Supreme Court of Florida

____________

No. SC2023-0837

____________

IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA RULES OF GENERAL 

PRACTICE AND JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION.

March 21, 2024

PER CURIAM.

The Florida Bar’s Rules of General Practice and Judicial 

Administration Committee has filed a report with its proposed 

refinements to the Workgroup on the Improved Resolution of Civil 

Cases’ proposals to amend the Florida Rules of General Practice 

and Judicial Administration.1 Except as modified below, we adopt 

the amendments proposed by the Committee. We also direct the 

Commission on Trial Court Performance and Accountability to 

monitor the effect of these amendments for one year and to provide 

us with updated recommendations at year’s end.

1. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.; see 

also Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.140(f).
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BACKGROUND

In 2022, the Workgroup2 submitted a final report proposing 

amendments to the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial 

Administration and multiple other rule sets aimed at promoting the 

fair and timely resolution of civil cases. The proposed amendments 

provided for court case management of civil cases with early judicial 

intervention, adherence to established deadlines, and reporting of 

case management data. Because additional refinements were 

needed, we declined to adopt the Workgroup’s proposals, opting 

instead to make a series of phased referrals for the “refinement and 

study of the Workgroup’s proposals.” In re Report & 

Recommendations of Workgroup on Improved Resolution of Civil 

Cases, No. SC2022-0122 (Fla. Jan. 12, 2023).

2. Established by the Court in 2019, the Workgroup was 

tasked with examining Florida’s “laws, rules of court, and practices 

relating to civil procedure and case management to determine 

whether changes can be made to improve the resolution of civil 

cases . . . includ[ing] consideration of whether this state’s laws and 

rules of court sufficiently address and deter a failure to prosecute, a 

violation of discovery, presentation of an unsupported claim or 

defense, and causation of an improper delay in litigation.” In re 

Workgroup on Improved Resolution of Civil Cases, Admin. Order No. 

AOSC2019-73 (Fla. Oct. 31, 2019).
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We made one such referral to the Rules of General Practice 

and Judicial Administration Committee, tasking it with refining the 

Workgroup’s proposed changes to the Florida Rules of General 

Practice and Judicial Administration. After thoroughly considering 

the Workgroup’s report, the Committee has now filed a report with 

its suggested refinements to the Workgroup’s proposal for new rule 

2.546 (Active and Inactive Case Status) and for existing rules 2.215 

(Trial Court Administration), 2.250 (Time Standards for Trial and 

Appellate Courts and Reporting Requirements), and 2.550 

(Calendar Conflicts). The Committee also proposes the addition of 

new forms 2.604 (Notice of Pending Matter), 2.605 (Notice of 

Inactive Status), and 2.606 (Notice of Active Status).

The Florida Bar’s Board of Governors unanimously 

recommends acceptance of the proposed amendments. We 

published the Committee’s proposals for comment and received one 

comment from Judge Frederick Pollack, a circuit court judge in the 

Sixth Judicial Circuit. The Committee filed a response to the 

comment.

Having considered the reports from both the Committee and 

the Workgroup, the comment received, and the Committee’s 
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response, we adopt the amendments to the Florida Rules of General 

Practice and Judicial Administration proposed by the Committee

with some modifications. We explain the modifications below and

discuss some of the more significant rule amendments.

AMENDMENTS

First, to promote efficient case management, the existing 

reporting requirement in rule 2.215(f) (Duty to Rule within a 

Reasonable Time) is amended to require a judge to maintain a log of 

all matters, not just cases, held under advisement and to notify the 

chief judge each month of all matters that have been held under 

advisement for more than 60 days. The Committee proposed 

amending rule 2.215(f) to also require judges to report matters 

“ready for disposition.” But we decline to make this change 

because a listing of all matters held under advisement for more 

than 60 days would necessarily include any matter that is “ready 

for disposition.”

Additionally, rule 2.215 is amended to include new subdivision 

(f)(2) (Notice of Pending Matter). Under the new subdivision, a party 

may prompt a judge to rule on a matter that has been pending for 

more than 60 days by filing a notice with the clerk and serving a 
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copy on the judge. New form 2.604 contains a sample notice for 

use in providing notice under the rule. 

