IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO RULES REGULATING THE FLORIDA BAR – CHAPTER 1. (2025)

The Florida Bar has filed a proposal to amend Rules Regulating The Florida Bar 1-3.6 (Delinquent Members), 1-3.10 (Appearance by Non-Florida Lawyer in a Florida Court), 1-3.11 (Appearance by Non-Florida Lawyer in an Arbitration Proceeding in Florida), and 1-7.3 (Membership Fees). We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 15, Fla. Const. In accord with rule 1-12.1(g), the Bar published formal notice of its intent to file this petition in The Florida Bar News, and the notice directed interested parties to file comments directly with the Court. No comments were received.

We hereby amend rules 1-3.6, 1-3.10, and 1-3.11 as proposed with one minor modification. We also amend rule 1-7.3, but we make significant modifications to the Bar's proposal.

Rule 1-3.6 is amended to state that members will be deemed delinquent for failing to timely pay membership fees and other assessed fees and costs. We also divide the rule into subdivisions: (a) (Actions that Result in a Member Being Deemed Delinquent); and (b) (Effect of Delinquency). The one modification we make to the Bar's proposal is replacing the Bar's proposed title for subdivision (a) (“Types of Delinquency”) with a new title, “Actions that Result in a Member Being Deemed Delinquent,” to more clearly articulate the subject matter addressed by the subdivision.

Next, we amend rule 1-3.10 by creating a new subdivision (e) (Reports to The Florida Bar), which adds a reporting requirement for lawyers permitted to appear under the rule. This change is made so that the Bar can more effectively collect and administer the nonrefundable fees required under subdivision (d).

We amend rule 1-3.11 by creating a new subdivision (f) (Nonrefundable Fee), which requires non-Florida lawyers permitted to appear in arbitration proceedings in Florida to pay nonrefundable annual fees similar to those required of lawyers permitted to appear under rule 1-3.10. We also create a new subdivision (g) (Reports to The Florida Bar), which requires lawyers permitted to appear under the rule to annually report the status of their arbitration proceedings in Florida. To account for new subdivisions (f) and (g), existing language addressing payment of fees is deleted from subdivision (e)(6). Finally, minor grammatical amendments are made throughout the rule to conform with our Guidelines for Rules Submissions.

For rule 1-7.3, we delete existing subdivision (b) (Prorated Membership Fees), eliminating the collection of prorated fees for new members. A new subdivision (b) (Membership Fees for New Members) is created in place of the deleted provision. New subdivision (b)(1) states that new members admitted from April 1 to June 30 are exempt from paying fees for their initial membership periods, and new subdivision (b)(2) provides that all other new members must pay a $265 membership fee to cover their first year of membership that began on the most recent July 1.

Accordingly, the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar are amended as reflected in the appendix to this opinion. New language is indicated by underscoring; deletions are indicated by struck-through type. The amendments shall become effective October 27, 2025, at 12:01 a.m.

It is so ordered.

APPENDIX

PER CURIAM.

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