A proposed order in Florida is a draft you prepare for the judge to review, edit, and sign, converting a ruling or agreement into an enforceable order. To get it signed without weeks of back-and-forth, the document has to track exactly what the court ruled, comply with Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.520, go to opposing counsel before it goes to chambers, and reach the judge through the E-Filing Portal as an editable Word file with the metadata stripped. Local circuits and individual judges layer their own requirements on top of the statewide baseline, so checking the assigned division’s administrative orders is part of the job.
What Goes Inside the Order
Start with the caption: the full name of the court (for example, “In the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in and for Miami-Dade County, Florida”), the case number, the division, and the parties listed as they appear in the original filing. Below the caption, add a descriptive title that tells the judge what the order does. “Order Granting Defendant’s Motion to Compel Discovery” is useful. “Proposed Order” is not.
The body typically opens with a short recital identifying the matter, such as “This matter came before the Court on Plaintiff’s Motion for Extension of Time, and the Court being otherwise fully advised, it is…” followed by the operative directive. In Florida state courts, the standard phrasing is “ORDERED AND ADJUDGED.” Federal courts within Florida sometimes use the shorter “It is Ordered,” so match the court you are in.1United States Bankruptcy Court Northern District of Florida. Proposed Order Guidelines
When the order addresses multiple items, break each directive into a separate numbered paragraph. Set specific dates rather than “a reasonable time,” name the responsible party, and spell out dollar amounts. Vague language creates enforcement problems and pulls the parties back into court to argue about what the order actually requires.
The content should track exactly what the court ruled or the parties agreed to. Adding relief the judge did not grant, restating arguments, or slipping in extra provisions is the fastest way to get the order rejected.
Close with a signature block. Florida state court orders commonly end with “DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers, [County Name] County, Florida,” followed by a blank line for the date and then the judge’s signature block.2Twelfth Judicial Circuit of Florida. Administrative Order – Proposed Orders Leave the date blank for the judge to fill in on signing, and use the judge’s name exactly as it appears in that court’s standard orders.
Final Money Judgments
A final money judgment needs extra components a routine procedural order does not. Identify each defendant against whom the judgment is entered by full name rather than a defined shorthand like “Defendant.” Include the plaintiff’s address, not just the attorney’s address, and the total amount of the judgment. Add execution language immediately after the total amount, such as “for which let execution issue,” so the prevailing party can begin garnishment and levy without a separate motion.
Certificate of Service
Include a certificate of service at the end confirming you furnished the draft to all parties. Once the judge signs and the order enters the record, the e-filing system handles electronic notice to registered parties. The certificate on the proposed order itself documents that you circulated the draft to opposing counsel before submission.
Formatting Under Rule 2.520
Rule 2.520 sets the statewide formatting standards for all court filings, proposed orders included.3The Florida Bar. Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2026
- Paper size: 8½ by 11 inches (letter size), printed on one side only.
- Margins: at least one inch on all sides.
- Font size: no smaller than 12-point.
- Pages: numbered consecutively.
The rule does not mandate a specific typeface, but some circuits do. The Tenth Judicial Circuit limits proposed orders to Times New Roman, Courier, or Calibri.410th Judicial Circuit. Best Practices for Submitting Proposed Orders in the Tenth Circuit Times New Roman 12-point is the safest default. Rule 2.520 does not require double-spacing for proposed orders, though some judges prefer it, so check the individual judge’s posted procedures.
If the order will be recorded in the official records (common for final judgments and notices of lis pendens), leave a 3-inch by 3-inch blank space in the top right corner of the first page for the clerk’s use.3The Florida Bar. Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2026
Circulating the Draft First
Send the draft to all other parties or their attorneys before submitting it to the judge. Rule 2.516 gives courts authority to require that proposed orders be furnished to all parties before signing.5Florida Courts. Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.516 Many circuits make this mandatory. The Ninth Judicial Circuit, for example, requires a cover letter stating whether opposing counsel has reviewed and approved the form of the order, and instructs attorneys not to send proposed orders to the court until that approval has been obtained.6Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. Division 37 Procedures for Orders Submitted to Chambers
Opposing counsel’s approval covers the form of the order, not the substance of the ruling. If the other side objects to specific language, note that objection in your cover letter when you submit the order. Skipping circulation is one of the most common reasons proposed orders sit unsigned in a judge’s queue.
Uploading Through the E-Filing Portal
Proposed orders go to the judge through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, which routes the document directly into the assigned judge’s work queue rather than the general case docket.7Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. Steps to Upload a Proposed Order to the Florida E-Filing Portal After logging in, select “E-Filing Map,” then “Proposed Documents to Judiciary,” and pick the county and judge.810th Judicial Circuit. Instructions for Submitting Proposed Orders to Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
Most circuits require Microsoft Word (.docx) format, not PDF, so the judge or judicial assistant can insert the electronic signature, add the date, and make edits before entering the order.810th Judicial Circuit. Instructions for Submitting Proposed Orders to Florida Courts E-Filing Portal Uploading a locked PDF when the court expects an editable Word file is a common reason orders stall. Give the file a descriptive title in the portal prompt, because that title is what the judge sees in the queue.
Strip Metadata Before You Upload
Because the file is submitted in editable form, metadata matters. Metadata is invisible information embedded as you draft: tracked changes, comments, author names, and revision history. Since 2015, the Florida Courts Technology Commission has placed responsibility for removing it on the filing attorney, not the clerk.9The Florida Bar. Lawyers Are Responsible for Stripping Metadata From All E-Filed Documents Anything left in the file can become part of the public record.
Turning off Track Changes is not enough. Use the Document Inspector tool, found under File > Info > Check for Issues in most Word versions, to strip comments, revisions, author information, and hidden text. Run the check last, after all edits are complete.
Deadlines and Local Variations
Florida has no single statewide deadline for submitting proposed orders. Windows vary by circuit and sometimes by individual judge. The Ninth Judicial Circuit requires orders to be drafted and circulated within three working days after a hearing and submitted to the court within seven days.6Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. Division 37 Procedures for Orders Submitted to Chambers Other circuits set different windows. If a judge announces a deadline from the bench, that deadline controls.
Missing the deadline can do more than delay the case. Some judges treat a late proposed order as waiver of the right to draft it, and the opposing party or the court prepares the order instead.
Not everything is fully electronic, either. Some circuits still require paper copies and self-addressed stamped envelopes for service by U.S. Mail. The Twelfth Judicial Circuit requires attorneys submitting proposed orders to provide enough copies for all parties along with stamped, addressed envelopes, and warns that noncompliance may result in rejection or delay.10Twelfth Judicial Circuit of Florida. Administrative Order No. 2016-6.2 – Requiring Mailing Addresses and Stamped Envelopes Rule 2.516 also preserves the court’s authority to require stamped envelopes in any case.5Florida Courts. Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.516 Read the local administrative orders before assuming everything can be handled online.
Why Proposed Orders Get Rejected
Rejections tend to come from the same short list of problems. The order exceeds the scope of what the court actually ruled. The format does not comply with Rule 2.520. The file was uploaded as a PDF when the court needed editable Word. The drafting party did not circulate the order to opposing counsel first, or did not note the other side’s position in the cover letter. Metadata from tracked changes is still embedded.
Less obvious problems bite just as hard: the wrong signature block format for the assigned judge, no space left for the clerk’s recording stamp on a recordable judgment, or the order filed under the wrong portal category so it lands in the general docket instead of the judge’s queue. Verifying these details before clicking submit is faster than waiting for the court to circle back to a corrected version.