Rule 2.250(a) (Time Standards) is amended to add a time 

standard of 30 months for complex cases and to clarify when the 

time standards for civil cases begin and end. And rule 2.250(b) 

(Reporting of Cases) is amended to require the chief judge of each 

circuit to serve on the chief justice and the state court 

administrator an annual report listing all active civil cases that 

have been pending three or more years.

New rule 2.546 requires the parties in all types of proceedings 

to notify a court of a case’s change in status. The new rule is 

divided into two parts. Subdivision (a) (Required Stay) addresses 

changing a case’s status when a stay is required by law, while

subdivision (b) (Requested Stay) addresses changing a case’s status 

when a stay is requested but not required by law. Under 

subdivision (a), and in instances such as a bankruptcy stay, a party 

need only promptly file a notice indicating a change in the case’s 

status to place it on active or inactive status; no court action is 

needed. New forms 2.605 and 2.606 contain sample notices for use 

in providing notice of a case’s status under subdivision (a). 
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Under subdivision (b), a party may file a motion requesting a 

change in case status, but absent a stipulation that a pending 

appellate ruling in another matter will be dispositive, or a showing 

of extraordinary circumstances, a court will not grant a request to 

place a case on inactive status. To ensure that a party is required

to act with the same level of promptness in restoring a case to 

active status under both subdivisions, we revise subdivision (b)(2) 

to read: “A party must promptly move to restore a case to active 

status when circumstances make inactive status unnecessary.” We 

also revise the first sentence of subdivision (b)(3) to clarify that a 

party filing a motion seeking a change in case status under the rule 

must serve a copy of the motion and a proposed order on the 

presiding judge at the time the motion is filed.

Lastly, rule 2.550(c) (Notice and Agreement; Resolution by 

Judges) is amended to clarify that when a lawyer is scheduled to 

appear in two courts at the same time, the presiding judges must 

confer and resolve the conflict. 

CONCLUSION

Accordingly, the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial 

Administration are amended as set forth in the appendix to this 
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opinion. New language is indicated by underscoring; deletions are 

indicated by struck-through type. The amendments become 

effective on July 1, 2024, at 12:01 a.m.

The Commission on Trial Court Performance and 

Accountability is directed to monitor the effect of these amendments 

for one year after they go into effect and to provide this Court with 

updated recommendations at year’s end.

It is so ordered.

MUÑIZ, C.J., and CANADY, LABARGA, COURIEL, GROSSHANS, 

FRANCIS, and SASSO, JJ., concur.

THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER 

THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS.

Original Proceeding – Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial 

Administration

Kristin A. Norse, Chair, Rules of General Practice and Judicial 

Administration Committee, Tampa, Florida, Joshua E. Doyle, 

Executive Director, The Florida Bar, Tallahassee, Florida, and Kelly 

Noel Smith, Staff Liaison, The Florida Bar, Tallahassee, Florida,

for Petitioner

Frederick L. Pollack, Circuit Judge, Sixth Judicial Circuit of Florida, 

Clearwater, Florida,

Responding with comments
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APPENDIX

RULE 2.215. TRIAL COURT ADMINISTRATION

(a) Purpose. The purpose of this rule is to fix administrative 

responsibility in the chief judges of the circuit courts and the other 

judges that the chief judges may designate. When thesea rules

refers to “the court,” they shall be construed to applyit applies to a 

judge of the court when the context requires or permits.

(b) Chief Judge.

(1) The chief judge shall beis a circuit judge who 

possesses managerial, administrative, and leadership abilities, and 

shall beis selected without regard to seniority only.

(2) The chief judge shall beis the administrative officer 

of the courts within the circuit and shall, consistent with branchwide policies, directs the formation and implementation of policies,

and priorities for the operation of all courts and officers within the 

circuit, consistent with branch-wide policies. The chief judge shall 

exercisehas administrative supervision over all judges and court 

personnel within the judicial circuit. The chief judge shall beis

responsible to the chief justice of the supreme court. The chief 

judge may enter and sign administrative orders, except as otherwise 

provided by this rule. The chief judge shall havehas the authority to 

require that all judges of the court, other court officers, and court 

personnel comply with all court and judicial branch policies, 

administrative orders, procedures, and administrative plans.

