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In an article published on 11/27 in Bloomberg Law, Segal McCambridge Associate Conner Werner writes about the Florida Supreme Court’s rule changes to Florida's Tort Reform Act, which were designed to address the significant COVID-19 backlog of cases and record number of filings. The new rules, set to take effect on January 1, 2025, aim to streamline how civil cases progress in the state, specifically regarding continuances, case management, and trials.
“Cases designated as ‘streamlined’ or ‘general’ must specify the trial period and must include at least eight specified deadlines,” writes Werner. “Parties may nonetheless submit an agreed order extending a deadline if the extension doesn’t affect the ability to comply with the other case management deadlines.”
Werner states that courts now may set a case for trial regardless of whether the pleadings are open or closed. Additionally, the new rules maintain that motions to continue should only be granted upon “good cause shown.” Furthermore, expert witnesses will need to be secured early with more and more cases on their expanded dockets.
“While these rule changes will certainly streamline the Florida civil case, it’s unclear if this will promote equitable resolution of cases,” he writes. “Litigating civil cases in 2025 will require a proactive approach. Attorneys and claims professionals must become familiar with these changes to effectively navigate them.”
Read the story in full; click here.
