The Florida Bar News
The Florida Bar News Updates

  • Moving civil cases faster would cost millions
    Moving civil cases faster would cost millions By Jan PudlowSenior Editor Measurement changes behavior, 20th Circuit Judge Margaret Steinbeck told a group of state senators. To make sure civil cases don?t languish will require a better way to measure how long it takes them to rumble through the system ? and hiring more case managers, she said. The price tag is $6.3 million to put in place ?Recommendations on Resolving Civil Disputes,? offered in a report by the Commission on Trial Court Performance and Acc. . . ...

  • Foreclosure backlog stands at 368,000, with more on the way
    Foreclosure backlog stands at 368,000, with more on the wayPanel has little interest in nonjudicial remediesBy Gary BlankenshipSenior Editor Foreclosure filings are expected to begin increasing in Florida again, and the state court system has a multi-year plan to deal with the hundreds of thousands expected new filings. State Courts Administrator Lisa Goodner appeared before the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Subcommittee January 12 to discuss handling an estimated 368,000 foreclosure case. . . ...

  • Measure would give the governor more power over JNC appointments
    Measure would give the governor more power over JNC appointmentsBy Gary BlankenshipSenior Editor A bill that opponents say would eviscerate the independence of Florida?s judicial nominating commissions has cleared a House subcommittee. The House Civil Justice Subcommittee on January 11 passed HB 971, which would provide the governor with at-will appointments to the JNCs. Sponsored by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Shalimar, the bill also would remove a roadblock that makes retiring judges wait a year before they can se. . . ...

  • Lawyer regulation under review
    Lawyer regulation under review?This effort is intended to engage in essentially a self-audit?By Mark D. KillianManaging Editor Lawyer regulation is the Bar?s most important function, ?and the trust the public has for us as a profession starts with this responsibility.? With that, Bar President Scott Hawkins kicked off a daylong meeting of the Bar?s Commission on Review of the Discipline System (dubbed the Hawkins Commission) at the Florida AandM University College of Law January 9 in Orlando. ?The unexamined . . . ...

  • Both chambers move expert testimony bills
    Both chambers move expert testimony billsBy Gary BlankenshipSenior Editor Bills to replace Florida?s standard for evaluating expert testimony with the standard used in federal courts advanced in both the House and Senate during the first week of the 2012 regular session of the Florida Legislature. HB 243, by Rep. Larry Metz, R-Eustis, and SB 378, by Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples, would bring what is called the Daubert standard for admitting expert testimony to Florida, replacing the Frye standard used now.. . . ...


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