Your source for the Pro Se Self-Help Guidebook Series of books.

How To Appeal In
State Court Of Appeals

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New Reference Links

• 03/23/08 - Family Law Section of the Florida Bar - useful links for your research.

Appeal Basics

Florida Court System

Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure

Florida Statute F.S. 61.08 Alimony

Case cites provided courtesy of Loislaw:

• Yakavonis V. Dolphin Petroleum, Inc., 4D05-3653 (Fla.App. 4 Dist. 2006)
• Aravena v. Miami-Dade County, 928 So. 2d 1163, 1166 (Fla. 2006)
• Arjona v. Torres, 941 So.2d 451 (Fla.App. 3 Dist. 2006)
• Liss v. Liss, 937 So.2d 760 (Fla.App. 4 Dist. 2006)
• Canakaris v. Canakaris, 382 So.2d 1197 (Fla. 1980)
• Delno v. Market Street Railway Company, 124 F.2d 965, 967 (9th Cir. 1942).
• U. S. v. Robertson, 06-13267 (11th Cir. 7-27-2007)
• Thompson v. Glades County Bd.., 05-10669 (11th Cir. 2007)
• Douglass v. Frazier, 2D06-2114 (Fla.App. 2 Dist. 8-15-2007)
• Alim v. Gonzales, 04-11463 (11th Cir. 2006)

Preparing To Do Your Own Legal Work

 

Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure

LexisONE – free legal caselaw searches

Westlaw

 

Legal terms dictionaries:

• Bouvier Law Dictionary
• Duhaime's Law Dictionary
• Formfolks Free Legal Glossary
• Free Legal Dictionaries website - multiple selections
• Harvard Law Dictionary
• Jurist Legal Dictionary
• Law.com Dictionary
• Nolo Legal Dictionary

Other Court Rules and Laws

• Check for any amendments to the F.R. App. P. On the same Florida Bar page with the F.R. App. P and you will usually find amendments if there are any.
• e-Filing requirements. Obtainable from your local DCA website.
• Administrative Requirements. Obtainable from your local DCA website.
• Internal Operating Procedures. Obtainable from your local DCA website.
• Instructions to the Parties. Obtainable from your local DCA website

• Florida Statutes (F.S.)(laws of the state)
• Other state's statutes
•  Appellate Proceedings - In the Florida State statutes, look up Chapter 59 - Appellate Proceedings.
• Attorney General published "opinions" on matters of state law:
•  Sample of Local District Court Rules
• Sample Appeal and Timeline

  Look for any other instructions that the particular court in your district provides that details the procedures and practices to follow in dealing with that court.

  Unbundled Legal Services: The Florida Bar Assn. and possibly ones in other states have what is called Limited Representation

  Pro Se Appellate Handbook: Representing Yourself on Appeal

Documents Involved

• St. Johns River Water Mgmt. Dist. v. Koontz, 861 So.2d 1267, 1268 (Fla. 5th DCA 2003)

 Excellent examples of the documents indicated below can be seen by clicking here and clicking here:

• Notice of Appeal - F.R. App. P. Rule 9.110
• Designation to the Reporter - F.R. App. P. Rule 9.200
• Directions to the Clerk for Appeals - F.R. App. P. Rule 9.200(a)(3)
• Motion for Oral Argument - F. R. App. P. Rule 9.320
• Suggestion for Certification to the Supreme Court - F.R. App. P. Rule 9.125
• Court Order to Show Cause Why the Court Has Jurisdiction - F. R. App. P. Rule 9.030
• Initial Brief - F. R. App. P. Rule 9.210
• Jurisdictional Answer Brief  - F. R. App. P. Rule 9.210

Articles:

• Advice for Getting Your Case to the Appellate Court (and Back Again) Intact - Florida Bar article:by Charles Tyler Cone
• Direct Appeal Jurisdiction Of Florida’s District Courts Of Appeal
by Vance and Piccard

Indigent Status

• F.S. 57.081  Costs; right to proceed where prepayment of costs waived.
• F.S. 57.082  Determination of civil indigent status.
• Indigent application to the clerk of the circuit court. - F.R. App. P. Rule 9.430
• Financial Affidavit
• Motion to Proceed Without Prepayment of Fees to the District Court of Appeals.     

Preparing For Oral Argument

2DCA Oral Hearing Court Calendar

• Youngblood v. Youngblood, 1D 06-4946 (Fla.App. 1 Dist. 6-21-2007)

Res Judicata & Law Of The Case

• Florida Dept. Of Transp. v. Juliano, 801 So.2d 101 (Fla. 2001)
• State v. Mcbride, 848 So.2d 287 (Fla. 2003)
• Topps v. State, 865 So.2d 1253 (Fla. 2004)
• In Re Omine, 485 F.3d 1305 (11th Cir. 2007)
• Youngblood v. Youngblood, 1D 06-4946 (Fla.App. 1 Dist. 6-21-2007)

Per Curiam Affirmed

• Florida Judicial Management Council’s Final Report and Recommendations Committee on Per Curiam Affirmed Decisions
• Per Curiam Affirmed: An Appeal's Death Sentence
• Supreme Court's Internal Operating Procedures. Obtainable from your local Supreme Court website.

Appendix

Referenced Links:

• Abolish Alimony.org

• Abolish "Lifetime" Alimony Blog -  Subscribe in a reader to this blog.

• The Abstract Appeal - Excellent appeals blog

• Alliance For Freedom From Alimony, Inc.

• Alliance For Freedom From Alimony, Inc. Yahoo Forum group

• Citizens For Liberty And Privacy

• Consumer Credit Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. s. 1673

• Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)

• Florida Bar Association

• Florida Courts Self-help, state forms

• Florida State Courts

• LectLaw.com

• LexisONE – free legal caselaw searches

• Local court rules (if there are any)
• Panama Publishing, Inc.
• Versus - Low cost legal citation services
• Westlaw
   

Resources:

State statutes for all states
 

Relevant Caselaw:

Hillier v. Iglesias, 901 So.2d 947 (Fla.App. 4 Dist. 2005)
Canakaris v. Canakaris, 382 So.2d 1197 (Fla. 1980)
Kahn v. Kahn, 78 So.2d 367 (Fla. 1955) as referenced in Hillier v. Iglesias
Jaffy v. Jaffy, 4D05-3656 (Fla.App. 4 Dist. 6-27-2007)
Sisson v. Sisson, 336 So.2d 1129 (Fla. 1976)
Olsen v. Olsen, 98 Idaho 10 (1976)
Pimm v. Pimm, 601 So.2d 534 (Fla. 1992)
Carls v. Carls, 890 So.2d 1135 (Fla.App. 2 Dist. 2005)
Elliott v. Elliott, 867 So.2d 1198 (Fla.App. 5 Dist. 2004)
Gerthe v. Gerthe, 857 So.2d 306 (Fla.App. 2 Dist. 2003)
Gruber v. Gruber, 857 So.2d 329 (Fla.App. 2 Dist. 2003)
Yakavonis V. Dolphin Petroleum, Inc., 4D05-3653 (Fla. App. 4 Dist. 2006)
Youngblood v. Youngblood, 1D 06-4946 (Fla.App. 1 Dist. 6-21-2007)