Tag: legal-document

For the past 200 years, the definition of reasonable doubt in Florida has been confusing and difficult to understand. It’s time for a change. The current definition is filled with long, complicated words that even the person speaking them may not fully understand. This leads to jurors being deceived into thinking they are being given…

A landowner who is unhappy with a decision made by the local government about their property can use a law called FLUEDRA to try to work out the issue through mediation before going to court. FLUEDRA applies to any decisions about building, zoning, or other permits made by the government. It’s been around for over…

Before 1968, local governments in Florida only had the powers specifically given to them by the state. In 1968, the Florida Constitution was changed to give cities and charter counties more power to make their own rules. Then in 1973, the Municipal Home Rules Power Act (MHRPA) was passed, which gave even more power to…

Appellate lawyers have the same ethical duties as trial lawyers, but there are some specific issues that come up. One big problem is when lawyers criticize judges in court filings or public statements after they lose a case. This is against the rules and can lead to discipline for the lawyer. The rule says that…

If you’re in Florida and need to appeal a civil court decision, you should hire an appellate lawyer if you don’t know about the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure. These rules are important for filing appeals and have strict deadlines that cannot be extended. Appellate lawyers have the skills and knowledge needed to handle your…

Properly citing legal authority is important in legal writing. It involves knowing how to cite cases, laws, and other legal sources correctly. This helps to support and give credit to the ideas and arguments in a legal document. Credible citations and sound reasoning based on those citations are important for persuading a court to support…

Amicus briefs, or “friend of the court” briefs, are not used very often by Florida appellate courts. From 2007 to 2011, the Florida Supreme Court mentioned amicus briefs in only 14 majority opinions. In 2010, only 17% of cases taken on the merits included at least one amicus brief. This shows that amicus briefs are…

The way judges read legal briefs is changing because everything is going digital. To make sure their arguments are understood, lawyers need to make their briefs easy to read and follow. This article talks about how lawyers can change the way they write their briefs so that they are easier to read on a computer…

If you lost the trial, think about whether you have a good reason to appeal and if you can afford it. If you won, consider if the other side might appeal and if you want to go through that. Appellate mediation can be a way to end the case without the costs and risks of…

You won a big case in federal court after working on it for years, but now the other side is appealing the decision. However, the appeal might not be able to go forward because of a problem with the court’s authority to hear the case. You have to go back and check if the documents…

Change is unavoidable, especially in the law. The rules for appealing cases in federal court have been updated, which can be intimidating for lawyers. Some of the changes are small, like new deadlines for filing certain documents. Others, like reducing word limits for legal documents, are more significant. It’s important to pay attention to these…

Legal citation is an important skill for lawyers to learn and keep up with, even after they graduate from law school. In Florida, lawyers and judges are required to use Rule 9.800, which provides examples of how to cite common legal authorities like cases and statutes. It’s not full of a lot of technical rules…

The problem is that some lawyers are writing really long and argumentative introductions in their legal briefs for the Florida appellate court. This is causing some judges to question if introductions should even be allowed. However, a well-written introduction is actually a good idea and can be an important part of making a persuasive argument.…

Florida courts have started using electronic filing systems for legal documents since January 2015. There are three different web-based systems used for electronic filing in Florida courts. It’s a cost-effective and efficient way to file documents, but it has caused some confusion for lawyers and court staff. This article aims to help clear up some…

If you win an appeal, you might recover your costs from the other party, unless the court says otherwise. The trial court will decide who won the appeal based on the important issues. Even if you ultimately lose in the trial court, if you win the appeal, you might still be considered the prevailing party…

Declaratory judgments are a way for lawyers to clarify their client’s rights in court without a full trial. This can save time and money. But there’s a similar tool for when a client’s rights are decided by a state agency. It’s called a declaratory statement. A recent Florida court decision will make it easier to…

When lawyers use a PC to write documents, it’s not just about the words they’re using, but also about how the document looks. It’s important to present documents professionally, and as lawyers, we should pay attention to the way the text is presented. While some suggestions in this article might not be allowed in court,…

Sometimes when you submit a long legal document, it’s easy for someone to get bored and miss important points. It’s a good idea to get someone else to read it and make edits to make sure it’s clear and to the point. When it comes to replying to someone else’s legal argument, it’s best not…