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Serve the statutory pre-suit notice for your ground
Chapter 83 notices are strictly construed — the 3-day nonpayment notice excludes weekends and court holidays by its own terms.
File the complaint; possession counts proceed in summary procedure
Section 51.011 governs the possession count's accelerated track.
Rule: E-Filing Through the Statewide Portal — Florida Courts E-Filing Portal →Calendar the tenant's short answer window
Under summary procedure the answer runs in days, not weeks — the docket moves accordingly.
Watch the rent-registry requirement
Section 83.60(2): a tenant raising defenses to nonpayment must deposit accrued rent into the court registry — absent deposit or a proper motion, the landlord is entitled to default on possession.
Check county-specific first-hearing and mediation practices
Several counties route residential evictions to mediation or special dockets; the county page controls.
After judgment, the clerk issues the writ of possession
The sheriff executes after the posted notice period; coordinate lockout logistics with the sheriff's civil unit.
Steps marked “check the division's instructions” vary by judge — that variance is exactly what BenchPath tracks. Search your county and division for the specific requirements before relying on the generic sequence. Not legal advice.