(3) The chief judge shall maintains liaison in all judicial 

administrative matters with the chief justice of the supreme court, 

and shall, considering available resources, ensures the efficient and 

proper administration of all courts within that circuit, considering 

available resources. The chief judge shallmust develop and file with 

the supreme court an administrative plan that shall be filed with 

the supreme court and shall includes an administrative 

organization capable of effecting the prompt disposition of cases; 

assignment of judges, other court officers, and all other court 
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personnel; control of dockets; regulation and use of courtrooms; 

and mandatory periodic review of the status of the inmates of the 

county jail. The plan shallmust be compatible with the development 

of the capabilities of the judges in such a mannerso that each judge 

will be qualified to serve in any division, thereby creating a judicial 

pool from which judges may be assigned to various courts 

throughout the state. The administrative plan shallmust include a 

consideration of the statistical data developed by the case reporting 

system. Questions concerning the administration or management of 

the courts of the circuit shallmust be directed to the chief justice of 

the supreme court through the state courts administrator.

(4) The chief judge shall assigns judges to the courts 

and divisions, and shall determines the length of each assignment. 

The chief judge is authorized to order consolidation of cases, and to 

assign cases to a judge or judges for the preparation of opinions, 

orders, or judgments. All judges shallmust inform the chief judge of 

any contemplated absences that will affect the progress of the 

court’s business. If a judge is temporarily absent, is disqualified in 

an action, or is unable to perform the duties of the office, the chief 

judge or the chief judge’s designee may assign a proceeding pending 

before the judge to any other judge or any additional assigned judge 

of the same court. The chief judge may assign any judge to 

temporary service for which the judge is qualified in any court in 

the same circuit. If it appears to the chief judge that the speedy, 

efficient, and proper administration of justice so requires, the chief 

judge shallmay request the chief justice of the supreme court to 

assign temporarily an additional judge or judges from outside the 

circuit to duty in the court requiring assistance. The assigned 

judges shall beare subject to administrative supervision of the chief 

judge for all purposes of this rule. When assigning a judge to hear 

any type of postconviction or collateral relief proceeding brought by 

a defendant who has been sentenced to death, the chief judge 

shallmust assign to such casesthe case to a judge qualified to 

conduct such proceedings under subdivision (b)(10) of this rule. 

Nothing in this rule shall restricts the constitutional powers of the 

chief justice of the supreme court to make such assignments as the 

chief justice shall deem appropriate.
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(5) The chief judge may designate a judge in any court 

or court division of circuit or county courts as “administrative 

judge” of any court or division to assist with the administrative 

supervision of the court or division. To the extent practical, the 

chief judge shallshould assign only one1 administrative judge to 

supervise the family court. The designee shall beis responsible to 

the chief judge, shall havehas the power and duty to carry out the 

responsibilities assigned by the chief judge, and shall serves at the 

pleasure of the chief judge.

(6) The chief judge may require the attendance of 

prosecutors, public defenders, clerks, bailiffs, and other officers of 

the courts, and may require from the clerks of the courts, sheriffs, 

or other officers of the courts periodic reports that the chief judge 

deems necessary.

(7) The chief judge shallmust regulate the use of all 

court facilities, regularly examine the dockets of the courts under 

the chief judge’s administrative supervision, and require a report on 

the status of the matters on the dockets. The chief judge may take 

such action as may be necessary to causemake the dockets to be 

made current. The chief judge shallmust monitor the status of all 

postconviction or collateral relief proceedings for defendants who 

have been sentenced to death from the time that the mandate 

affirming the death sentence has been issued by the supreme court 

and shall take the necessary actions to assure that suchthe cases 

proceed without undue delay. On the first day of every January, 

April, July, and October, the chief judge shallmust inform the chief 

justice of the supreme court of the status of all suchthese cases.

(8) The chief judge or the chief judge’s designee 

shallmust regularly examine the status of every inmate of the 

county jail.

(9) The chief judge may authorize the clerks of courts 

to maintain branch county court facilities. When so authorized, 

clerks of court shall be permitted to retain county court permanent 

records of pending cases in suchthe branch court facilities all 
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county court permanent records of pending cases, and mayto retain 

and destroy these records in the manner provided by law.

(10) Assigning Capital Cases.

