Florida Legal Research Blog

Florida's state library web services

2006-10-05T22:30:00.000-04:00

A new report entitled Public Libraries and the Internet 2006 has been issued by Florida State University's Information Use Management and Policy Institute. The findings indicate that public libraries have increased their response to public inquiries for government information with or without funding for the service. A number of interesting appendices to the report list state library initiatives to meet the needs of the public.

Appendix 6: State Library Supported Electronic Libraries (e.g. Florida Electronic Library)
Appendix 8B: Examples of State Library Union Catalogs (e.g. FloridaCat)
Appendix 8D: Examples of State Library Federated Search Sites (e.g. Florida uses MetaLib library portal from Ex Libris)
Appendix 8E: Examples of State Library Digital Collections (e.g. Florida Memory Project)
Appendix 8F: Examples of State Libraries with State Government Information Sites (e.g. Florida Government Information Locator Service and the Florida Government Electronic Rulemaking system)

Law blogs in Florida

2006-10-02T21:42:00.000-04:00

It's never too late to post a link to a Florida Bar News article on law blogging by Florida lawyers. The article is: "Lawyers in Blogland: law blogs are exploding and Florida lawyers are in on the action." Florida blogs mentioned in the article:

Florida rules web site

2006-09-30T21:18:00.000-04:00

It's easier to access Florida administrative law with the new Florida eRulmaking web site. Not only does this site provide the traditional links to the Florida Administrative Code (FAC) and to the Florida Administrative Weekly (FAW), the rules are searchable. Searches can be done either by phrase or by rule number. The search results contain status information for the rule and a reference to where the rule is published in the FAW. The results include references to the FAW starting with the Jan. 6, 2006 issue. Public commentary on the rules can be made through this page. All of the important Florida administrative links can be found here.

Online records for Palm Beach County courts

2006-09-24T11:34:00.000-04:00

Beginning October 17, 2006, Palm Beach County criminal and traffic court records will go online. The process is complicated, and has been in the works for over 10 years. The transfer of 3.5 million cases and 47 million docket entries will begin Sept. 30, 2006. Court business will be suspended with the exception of emergency matters such as previously scheduled trials, first appearances, mental health hearings, shelter and dependency hearings, arrest warrants, bond hearings, petitions for domestic violence, and payment of traffic tickets. The Palm Beach County court clerk's office is on the web at http://www.pbcountyclerk.com.

Florida is tops in digital counties

2006-09-14T21:16:00.000-04:00

The Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties has released its list of most digital counties in the nation. Florida has many top ranking counties in the 2006 Digital Counties Survey. Orange County, Florida, is the number one digital county for counties with a population over 500,000. Miami-Dade County comes in 10th in the same category. For counties with a population between 250,000 and 499,999, Seminole County, Florida is 6th and Marion County, Florida is 10th. The winners were announced in this news release.

Report on Florida's Oceans

2006-09-12T22:18:00.000-04:00

A Sept. 2006 issue paper, Florida's Coastal and Ocean Future, has been published by the National Resources Defense Council. The report is a result of the work of over 20 state and national organizations and others, making recommendations to government leaders for improving governance over Florida's coastal and ocean resources.

Contents include:
Chapter 1: Curb Unwise Coastal Development and Protect Valuable Coastal Habitats
Chapter 2: Reduce Coastal and Ocean Pollution
Chapter 3: Keep Offshore Drilling Away from Florida’s Coast
Chapter 4: Restore Marine Ecosystems, Ensure Robust Fisheries, and Protect Marine Species
Chapter 5: Reduce Global Warming Pollution
Chapter 6: Strengthen Ocean Governance

New chief justice for the Florida Supreme Court

2006-07-20T17:22:00.000-04:00

Florida's Supreme Court has recently sworn in its 52nd Chief Justice, R. Fred Lewis. He is a graduate of the University of Miami law school and was a member of the Miami Law Review, so noted in his biography and on discourse.net. The "gavel" ceremony took place on June 30, 2006. The Florida Chief Justice serves a two-year term. For a look at how other states appoint or elect their judges, see:

