Florida

Overview Serving small claims papers in Florida is one of the most crucial steps in the entire process. Service ensures that the defendant — the person or business being sued — receives formal notice of the lawsuit and has an opportunity to respond. Without valid service, the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case, no…

Overview Filing for divorce (called a “dissolution of marriage”) in Florida without a lawyer is doable when you approach it methodically and rely on the state’s official forms and straightforward procedures. Florida follows a no-fault framework: most petitions assert that the marriage is irretrievably broken, and the court focuses on practical outcomes—parenting plans, child support,…

Overview Florida recognizes only two legal grounds for dissolving a marriage: that the marriage is irretrievably broken, or that one spouse has been adjudicated mentally incapacitated for at least the preceding three years. In practice, nearly all petitions proceed on the no-fault ground (“irretrievably broken”), which allows either spouse to allege, under oath, that reconciliation…

Overview Filing a small claims case in Florida involves choosing the correct county and court for your dispute, preparing the required forms, paying the filing fees, serving the defendant, and attending the required pre-trial and trial hearings. These cases are designed to be faster, simpler and less formal than standard civil litigation. Small claims are…

Overview Florida’s small claims courts are designed to provide a quick, affordable, and accessible forum for resolving low-dollar civil disputes. These courts fall under the county court system and are governed by the Florida Small Claims Rules. The monetary limit — also known as the jurisdictional cap — determines which cases qualify for small-claims handling…

Overview Filing a small claims case in Florida requires paying a filing fee set by state law and local county clerks. These fees fund court administration and vary slightly depending on the amount you are claiming. Florida’s small claims process, governed by the Florida Small Claims Rules and Chapters 34 and 28 of the Florida…

Overview Filing a small claims case in Florida allows individuals and businesses to resolve civil disputes involving modest sums of money quickly and without the complexity of full-scale litigation. The Florida Small Claims Rules (adopted by the Florida Supreme Court) and Chapter 34 of the Florida Statutes govern these cases. Small claims courts are divisions…

Overview In Florida, a small claims action is a court proceeding designed to resolve relatively minor legal disputes without the formality, time, and cost of full-scale civil litigation. The maximum amount you may ask for in small claims is generally **$8,000 or less (excluding costs, interest, and attorney’s fees)**. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} The dispute must typically be…

Overview Filing a small claims case in Florida allows individuals and businesses to resolve civil disputes involving modest sums of money quickly and without the complexity of full-scale litigation. The Florida Small Claims Rules (adopted by the Florida Supreme Court) and Chapter 34 of the Florida Statutes govern these cases. Small claims courts are divisions…

Overview In Florida, a small claims case is a county court action for civil disputes up to $8,000, excluding costs, interest, and attorneys’ fees. The process is intentionally streamlined: you file a short Statement of Claim, the clerk sets an early pretrial conference, and many cases resolve through on-the-spot mediation. If settlement fails, the court…