In Re: Amendments to Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.320

Supreme Court of Florida
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2023

In Re: Amendments to Florida SC2023-0114
Rule of General Practice and
Judicial Administration 2.320

The Court has considered the comments concerning Florida
Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.320, which
was amended in the opinion issued February 2, 2023. The Court
having determined that no further amendments to the rule are
warranted at this time, this case is hereby final.

MUÑIZ, C.J., and CANADY, COURIEL, GROSSHANS, and
FRANCIS, JJ., concur.
LABARGA, J., dissents with an opinion.
SASSO, J., did not participate.

LABARGA, J., dissenting.

Earlier this year, on its own motion, the majority adopted

amendments to Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial

Administration 2.320. In doing so, the majority expressly

eliminated fairness and diversity education from the judicial

education requirements for Florida judges. At that time, I dissented

to the amendments as “unwarranted, untimely, and ill-advised.” In

re Amends. to Fla. Rule of Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.320, 356 So.
CASE NO.: SC2023-0114
Page Two

3d 766, 769 (Fla. 2023) (Labarga, J., dissenting). Now, having

considered the comments filed in response to the amendments, the

majority has decided to leave the amendments in place and take no

further action.

I continue to believe that fairness and diversity education is of

great benefit to Florida’s judiciary and those who interact with

Florida’s state courts. To that end, I dissent to today’s order and

reaffirm my belief that “the purpose of providing express

consideration to fairness and diversity education has been to

complement the canons [in the Code of Judicial Conduct], and in

the hopes of addressing the extremely complex issue that is

discrimination, to educate the judiciary on strategies for recognizing

and combatting discrimination.” Id.

I respectfully dissent.

A True Copy
Test:

SC2023-0114 9/7/2023

SC2023-0114 9/7/2023
CASE NO.: SC2023-0114
Page Three

SO

Served:
JOSHUA E. DOYLE
MERRICK L. GROSS
GISELLE GUTIERREZ
HON. STEPHEN RICHARD JEWETT
JORDI C. MARTÍNEZ-CID
KEITH H. PARK
PAUL R. REGENSDORF
KELLY NOEL SMITH
ELIZABETH CLARK TARBERT