Judicial Selection Methods in the States (American Judicature Society)
Judicial Selection and Retention FAQs (National Center for State Courts)
Fact sheet on judicial retention in the states, .pdf, (American Bar Association)

New Florida law: freeze credit reports

2006-07-09T14:19:00.000-04:00

A new state law allows Floridians to freeze their credit reports, keeping them from prying eyes. Florida joins over twenty other states that have similar laws. A Sun-Sentinel article notes that pending Federal law may override the state laws in the near future. The Florida law is Chapter 2006-124 (House bill No. 37), and will be codified at section 501.005 in the Florida Statutes. The law takes effect on July 1, 2006.

See articles:

"Law could reduce threat of ID theft," Miami Herald, July 1, 2006

"Credit freeze offers Floridians even greater levels of protection," Palm Beach Post, July 1, 2006

"Beginning Saturday in Florida, you can place a freeze on your report," Sun-Sentinel, June 29, 2006

Paralegal regulation

2006-06-12T13:50:00.000-04:00

The Florida Bar has approved a recommendation to the Florida Supreme Court to create a new rule regulating paralegals in the state of Florida. The proposed rule, Chapter 20, would establish a Florida Registered Paralegal Program, a two-tiered system. A Florida Registered Paralegal would have certification, meeting certain educational requirements.

The Florida Bar will file the proposed rule with the Florida Supreme Court around August 15, 2006. The full hearing transcript of the Florida Bar Special Committee to Study Paralegal Regulation can be read here.

Earth Day in Florida

2006-04-20T14:09:00.000-04:00

In honor of Florida's natural beauty, here's a list of environmental web sites, journals, and blogs:

Admiralty, Boating, and Maritime Law Podcasts
Boating Safety Law and News
Earthtools
Energy Legal Blog
Environmental Law Prof Blog
Environmental Legal Blogs
Dictionary of Sustainable Management
GreenCounsel
LOCE Wind and Wave Energy Law Blog (ocean and offshore wind energy)
Tropical Science (journal)

Fraud alert web site

2006-02-27T21:51:00.000-05:00

Two Florida schools are behind the release of Fraud Update, a new web site that runs a continuous feed of references to federal and state government actions against fraud. It's an impressive collection of over 10,000 documents collected over the last 18 months. The Florida schools involved in the project are Florida State University's College of Criminology and Criminal Justice and St. Thomas University School of Law. Thanks to Boley Blogs for the pointer.

Legal blogs

2006-02-08T22:44:00.000-05:00

There are two new legal blogs to mention. First, the Florida Intellectual Property Law Blog, published by John Rizvi, of the Gold and Rizvi law firm. Posts are mostly focused on Florida IP legal developments.

The second is the Hurricane Law Blog, covering news and opinion from the recovery in the Gulf states. The information is compiled by the law office of McGlinchy Stafford of New Orleans.

The Florida bar and Fastcase

2006-01-21T21:56:00.000-05:00

The Florida Bar reports that Fastcase, a free legal research service for its bar members is proving to be a popular electronic resource. A Florida Bar News article (1/15/2006) noted that so far, 10 percent of the membership is using the service. Members are especially happy with the price (it's free), Fastcase user support, and the printable formatting of Fastcase results. Other state bar associations using Fastcase include Iowa and Louisiana.

Florida school voucher decision

2006-01-15T15:09:00.000-05:00

The Florida Supreme Court has announced its decision in Bush v. Holmes, the Florida school voucher case. The Florida school voucher program, known as the Opportunity Scholarship Program, has been declared unconstitutional. A litigation timeline is available on the Florida School Boards Association web site. Full details on the program are on the school choice page of the Florida Dept. of Education web site.

Electronic history of judges

2005-12-21T20:16:00.000-05:00

The Middle District of Florida, United States Bankruptcy Court is recording an oral history of its most senior judges. Thusfar, the Honorable George L. Proctor has made his video clip available.

