Florida Judicial Administration Rule 2.320
RULE 2.320. CONTINUING JUDICIAL EDUCATION
(a) Purpose. This rule sets forth the continuing education
requirements for all judges in the state judicial system.
(b) Education Requirements.
(1) Applicability. All Florida county, circuit, and
appellate judges and Florida supreme court justices shall comply
with these judicial education requirements. Retired judges who
have been approved by the supreme court to be assigned to
temporary active duty as authorized by section 25.073, Florida
Statutes (1991), shall also comply with the judicial education
requirements.
(2) Minimum Requirements. Each judge and justice
shall complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of approved judicial
education programs every 3 years. Beginning January 1, 2012, 4
hours must be in the area of judicial ethics; prior to that date, 2
hours in the area of judicial ethics are required. The portions of
approved courses which pertain to judicial professionalism,
opinions of the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee, and the Code of
Judicial Conduct can be used to fulfill the judicial ethics
requirement. Every judge new to a level of trial court must complete
the Florida Judicial College program in that judge’s first year of
judicial service following selection to that level of court; every new
appellate court judge or justice must, within 2 years following
selection to that level of court, complete an approved appellate-
judge program. Every new appellate judge who has never been a
trial judge or who has never attended Phase I of the Florida Judicial
College as a magistrate must also attend Phase I of the Florida
Judicial College in that judge’s first year of judicial service following
the judge’s appointment. Judges and justices will receive credit for
attending these programs. Credit for teaching a course for which
mandatory judicial education credit is available will be allowed on
the basis of 2 1/2 hours’ credit for each instructional hour taught,
up to a maximum of 5 hours per year.
(3) Mediation Training. Prior to conducting any
mediation, a senior judge shall have completed a minimum of one
judicial education course offered by the Florida Court Education
Council. The course shall specifically focus on the areas where the
Code of Judicial Conduct or the Florida Rules for Certified and
Court-Appointed Mediators could be violated.
(c) Course Approval. The Florida Court Education Council,
in consultation with the judicial conferences, shall develop
approved courses for each state court jurisdiction. Judges may
receive credit for courses offered by other judicial and legal
education entities subject to course approval by the Florida Court
Education Council or the Office of Court Education within the
Office of the State Court Administrator.
(d) Waiver. The Florida Court Education Council is
responsible for establishing a procedure for considering and acting
upon waiver and extension requests on an individual basis.
(e) Reporting Requirements and Sanctions. The Florida
Court Education Council shall establish a procedure for reporting
annually to the chief justice on compliance with this rule. The Office
of Court Education within the Office of the State Courts
Administrator shall monitor compliance with this rule. Failure to
comply with the requirements of this rule will be reported to the
chief justice of the Florida supreme court for such administrative
action as deemed necessary. The chief justice may consider a
judge’s or justice’s failure to comply as neglect of duty and report
the matter to the Judicial Qualifications Commission.
(a) Purpose. This rule sets forth the continuing education
requirements for all judges in the state judicial system.
(b) Education Requirements.
(1) Applicability. All Florida county, circuit, and
appellate judges and Florida supreme court justices shall comply
with these judicial education requirements. Retired judges who
have been approved by the supreme court to be assigned to
temporary active duty as authorized by section 25.073, Florida
Statutes (1991), shall also comply with the judicial education
requirements.
(2) Minimum Requirements. Each judge and justice
shall complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of approved judicial
education programs every 3 years. Beginning January 1, 2012, 4
hours must be in the area of judicial ethics; prior to that date, 2
hours in the area of judicial ethics are required. The portions of
approved courses which pertain to judicial professionalism,
opinions of the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee, and the Code of
Judicial Conduct can be used to fulfill the judicial ethics
requirement. Every judge new to a level of trial court must complete
the Florida Judicial College program in that judge’s first year of
judicial service following selection to that level of court; every new
appellate court judge or justice must, within 2 years following
selection to that level of court, complete an approved appellate-
judge program. Every new appellate judge who has never been a
trial judge or who has never attended Phase I of the Florida Judicial
College as a magistrate must also attend Phase I of the Florida
Judicial College in that judge’s first year of judicial service following
the judge’s appointment. Judges and justices will receive credit for
attending these programs. Credit for teaching a course for which
mandatory judicial education credit is available will be allowed on
the basis of 2 1/2 hours’ credit for each instructional hour taught,
up to a maximum of 5 hours per year.
(3) Mediation Training. Prior to conducting any
mediation, a senior judge shall have completed a minimum of one
judicial education course offered by the Florida Court Education
Council. The course shall specifically focus on the areas where the
Code of Judicial Conduct or the Florida Rules for Certified and
Court-Appointed Mediators could be violated.
(c) Course Approval. The Florida Court Education Council,
in consultation with the judicial conferences, shall develop
approved courses for each state court jurisdiction. Judges may
receive credit for courses offered by other judicial and legal
education entities subject to course approval by the Florida Court
Education Council or the Office of Court Education within the
Office of the State Court Administrator.
(d) Waiver. The Florida Court Education Council is
responsible for establishing a procedure for considering and acting
upon waiver and extension requests on an individual basis.
(e) Reporting Requirements and Sanctions. The Florida
Court Education Council shall establish a procedure for reporting
annually to the chief justice on compliance with this rule. The Office
of Court Education within the Office of the State Courts
Administrator shall monitor compliance with this rule. Failure to
comply with the requirements of this rule will be reported to the
chief justice of the Florida supreme court for such administrative
action as deemed necessary. The chief justice may consider a
judge’s or justice’s failure to comply as neglect of duty and report
the matter to the Judicial Qualifications Commission.