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MAY 18 193arc ; <br />The appellants Reynolds, Smith & Bills, etc., et al. filed their initial brief 'in the <br />supreme court, and on March 15, 1983, the last day on which we could do so, having heard <br />nothing in response to our motion to dismiss the appeal, we served our answer brief on <br />behalf of the. City of Jacksonville and mailed it to the clerk of the supreme court, raising <br />as the first point that the supreme court did not have jurisdiction. <br />On the following day, March 16, 1983, the supreme court entered the order a copy of <br />which is enclosed, in the caption referring to Reynolds, Smith & Hills et al. as petitioners <br />rather than appellants and to City of Jacksonville as respondent rather than appellee, <br />denying the motion to dismiss the appeal for want of jurisdiction, and ordering the parties <br />to file "Jurisdictional briefs directed to this Court's discretionary jurisdiction under <br />article V, Section 3(b)(3):' <br />Art. V, Sec. 3(b)(3), Fla. Const., provides that the supreme court "May review any <br />decision of a district court of appeal that expressly declares valid a state statute, or that <br />expressly contrues a provision of the state or federal constitution, or that expressly <br />affects a class of constitutional or state officers, or that expressly and directly conflicts <br />with a decision of another district court of appeal or of the supreme court on the same <br />question of law.". Obviously, the decision of the district court in this case does not fit any <br />of those categories. There was no contention by the attorneys for Reynolds, Smith & <br />Hills, etc., et al., that the supreme court should take jurisdiction in this manner, but of <br />course they now contend to that effect. <br />While all this was going on in the supreme court, motions were filed in the supreme <br />court pursuant to Rule 9.370 of the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure by the Florida <br />Association of the American Institute of Architects, the Florida Engineering Society, the <br />American Consulting Engineers Council, and the National Society of Professional <br />Engineers for entry of orders giving each of them leave to file a brief as amicus curiae in <br />support of the position taken by Reynolds, Smith & Hills, etc., et al. <br />The clerk of the supreme court has written to each of the attorneys who filed such a <br />motion a letter saying that the motion "will be submitted to the Court if jurisdiction is <br />accepted." <br />On the supposition that the motions filed by those organizations for leave to file an <br />amicus curiae brief may have an effect on any decision the court makes as to whether the <br />decision of the district court should be reviewed by the supreme court, the General <br />Counsel of the City of Jacksonville has suggested that you might wish to file with the <br />supreme court a motion something like the enclosed for leave to file an amicus curiae <br />brief if the supreme court accepts jurisdiction of the case. <br />In the event you should be given leave to file an amicus curiae brief, I will be happy <br />to send you copies of the briefs already filed by the parties, so that you ,will not need to <br />do great labor on your amicus curiae brief unless you feel so inclined. <br />Sincerely, <br />Roger J. Waybright <br />Telephone: 1/904/633-2149 <br />ON MOTION by Commissioner Lyons, SECONDED <br />by Commissioner Scurlock, the Board unani- <br />mously authorized the Attorney to file the <br />amicus curiae brief as requested by the <br />City of Jacksonville. <br />