Rule 8.085 - PREHEARING MOTIONS AND SERVICE(a) Prehearing Motions.(1)Motions in General. Every motion made before a hearing and any pleading in response to the motion shall be in writing and shall be signed by the party making the motion or if the party is represented by an attorney, the party's attorney. This requirement may be waived by the court for good cause shown.(2)Motion to Dismiss. All defenses not raised by a plea of not guilty or denial of the allegations of the petition shall be made by a motion to dismiss the petition. If a motion to dismiss is granted, the child who is detained under an order entered under rule 8.013 may be continued in detention under the said order upon the representation that a new or amended petition will be filed.(3)Motion to Suppress. Any confession or admission obtained illegally or any evidence obtained by an unlawful search and seizure may be suppressed on motion by the child. (A) Every motion to suppress shall clearly state the particular evidence sought to be suppressed, the reason for the suppression, and a general statement of the facts on which the motion is based.(B) Before hearing evidence, the court shall determine if the motion is legally sufficient. If it is not, the motion shall be denied. If the court hears the motion on its merits, the moving party shall present evidence in support thereof and the state may offer rebuttal evidence.(4)Motion to Sever. A motion may be made for the severance of 2 or more counts in a multi-count petition, or for the severance of the cases of 2 or more children to be adjudicated in the same hearing. The court may grant motions for severance of counts and severance of jointly brought cases for good cause shown.(5)Time for Filing. Any motion to suppress, sever, or dismiss shall be made prior to the date of the adjudicatory hearing unless an opportunity to make such motion previously did not exist or the party making the motion was not aware of the grounds for the motion.(6)Sworn Motions to Dismiss. Before the adjudicatory hearing the court may entertain a motion to dismiss on the ground that there are no material disputed facts and the undisputed facts do not establish a prima facie case of guilt against the child. The facts on which such motion is based shall be specifically alleged and the motion sworn to by the child. The motion shall be filed a reasonable time before the date of the adjudicatory hearing. The state may traverse or demur to this motion. Factual matters alleged in it shall be deemed admitted unless specifically denied by the state in a traverse. The court, in its discretion, may receive evidence on any issue of fact necessary to decide the motion. The motion shall be dismissed if the state files a written traverse that with specificity denies under oath the material fact or facts alleged in the motion to dismiss. Any demurrer or traverse shall be filed a reasonable time before the hearing on the motion to dismiss.(b)Service of Pleadings and Papers.(1)When Required. Unless the court orders otherwise, every pleading subsequent to the initial petition, every order, every written motion, unless it is one as to which hearing ex parte is authorized, and every written notice filed in the case shall be served on each party; however, nothing herein shall be construed to require that a plea be in writing or that an application for witness subpoena be served.(2)How Made. When service is required or permitted to be made upon a party represented by an attorney, service shall be made upon the attorney unless service upon the party is ordered by the court. Service upon the attorney or party shall be made by electronic mail (e-mail) consistent with the requirements of Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.516, unless the parties stipulate otherwise. Service on or by all parties who are not represented by an attorney and who do not designate an e-mail address, and on and by all attorneys excused from e-mail service, must be made by delivering a copy or by mailing it to the attorney or party's last known address or, if no address is known, by leaving it with the clerk of the court. Service by mail shall be complete upon mailing. Delivery of a copy within this rule shall mean:(A) handing it to the attorney or the party;(B) leaving it at the attorney's office, with the person in charge thereof;(C) if there is no one in charge of the office, leaving it in a conspicuous place therein;(D) if the office is closed or the person to serve has no office, leaving it at his or her usual place of abode with some person of the family above 15 years of age and informing such person of the contents thereof; or(E) transmitting it by facsimile to the attorney's or party's office with a cover sheet containing the sender's name, firm, address, telephone number, and facsimile number, the number of pages transmitted, and the recipient's facsimile number. When service is made by facsimile, a copy shall also be served by any other method permitted by this rule. Facsimile service occurs when the transmission is complete.(3)Filing. All documents must be filed with the court either before service or immediately thereafter. If the document required to be filed is to be an original and is not placed in the court file or deposited with the clerk, a certified copy must be so placed by the clerk.(4)Filing with Court Defined. The filing of documents with the court as required by these rules shall be made by filing them with the clerk of the court in accordance with rule 8.004, except that the judge may permit documents to be filed with the judge, in which event the judge must note the filing date before him or her on the documents and transmit them to the clerk. The date of filing is that shown on the face of the document by the notation of the judge or the time stamp of the clerk, whichever is earlier.(5)Certificate of Service. When any authorized person shall in substance certify: "I certify that a copy/copies has/have been furnished to (insert name or names) by (e-mail) (delivery) (mail) (fax) on (date).
