When may a Florida third-party claimant reject a nonbinding arbitration decision?

Preserve the third-party claim and establish it was at issue during arbitration.

Identify the first filed combined rejection and request for trial.

Preserve actual service and file your own complete combined document.

1. Preserve the third-party claim and establish it was at issue during arbitration.
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 qualifying claim was at issue during arbitration and the first filed combined rejection is actually served electronically. The established event is August 2, 2027. No mail-only addition, further clerk closure or changed court period 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.

Both rejection and a trial request belong in one filed document

Rule 1.820(h) requires the notice of rejection and request for trial in the same document. No other action or inaction constitutes rejection. Objecting orally, exchanging an email, or filing a document without the trial request does not satisfy the specified act. Preserve successful filing and required service separately.

A third-party claim must already have been at issue

Paragraph (h) limits this branch to a party having a third-party claim at issue at the time of arbitration. A later claim or ordinary defendant status does not establish that condition. Preserve the actual pleadings and arbitration scope.

The first combined notice controls the event

Any party must first file a notice of rejection and request for trial. This branch uses service of that first combined document. Its filing date, a later rejection notice or the decision’s service date cannot silently replace actual first-notice service.

Decision service differs from hearing completion

Rule 1.820(g)(3) requires written decision notification within ten days of final adjournment, with the sealed decision and original transcripts filed at notification. The ordinary party rejection period instead uses service of the written decision under paragraph (h). Neither the first hearing nor final adjournment substitutes for that service.

• This page does not establish a valid referral, actual court setting, sufficient good cause, settlement authority or court enforcement.
• Check the operative edition, actual notice, record activity, motions, interruptions, orders and additional closures.

• Preserve the third-party claim and establish it was at issue during arbitration.
• Identify the first filed combined rejection and request for trial.
• Preserve actual service and file your own complete combined document.
• Rule 1.820(h) requires the notice of rejection and request for trial in the same document. No other action or inaction constitutes rejection. Objecting orally, exchanging an email, or filing a document without the trial request does not satisfy the specified act. Preserve successful filing and required service separately.
• Paragraph (h) limits this branch to a party having a third-party claim at issue at the time of arbitration. A later claim or ordinary defendant status does not establish that condition. Preserve the actual pleadings and arbitration scope.
• Any party must first file a notice of rejection and request for trial. This branch uses service of that first combined document. Its filing date, a later rejection notice or the decision’s service date cannot silently replace actual first-notice service.
• Rule 1.820(g)(3) requires written decision notification within ten days of final adjournment, with the sealed decision and original transcripts filed at notification. The ordinary party rejection period instead uses service of the written decision under paragraph (h). Neither the first hearing nor final adjournment substitutes for that service.
• 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. Include both rejection and a trial request in the same document under Rule 1.820(h).