Florida Supreme Court Adopts Key Amendments to Appellate Procedure

June 17, 2026

The Florida Supreme Court has adopted several amendments to the Rules of Appellate Procedure that will affect appellate practitioners across the state. The amendments, which take effect on September 1, 2026, are intended to promote greater clarity, improve procedural consistency, and update citation and filing requirements. Two of the most notable changes include the requirement for a jurisdictional statement in the initial brief and the bond calculation for obtaining an automatic stay of a money judgment pending appeal.

Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.210(b), which governs the contents of an initial brief, has been amended to add a jurisdictional statement requirement. Fla. R. Civ. P. 9.210(b)(3). The statement must identify the basis for appellate jurisdiction and, in nonfinal appeals, specify the procedural rule or statutory provision authorizing review, along with a concise explanation of the facts establishing jurisdiction. This amendment reinforces the importance of demonstrating the appellate court’s authority to hear the case at the outset. Consistent with this amendment, the standard forms for notices of appeal and cross-appeal of nonfinal orders will require filers to identify the specific subdivision of the applicable appellate rule authorizing review and to clarify that the referenced date is the date of the order being appealed. Fla. R. App. P. 9.900(c)(1) & (2).

Rule 9.210(b) has also been amended to require, for each issue presented, that the argument expressly include: citations to appropriate legal authority; a citation to the portion of the record showing that the issue was preserved for appellate review; and a statement of the applicable standard of review. Fla. R. App. P. 9.210(b)(6). While these specific requirements were already enforced by the Sixth District Court of Appeal in an administrative order, the amendment makes them mandatory in all appellate briefings and promotes statewide uniformity. The Court also clarified that a certificate of compliance is only required for computer-generated briefs, eliminating any ambiguity regarding briefs prepared by other means. Fla. R. App. P. 9.210(b)(9).

The amendment to Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.310(b) clarifies the calculation of the bond required to obtain an automatic stay of a money judgment pending appeal. The revised language specifies that the bond must equal the amount of the judgment plus twice the statutory interest rate in effect on the date the judgment is filed, providing greater certainty regarding the applicable interest calculation. Fla. R. App. P. 9.310(b)(1).

Rule 9.800 has been revised to reflect Florida’s current appellate case numbering system, updating citation examples to use four-digit year and four-digit case number designations.

Appellate practitioners should review these changes carefully and update their briefing templates and filing practices before the amendments take effect, particularly as to the new jurisdictional statement and preservation requirements. They should also ensure the calculation of the bond is correct to avoid rejection of the bond by the clerk of the court.

For any further questions, please contact Mihaela Cabulea.