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the certificate shall be taken as prima facie proof of such service in compliance with all rules of court and law.
(6)People Who May Certify Service. Service of pleadings and orders required to be served as provided by subdivision (2) may be certified by an attorney of record, clerk or deputy clerk, court, or authorized agent of the Department of Juvenile Justice in the form provided in subdivision (b)(5).(c)Format for E-mail Service. All documents served by email must be attached to an e-mail message containing a subject line beginning with the words "SERVICE OF COURT DOCUMENT" in all capital letters, followed by the case number of the proceeding in which the documents are being served. The body of the e-mail must identify the court in which the proceeding is pending, the case number, the name of the parties on each side, the style of the proceeding, the title of each document served with that e-mail, and the sender's name and telephone number. Any e-mail which, together with its attachments, exceeds five megabytes (5MB) in size, must be divided and sent as separate e-mails, numbered in the subject line, no one of which may exceed 5 MB in size.(d) Time for Service of Motions and Notice of Hearing. Service by e-mail is complete on the date it is sent and must be treated as service by mail for the computation of time. If the sender learns that the e-mail did not reach the address of the person to be served, the sender must immediately send another copy by e-mail, or by means authorized by subdivision (b)(2). If e-mail service is excused, a copy of any written motion which may not be heard ex parte and a copy of the notice of the hearing thereof shall be served a reasonable time before the time specified for the hearing. If a document is served by more than one method of service, the computation of time for any response to the served document shall be based on the method of service that provides the shortest response time.(e)Pleading to Be Signed by Attorney. Every written paper or pleading of a party represented by an attorney shall be signed in the attorney's individual name by such attorney, whose mailing address, primary e-mail address and telephone number, including area code, and Florida Bar number shall be stated, and who shall be duly licensed to practice law in Florida. Any document served by e-mail or filed electronically may be signed by any of the "/s/," "/s," or "s/" formats. The attorney may be required by an order of court to vouch for the authority to represent such party and to give the address of such party. Except when otherwise specifically provided by these rules or applicable statute, pleadings as such need not be verified or accompanied by affidavit.(f)Pleading to Be Signed by Unrepresented Party. A party who has no attorney but represents himself or herself shall sign the written pleading or other paper to be filed and state his or her primary e-mail address, mailing address, and telephone number, including area code.(g) Effect of Signing Pleading. The signature of a person shall constitute a certificate that the paper or pleading has been read; that to the best of the person's knowledge, information, and belief there is good ground to support it; and that it is not interposed for delay. If a pleading or paper is not signed, or is signed with intent to defeat the purpose of this rule, it may be stricken and the action may proceed as though the pleading or paper had not been served.(h)Service of Orders. A copy of all orders must be transmitted by the court or under its direction to all parties at the time of the entry of the order. The court may require that orders be prepared by a party, may require the party to furnish the court with stamped addressed envelopes for service of the order or judgment, and may require that proposed orders by furnished to all parties before entry by the court of the order. The court may serve any order by e-mail to all attorneys who were not excused from e-mail service and to all parties not represented by an attorney who have designated an e-mail address for service. This subdivision is directory, and a failure to comply with it does not affect the order or its finality or any proceedings arising in the matter.Amended effective 7/1/2023; amended by 46 Fla. L. Weekly S323, effective 10/28/2021; amended by 258 So.3d 1254, effective 1/1/2019; amended by 123 So.3d 1139, effective 10/3/2013; amended by 95 So3d 96, effective 10/1/2012; amended by 102 So.3d 505, effective 9/1/2012; amended by 827 So.2d 219, effective 1/1/2003; amended by 783 So.2d 138, effective 1/1/2001; amended by 684 So.2d 756, effective 1/1/1997; amended by 608 So.2d 478, effective 1/1/1993; amended by 589 So.2d 818, effective 7/1/1991; amended by 530 So.2d 920, effective 1/1/1989.Committee Notes
1991 Amendment. (a)(6) This creates a procedure for dismissal similar to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.190(c)(4).
1992 Amendments. (d) Rules 8.240(c)(2) and 8.630(c)(2) allow 5 days for service by mail. This change conforms this rule.
(f) The current rule implies that a written pleading must be filed. No written pleadings are required.
(e) and (g) The language from (e) was moved to create this new subdivision. The current rule applies only to attorneys. These requirements also should apply to nonattorneys who sign and file papers. This rule conforms with proposed revisions to rules 8.230 and 8.640.