IN RE AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA RULE OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE 9.140

Fla. | 2016-05-26
No. SC15-2296
LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS,.QUINCE, CANADY, POLSTON, and PERRY, JJ., concur.
194 So. 3d 309 Florida Supreme Court (2016) Positive Treatment
Cited by 4 cases

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Holding

The Court amends Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.140(g) to clarify procedures for briefs in criminal appeals, particularly concerning Anders reviews and unpreserved sentencing errors.


Headnotes

[1] Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.140(g)(2)(A) requires the court to independently review the record for arguable issues when appointed counsel files a brief stating…

[2] Upon discovering an unpreserved sentencing, disposition, or commitment order error in an Anders review, the court may strike the brief and allow a motion to be filed in t…

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Facts & Procedural History

The Florida Supreme Court's Criminal Court Steering Committee proposed amendments to Rule 9.140(g) after a request to address sentencing errors in And…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

This matter is before the Court for consideration of proposed amendments to Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.140. We have jurisdiction. See .art. V, .§ 2(a), Fla. Const.

The Florida Supreme Court’s Criminal Court Steering Committee (Steering Committee) filed a petition proposing amendments to rule 9.140(g) (Appeal Proceedings in Criminal Cases; Briefs). The Steering Committee’s proposal arose from a; June 19, 2015, request from the Court to consider whether a rule amendment to the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure was necessary to address the circumstances when a sentencing error is identified in the course of an Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967), review. The Court further directed the Steering Committee to consider whether other changes to the appellate rules related to the adjudication of Anders cases would be-beneficial.

In considering the Court’s referral, the Steering-Committee included liaisons from the Criminal Procedure Rules Committee and the Appellate Court Rules Committee. The Steering Committee also received input from the Florida Public Defender Association • and the Office of the Attorney General. The Steering Committee first published its proposed amendment to rule 9.140(g) in the September 15, 2015, edition of The Florida Bar News. The Steering Committee received two comments, and made changes to its proposal accordingly. The Steering Committee then republished its revised proposal to amend rule 9.140(g), in the November 1, 2015, edition of The Florida Bar News. One comment was filed in response to the Steering Committee’s proposal. The Steering Committee subsequently filed a response and new appendix -with the Court, modifying its proposal to amend rule 9.140(g)(1) in response to the comment. The Court did not publish the Steering Committee’s proposal following that submission.

Upon consideration of the Steering Committee’s report and the comments received by' the Steering' Committee, the Court amends rule 9.140(g) as follows. The existing language in subdivision (g) is renumbered subdivision (g)(1) and given the title “Briefs on- the Merits.” Subdivision (g)(1) includes initial briefs filed pursuant to new subdivision (g)(2)(A), which addresses the circumstances when an arguable issue is identified in the course of an Anders' review. In' addition, the word “transmission” is substituted for the word “service.” New subdivision (g)(2)(A) codifies Anders case law. New subdivision (g)(2)(B) specifically addresses the handling of unpreserved sentencing, disposition, or commitment order errors, and allows for a motion to be filed in the trial *310court to correct the error. Specifically, subdivision (g)(2)(B) governs whether the brief should be struck for filing of a Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800(b)(2) motion to correct an unpreserved sentencing error, or a Florida Rule of Juvenile Procedure 8.135(b)(2) motion to correct an unpreserved disposition or commitment error: Finally, the last sentence in subdivision (g)(2)(B) allows the court to set deadlines in order to keep the case on track for timely disposition.

. Accordingly, we amend the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure as reflected in the appendix to this opinion. New language is indicated by underscoring. The amendments shall.become effective July 1, 2016, at 12:01 a.m. Because the Court did not publish the proposed amendments pri- or to their adoption, interested persons shall have sixty days from the date of this opinion in which to file with the Court comments to any of the rules herein adopted or amended.1

It is so ordered.

LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS,.QUINCE, CANADY, POLSTON, and PERRY, JJ., concur.

APPENDIX

RULE 9.140. APPEAL PROCEEDINGS IN CRIMINAL CASES

(a)-(f) [No changes]

(g) Briefs.

(1) Briefs on the merits. Initial briefs, including those filed pursuant to subdivision (g)(2)(A), shall be served within 30 days of ■sorvieatransmission of the record or designation of appointed counsel, whichever is later. Additional briefs shall be served as prescribed by rule 9.210.

(2) Anders Briefs.

(A) If appointed counsel files a brief stating that an appeal would be frivolous, the court shall independently review the record to discover any arguable issues apparent on the face of the record. Upon the discovery of an arguable issue, other than an unpreserved sentencing, disposition, or commitment order error, the court shall order briefing on the issues identified by the court.

(B) Upon discovery of an unpreserved sentencing, disposition, or commitment order error, the court may strike the brief and allow for a motion pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800(b)(2) or Florida Rule of Juvenile Procedure *3118.135(b)(2) to be filed. The court’s order may contain deadlines for the cause to be resolved within a reasonable time.

(h)-(i) [No changes]

Committee Notes

[No changes]

Court Commentary

[No changes]


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Cited By

  • In re Amendments to the Florida Evidence Code, 278 So. 3d 551 (Fla. 2019)
    …a Constitution).8 In each of these 8. We have bypassed the rule 2.140 process in numerous other cases, instead seeking advice from the Criminal Courts Steering Committee. See, e.g., In re Amendments To Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.140, 194 So. 3d 309, 309-10 (Fla. 2016) (amending Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.140, relying solely on our constitutional grant of rule-making authority); In re Amendments To Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure—Rule 3.113, 139 So. 3d 292, 293 (Fla. 2014) (adopt…
    1 / 2
  • Anderson v. State (Fla. 1st DCA 2024)
    …e it does not “stat[e] that an appeal would be frivolous.” However, even if the brief included that statement, it would still be noncompliant. Rule 9.140(g)(2) was promulgated to “codif[y] Anders case law.” In re Amends. to Fla. R. App. P. 9.140, 194 So. 3d 309, 309 (Fla. 2016). The Anders procedure that rule 9.140(g)(2)(A) sought to codify is rooted in “[t]he constitutional requirement of substantial equality and fair process,” which is “attained where counsel acts in the role of an active advocate.” An…
  • Anderson v. State (Fla. 1st DCA 2024)
    …e it does not “stat[e] that an appeal would be frivolous.” However, even if the brief included that statement, it would still be noncompliant. Rule 9.140(g)(2) was promulgated to “codif[y] Anders case law.” In re Amends. to Fla. R. App. P. 9.140, 194 So. 3d 309, 309 (Fla. 2016). The Anders procedure that rule 9.140(g)(2)(A) sought to codify is rooted in “[t]he constitutional requirement of substantial equality and fair process,” which is “attained where counsel acts in the role of an active advocate.” An…

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