Civil Cover Sheet - Florida State Court (Form 1.997)
CIVIL COVER SHEET — FLORIDA FORM 1.997
I. Case Style
Name of court: [________________________________]
| Party | Role |
|---|---|
| [PLAINTIFF / PETITIONER], | Plaintiff / Petitioner |
| v. | |
| [DEFENDANT / RESPONDENT], | Defendant / Respondent |
| Filing field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Case number | [________________________________] |
| Judge, if assigned | [________________________________] |
II. Amount of Claim
Select the estimated amount of the claim:
- ☐ $8,000 or less
- ☐ $8,001–$30,000
- ☐ $30,001–$50,000
- ☐ $50,001–$75,000
- ☐ $75,001–$100,000
- ☐ Over $100,000
III. Type of Case
Circuit Civil
- ☐ Condominium
- ☐ Contracts and indebtedness
- ☐ Eminent domain
- ☐ Auto negligence
- ☐ Negligence — other
- ☐ Business governance
- ☐ Business torts
- ☐ Environmental / toxic tort
- ☐ Third-party indemnification
- ☐ Construction defect
- ☐ Mass tort
- ☐ Negligent security
- ☐ Nursing-home negligence
- ☐ Premises liability — commercial
- ☐ Premises liability — residential
- ☐ Products liability
- ☐ Real property / mortgage foreclosure
- ☐ Commercial foreclosure
- ☐ Homestead residential foreclosure
- ☐ Nonhomestead residential foreclosure
- ☐ Other real-property actions
- ☐ Professional malpractice
- ☐ Malpractice — business
- ☐ Malpractice — medical
- ☐ Malpractice — other professional
- ☐ Other
- ☐ Antitrust / trade regulation
- ☐ Business transactions
- ☐ Constitutional challenge — statute or ordinance
- ☐ Constitutional challenge — proposed amendment
- ☐ Corporate trusts
- ☐ Discrimination — employment or other
- ☐ Insurance claims
- ☐ Intellectual property
- ☐ Libel / slander
- ☐ Shareholder derivative action
- ☐ Securities litigation
- ☐ Trade secrets
- ☐ Trust litigation
County Civil
- ☐ Civil
- ☐ Real property / mortgage foreclosure
- ☐ Replevin
- ☐ Eviction
- ☐ Residential eviction
- ☐ Nonresidential eviction
- ☐ Other civil — nonmonetary
IV. Remedies Sought
- ☐ Monetary
- ☐ Nonmonetary declaratory or injunctive relief
- ☐ Punitive
V. Causes of Action
Number of causes of action: [____]
Specify: [____________________________________________________________]
[____________________________________________________________]
VI. Class Action
- ☐ Yes
- ☐ No
VII. Known Related Case
Has notice of any known related case been filed?
- ☐ No
- ☐ Yes — list each related case by name, case number, and court:
| Related case name | Case number | Court |
|---|---|---|
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
VIII. Jury Demand
Is a jury trial demanded in the complaint?
- ☐ Yes
- ☐ No
IX. Sexual-Abuse Allegations
Does this case involve allegations of sexual abuse?
- ☐ Yes
- ☐ No
Certification
I certify that the information provided in this cover sheet is accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief and that I have read and will comply with Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.425.
| Signature field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Attorney or party signature | [________________________________] |
| Typed or printed name | [________________________________] |
| Florida Bar number, if attorney | [________________________________] |
| Date | [__/__/____] |
Filing Checklist
- ☐ Use the current Form 1.997 accepted by the applicable clerk.
- ☐ File it with the first document in the action or proceeding.
- ☐ Confirm the case is not small claims, probate, or family; those matters are excepted from Form 1.997, and domestic and juvenile matters use Form 12.928.
- ☐ Confirm every category selection, the amount estimate, related-case notice, jury demand, and sexual-abuse response against the initiating pleading.
- ☐ File through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal unless an exemption applies.
Sources and References
- Florida Supreme Court, In re Amendments to Florida Rules of Civil Procedure—Form 1.997, No. SC21-1598 (Dec. 16, 2021), effective April 1, 2022 — https://flcourts-media.flcourts.gov/content/download/815750/opinion/sc21-1598.pdf
- Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, April 1, 2026 edition, Form 1.997 — https://www-media.floridabar.org/uploads/2026/04/Civil-Procedure-Rules-04-01-26.pdf
- Martin County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, Form 1.997 and instructions — https://www.martinclerk.com/DocumentCenter/View/212/Civil-Cover-Sheet-PDF
- Florida Legislature, Fla. Stat. § 25.075 — https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0025/Sections/0025.075.html
- Florida Courts, filing forms through the clerk or Florida Courts E-Filing Portal — https://www.flcourts.gov/Courts-System/florida-courts-help/get-started/find-a-form/filing-your-forms
About This Template
These are the filings that drive a lawsuit through the system: complaints, answers, motions, briefs, discovery requests and responses, and post-judgment papers. Each has its own format requirements under federal and state procedural rules, and each has a deadline that cannot be missed without consequences. Clean, procedurally correct filings move a case forward; sloppy ones invite motions to strike, amended responses, and avoidable delays.
Important Notice
This template is provided for informational purposes. It is not legal advice. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
Legal authority: Fla. R. Civ. P. Form 1.997 (Civil Cover Sheet); Fla. Stat. § 25.075 (Uniform case reporting system); Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.425 (Minimization of filing sensitive information)
Last updated: 2026-08-13
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