Kramer v. Chapman & Gerber, Inc.

DREW, Justice.

The question presented here is whether the Judge of Industrial Claims may, sua sponte, extend the time for taking testimony beyond the eight-month period allowed by Rule No. 3 of the Florida Industrial Commission, now the Industrial Relations Commission.

The identical question was before the Court in Black v. Blue Ribbon Laundry.1 In that case we said:2

“We construe Rule 3 to fix a time limit for the taking of testimony from the date announced for the first hearing. This is the date when the first hearing is scheduled to be heard. If the hearing is not heard on that date,…