Fla. Fam. L. R. P. 12.004 — Judicial Access and Review of Related Family Files
Last verified from official source: May 1, 2026 · Source: Florida Bar — Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure (eff. October 1, 2025)
Rule Text (verbatim)
FAMILY FILES
(a) In General. A judge hearing a family case may access and review the files of any related case either pending or closed, to aid in carrying out his or her adjudicative responsibilities. Authorized court staff and personnel may also access and review the file of any related case.
(b) Family Case Defined. For purposes of this rule, a related family case is another pending or closed case separate from the pending case, as defined in Rule of Judicial Administration 2.545(d).
(c) Nondisclosure of Confidential Information. Judges or authorized court personnel shall not disclose confidential information and documents contained in related case files except in accordance with applicable state and federal confidentiality laws.
(d) Notice by Court Staff. Authorized court staff may advise the court about the existence of related legal proceedings, the legal issues involved, and administrative information about such cases.
Plain-English Breakdown
Plain-English explanation by Matthew Hunt, B.C.S. (Board Certified in Marital & Family Law) — coming soon. Watch the upcoming video for this rule.
Common Family Law Cross-References
This rule sits in the broader Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure framework. See related rules in The Rule Book.
Educational reference. This page summarizes a Florida Rule of Civil Procedure for educational purposes. The rule text and Committee Notes are mirrored from the Florida Bar's official publication and are public domain. The plain-English summary, practitioner notes, and video commentary are the opinion of Phillips, Hunt & Walker and are general information only — not legal advice. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case.