Rule 12.015 - FAMILY LAW FORMS(a) Forms Adopted as Rules. The forms listed in this rule shall be adopted by the rulemaking process in Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.140. The Family Law Rules Committee of The Florida Bar may propose amendments to these forms and any associated instructions. These forms shall be designated "Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Forms." Forms coming under this provision are:(1) 12.900(a), Disclosure From Nonlawyer;(2) 12.900(b), Notice of Limited Appearance;(3) 12.900(c), Consent to Limited Appearance by Attorney; (4) 12.900(d), Termination of Limited Appearance;(5) 12.900(e), Acknowledgment of Assistance by Attorney;(6) 12.900(f), Signature Block for Attorney Making Limited Appearance; (7) 12.900(g), Agreement Limiting Representation;(8) 12.900(h), Notice of Related Cases;(9) 12.901(a), Petition for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage;(10) 12.902(b), Family Law Financial Affidavit (Short Form);(11) 12.902(c), Family Law Financial Affidavit (Long Form);(12) 12.902(e), Notice of Filing Child Support Guidelines Worksheet;(13) 12.902(f)(3), Marital Settlement Agreement for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage;(14) 12.910(a), Summons: Personal Service on an Individual;(15) 12.911(a), Subpoena for Hearing or Trial (Issued by Clerk);(16) 12.911(b), Subpoena for Hearing or Trial (Issued by Attorney);(17) 12.911(c), Subpoena Duces Tecum for Hearing or Trial (Issued by Clerk);(18) 12.911(d), Subpoena Duces Tecum for Hearing or Trial (Issued by Attorney);(19) 12.911(e), Subpoena for Deposition (Issued by Clerk);(20) 12.913(b), Affidavit of Diligent Search and Inquiry;(21) 12.913(c), Affidavit of Diligent Search;(22) 12.920(a), Motion for Referral to General Magistrate;(23) 12.920(b), Order of Referral to General Magistrate;(24) 12.920(c), Notice of Hearing Before General Magistrate;(25) 12.928, Cover Sheet for Family Court Cases;(26) 12.930(a), Notice of Service of Standard Family Law Interrogatories;(27) 12.930(b), Standard Family Law Interrogatories for Original or Enforcement Proceedings;(28) 12.930(c), Standard Family Law Interrogatories for Modification Proceedings;(29) 12.930(d), Notice of Service of Answers to Standard Family Law Interrogatories;(30) 12.932, Certificate of Compliance with Mandatory Disclosure;(31) 12.975, Notice of Compliance When Constitutional Challenge is Brought;(32) 12.984(a), Order of Referral to Parenting Coordinator;(33) 12.984(b), Response by Parenting Coordinator;(34) 12.984(c), Parenting Coordinator Report of an Emergency;(35) 12.984(d), Parenting Coordinator Request for Status Conference;(36) 12.990(a), Final Judgment of Simplified Dissolution of Marriage;(37) 12.996(a), Income Deduction Order (Non-Title IV-D);(38) 12.996(b), Notice to Payor;(39) 12.996(c), Notice of Filing Return Receipt;(40) 12.996(d), Florida Addendum to Income Withholding Order; and(41) 12.999, Final Disposition Form.(b) Other Family Law Forms. All additional Supreme Court approved forms shall be adopted by opinion of the Supreme Court of Florida and outside of the rulemaking procedures required by rule 2.140. These forms shall be designated "Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Forms."Fl. Fam. Law. R. P. 12.015
Amended effective 11/1/2023; amended by 46 Fla. L. Weekly S323, effective 10/28/2021; amended by 214 So.3d 400, effective 3/16/2017; amended by 94 So.3d 558, effective 6/28/2012; amended by 29 So.3d 227, effective 3/4/2010; amended by 27 So.3d 650, effective 1/28/2010; amended by 30 So.3d 477, effective 10/15/2009; amended by 995 So.2d 407, effective 1/1/2009; amended by 887 So.2d 1090, effective 10/1/2004; amended by 883 So.2d 1285, effective 9/15/2004; added by 810 So.2d 1, effective 9/21/2000.Commentary
2000 Adoption. To help the many people in family law court cases who do not have attorneys to represent them (pro se litigants), the Florida Supreme Court added simplified forms and directions to the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure when adopting the rules in 1995. These forms initially had been adopted by the Court in In re Family Law Rules of Procedure, 663 So.2d 1049 (Fla. 1995); In re Petition for Approval of Forms Pursuant to Rule 10-1.1(b) of the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar-Stepparent Adoption Forms, 613 So.2d 900 (Fla. 1992), and Rules Regulating The Florida Bar-Approval of Forms, 581 So.2d 902 (Fla. 1991).
In 1997, in an effort to fulfill the spirit of the Court's directives to simplify the process of litigation in family law matters, the Family Court Steering Committee completely revised the existing forms and added new forms and instructions. The rules and forms then constituted more than 500 pages.
Subdivision (b) of this rule was adopted in recognition that the forms would require continuous updating and that the rulemaking process was too cumbersome for such an undertaking.
2009 Amendment. In 2009, Subdivision (a)(20) was adopted to require the filing of a Cover Sheet for Family Court Cases, Form 12.928, in every proceeding to which the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure apply and to require the Family Law Rules Committee to be responsible for proposing amendments as necessary.