Rule 9.150 - DISCRETIONARY PROCEEDINGS TO REVIEW CERTIFIED QUESTIONS FROM FEDERAL COURTS(a) Applicability. On either its own motion or that of a party, the Supreme Court of the United States or a United States court of appeals may certify 1 or more questions of law to the Supreme Court of Florida if the answer is determinative of the cause and there is no controlling precedent of the Supreme Court of Florida.(b) Certificate. The question(s) may be certified in an opinion by the federal court or by a separate certificate, but the federal court should provide the style of the case, a statement of the facts showing the nature of the cause and the circumstances out of which the questions of law arise, and the questions of law to be answered. The certificate shall be certified to the Supreme Court of Florida by the clerk of the federal court.(c) Record. The Supreme Court of Florida, in its discretion, may require copies of all or any portion of the record before the federal court to be filed if the record may be necessary to the determination of the cause.(d) Briefs. If the Supreme Court of Florida, in its discretion, requires briefing, it will issue an order establishing the order and schedule of briefs.(e) Costs. The taxation of costs for these proceedings is a matter for the federal court and is not governed by these rules. Amended by 256 So.3d 1218, effective 1/1/2019; amended by 381 So.2d 1370, effective 4/1/1980.Committee Notes
1977 Amendment. This rule retains the substance of former rule 4.61. Except for simplification of language, the only change from the former rule is that answer and reply briefs are governed by the same time schedule as other cases. It is contemplated that the federal courts will continue the current practice of directing the parties to present a stipulated statement of the facts.
1980 Amendment. This rule is identical to former rule 9.510. It has been renumbered to reflect the addition to the Florida Constitution of article V, section 3(b)(6), which permits discretionary supreme court review of certified questions from the federal courts. Answer briefs and reply briefs will continue to be governed by the same time schedule as in other cases.