IN RE FLORIDA APPELLATE RULES
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The Florida Supreme Court amended the Florida Appellate Rules to add Rule 4.61, establishing a procedure for federal appellate courts to certify questions of Florida state law to the Florida Supreme Court when those questions are determinative of a federal case and lack clear controlling precedent in Florida law.
The Florida Supreme Court amended the Appellate Rules by adding Rule 4.61, which permits the U.S. Supreme Court and federal Courts of Appeal to certify questions of Florida law to the Florida Supreme Court when those questions are determinative and lack clear controlling precedent, establishing detailed procedures for certification, briefing, and oral argument.
“Pursuant to the power vested in this Court under Article V of the Florida Constitution, F.S.A. to adopt rules governing the practice and procedure in all courts of this State”
Establishes the constitutional authority for the Court to amend the Appellate Rules
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Pursuant to the power vested in> this Court under Article V of the Florida Constitution, F.S.A. to adopt rules governing -the practice and procedure in all courts of this State and in recognition of the provisions of Section 25.031, Florida Statutes 1959, F.S.A., the Florida Appellate Rules,, 31 F.S.A. are hereby amended in the following respects:
Section 1. By adding the words “From-State Courts” immediately following the title to Rule 4.6 so that said title as so. amended shall read as follows, viz.:
“Rule 4.6 Certified Questions from State Courts”.
Section 2. Said rules are further amended by adding immediately after Rule 4.6 a new rule to be known as “Rule 4.61. Certified Questions from Federal Courts”,, reading as follows, viz.:
*445“a. When Certified. When it shall appear to the Supreme Court of the United States, or to any of the Courts of Appeal of the United States that there are involved in any proceeding before it questions or propositions of law of this State which are determinative of said cause and that there are no clear controlling precedents in the decisions of the Supreme Court of this State, such federal appellate court may certify such questions or propositions of law of this State to the Supreme Court of Florida for instructions concerning such questions or propositions of state law.
“b. Jurisdiction. Questions or propositions of law referred to in sub-paragraph a hereof shall be certified for answer to the Supreme Court of this State.
“c. Method of Invoking Rule. The provisions of this rule may be invoked by any of the federal courts referred to in sub-paragraph a hereof upon its own motion or upon the suggestion or motion of any interested party when approved by such federal court.
“d. Contents of Certificate. The certificate provided for herein shall contain the style of the case, a statement of facts showing the nature of the cause and the circumstances out of which the questions or propositions of law arise and the question of law to be answered.
“e. Preparation of Certificate. The certificate may be prepared by stipulation or as directed by such federal court. When prepared and signed by the presiding judge of said federal court, it shall be certified to the Supreme Court by the clerk of the federal court and under its official seal. The Supreme Court may, in its discretion, require the original or copies of all or any portion of the record before the federal court to be filed with said certificate where, in its opinion, such record may be necessary in the determination of said cause.
“f. Costs of Certificate. The costs of the certificate and filing fee shall be equally divided between the parties unless otherwise ordered by this Court.
“g. Briefs and Argument. The appellant or moving party in the federal court shall file and serve upon its adversary its brief on the question certified within thirty days after the filing of said certificate in the appellate court of this State having jurisdiction. The appellee or responding party in the federal court shall file and serve upon its adversary its brief within twenty days after the receipt of appellant’s or moving party’s brief and a reply brief shall be filed within ten days thereafter.
“h. Oral Argument. Oral argument may be granted upon application and, unless for good cause shown the time be enlarged by special order of the Court prior to the hearing thereon, the parties shall be allowed the same time as in other causes on the merits.”
This rule shall take effect March 1st, 1961.
' THOMAS, C. J., and TERRELL, HOB-SON, ROBERTS, DREW, THORNAL and O’CONNELL, JTJT., concur.
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SUN Ins. Off. v. Clay, 133 So. 2d 735 (Fla. 1961)…adopted by this Court “pursuant to the power vested in this Court under Article V of the Florida Constitution, F.S.A. to adopt rules governing the practice and procedure in all courts of this State * * *.” In re Florida Appellate Rules, 1961, Fla., 127 So. 2d 444. The Rule re-stated the provisions of the statute and added details relating to the form and content of the certificate. Its adoption was a valid exercise of our organic power and provided a procedure for assisting, in a spirit of comity, the Federa…
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Mobil OIL Corp. v. Shevin, 354 So. 2d 372 (Fla. 1977)…authorized Supreme Court implementation by rule. Ch. 23098, § 1, Laws of Florida (1945), subsequently reenacted in its present form as § 25.031, Fla.Stat. (1975), by Ch. 57-274, Laws of Florida. Our rule was adopted in In re Florida Appellate Rules, 127 So. 2d 444 (Fla.1961). The certification procedure was thoroughly discussed, and its constitutionality upheld, in Sun Ins. Office, Ltd. v. Clay, 133 So. 2d 735 (Fla.1961). . First utilized in Railroad Comm’n v. Pullman Co., 312 U.S. 496, 61 S.Ct. 643, 85 L.Ed…
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Green v. Am. Tobacco Co., 304 F.2d 70 (5th Cir. 1962)…n or proposition of the laws of Florida to the Supreme Court of Florida, as provided for under Section 25.031, Florida Statutes 1959, F.S.A., as implemented by Rule 4.61 of the Florida Appellate Rules, 31 F.S.A. (In re Florida Appellate Rules, Fla., 127 So. 2d 444, March 1, 1961). See Clay v. Sun Insurance Office, 1960, 363 U.S. 207, 212, 80 S.Ct. 1222, 4 L.Ed.2d 1170; Sun Insurance Office v. Clay, Fla., 133 So. 2d 735. The parties are requested to stipulate,, if possible, the contents of the certificate as…
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