Rule 3.020 Purpose and Construction

Florida's criminal court rules exist to make sure every criminal case is handled fairly. The goal is to keep court procedures simple and to treat everyone in the system with fairness.

When a question comes up about how to handle something in a criminal case, judges and lawyers are supposed to interpret these rules in a way that keeps things straightforward and just. The rules are not meant to create unnecessary complications or to give one side an unfair advantage over the other.