Front row (l-r): Justice Ricky Polston, Chief Justice Charles T. Canady, Justice Jorge Labarga. .Back row (l-r): Justice Robert J. Luck, Justice Alan Lawson, Justice Barbara Lagoa, Justice Carlos G. Muniz. Courtesy photo. Front row (l-r): Justice Ricky Polston, Chief Justice Charles T. Canady, Justice Jorge Labarga. .Back row (l-r): Justice Robert J. Luck, Justice Alan Lawson, Justice Barbara Lagoa, Justice Carlos G. Muniz. Courtesy photo.

The Florida Supreme Court granted changes to the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar and the Florida Rule of Judicial Administration with per curiam opinions Thursday.

From Aug. 26, the bar rule that governs potentially misleading advertisements will allow lawyers and law firms to claim expertise or specializations in certain areas of law without being board certified, as long as they can back it up with relevant “training, education, experience or substantial involvement in the area of practice.”

A petition from the Florida Bar prompted the change.

If a law firm advertises expertise in a certain area that not all of its attorneys have, the ad must include a ”reasonably prominent disclaimer” making that clear.

Read the amendment:

The high court also changed the rules for the Florida Rule of Judicial Administration, adding two new categories of filings that the clerk of court must brand confidential. As of Monday, all Baker Act records will be confidential.

Any identifying information about petitioners or respondents in injunction petitions against domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence, stalking or cyberstalking will also be confidential until the respondent has been personally served with the filing.

The change comes in response to new legislation, Florida Statute Section 394.464.

Read the amendment:

 

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