In Re: Amendments to the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration, the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, and the…

Summary

The Court adopted new rules transferring authority to develop and approve standard jury instructions from the Court to its three standing jury-instruction committees. The committees must use specified procedures, including publication for comment and a two-thirds vote, while trial judges may modify an instruction they find erroneous or inadequate and must explain the legal basis upon timely objection. The amendments also clarify that committee approval, and prior Supreme Court authorization, carries no presumption that an instruction is legally correct. The opinion contains no separate writings.