The Small Claims Court Command Center

These rules are applicable to all actions of a civil nature in the county courts which contain a demand for money or property, the value of which does not exceed $8,000 exclusive of costs, interest, and attorneys' fees.

The $8,000 ceiling measures the demand itself — costs, interest, and attorney fees sit outside it. Claims above the line belong in county or circuit civil under different rules.

Actions are commenced by the filing of a statement of claim in concise form, which shall inform the defendant of the basis and the amount of the claim. If the claim is based on a written document, a copy or the material part thereof shall be attached to the statement of claim.

The statement of claim is the whole pleading — concise, stating basis and amount. A claim built on a written document (a contract, a note, an invoice) carries that document with it.

Any business entity recognized under Florida law may be represented at any stage of the trial court proceedings by any principal of the business entity who has legal authority to bind the business entity or any employee authorized in writing by a principal. A non-attorney may not represent a business entity in appellate proceedings.

Individuals sign and appear for themselves. A Florida business can appear through a principal (officer, member, managing member, partner) or a written-authorized employee — at trial level only; appeals require an attorney for entities.

The clerk shall assist in the preparation of a statement of claim and other papers to be filed in the action at the request of any litigant. The clerk shall not be required to prepare papers on constructive service, substituted service, proceedings supplementary to execution, or discovery procedures.

The rule itself puts the clerk on the self-represented litigant's side for basic papers — and marks exactly where that duty stops. Clerks answer procedure, never legal strategy (the courts' own instruction sheets say the same).

A proper location or venue may be one of the following: 1. Where the contract was entered into. 2. If the suit is on an unsecured promissory note, where the note is signed or where the maker resides. 3. If the suit is to recover property or to foreclose a lien, where the property is located. 4. Where the event giving rise to the suit occurred. 5. Where any one or more of the defendants sued reside. 6. Any location agreed to in a contract. 7. In an action for money due, if there is no agreement as to where suit may be filed, where payment is to be made.

The summons itself must print this venue menu in bold. A defendant sued in the wrong place can ask for a transfer orally at the first court date, or by sworn written request filed 7 days before it with a copy to the plaintiff.

The summons/notice to appear shall specify that the initial appearance shall be for a pretrial conference. The initial pretrial conference shall be set by the clerk not more than 50 days from the date of the filing of the action. Appearance may be in person or through the use of communication technology under Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.530.

Both sides must appear at the pretrial — remote appearance rides Rule 2.530 where allowed. The conference covers issue simplification, admissions, witness limits, and settlement; mediation often happens the same day.

Unless required by order of court, written pretrial motions and defensive pleadings are not necessary. The filing of a motion or a defensive pleading shall not excuse the personal appearance of a party or attorney on the initial appearance date (pretrial conference).

Small claims inverts general civil practice: the defendant defends by SHOWING UP, not by filing an answer. Filing papers does not substitute for appearing.

If a defendant has a claim or setoff against a plaintiff that arises out of the same transaction or occurrence which is the subject matter of the plaintiff's claim, the counterclaim or setoff shall be filed not less than 5 days before the initial appearance date (pretrial conference), or within such time as the court designates, or it is abandoned.

A same-transaction counterclaim not raised on this clock is abandoned — the sharpest deadline a small-claims defendant faces. Unrelated (permissive) counterclaims follow 7.100(b).

Unless otherwise ordered by the court, a nonlawyer representative may appear on behalf of a party to a small claims mediation if the representative has the party's signed written authority to appear and has full authority to settle without further consultation. Any agreements reached as a result of small claims mediation must be written in the form of a stipulation.

Whoever appears must hold full settlement authority; agreements become written stipulations the court may enter as orders. Non-compliance can carry the other side's costs and fees.

At pretrial conference or at any subsequent hearing, if there is no triable issue, the court shall summarily enter an appropriate order or judgment.

SHALL, not may — where nothing is genuinely disputed, judgment enters on the spot. Both sides walk into the pretrial with the case potentially ending there.

The court shall set the case for trial not more than 60 days from the date of the pretrial conference. Notice of at least 10 days of the time of trial shall be given.

Small claims runs on a 95-day time-standard guideline end to end (the committee notes say so). Trials are nonjury unless a jury is properly demanded, and the courtroom's own instruction sheet warns: proceedings are not recorded unless a party hires a reporter — which shapes any later appeal.

If the defendant does not appear at the scheduled time, the plaintiff is entitled to a default to be entered by either the judge or clerk. After default is entered, the judge shall receive evidence establishing the damages and enter judgment in accordance with the evidence and the law.

Default follows non-appearance, but judgment still rides evidence of damages — and the judge may police venue abuse before entering it.

A motion for new trial shall be filed not later than 15 days after return of verdict in a jury action or the date of filing of the judgment in a nonjury action.

The motion must state its basis with particularity; the court may deny it summarily or set a hearing.

If it appears on the face of the record that no activity has been taken by filing of pleadings, order of court, or otherwise for a period of 6 months, the action must be dismissed by the court on its own motion or on motion of any interested person. Prior to any action being dismissed for failure to prosecute, 30 days' notice must be provided to the parties.

Six quiet months invite dismissal — with 30 days' notice first, and a written good-cause showing at least 5 days before the hearing keeps the case alive.

The defendant(s) shall complete Florida Small Claims Rules Form 7.343 (Fact Information Sheet) and return it to the plaintiff's attorney, or to the plaintiff if the plaintiff is not represented by an attorney, within 45 days from the date of this final judgment, unless the final judgment is satisfied or a motion for new trial or notice of appeal is filed. The defendant should NOT file the completed form 7.343 with the court.

The 45 days run from THE JUDGMENT — and the completed sheet goes to the judgment holder, never into the court file. Satisfaction, a new-trial motion, or an appeal suspends the duty.

Review of orders and judgments of the courts governed by these rules shall be prosecuted in accordance with the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure. A non-attorney may not represent a business entity in appellate proceedings.

The small-claims informality ends at the notice of appeal — appellate practice runs on its own rules, its own clocks, and (for business entities) attorneys only. The unrecorded-trial warning from the pretrial order matters here.