Free Florida legal resources.
Plain-English answers, searchable deadlines, and guides — the things people actually search for at 11 PM the night they get served.
Florida deadlines that decide cases.
Type to filter — try "eviction," "injury," or "contract." General information only; confirm any deadline with an attorney before relying on it.
| Authority | Situation | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.140 | Respond to a civil lawsuit after being served | 20 days |
| § 83.56, Fla. Stat. | Three-day notice to pay rent or vacate (eviction) | 3 business days |
| § 83.60, Fla. Stat. | Tenant answer to eviction complaint & rent deposit into court registry | 5 business days |
| § 95.11(4), Fla. Stat. | Personal injury / negligence claim (causes after 3/24/2023) | 2 years |
| § 95.11(2), Fla. Stat. | Breach of written contract | 5 years |
| § 95.11(3), Fla. Stat. | Breach of oral contract | 4 years |
| § 95.11(2), Fla. Stat. | Mortgage foreclosure action | 5 years |
| § 95.11(3), Fla. Stat. | Fraud claim | 4 years |
| § 83.49, Fla. Stat. | Landlord notice of claim on security deposit | 30 days after tenant vacates |
| § 83.49, Fla. Stat. | Tenant objection to deposit claim | 15 days from notice |
| Fla. R. App. P. 9.110 | Notice of appeal from final judgment | 30 days |
| Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.530 | Motion for rehearing / new trial after judgment | 15 days |
| § 95.11(2), Fla. Stat. | Wrongful death claim | 2 years |
| § 733.702, Fla. Stat. | Creditor claim against an estate (after publication) | 3 months |
| § 718.121, Fla. Stat. | Condo association notice of intent to lien (delinquent assessments) | 45 days |
| Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.340 | Respond to interrogatories in litigation | 30 days |
| Fla. Fam. L. R. 12.285 | Mandatory financial disclosure in family cases | 45 days from service |
| § 61.13, Fla. Stat. | Modify timesharing / support | Requires substantial change — no fixed deadline, but act promptly |
No matches. Try a broader term — or ask us directly.
Deadlines are simplified summaries and exceptions exist. This table is not legal advice; verify your specific deadline with counsel.
The Florida eviction process, step by step.
For non-payment of rent, the most common case. Contested matters take longer.
Three-Day Notice
Served on the tenant. Must state the exact rent due and exclude weekends and holidays. Defects here sink cases.
Complaint Filed
If rent isn't paid, the eviction complaint is filed in county court and a summons issues.
Tenant's 5 Days
The tenant has five business days to answer — and generally must deposit rent into the court registry to raise defenses.
Judgment
No answer or no registry deposit usually means a default. Contested cases get a hearing.
Writ of Possession
The clerk issues the writ; the sheriff posts a 24-hour notice and restores possession to the landlord.
Explore on your own time.
Litigation Journey
An interactive walkthrough of a Florida civil case from demand letter to judgment — what happens, when, and why.
Open the Journey →Florida Asset Protection
Homestead, entireties, exempt accounts — how Florida residents legally shield assets, and the mistakes that undo it.
Read the guide →Where Do You Stand?
Two questions, a plain-English read on your situation, and the right next step. Free and anonymous.
Take the assessment →Florida Law Quick Reference
Key statutes organized by topic — landlord-tenant, contracts, family law, and more.
Browse statutes →Insights
Commentary on Florida law and practice — contractor liability, AI in legal work, and what's changing in the courts.
Read Insights →Quick answers.
An uncontested residential eviction in Southwest Florida often runs roughly three to six weeks from the three-day notice to the writ of possession. Contested cases, defective notices, or registry disputes can extend that significantly — which is why getting the notice right matters so much.
No. Self-help evictions — changing locks, cutting utilities, removing belongings — are illegal in Florida and expose the landlord to damages plus attorney's fees. Eviction requires proper notice followed by a court action, no exceptions.
Florida law now starts from a rebuttable presumption that equal timesharing serves the child's best interests. But that presumption can be overcome, and courts still weigh the statutory best-interest factors. The schedule you end up with depends on the evidence — which is where preparation matters.
Five years for a written contract, four for an oral one, under section 95.11, Florida Statutes. When the clock started running is often the real fight — have your dates reviewed before assuming you're in or out of time.
Honest answer: it depends on the stakes and the procedure. Small claims court is built for self-representation. County and circuit court are not — procedural mistakes there cost real money and sometimes the whole case. A short consultation can tell you which situation you're in before you spend on either path.