When must a Florida party accept a settlement proposal in an alleged class action?

Establish that this case alleges a class and identify the actual outstanding proposal served before the order.

Preserve the actual filed order granting or denying certification and its filing timestamp.

Check withdrawal, written acceptance, applicable court records and any separate class-approval procedure.

1. Establish that this case alleges a class and identify the actual outstanding proposal served before the order.
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 valid identified proposal was served before the actual filed certification order and remains outstanding. The case alleges a class and the extension applies. The established event occurs August 2, 2027. No withdrawal, further clerk closure or different controlling procedure is assumed. The rule supplies no mail-only five-day addition.

Fictitious facts. Establish the valid outstanding proposal, actual event and applicable acceptance branch separately. No withdrawal, additional clerk holiday or different controlling procedure is assumed. Rule 1.442(f)(1) excludes the mail-only addition.

Grant and denial share the stated filing event

Rule 1.442(f)(2) refers to filing of an order granting or denying certification. A hearing, announcement, proposed order or later service does not substitute for actual filing. Preserve the filed disposition.

Establish the outstanding proposal before applying the extension

Identify the proposal served before the actual certification order and establish that it remains outstanding. An effective withdrawal voids the proposal. This scoped computation does not determine acceptance treatment for a proposal first served after the certification order.

Acceptance excludes the mail-only additional time

Rule 1.442(f)(1) expressly disapplies Rule 2.514(b). Do not add five days to written acceptance merely because the proposal was served only by mail. Rule 2.514(a) still supplies event exclusion, next eligible first-day counting, intermediate calendar days and final-day closure treatment. Mediation does not extend acceptance.

Withdrawal and written acceptance have their own acts

Rule 1.442(e) permits written withdrawal delivered before written acceptance is delivered. A withdrawn proposal is void. Paragraph (f)(1) requires delivery of written acceptance; oral communications do not constitute acceptance, rejection or a counteroffer under the rule. Preserve the actual documents, recipients and delivery evidence.

Written delivery and statutory court filing differ

Rule 1.442(f)(1) uses delivery of a written notice of acceptance. Section 768.79(4) uses filing of written acceptance and addresses enforcement after the offer and acceptance are filed. Rule 1.442(a) supersedes inconsistent procedural provisions. Establish the applicable law and required court records. Do not substitute an oral agreement or assume delivery alone resolves every filing and enforcement question.

Rejection does not establish fee entitlement

Rule 1.442(g) requires a sanctions motion served under Rule 1.525. Paragraph (h) addresses applicable-law entitlement, good faith and reasonableness. The amount, judgment comparison, applicable statute and actual court decision require separate review. Mediation has no effect on proposal service or acceptance dates under paragraph (j).

• This page does not establish an enforceable settlement, proper allocation, fee entitlement, class approval or an actual permissible proposal-service window.
• Check the applicable Florida law, actual proposal, recipients, delivery, court dates and any withdrawal.

• Establish that this case alleges a class and identify the actual outstanding proposal served before the order.
• Preserve the actual filed order granting or denying certification and its filing timestamp.
• Check withdrawal, written acceptance, applicable court records and any separate class-approval procedure.
• Rule 1.442(f)(2) refers to filing of an order granting or denying certification. A hearing, announcement, proposed order or later service does not substitute for actual filing. Preserve the filed disposition.
• Identify the proposal served before the actual certification order and establish that it remains outstanding. An effective withdrawal voids the proposal. This scoped computation does not determine acceptance treatment for a proposal first served after the certification order.
• Rule 1.442(f)(1) expressly disapplies Rule 2.514(b). Do not add five days to written acceptance merely because the proposal was served only by mail. Rule 2.514(a) still supplies event exclusion, next eligible first-day counting, intermediate calendar days and final-day closure treatment. Mediation does not extend acceptance.
• Rule 1.442(e) permits written withdrawal delivered before written acceptance is delivered. A withdrawn proposal is void. Paragraph (f)(1) requires delivery of written acceptance; oral communications do not constitute acceptance, rejection or a counteroffer under the rule. Preserve the actual documents, recipients and delivery evidence.
• Rule 1.442(f)(1) uses delivery of a written notice of acceptance. Section 768.79(4) uses filing of written acceptance and addresses enforcement after the offer and acceptance are filed. Rule 1.442(a) supersedes inconsistent procedural provisions. Establish the applicable law and required court records. Do not substitute an oral agreement or assume delivery alone resolves every filing and enforcement question.
• Rule 1.442(g) requires a sanctions motion served under Rule 1.525. Paragraph (h) addresses applicable-law entitlement, good faith and reasonableness. The amount, judgment comparison, applicable statute and actual court decision require separate review. Mediation has no effect on proposal service or acceptance dates under paragraph (j).
• Complete written acceptance of the identified outstanding proposal under Rule 1.442(f) and preserve actual delivery and applicable filing records. The order-filing computation does not itself approve a class settlement, validate the proposal or resolve a proposal first served after that order. Actual certification and class-approval requirements remain separate.