted language is indicated by struck-through type. The amendments to the rules shall become effective on January 1, 2025, at 12:01 a.m.

It is so ordered.

FOOTNOTES

1.   We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.; see also Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.140(b).

PER CURIAM.

MUÑIZ, C.J., and CANADY, LABARGA, COURIEL, GROSSHANS, FRANCIS, and SASSO, JJ., concur.