FLORIDA BAR EXAM DISTINCTIONS — ONE-PAGE CHEAT SHEET
Condensed companion to the Florida Bar Exam Distinctions long outline.
Format: Not a UBE state. Part A = Florida essays + Florida multiple-choice (Florida law); Part B = MBE. Below = where Florida departs from MBE/majority rules. Watch the dated reforms (2019 Daubert, 2021 SJ, 2023 tort + alimony).
1. CONSTITUTIONAL / STRUCTURE
Express privacy right (Art. I, § 23) — broader than implied federal right; once reasonable expectation shown, strict scrutiny (State must prove compelling interest + least intrusive means); governmental intrusion only. · Home rule (not Dillon's Rule) — municipalities act unless preempted or in conflict with general law. · Strict separation of powers (Art. II, § 3); Supreme Court adopts procedural rules, legislature controls substance.
2. CIVIL PROCEDURE
Long-arm (§ 48.193): two-step Venetian Salami — enumerated statutory act first, then minimum-contacts due process. · Fact pleading ("ultimate facts," Rule 1.110(b)) — not FRCP notice/plausibility pleading. · Motion to dismiss = four corners (Rule 1.140(b)(6)); no outside evidence. · Summary judgment: May 2021 adopted federal Celotex/Anderson standard (amended Rule 1.510); 40-day notice. · Limitations (§ 95.11): written contract 5 yrs · oral 4 · negligence 2 yrs (2023 reform, was 4) for claims accruing on/after 3/24/2023 · malpractice 2 · wrongful death 2 · real property 7. · Collateral estoppel still requires mutuality (no broad nonmutual issue preclusion). · Appeals: 30-day notice (Rule 9.110); enumerated nonfinal orders (9.130) + common-law certiorari as safety valve. Six-person civil juries.
3. EVIDENCE (Chapter 90)
Daubert jurisdiction (§ 90.702) — 2013 statute, 2019 Supreme Court adoption (formerly Frye). · Williams Rule (§ 90.404): similar-fact/other-acts admissible for non-propensity purposes (MIMIC); child-molestation carve-out; pretrial notice required. · 403 balancing tracks FRE but omits "waste of time"/"undue delay." · Extra statutory privileges the FRE lacks: accountant-client (§ 90.5055), journalist (§ 90.5015), plus lawyer, psychotherapist, spousal, clergy, trade secret. · No broad residual/catch-all hearsay exception — don't reach for FRE 807. · Impeachment by conviction (§ 90.610) narrower than FRE 609.
4. FAMILY LAW (Ch. 61)
Equitable distribution (§ 61.075) — starts from presumption of equal, then statutory factors; only marital property divided. · 2023 alimony reform (SB 1416): permanent alimony abolished; only temporary, bridge-the-gap (≤2 yrs, nonmodifiable), rehabilitative (≤5 yrs, with plan), and durational remain; marriage brackets short <10, moderate 10–20, long 20+. · Child support = income-shares (§ 61.30). · No "custody"/"visitation" — use parental responsibility, time-sharing, parenting plan (§ 61.13); 2023 rebuttable presumption of equal (50/50) time-sharing. · Relocation 50+ miles needs consent or petition (§ 61.13001).
5. WILLS/TRUSTS & PROBATE (Ch. 731–736)
Execution (§ 732.502): writing, signed at end, 2 witnesses in testator's and each other's presence. · No holographic or nuncupative wills — even if valid where made. · Divorce auto-revokes provisions favoring ex-spouse (§ 732.507). · Elective share = flat 30% of broadly defined elective estate reaching nonprobate assets (POD accounts, revocable trusts, joint property, insurance cash value). · Homestead (Art. X, § 4) — three dimensions: (1) creditor exemption unlimited in value (½ acre municipal / 160 acres rural; exceptions taxes, mortgages, mechanics' liens); (2) devise/descent restriction — cannot devise if surviving spouse or minor child (void devise descends); (3) Save Our Homes 3% tax-assessment cap. · Per stirpes (§ 732.104); family allowance $18,000 (§ 732.403).
6. REAL PROPERTY
Recording act (§ 695.01) = pure notice — BFP without notice wins even if records second. · MRTA (Ch. 712): extinguishes claims older than 30-year root of title. · Lien theory, judicial foreclosure with equity of redemption. Deeds need two subscribing witnesses (§ 689.01). · Adverse possession 7 yrs (§ 95.18) with color of title OR return + payment of all taxes within one year and throughout — distinctive tax-payment hurdle. · Landlord-tenant Ch. 83: 3-day pay-or-quit, 7-day cure; no self-help eviction.
7. TORTS (2023 reforms)
HB 837 (eff. 3/24/2023): moved from pure to modified comparative negligence, 51% bar — plaintiff >50% at fault recovers nothing (med-mal carve-out stays pure). · Joint & several liability abolished — pure several; jury apportions among all, including Fabre nonparties. · Dram shop (§ 768.125) narrow — liability only for serving underage or habitually addicted person. · Sovereign immunity caps (§ 768.28) ~$200k/$300k (recently increased) with legislative claims-bill mechanism + presuit notice. · Punitive damages: § 768.72 proffer required before pleading; caps apply. Med-mal Ch. 766 presuit affidavit + 90-day notice.
8. CONTRACTS / UCC / ENTITIES / PR
SOF § 725.01; goods $500+ fall under UCC § 672.201 (not 725.01). Entities: LLC Ch. 605 (member-managed default; charging order exclusive creditor remedy), corporations Ch. 607, partnerships Ch. 620. · Rules Regulating The Florida Bar (not Model Rules directly) — among the strictest advertising rules (4-7.11–4-7.22) and strict IOTA trust accounting (5-1.1).
9. CRIMINAL
Statutory homicide degrees with broad first-degree felony murder + distinct third-degree (non-enumerated felony). · 10-20-Life firearm minimums (§ 775.087). · Stand Your Ground (§ 776.012): no duty to retreat anywhere lawfully present; castle-doctrine presumption (§ 776.013); § 776.032 immunity from prosecution — pretrial hearing, State bears clear-and-convincing burden. · Speedy trial (Rule 3.191): 90 days misdemeanor / 175 days felony + 15-day recapture. Information for non-capital felonies; six-person juries.
10. EXAM FORMAT
Part A essays/MC test Florida law — apply Florida statutes by number. Part B is the MBE (national). Always check accrual/effective dates for the dated reforms.
KEY FLAGS
Express privacy right (strict scrutiny) · home rule · Venetian Salami two-step long-arm · fact pleading · 2021 federal SJ standard · 2023 negligence SOL 4→2 yrs · mutuality for collateral estoppel · Daubert (2019) + Williams Rule + accountant/journalist privileges · 2023 alimony (permanent abolished) + equal-time-sharing presumption + no "custody" · 2 witnesses / no holographic wills · 30% elective share · homestead (creditor/descent/tax) · § 695.01 pure notice + 7-yr AP with tax payment + MRTA 30-yr + judicial foreclosure · 2023 modified comparative 51% bar + several-only liability + § 768.72 punitive proffer · narrow dram shop · § 768.28 caps · Stand Your Ground immunity (State's clear-and-convincing burden) · 175-day speedy trial + recapture.