The Florida Paralegal: Essential Rules, Documents, and Resources

Front Cover......Page 1
Title Page......Page 4
Copyright......Page 5
CONTENTS......Page 8
PREFACE......Page 10
PART 1 The Paralegal Profession......Page 12
1.1 Overview of Florida Paralegals......Page 13
1.2 Paralegal Associations and Related Groups in Florida......Page 33
1.3 Sources of CLE for Paralegals......Page 38
Appendix A. Paralegals in Court Opinions......Page 41
Appendix B. Becoming an Attorney in Florida......Page 55
PART 2 Paralegal Employment......Page 58
2.1 Resources for Finding Employment in Florida......Page 59
2.2 Sample Paralegal Job Descriptions in State Government......Page 62
2.3 Sample Paralegal Job Description in a Federal Agency Located in Florida......Page 64
2.4 Pro Bono Opportunities for Paralegals......Page 68
2.5 Becoming a Notary Public in Florida......Page 71
2.6 An Employee or an Independent Contractor?......Page 74
2.7 Overtime Pay under Federal Law......Page 78
2.8 Laid-Off Paralegals and Unemployment Compensation......Page 80
2.9 Injured Paralegals and Workers’ Compensation......Page 84
Appendix A. Deductibility of Paralegal Education or Training......Page 89
PART 3 Ethics, Paralegals, and Attorneys......Page 92
3.1 Defining the Practice of Law (Authorized and Unauthorized) in Florida......Page 93
3.2 Florida Rules of Professional Conduct (FRPC) and Trust Account Rules......Page 103
3.3 Ethical Opinions of the Bar Association Involving Paralegals and Other Nonlawyers......Page 189
3.4 Florida Bar Associations, Related Attorney Organizations, and Paralegal Membership Opportunities......Page 206
Appendix A. Timeline: Disciplinary Proceedings against an Attorney......Page 212
PART 4 Legal System......Page 216
4.1 Introduction to the State Government of Florida......Page 217
4.2 State Courts in Florida......Page 220
4.3 Federal Courts in Florida......Page 225
4.4 State Legislation: How a Bill Becomes a Florida Statute......Page 230
4.5 State Agencies, Offices, and Boards......Page 234
4.6 Counties and Cities: Some Useful Law-Related Sites......Page 248
PART 5 Legal Research and Records Research......Page 276
5.1 Florida State Legal Research......Page 277
5.2 Citation Examples: Some Comparisons......Page 285
5.3 Abbreviations in Citations: Some Comparisons......Page 287
5.4 Abbreviations for Notetaking......Page 290
5.5 Research Starters for 78 Major Florida Topics......Page 293
5.6 Self-Help Resources in Florida......Page 301
5.7 Public Records Research......Page 304
5.8 Finding Law Libraries in Your Area......Page 311
5.9 Hotline Resources and Complaint Directories......Page 317
PART 6 Procedure: Some Basics......Page 330
6.1 Timeline: Civil Case in the Florida State Courts......Page 331
6.2 Venue, Process, Pleadings, and Discovery: 40 Rules Even Non-Litigation Paralegals Should Know......Page 339
6.3 State and Federal Civil Litigation in Florida: Some Comparisons......Page 348
6.4 Timeline: Criminal Case in the Florida State Courts......Page 351
PART 7 Sample Documents......Page 358
7.1 Sample Civil Complaint Filed in a Florida State Court......Page 359
7.2 Sample Civil Complaint Filed in a Federal District Court in Florida......Page 365
7.3 Sample Legal Memorandum Applying Florida Law......Page 370
7.4 Sample Appellate Brief Filed in the Florida Supreme Court......Page 373
7.5 Sample Criminal Indictment Filed in a Florida State Court......Page 386
PART 8 Comprehensive Legal Dictionary......Page 392
Index......Page 554