FL Appellate Specialist cheat sheet

Florida Appellate Practice - Certification and Jurisdiction Essentials

• Florida Bar Board Certification in Appellate Practice requires substantial involvement: the applicant must demonstrate substantial participation in appellate work during the qualifying period, generally measured by a set number of appellate matters or a percentage of practice devoted to appeals.

• Certification eligibility includes a minimum period of practice (commonly five years as a member of The Florida Bar), current good standing, and no pending disciplinary issues that would disqualify the applicant.

• The certification examination is written and tests Florida appellate procedure, jurisdiction, preservation, standards of review, and brief-writing; passing the exam is one component alongside peer review and practice-showing requirements.

• Peer review is a required element: certified specialists and judges evaluate the applicant's competence, ethics, and appellate judgment; adverse peer comments can delay or defeat an application.

• Certification is time-limited; a specialist must apply for recertification every five years and demonstrate continuing appellate practice, CLE in appellate subjects, and good standing.

• Continuing legal education for recertification must include appellate-focused credit; general CLE alone does not satisfy the specialty requirement.

• The Board of Legal Specialization and Education (BLSE) and the Appellate Practice Certification Committee administer the program; the Florida Bar certifies but does not 'license' specialists, and no official affiliation with the Bar is implied by certification.

• District Courts of Appeal hear appeals from circuit court final orders and most nonfinal orders as provided by rule; the Supreme Court of Florida has discretionary review by conflict, certified questions, and other enumerated bases.