Members of the public are invited to volunteer on or before April 9 for one three-year term on the Florida Board of Bar Examiners. The Supreme Court of Florida will appoint one public member to serve on the Florida Board of Bar Examiners. The Board ensures that applicants seeking admission to The Florida Bar have met the requirements of the Rules with regard to character and fitness, education and technical competence prior to recommending to the Supreme Court of Florida an applicant’s admission to The Florida Bar.

New deadline is no later than the close of business on Thursday, April 9.

Link to news release here.

Florida Board of Bar Examiners Vacancies: Lawyer applicants are being sought to fill three vacancies on the Florida Board of Bar Examiners. A joint screening committee of Florida Bar Board of Governors members and Board of Bar Examiners members will recommend nine nominees for three lawyer vacancies. The nominations will be forwarded to the Supreme Court to fill three five-year terms commencing November 1, 2020 and expiring on October 31, 2025.

New deadline is no later than the close of business on Thursday, April 9.

Link to news release here.

Please click here to see the amended Admin Order 12.510-3/2020.4 Mitigating Measures in Response to COVID-19.

Please note that the amendments are in bold.  

Please see the attached Administrative Order and Press Release from the Chief Judge related to court operations in response to COVID-19.

• For Press Release, please click here.
• For the AO, please click here.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA

If you are in possession of original documents (Wills –including Notarial Wills, Codicils, Death Certificates, Authenticate/Exemplified Copies of Court Documents as required by law, Commissions etc.). These documents must be delivered to the Clerk of Court in the location where your ex parte hearing is scheduled. The ex parte docket is suspended until further notice. If you are scheduled for an Ex Parte hearing, you should proceed as follows:

• These documents must be delivered to the Clerk of Court in the location where your hearing is scheduled no later than three (3) business days prior to the scheduled hearing. The package must include a cover letter clearly showing that the matter is set for ex-parte Hearing and the scheduled date. (it may be best to utilize a courier service to ensure your documents are delivered in time)
• Orders must be uploaded in OLS (showing “Ex-parte” as the event) no later than three (3) business days prior to the hearing.
• Complete the appropriate checklist in OLS for the motion/petition scheduled.
• If you receive a status order or deficiency memorandum, the deficiency must be cured (filed and docketed) prior to the scheduled date.
• Make arrangements with the Clerk’s Office for certified copies of the order.
• Please check the divisional suspension calendar prior to setting your case on the ex-parte calendar.

Dear All:

Please find the attached Administrative Order from Chief Justice Canady.  In the order, he directs that all grand jury proceedings, jury selection proceedings, and criminal and civil jury trials are suspended beginning Monday, March 16, 2020 through Friday, March 27, 2020.  The order does not require the courts to suspend hearings or non-jury trials.  At this point in time, we are proceeding with all court events with the exception of those outlined in paragraph 2 on page 3.

The Chief Judge has directed judges who are currently presiding over a jury trial that has already commenced, to attempt to proceed to completion.    The Chief Judge will reach out to our court partners next week with more information related to court operations beyond March 27, 2020.

Click here for the Administrative Order from Chief Justice Canady:

Thank you,

Barbara Dawicke

Trial Court Administrator

Fifteenth Judicial Circuit

The Florida Bar is providing information and updates via a webpage at www.floridabar.org/covid19 to centralize communications to all Bar members including important links, court announcements, event cancellations, rescheduled meetings, and any other matters that may affect lawyers and their clients. Please note that this morning President John Stewart contacted the Bar’s section and committee leaders asking them to consider canceling meetings scheduled through April 30 – his memo is linked from the floridabar.org/covid19 webpage.

Conference Postponed to August 14, 2020

Dear Members, Conference Registrants and Sponsors:

After careful consideration for the health and safety of our members, sponsors, and staff, the Palm Bar County Bar Association’s Board of Directors made the difficult decision to postpone the Bench Bar Conference previously scheduled for Friday, March 20th. This was based upon a host of factors from a variety of sources, including Florida Governor DeSantis’ request that large gatherings be postponed.

Bench Bar is the largest event hosted by the Palm Beach County Bar Association and the event offers our members the opportunity to further their legal education as well as engage with their peers and our local judiciary.

We take this time to thank the Bench Bar Co-Chairs, Salesia Smith-Gordon and Michael Pike, the session chairs, the panel participants, and bar staff for the preparation they made to ensure the success of this event. We do not want this hard work to be forfeited, therefore, please mark your calendars for the new scheduled date of Friday, August 14, 2020.

While we regret the postponement of Bench Bar 2020, we look forward to seeing you in June.

First, the Chief Judge and the other Judges are very concerned for the safety of the court’s staff, the clerk’s staff, and the citizens during this difficult time.  Therefore, effective Monday, March 16, and for the next 30 days no jurors will be summonsed to appear on a Thursday or Friday.  The Chief asked that the clerk staff call in only 200 jurors on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays (reduction of panel).    All large panels shall be canceled for the next 30 days unless the Chief Judge is informed that all parties agree that it is necessary to proceed and she approves the panel.  Criminal cases will take priority over other trials.

With the safety of our members in mind, the Palm Beach County Bar Association has been in communication with the Palm Beach County Convention Center concerning the recent news story regarding an individual who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus after visiting the Palm Beach County Convention Center on February 28th.

Specifically, we were informed by the Convention Center that the risk of an attendee contracting the virus, based on this individual’s presence in their facility over a week ago, is low. Further, as the Conference is scheduled to take place on March 20th, well outside the two week incubation period set forth by the CDC, the 2020 Bench Bar Conference will take place as scheduled on Friday, March 20th. We will, of course, continue to monitor this situation and any changes or updates will be communicated to our members.

Please see the letter below written by Dave Anderson, General Manager of the PBC Convention Center: