On June 21, 2012, the Florida Supreme Court issued an opinion, modified on June 26, 2012, that will soon require service of pleadings to be conducted by electronic mail. Service by U.S. Mail alone will no longer suffice. The transition to the 21^st century is fully upon us. The dates you need to know are as follows:

• September 1, 2012: E-Mail service becomes MANDATORY in civil, probate, small claims, and family law divisions of the trial courts, as well as in all appellate cases.
• September 1, 2012: E-mail service becomes encouraged and voluntarily permissible in all criminal, traffic and juvenile matters.
• October 1, 2012: E-Filing becomes mandatory in all appellate courts, including the Florida Supreme Court.
• April 1, 2013: E-Filing of documents becomes mandatory in all civil, probate, small claims, and family law divisions of all trial courts. 
• October 1, 2013: E-mail service and E-filing becomes mandatory in criminal, traffic and juvenile matters. 
  

Links to the decisions of the Florida Supreme Court are: SC11-399 and and SC10-2101.  Also note these two exceptions: Pursuant to rule 2.516(b)(1), self-represented parties involved in any type of case in any Florida court, may, but are not required to, serve documents by e-mail. Attorneys excused from e-mail service are also not obligated to comply with the new e-mail service requirements.

Please review the opinions for additional details. The OCBA will strive to update this page with additional information as these dates approach and encourage all attorneys to become familiar with these new rules in advance of the approaching September 1, 2012, implementation date.