New Court Rules Take Effect January 1, 2025

Florida’s trial courts manage more than two million civil case filings annually. To help effectively manage this caseload and promote the resolution of civil cases, the Supreme Court established the Workgroup on Improved Resolution of Civil Cases within the Judicial Management Council in 2019. The workgroup was charged with reviewing a variety of measures and practices that could improve the management of civil cases to produce timelier, more cost-effective, or otherwise improved resolution of civil cases.

The workgroup made recommendations focused on effective case management, setting appropriate deadlines for case progress, adhering to deadlines, case progress reporting, and continuing education. Because the wide-ranging recommendations would affect numerous court rules and practices, the Court made a series of referrals to several rules committees and other bodies that could help to refine and implement these civil practice reforms.

In May 2024, the Court issued an opinion amending the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure based on a report filed by the Florida Bar’s Civil Procedure Rules Committee and comments filed in the case. After considering additional comments, the Court further refined the rules framework in December 2024. The amendments, which are intended to promote the fair and timely resolution of civil cases, create a framework for active management of civil cases with a focus on adhering to deadlines while providing room for customization by judicial circuit to account for local issues and resources. The amendments also require certain initial discovery disclosures, impose a duty to supplement, and require that discovery be proportional to the needs of the case.

The framework of new and amended rules goes into effect on January 1, 2025. See, In Re: Amendments to Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, Case No. SC2023-0962. For additional information, visit the Florida Supreme Court website, which maintains a list of new and recently amended rules and forms.