When must a Florida civil party file a demand for trial by jury?

Identify each issue triable by jury under the applicable constitutional or statutory right.

Classify the actual pleadings under Rule 1.100(a) and find the last one directed to that issue. A later unrelated document does not automatically supply a new event.

Preserve that pleading’s actual service, existing demands and the issues each demand covers.

1. Identify each issue triable by jury under the applicable constitutional or statutory right.
2. Rule 1.090(a) incorporates Rule 2.514(a). Exclude the established event. For seven days or longer, begin with the next day that is not Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday. Count intermediate calendar days. For fewer than seven days, omit intermediate Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. Do not treat a seven-day period as seven business days.
3. Check the observed statutory holidays, actual clerk calendar and chief-justice directions.
4. Complete the required act with the proper court or recipient.

Apply the observed New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Day holidays. Section 110.117 observes Saturday holidays on the preceding Friday and Sunday holidays on the following Monday. Rule 2.514 also includes clerk-observed holidays and days designated by the chief justice or chief judge. An ineligible final day moves in the counting direction. The bundled Florida calendar covers 2026 through 2028. Verify additional closures and chief-justice extensions separately.

Fictitious example

Fictitious facts. The issue is triable by jury, and its last directed pleading is served electronically. No existing waiver or different procedure is assumed. The actual triggering event occurs August 2, 2027. No mail-only addition, further clerk holiday or different actual order applies.

Fictitious facts. Establish the stated procedure and actual event separately. No mail-only addition, further clerk holiday, tolling motion, chief-justice extension or different actual court order is assumed.

The jury right must exist for the actual issue

Rule 1.430(a) preserves the jury right declared by the Florida Constitution or given by statute. The calculator does not decide whether a particular claim or issue is triable by jury.

The event is service of an issue’s last pleading

Rule 1.430(b) uses the last pleading directed to the issue. Rule 1.100(a) identifies permitted pleadings. Do not automatically substitute the latest motion, discovery request, docket entry or document unrelated to that issue.

A demand may specify only some issues

Under Rule 1.430(c), a party may specify the demanded issues. Without a specification, the demand addresses all issues triable by jury. A partial demand allows another party’s separate demand for other or all triable issues after actual service of that demand or as ordered.

Waiver and relief require the actual jury-demand record

Under Rule 1.430(e), failure to file the required demand waives jury trial. After waiver, the court may not grant jury trial without the parties’ consent, but may order a jury trial on its own motion. A demand cannot be withdrawn without the parties’ consent. A late filing or an extension request does not itself establish relief from waiver.

• This page does not establish valid service, pleading sufficiency, waived defenses or permission to extend a period.
• Check the governing historical edition, actual motions, orders, clerk holidays and filing receipts.

• Identify each issue triable by jury under the applicable constitutional or statutory right.
• Classify the actual pleadings under Rule 1.100(a) and find the last one directed to that issue. A later unrelated document does not automatically supply a new event.
• Preserve that pleading’s actual service, existing demands and the issues each demand covers.
• Rule 1.430(a) preserves the jury right declared by the Florida Constitution or given by statute. The calculator does not decide whether a particular claim or issue is triable by jury.
• Rule 1.430(b) uses the last pleading directed to the issue. Rule 1.100(a) identifies permitted pleadings. Do not automatically substitute the latest motion, discovery request, docket entry or document unrelated to that issue.
• Under Rule 1.430(c), a party may specify the demanded issues. Without a specification, the demand addresses all issues triable by jury. A partial demand allows another party’s separate demand for other or all triable issues after actual service of that demand or as ordered.
• Under Rule 1.430(e), failure to file the required demand waives jury trial. After waiver, the court may not grant jury trial without the parties’ consent, but may order a jury trial on its own motion. A demand cannot be withdrawn without the parties’ consent. A late filing or an extension request does not itself establish relief from waiver.
• File the actual jury demand with the trial court and complete required service. Specify selected issues if seeking a partial demand, or establish that the demand covers all triable issues. Preserve the last directed pleading, its service, the demand and separate receipts. Rule 1.080(b) incorporates Rule 2.525 filing. Attorneys ordinarily file through the portal or designated electronic facility. An eligible unrepresented party may elect electronic filing; prescribed paper exceptions remain. Preserve the successful filing timestamp under Rule 2.525(e). Rule 2.514(a)(4) ordinarily sets 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time for electronic filing or service by any means, and scheduled clerk closing for nonelectronic filing. Complete filing and required service as separate acts. A computed date does not establish successful submission, valid original process or sufficient pleading. Rule 1.080(a) applies Rule 2.516 to pleadings after the initial pleading and other prescribed documents. Establish each required recipient and service method. Email service is complete when sent. Portal service is complete on filing for listed recipients, subject to promptly serving a recipient known not to have received the document. Permitted mail service is complete on mailing and delivery on delivery. Rule 2.514(b) adds five days after the otherwise computed expiration only when the act is measured after service and service was made only by mail. Email or portal service does not automatically add five days. Original process, actual receipt and court-order filing are distinct events. The service-based calculator examples exclude mail-only service.