New pro hac vice rule effective Jan. 1, 2006

2005-10-15T16:53:00.000-04:00

MJP News blog reported this on June 23, 2005:

"Under Florida's new pro hac vice rules which are effective January 1, 2006, specifically Rule 1-3.11(d) of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, a non-Florida lawyer who files more than three demands for arbitration or responses in separate arbitrations, excluding international arbitrations, in 365 days will be presumed to be engaged in the general practice of law. The general practice of law in Florida by non-admitted lawyers is prohibited."

Florida Administrative Code research

2005-09-09T16:26:00.000-04:00

This question comes up frequently enough: how to find older sections of the Florida Administrative Code (FAC)? Start by checking the history notes at the end of the text of the Florida Administrative Code. The FAC is on the web, but it is not "to be regarded as the official copy." The Florida Administrative Weekly (the Federal Register-like publication for the state level), is available on the web from 1999 to the present. For a handy guide to researching Florida administrative law see FSU's powerpoint: Florida Administrative Rules and Hearings.

Florida county law libraries an endangered species?

2005-08-03T21:58:00.000-04:00

Once again, funding for Florida's county law libraries is in jeopardy. Today's Miami Herald carried an editorial urging the Miami-Dade County Commission to revise the 2006 budget to include $650,000 cut from the Miami-Dade County Law Library.

Florida legal blog covers the S.D.

2005-08-03T20:21:00.000-04:00

The Southern District of Florida is a freshly minted legal blog, ready to share its views on federal practice issues down here. The author(s) invite discussion and news on verdicts, rulings, and hot topics in South Florida.

Commission considers online disciplinary records

2005-07-22T21:16:00.000-04:00

The Florida Bar News reports (7/15/2005) that the Special Commission on Lawyer Regulation is considering the recommendation that all bar disciplinary records be placed online. Other states (e.g. Delaware, Iowa) make similar data available online, but so far Florida does not. At this time, Florida bar disciplinary information is made available by phone request. For more information on Florida legal ethics see The Florida Bar Lawyer Regulation web page and SunEthics.

Florida bar offers free legal research to members

2005-07-18T20:31:00.000-04:00

The Florida Bar will now offer a free legal research collection for its members from Fastcase. A Florida Bar News Online Edition story from July 15, 2005, "Free legal research available" describes the service. The free content will include access to:

Florida Supreme Court cases back to 1950

All Florida District Courts of Appeal (DCA) opinions

the Florida Administrative Code

the Florida Statutes

the Florida Constitution

all U.S. Supreme Court decisions

opinions from the 5th and 11th Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal

Shark attack file

2005-07-04T16:54:00.000-04:00

The Florida Museum of Natural History's Ichthyology web page holds a collection of worldwide shark attack information. Trends, maps, graphs, reports, and the latest worldwide shark attack summary are posted here. Thanks to the ResourceShelf for this site.

Florida uniform law enacted

2005-06-23T20:02:00.000-04:00

The Florida Probate Litigation Blog by Miami attorney Juan Antunez makes note of the new Florida Uniform Disclaimer of Property Interests Act. The Senate bill SB1368 is Chapter 2005-108 and goes into effect on July 1, 2005.

Stormy weather resources

2005-06-22T19:10:00.000-04:00

Hurricane season, stormy weather, and all the rest makes us more aware of the need to know. The Palm Beach Post now has a Hurricane blog with advice on supplies and a hurricane gadget guide. NOAA has started a new web site called Storm Tracker, which will follow the progress of tropical storms and hurricanes.

New book: Practice guide on Florida civil procedure

2005-06-09T21:34:00.000-04:00

LexisNexis has released a new title for Florida practitioners: Practice Guide for Florida Civil Procedure. It's a five-volume looseleaf edition, also issued in an online version. There's also a four volume "briefcase" edition in softbound covers. Could this title become as popular as Trawick's? The LexisNexis press release is here.