(A) The chief judge shallmay not assign a judge to 

preside over a capital case in which the state is seeking the death 

penalty, or collateral proceedings brought by a death row inmate, 

until that judge has become qualified to do so by: 

(i) presiding a minimum of 6 months in a 

felony criminal division or in a division that includes felony criminal 

cases,; and

(ii) successfully attending the “Handling 

Capital Cases” course offered through the Florida Court Education 

Council. A judge whose caseload includes felony criminal cases 

must attend the “Handling Capital Cases” course as soon as 

practicable, or uponat the direction of the chief judge.

(B) [No Change]

(C) Following attendance at the “Handling Capital 

Cases” course, a judge shall remains qualified to preside over a 

capital case by attending a “Capital Case Refresher” course once 

during each of the subsequent continuing judicial education (CJE)

reporting periods. A judge who has attended the “Handling Capital 

Cases” course and who has not taken the “Capital Case Refresher” 

course within any subsequent continuing judicial education 

reporting period must requalify to preside over a capital case by 

attending the refresher course.

(D) The refresher course shallmust be at least a 6-

hour course and must be approved by the Florida Court Education 

Council. The course must containing instruction on the following 

topics: penalty phase, jury selection, and proceedings brought 

pursuant tounder Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.851.
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(11) The failure of any judge to comply with an order or 

directive of the chief judge shall beis considered neglect of duty and 

may be reported by the chief judge to the chief justice of the

supreme court who shall havehas the authority to take any 

appropriate corrective action as may be appropriate. The chief judge 

may report the neglect of duty by a judge to the Judicial 

Qualifications Commission or other appropriate person or body, or 

take such other appropriate corrective action as may be 

appropriate.

(12) At the call of the chief justice, the chief judges of the 

circuit court and district courts of appeal shallmust meet on a 

regular basis and with each other and with the chief justice to 

discuss and provide feedback for implementation of policies and 

practices that have statewide impact including, but not limited to, 

the judicial branch’s management, operation, strategic plan, 

legislative agenda, and budget priorities. SuchThe meetings 

shallmust, if practicable, occur at least quarterly and be conducted 

in person, if practicable. At the discretion of the chief justice, any of 

these meetings may be combined with other judicial branch and 

leadership meetings.

(13) The chief judge shall have the responsibility tomust

exercise reasonable efforts to promote and encourage diversity in 

the administration of justice.

(c) Selection. The chief judge shallmust be chosen by a 

majority of the active circuit and county court judges within the 

circuit for a term of 2 years commencing on July 1 of each oddnumbered year, or ifby the chief justice if there is no majority, by 

the chief justice, for a term of 2 years. The election for chief judge 

shallmust be held no sooner than February 1 of the year during 

which the chief judge’s term commences beginning July 1. All 

elections for chief judge shallmust be conducted as follows:

(1) All ballots shall beare secret.

(2) [No Change]
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(3) Proxy voting shallis not be permitted.

(4) [No Change]

A chief judge may be removed as chief judge by the supreme court, 

acting as the administrative supervisory body of all courts, or may 

be removed by a two-thirds vote of the active judges. The purpose of 

this rule is to fix a 2-year cycle for the selection of the chief judge in 

each circuit. A chief judge may serve for successive terms but in no

event shall the total term as chief judge exceedno more than 8 

years. A chief judge who is to be temporarily absent shallmust

select an acting chief judge from among the circuit judges. If a chief 

judge dies, retires, fails to appoint an acting chief judge during an 

absence, or is unable to perform the duties of the office, the chief 

justice of the supreme court shallmust appoint a circuit judge to act 

as chief judge during the absence or disability, or until a successor 

chief judge is elected to serve the unexpired term. When the office of 

chief judge is temporarily vacant pending action within the scope of 

this paragraph, the duties of court administration shall beare

performed by the circuit judge having the longest continuous 

service as a judge or by another circuit judge designated by that 

judge.

(d) Circuit Court Administrator. Each circuit court 

administrator shall beis selected or terminated by the chief judge 

subject to concurrence by a majority vote of the circuit and county 

judges of the respective circuits.

(e) Local Rules and Administrative Orders.

(1) Local court rules as defined in rule 2.120 may be 

proposed by a majority of the circuit and county judges in the 

circuit. The judges shallmust notify the local bar within the circuit 

of the proposal, after which they shallmust permit a representative 

of the local bar, and may permit any other interested person, to be 

heard orally or in writing on the proposal before submitting it to the 

supreme court for approval. When a proposed local rule is 

submitted to the supreme court for approval, the following 

procedure shall applyapplies:.
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(A) Local court rule proposals shallmust be 

submitted to the supreme court in January of each year. The 

supreme court may accept emergency proposals submitted at other 

times.

(B) Not later than February 15 of each year, 

theThe clerk of the supreme court shall submits all local court rule 

proposals to the Supreme Court Local Rules Advisory Committee 

created by rule 2.140by February 15 of each year. At the same time, 

the clerk of the supreme court shall sends copies of the proposed 

rules to the appropriate committees of The Florida Bar. The Florida 

Bar committees, any interested local bar associations, and any 

other interested person shallmust submit any comments or 

responses that they wish to make to the Supreme Court Local Rules 

Advisory Committee on or before March 15 of thethat year.

(C) The Supreme Court Local Rules Advisory 

Committee shallmust meet on or before April 15 to consider the 

proposals and any comments submitted by interested parties. The 

committee shallmust transmit its recommendations to the supreme 

court concerning each proposal, with the reasons for its 

recommendations, within 15 days after its meeting.

(D) The supreme court shall considers the 

committee’s recommendations of the committee and may resubmit 

the proposals with modifications to the committee for editorial 

comment only. The supreme court may set a hearing on any 

proposals, or consider them on the recommendations and 

comments as submitted. If a hearing is set, notice shallmust be 

given to the chief judge of the circuit from which the proposals 

originated, the executive director of The Florida Bar, the chair of the 

Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration Committee of 

The Florida Bar, any local bar associations, and any interested 

persons who made comments on the specific proposals to be 

considered. The supreme court shallmust act on the proposals 

promptly after the recommendations are received or heard.
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(E) If aA local court rule is approved by the 

supreme court, it shall becomes effective on the date set by that 

court.

(F) AThe clerk of the circuit court where the local 

court rules take effect must index and record a copy of all local 

court rules approved by the supreme court shall be indexed and 

recorded by the clerk of the circuit court in each applicable county 

of thethat circuit where the rules are effective. A set of the recorded 

copies shallmust be readily available for inspection as a public 

record, and copies shall be provided to any requesting party foron 

payment of the cost of duplication. The chief judge of the circuit 

may provide for the publication ofpublish the local court rules. The 

clerk of the supreme court shallmust furnish copies of each 

approved local court rule to theThe Florida Bar’s executive director

of The Florida Bar.

(2) Any judge or member of The Florida Bar who 

believes that an administrative order promulgated under 

subdivision (b)(2) of this rule is a court rule or a local rule as 

defined in rule 2.120, rather than an administrative order, may 

apply to the Supreme Court Local Rules Advisory Committee for a 

decision on the question. The decisions of the committee concerning 

the determination of the question shallmust be reported to the 

supreme court, and the court shallmust follow the procedure set 

forth in subdivision (D) above in considering the recommendation of 

the committee.

(3) AllThe clerk of the circuit court where the 

administrative order takes effect must index and record all 

administrative orders of a general and continuing nature, and all

others orders designated by the chief judge, shall be indexed and 

recorded by the clerk of the circuit court in each county where the 

orders are effective. A set of the recorded copies shallmust be 

readily available for inspection as a public record, and copies shall 

be provided to any requesting party foron payment of the cost of 

duplication. The chief judge shallmust, on an annual basis, direct a 

review of all local administrative orders on an annual basis to 
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ensure that the set of copies maintained by the clerk remains 

current and does not conflict with supreme court or local rules.

(4) All local court rules entered pursuant tounder this 

section shallmust be numbered sequentially for each respective 

judicial circuit.

(f) Duty to Rule within a Reasonable TimeTimely 

Rulings.

(1) Judge’s Duty. Every judge has a duty to rule upon 

and announceenter within a reasonable time an order or judgment 

on every matter submitted to that judge within a reasonable time. 

Each judge shallmust maintain a log of casesmatters under 

advisement and inform the chief judge of the circuit at the end of 

each calendar month of each casematter that has been held under 

advisement for more than 60 days.

(2) Notice of Pending Matter. A party may file with the 

clerk a notice using form 2.604 that a matter has been held under 

advisement or is ready for disposition and remains pending without 

judicial action for more than 60 days. The party must serve a copy 

of the notice on the presiding judge. 

(g) Duty to Expedite Priority Cases. Every judge has a 

duty to expedite priority cases to the extent reasonably possible. 

Priority cases are those cases that have been assigned a priority 

status or assigned an expedited disposition schedule by statute, 

rule of procedure, case law, or otherwise. Particular attention 

shallmust be given to all juvenile dependency and termination of 

parental rights cases, cases involving families and children in need 

of services, challenges involving elections and proposed 

constitutional amendments, and capital postconviction cases. As 

part of an effort to make capital postconviction cases a priority, 

theThe chief judge shall havehas the discretion to create a 

postconviction division to handle capital postconviction, as well as 

non-capital postconviction cases, and may assign one1 or more 

judges to that division.
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(h) Neglect of Duty. The failure of any judge, clerk, 

prosecutor, public defender, attorney, court reporter, or other 

officer of the court to comply with an order or directive of the chief 

judge shall beis considered neglect of duty and shallmust be 

reported by the chief judge to the chief justice of the supreme court. 

The chief justice may report the neglect of duty by a judge to the 

Judicial Qualifications Commission, and neglect of duty by other 

officials to the governor of Florida or other appropriate person or 

body.

(i) Status Conference after Compilation of Record in 

Death Case. In any proceeding in which a defendant has been 

sentenced to death, the circuit judge assigned to the case shallmust

take such action as may be necessary to ensure that a complete 

record on appeal has been properly prepared. To that end, theThe

judge shallmust convene a status conference with all counsel of 

record as soon as possible after the record has been prepared 

pursuant tounder rule of appellate procedure 9.200(d) but before 

the record has been transmitted. The purpose of the status 

conference shall beis to ensure that the record is complete.

Committee Notes

[No Change]

Court Commentary

[No Change]

Criminal Court Steering Committee Note

[No Change]

RULE 2.250. TIME STANDARDS FOR TRIAL AND APPELLATE 

COURTS AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

(a) Time Standards. The following time standards are 

hereby established as a presumptively reasonable time period for 

the completion of cases in the trial and appellate courts of this 

state. Periods during which a case is on inactive status are 

excluded from the calculation of the time periods set forth below. It 
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is recognized that there are cases that, because of their complexity, 

present problems that cause reasonable delays. However, most 

cases should be completed within the following time periods:

(1) Trial Court Time Standards.

(A) Criminal.

i. Felony — 180 days (arrest to final 

disposition)

ii. Misdemeanor — 90 days (arrest to final 

disposition)

(B) Civil.

i. Complex cases under the Florida Rules of 

Civil Procedure — 30 months (from date of service of initial process 

on the last defendant or 120 days after commencement of the 

action as provided in Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.050, 

whichever occurs first, to final disposition)

ii. JuryOther jury cases — 18 months 

(filingfrom date of service of initial process on the last defendant or 

120 days after commencement of the action as provided in rule 

1.050, whichever occurs first, to final disposition)

iii. Non-juryOther nonjury cases — 12 

months (filingfrom date of service of initial process on the last 

defendant or 120 days after commencement of the action as 

provided in rule 1.050, whichever occurs first, to final disposition)

iv. Small claims cases — 95 days (filingfrom 

commencement of the action as provided in Florida Small Claims 

Rule of Procedure 7.050 to final disposition, unless 1 or more rules 

of civil procedure are invoked that eliminate the deadline for trial 

under rule 7.090(d), in which event the “complex,” “other jury,” or 

“other nonjury” deadline will apply, as appropriate to the case)
- 19 -

(C) Domestic Relations. 

i. Uncontested — 90 days (filing to final 

disposition)

ii. Contested — 180 days (filing to final 

disposition)

(D) Probate. 

i. Uncontested, no federal estate tax return 

— 12 months (from issuance of letters of administration to final 

discharge)

ii. Uncontested, with federal estate tax 

return — 12 months (from the return’s due date to final discharge)

iii. Contested — 24 months (from filing to 

final discharge)

(E) Juvenile Delinquency. 

