(a) Applicability. On either its own motion or that
of a party, the Supreme Court of the United States or a
United States court of appeals may certify a question
of law to the Supreme Court of Florida if the answer is
determinative of the cause and there is no controlling
precedent of the Supreme Court of Florida.
(b) Certificate. The certificate shall contain the style
of the case, a statement of the facts showing the nature
of the cause and the circumstances out of which the
questions of law arise, and the questions of law to be
answered. The certificate shall be prepared
as directed
by the federal court. It shall be certified to the Supreme
Court of Florida by the clerk of the federal court.
(c) Record. The Supreme Court of Florida, in its discretion,
may require copies of all or any portion of the
record before the federal court to be filed if the record
may be necessary to the determination of the cause.
(d) Briefs. The brief of the party designated by the
federal court as the moving party shall be served within
20 days of the filing of the certificate.
Additional
briefs
shall be served as prescribed by rule 9.210.
(e) Costs. The costs of these proceedings shall be
divided equally between the parties unless otherwise
ordered by the court.
