| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to electronic filing and receipt of court |
| 3 | documents; creating ss. 27.341 and 27.5112, F.S.; |
| 4 | providing legislative intent; requiring that each state |
| 5 | attorney and public defender implement a system by which |
| 6 | the state attorney and public defender can electronically |
| 7 | file court documents with the clerk of the court and |
| 8 | receive court documents from the clerk of the court; |
| 9 | defining the term "court documents"; requiring that the |
| 10 | Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association and the Florida |
| 11 | Public Defender Association report to the President of the |
| 12 | Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by |
| 13 | a specified date on the progress made in implementing the |
| 14 | electronic filing and receipt system; providing an |
| 15 | effective date. |
| 16 |
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| 17 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 18 |
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| 19 | Section 1. Section 27.341, Florida Statutes, is created to |
| 20 | read: |
| 21 | 27.341 Electronic filing and receipt of court documents.- |
| 22 | (1)(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that each |
| 23 | office of the state attorney design and implement a system by |
| 24 | which the state attorney electronically files court documents |
| 25 | with the clerk of the court and receives court documents from |
| 26 | the clerk of the court. It is the expectation of the Legislature |
| 27 | that the electronic filing and receipt of court documents will |
| 28 | reduce costs for the office of the state attorney, the clerk of |
| 29 | circuit court, and the judiciary; will increase timeliness in |
| 30 | the processing of cases; and will provide the judiciary and the |
| 31 | clerk of the court with case-related information to allow for |
| 32 | improved judicial case management. |
| 33 | (b) As used in this section, the term "court documents" |
| 34 | includes, but is not limited to, pleadings, motions, briefs, and |
| 35 | their respective attachments, orders, judgments, opinions, |
| 36 | decrees, and transcripts. |
| 37 | (2) The Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association shall |
| 38 | file a report with the President of the Senate and the Speaker |
| 39 | of the House of Representatives by March 1, 2012, describing the |
| 40 | progress that each office of the state attorney has made to |
| 41 | implement an electronic filing and receipt system. For any |
| 42 | office of the state attorney that has not fully implemented an |
| 43 | electronic filing and receipt system by March 1, 2012, the |
| 44 | report must also include a description of the additional |
| 45 | activities that are needed to complete the system for that |
| 46 | office and the projected time necessary to complete the |
| 47 | additional activities. |
| 48 | Section 2. Section 27.5112, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 49 | to read: |
| 50 | 27.5112 Electronic filing and receipt of court documents.- |
| 51 | (1)(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that each |
| 52 | office of the public defender design and implement a system by |
| 53 | which the public defender electronically files court documents |
| 54 | with the clerk of the court and receives court documents from |
| 55 | the clerk of the court. It is the expectation of the Legislature |
| 56 | that the electronic filing and receipt of court documents will |
| 57 | reduce costs for the office of the public defender, the clerk of |
| 58 | circuit court, and the judiciary; will increase timeliness in |
| 59 | the processing of cases; and will provide the judiciary and the |
| 60 | clerk of the court with case-related information to allow for |
| 61 | improved judicial case management. |
| 62 | (b) As used in this section, the term "court documents" |
| 63 | includes, but is not limited to, pleadings, motions, briefs, and |
| 64 | their respective attachments, orders, judgments, opinions, |
| 65 | decrees, and transcripts. |
| 66 | (2) The Florida Public Defender Association shall file a |
| 67 | report with the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the |
| 68 | House of Representatives by March 1, 2012, describing the |
| 69 | progress that each office of the public defender has made to |
| 70 | implement an electronic filing and receipt system. For any |
| 71 | office of the public defender that has not fully implemented an |
| 72 | electronic filing and receipt system by March 1, 2012, the |
| 73 | report must also include a description of the additional |
| 74 | activities that are needed to complete the system for that |
| 75 | office and the projected time necessary to complete the |
| 76 | additional activities. |
| 77 | Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |