Case Path Finder
Six common Florida civil situations. For each: the real clocks (from the corroborated trigger catalog), the papers that matter, and the moves attorneys most commonly make — pick the path that fits your case and your judgment. These are playbooks, not orders; no single move is "the one that wins."
Appearing pro se? You stand in an attorney's shoes — same rules, same deadlines, same procedures.
What you'll find here are the paths Florida attorneys most commonly take in your situation, with the same verified rules, deadline math, and drafting tools they use. Which path to take is your choice — no single path is "the one that wins," for you or for any lawyer. This is legal information, not legal advice, and TrialVector is software, not a law firm: nothing here predicts what a court will do. Deadlines are deterministic computations from rules whose verification state is published on the Engine page — confirm any urgent deadline with the clerk. If you want counsel in your corner (attorneys hire attorneys too): The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service (floridabar.org, 1-800-342-8011) or your circuit's legal aid office.
I'm being sued over a debt or credit card
A company says you owe money and filed a lawsuit. The single most important fact: doing nothing usually ends in a default judgment that can lead to garnishment.
The clocks
- ◷You generally have 20 days after being served to respond in writing. [Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.140(a)(1)]
The papers
- Summons
- Complaint
- Account statements or the credit agreement (often attached as exhibits)
The moves attorneys most commonly make — your call which to run
- Write down the exact date you were handed the papers — every clock runs from it.
- Read the complaint paragraph by paragraph and mark what you agree with, disagree with, or don't know.
- Check who is suing: original creditor or a debt buyer — the paperwork proving they own the debt matters.
- Compute your response deadline with the Deadline Engine and calendar it twice.
- Respond in writing before the deadline — silence is how defaults happen (Rule 1.500).
Where attorneys themselves bring in specialist counsel
- The amount is large, or garnishment/liens are threatened.
- You recognize the debt but the amount looks wrong — accord, payments, or identity issues are lawyer territory.
- You were never actually served but found out about the case another way.
Even seasoned litigators associate co-counsel at these points — weigh it the same way they do. Your case, your call.
A business deal or contract went bad
Someone broke a written or spoken agreement — or says you did. Contract cases turn on the paper: the agreement, the invoices, and who performed.
The clocks
- ◷If you were sued: 20 days after service to respond. [Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.140(a)(1)]
- ◷If you sue: the other side must be served within 120 days of filing. [Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.070(j)]
The papers
- The contract and every amendment
- Invoices, payment records, delivery records
- Emails and texts about the deal
The moves attorneys most commonly make — your call which to run
- Collect every version of the agreement — attachments are required when suing on a written instrument (Rule 1.130).
- Build a dated timeline of who did what (the platform's chronology exists for exactly this).
- Check the five-year (written) / four-year (oral) limitations ballpark in § 95.11 — then verify it for your facts.
- Send or demand a clear written notice before suing where the contract requires it.
Where attorneys themselves bring in specialist counsel
- The contract has an arbitration, venue, or fee-shifting clause — those change everything early.
- Six figures or your business's survival is at stake.
- The other side has lawyered up.
Even seasoned litigators associate co-counsel at these points — weigh it the same way they do. Your case, your call.
Eviction or landlord–tenant fight
Residential evictions move FASTER than ordinary civil cases and have their own statute (Chapter 83). Deposit fights and repair disputes have specific notice rules.
The clocks
- ◷Ordinary civil timing does NOT govern eviction possession counts — the response window is days, not weeks, and rent may have to be deposited into the court registry to even fight it. Verify Chapter 83 timing immediately. [Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.140(a)(1)]
The papers
- Lease
- The notice you received (3-day, 7-day)
- Rent ledger and payment proof
- Photos and repair requests
The moves attorneys most commonly make — your call which to run
- Do not ignore an eviction summons — the clock is measured in DAYS and paying rent into the registry may be required.
- Match the notice you got against the lease and Chapter 83's notice requirements.
- Keep paying or escrowing rent as the statute requires while you dispute.
Where attorneys themselves bring in specialist counsel
- Any eviction where you want to keep the home — the registry-deposit trap alone justifies counsel.
- Lockouts, utility shutoffs, or removed doors — illegal self-help eviction has remedies.
- Deposit claims over small-claims size.
Even seasoned litigators associate co-counsel at these points — weigh it the same way they do. Your case, your call.
Car accident — injury or vehicle damage
Florida is a no-fault state for initial medical bills (PIP), and the negligence limitations period changed in 2023 — dates are everything.
The clocks
- ◷If you're the one sued: 20 days after service to respond. [Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.140(a)(1)]
The papers
- Crash report
- PIP claim and medical records
- Repair estimates
- Insurance letters
The moves attorneys most commonly make — your call which to run
- Get medical care within 14 days — PIP benefits generally require it.
- Report to your insurer; be careful with recorded statements to the OTHER side's insurer.
- Photograph everything and keep every bill.
- Mind the limitations period: negligence actions filed after March 2023 changes are generally TWO years — verify for your date.
Where attorneys themselves bring in specialist counsel
- Any real injury — comparative-fault and insurance-setoff rules are unforgiving to the unrepresented.
- The insurer denies, delays, or offers a fast small check.
- A letter of protection or surgery enters the picture.
Even seasoned litigators associate co-counsel at these points — weigh it the same way they do. Your case, your call.
A judgment was entered against me
After judgment the clocks are short and mostly JURISDICTIONAL — miss the appeal window and it is gone. Collection tools (garnishment, liens) start moving.
The clocks
- ◷Rehearing: generally 15 days from the judgment. [Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.530(b)]
- ◷Appeal: 30 days from rendition — this one cannot be extended. [Fla. R. App. P. 9.110(b)]
- ◷Mistake / new evidence / fraud grounds: within a reasonable time, never more than 1 year. [Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.540(b)]
The papers
- The judgment itself (date-stamped)
- The docket
- Any garnishment or lien paperwork that follows
The moves attorneys most commonly make — your call which to run
- Diarize the 15-day and 30-day clocks TODAY — run them in the Deadline Engine.
- Read the judgment for what it actually orders — amounts, deadlines, interest.
- If money is being garnished, look at the head-of-family and other exemptions immediately.
Where attorneys themselves bring in specialist counsel
- Any appeal — appellate practice is its own discipline and the deadline is jurisdictional.
- You never knew about the case (service defects) — 1.540 relief is technical.
- Wages or bank accounts are being garnished.
Even seasoned litigators associate co-counsel at these points — weigh it the same way they do. Your case, your call.
The other side won't answer discovery
You served interrogatories or document requests and got silence or boilerplate. The path is: analyze, confer in writing, then move to compel with fee exposure.
The clocks
- ◷They owed answers 30 days after service (45 in some initial-service situations). [Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.340(a)]
The papers
- What you served (with its service date)
- Whatever they sent back
- Your conferral letter
The moves attorneys most commonly make — your call which to run
- Run their responses through the Discovery Analyzer — boilerplate objections and non-answers are flagged with the rule that condemns them.
- Send the good-faith deficiency letter with a cure date (the template builds it from the analyzer output).
- If they don't cure, the motion to compel carries a conferral certificate and asks for expenses under Rule 1.380.
Where attorneys themselves bring in specialist counsel
- Privilege fights — logs, in-camera review, and clawbacks are technical.
- They moved for a protective order against you.
Even seasoned litigators associate co-counsel at these points — weigh it the same way they do. Your case, your call.