i. Disposition hearing — 120 days (filing of 

petition or child being taken into custody to hearing)

ii. Disposition hearing (child detained) — 36 

days (date of detention to hearing)

(F) Juvenile Dependency. 

i. Disposition hearing (child sheltered) — 88 

days (shelter hearing to disposition)

ii. Disposition hearing (child not sheltered) 

— 120 days (filing of petition for dependency to hearing)

(G) Permanency Proceedings. Permanency hearing 

— 12 months (date child is sheltered to hearing)
- 20 -

(2) Supreme Court and District Courts of Appeal Time 

Standards:. Rendering a decision — within 180 days of either oral 

argument or the submission of the case to the court panel for a 

decision without oral argument, except in juvenile dependency or 

termination of parental rights cases, in which a decision should be 

rendered within 60 days of either oral argument or submission of 

the case to the court panel for a decision without oral argument.

(3) Florida Bar Referee Time Standards:. Report of 

referee — within 180 days of being assigned to hear the case

(4) Circuit Court Acting as Appellate Court:. Ninety days 

from submission of the case to the judge for review

(b) Reporting of Cases.

(1) Quarterly Reports. The time standards require that 

the following monitoring procedures be implemented:

All pending cases in circuit and district courts of appeal 

exceeding the time standards shallmust be listed separately on a 

report submitted quarterly to the chief justice. The report shallmust

include for each case listed the case number, type of case, case 

status (active or inactive for civil cases and contested or 

uncontested for domestic relations and probate cases), the date of 

arrest in criminal cases, and the original filing date in civil cases. 

The Office of the State Courts Administrator will provide the 

necessary forms for submission of this data. The report will beis

due on the 15th day of the month following the last day of the 

quarter.

(2) Annual Report of Pending Civil Cases.

(A) By the last business day of July of every year, 

the chief judge of each circuit must serve on the chief justice and 

the state courts administrator a report of the status of the docket of 

the general civil division of that circuit, including both circuit and 

county courts, for the preceding fiscal year. The Office of the State 

Courts Administrator must provide the necessary forms for 
- 21 -

submission of this data. The report must, at a minimum, include 

the following:

(i) a list of all civil cases, except cases on 

inactive status, by case number and style, grouped by county, court 

level (circuit or county), division, and assigned judge, pending in 

that circuit 3 years or more from the filing of the complaint or other 

case-initiation filing as of the last day of the fiscal year; 

(ii) a reference as to whether each such case 

appeared on the previous fiscal year’s report and, if so, whether the 

same or a different judge was responsible for the case as of the 

previous fiscal year’s report; and

(iii) a reference as to whether an active case 

management order is in effect in the case.

(B) Cases that must remain confidential by 

statute, court rule, or court order must be included in the report, 

anonymized by an appropriate designation. The Office of the State 

Court Administrator must devise a designation system for such 

cases that enables the chief judge and the recipients of the report to 

identify cases that appear on a second or subsequent annual 

report.

RULE 2.546. ACTIVE AND INACTIVE CASE STATUS

(a) Required Stay.

(1) Notice of Inactive Status. A party must promptly file 

a notice to place a case on inactive status when the party knows a 

case pending in a trial court is required to be stayed, including 

when a court has imposed a stay or when a stay is imposed by 

operation of bankruptcy law. The case is treated as inactive on filing 

the notice unless the court orders otherwise.

(2) Notice of Active Status. A party must promptly file a 

notice to remove a case’s inactive status after learning of an event 
- 22 -

that makes inactive status unnecessary. The case is treated as 

active on filing the notice unless the court orders otherwise. 

(b) Requested Stay. 

(1) Motion to Place on Inactive Status. A party may move 

to place a case on inactive status for bona fide reasons. Unless the 

parties stipulate that a pending appellate ruling in an entirely 

separate case is dispositive of a material issue in the case, the case 

will not be placed on inactive status absent extraordinary 

circumstances.

(2) Motion to Place on Active Status. A party must 

promptly move to restore a case to active status when 

circumstances make inactive status unnecessary. 

(3) Service; Order on Change of Status. The filer must 

serve a copy of the motion and a proposed order on the presiding 

trial judge at the time the motion is filed. The court must promptly 

issue an order granting or denying the motion. An order granting 

the motion to change the case status must contain the reason for 

the change in case status. On issuance of an order changing the 

case status, the clerk must promptly adjust the status in the 

docket.

