Rule 6-6.5 - RECERTIFICATION The applicant must satisfy the following requirements for recertification during the 5-year period immediately preceding the application date.
(a)Minimum Period of Practice or Judicial Service. The applicant must have devoted at least 30 percent of the applicant's practice or judicial service to marital and family law cases.(b)Minimum Number of Cases. The applicant must have trial experience and substantial involvement as set forth in this rule as a judicial officer who presided over or as an advocate who handled a minimum of 15 contested marital and family law cases in circuit courts. All 15 cases must have involved substantial legal or factual issues other than the dissolution of marriage. (1)Trial Experience. At least 5 of the 15 cases must have been trials as defined in this chapter. The skill set inherent in presiding over a marital and family law case as a judicial officer encompasses all of the special knowledge, skills, proficiency, and ethics that the marital and family law certification committee finds sufficient to meet the trial requirements for recertification. An advanced trial advocacy seminar approved by the marital and family law certification committee completed either by teaching, attendance, or a combination qualifies as 1 of the 5 trials. (2)Substantial Involvement. The applicant must have substantial involvement as defined in this chapter in at least 10 contested marital and family law cases to demonstrate special competence as a marital and family lawyer or as a judicial officer presiding over marital and family law cases. Any trials in excess of the 5 trials meeting the criteria of trial experience in this rule automatically qualify as substantial involvement cases. The skill set inherent in presiding over a marital and family law case as a judicial officer encompasses all of the special knowledge, skills, proficiency, and ethics that the marital and family law certification committee finds sufficient to meet the substantial involvement requirements for recertification. The determination of whether the applicant has sufficiently demonstrated involvement in each case submitted is made on a qualitative basis by the marital and family law certification committee using the information provided by the applicant. The marital and family law certification committee reserves the right to seek additional information from the applicant to make its determination that the minimum number of cases requirement has been met.
(3) On special application, for good cause shown, the marital and family law certification committee may waive compliance with rule 6-6.5(b)(1) and/or (2) for an applicant who has been continuously certified in marital and family law for a period of 14 years. The applicant shall be required to complete all sections of the application for recertification with the exception of schedule B-1.(c) Education. The applicant must have completed at least 75 hours of approved continuing legal education in accordance with rule 6-6.3(d).(d) Peer Review. The applicant must submit references and otherwise comply with rule 6-6.3(c) or 6-6.4(c). Judicial peer review is not required for judicial officers seeking recertification.Amended Sept. 21, 1989, effective 10/1/1989 (548 So.2d 1120); 7/23/1992, effective 1/1/1993 (605 So.2d 252); amended Feb. 17, 1995, by the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar; Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 1996, by the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar; Feb. 11, 1999, by the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar; amended and effective 12/4/2020 by The Florida Bar Board of Governors.