Florida Answer Filing Checklist

Florida Answer Filing Checklist

Court: Circuit Court, [________________________________] Judicial Circuit
County: [________________________________], Florida
Case Number: [________________________________]
Case Style: [________________________________] v. [________________________________]
Defendant: [________________________________]
Filing Attorney: [________________________________]
Date Prepared: [__/__/____]

I. Deadline Calculation

Response Deadline

☐ Date of service: [__/__/____]
☐ Standard deadline: 20 days from service
☐ Calculated deadline: [__/__/____]
☐ Extension obtained: ☐ Yes ☐ No (New deadline: [__/__/____])

II. Response Options (Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.140)

Motion to Dismiss (Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.140(b))

☐ Lack of subject matter jurisdiction
☐ Lack of personal jurisdiction
☐ Improper venue
☐ Insufficiency of process
☐ Insufficiency of service
☐ Failure to state a cause of action
☐ Failure to join indispensable party

Motion for More Definite Statement (Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.140(e))

☐ Complaint so vague defendant cannot respond

Answer

☐ Respond to each allegation
☐ Assert affirmative defenses
☐ Counterclaims (if any)

III. Answer Content Requirements

Response to Allegations

☐ Admit
☐ Deny
☐ Deny for lack of knowledge
☐ Admit in part, deny in part

Affirmative Defenses (Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.110(d))

☐ Statute of limitations
☐ Comparative negligence
☐ Assumption of risk
☐ Release
☐ Payment
☐ Accord and satisfaction
☐ Estoppel
☐ Waiver
☐ Res judicata
☐ Other: [________________________________]

IV. Counterclaims and Cross-Claims

☐ Compulsory counterclaim (same transaction)
☐ Permissive counterclaim
☐ Cross-claim against co-defendant
☐ Third-party complaint

V. Filing Requirements

☐ E-file via Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
☐ Certificate of service included
☐ All parties served

VI. Quality Control

☐ Response deadline met
☐ All allegations addressed
☐ Affirmative defenses properly pleaded
☐ Signature included
☐ Certificate of service complete

Sources and References

• Florida Rules of Civil Procedure: https://www.floridabar.org/rules/
• Florida Courts E-Filing: https://www.myflcourtaccess.com

Prepared by: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]