(c) Deadlines Tolled. All deadlines in a case management 

order issued under rule 1.200 or rule 1.201 will be tolled from the 

date a case is placed on inactive status until the date the case is 

restored to active status.

RULE 2.550. CALENDAR CONFLICTS

(a) Guidelines. In resolving calendar conflicts between the 

state courts of Florida or between a state court and a federal court 

in Florida, the following guidelines must be considered:

(1) Any case priority status established by statute, rule 

of procedure, case law, or otherwise shallmust be evaluated to 
- 23 -

determine the effect that resolving a calendar conflict might have on 

the priority case or cases.

(2)-(6) [No Change]

(b) [No Change]

(c) Notice and Agreement; Resolution by Judges. When 

an attorney is scheduled to appear in 2 courts at the same time and 

cannot arrange for other counsel to represent the clients’ interests, 

the attorney shallmust give prompt written notice of the conflict to 

opposing counsel or self-represented party, the clerk of each court, 

and the presiding judge of each case, if known. If the presiding 

judge of the case cannot be identified, written notice of the conflict 

shallmust be given to the chief judge of the court having jurisdiction 

over the case, or to the chief judge’s designee. The judges or their 

designees shallmust confer and undertake to avoidresolve the 

conflict by agreement among themselves. Absent agreement, 

conflicts should be promptly resolved by the judges or their 

designees in accordance with the above case guidelines.
- 24 -

FORM 2.604. NOTICE OF PENDING MATTER

(CAPTION)

NOTICE OF PENDING MATTER

.....(NAME)..... gives notice under Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. 

Admin. 2.215 that judicial action in the above captioned case 

remains pending on .....(NAME OF MOTION)...... filed on .....(DATE 

MOTION FILED)...... .....(ADD DOCUMENT IDENTIFICATION 

NUMBER HERE IF AVAILABLE).....

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I certify that on .....(DATE)..... this document has been 

furnished to (here insert name(s) and service addresses) by (here 

insert method of service such as e-portal, e-mail, delivery, or mail).

_______________________

.....(signature).....

.....(printed name).....

.....(e-mail address).....

.....(address).....

.....(phone number).....
- 25 -

FORM 2.605. NOTICE OF INACTIVE STATUS

(CAPTION)

NOTICE OF INACTIVE STATUS

. . . . .(NAME). . . . . gives notice under Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & 

Jud. Admin. 2.546 that the above captioned case is required to be 

placed on inactive status because:

☐ A party in this action has filed for bankruptcy relief in 

.....(CASE NUMBER)..... requiring an automatic stay under the 

Bankruptcy Code.

☐ The .....(NAME OF APPLICABLE COURT)..... has entered 

an order, .....(NAME OF ORDER)....., in case number(s) .....(CASE 

NUMBER(S))..... dated .....(DATE)..... , requiring a stay in the above 

captioned case.

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I certify that on .....(DATE)..... this document has been 

furnished to (here insert name(s) and service addresses) by (here 

insert method of service such as e-portal, e-mail, delivery, or mail).

_______________________

.....(signature).....

.....(printed name).....

.....(e-mail address).....

.....(address).....

.....(phone number).....
- 26 -

FORM 2.606. NOTICE OF ACTIVE STATUS

(CAPTION)

NOTICE OF ACTIVE STATUS

.....(NAME)..... gives notice under Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. 

Admin. 2.546 that the above captioned case is required to be placed 

on active status because:

☐ The bankruptcy proceeding in .....(CASE NUMBER).....

has been dismissed.

☐ A Discharge of Bankruptcy in .....(CASE NUMBER)..... 

has been filed.

☐ An Order of Relief from Stay in the bankruptcy 

proceedings in .....(CASE NUMBER)..... has been entered.

☐ The .....(NAME OF APPLICABLE COURT)..... has entered 

an order lifting the stay in the above captioned case.

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I certify that on .....(DATE)..... this document has been 

furnished to (here insert name(s) and service addresses) by (here 

insert method of service such as e-portal, e-mail, delivery, or mail).

_______________________

.....(signature).....

.....(printed name).....

.....(e-mail address).....

.....(address).....

.....(phone number).....