The Ninth Judicial Circuit’s generic motion form is a fill-in template you use when no standard Florida form exists for the specific request you need to make of the court. You enter your case caption, state exactly what you want the judge to order and why, sign with the required contact information, and file the completed document through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. The form works across civil, family, and small claims divisions in Orange and Osceola Counties.
When This Form Is the Right One
Florida’s court system publishes approved forms for common filings such as dissolution petitions and motions to compel discovery. The generic motion covers everything those templates don’t: extending a deadline, quashing a subpoena, amending a prior order, and other procedural requests that come up mid-case. If a standard form already fits your request, use it. Clerks and judges process familiar formats faster.
You can download the form from the Ninth Judicial Circuit’s website under its court forms section, or pick up a paper copy at the Orange County Clerk of Courts Self-Help Center.1Orange County Clerk of Courts. Self Help Center Osceola County litigants can access forms through the circuit’s website or the Osceola County Courthouse.
What to Put in Each Part of the Form
Pull your prior court paperwork before you start. The header has to match the official record exactly, and the body has to tell the judge two things: what you want, and why you should get it.
- Case number and division. Both appear on any prior document the court has sent you. If the header on your motion doesn’t match, the clerk may reject the filing or route it to the wrong judge.
- Party names. List the Petitioner (or Plaintiff) and Respondent (or Defendant) exactly as they appear in the original case filing. Inconsistencies create confusion and slow the case.
- Relief requested. Write a specific statement of what you want the judge to order. “I respectfully request the Court grant a 30-day extension to respond to Defendant’s discovery requests” is useful. “I request the Court take appropriate action” is not. Vague requests get denied.
- Factual and legal basis. State the relevant facts, and cite the rule or statute that supports your position if one applies. A judge who can see the what and the why in a single reading is far more likely to act promptly.
- Supporting documents. Attach exhibits, affidavits, or other evidence when you file. Submitting everything together avoids follow-up requests that delay your case.
Formatting and Signature Requirements
Your motion must comply with Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.520, which governs document formatting for all court filings. Electronic documents must be in a format that prints on standard 8½-by-11-inch paper.2Supreme Court of Florida. Rule 2.520 – Documents Leave a 3-inch by 3-inch blank space in the top right corner of the first page and a 1-inch by 3-inch space in the same position on each following page for the clerk’s recording stamps. Exhibits can keep their original size.
Rule 2.515 requires every filed document to carry a signature. Attorneys sign with name, Florida Bar number, firm name, address, phone number, and email. Self-represented parties include the same contact details minus the Bar number. The signature block also needs a valid email for electronic service notifications. Without one, the court and opposing party have no way to send you documents electronically.3The Florida Bar. Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration
Meet and Confer Before You Set a Hearing
Before scheduling a hearing on most motions in the Ninth Circuit, you must first try to resolve the issue directly with the opposing party. Administrative Order 2012-03 establishes a mandatory meet-and-confer process for motions set for hearing in the circuit civil division.4Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. Administrative Order 2012-03 The requirement does not apply to motions for injunctive relief without notice, judgment on the pleadings, summary judgment, or class action certification.
The rule calls for a real conversation, in person or by phone, between counsel or the pro se party with full authority to resolve the dispute. Trading ultimatums by email, fax, or letter does not count. If you cannot reach the other side after three good-faith attempts, document the date and time of each. Either way, attach a Certificate of Compliance to your Notice of Hearing stating whether the conference happened, who participated, and what was resolved or narrowed.5Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. Meet and Confer Certification Skipping this step is one of the fastest ways to have your hearing canceled or your motion denied.
Filing Through the E-Filing Portal
Florida requires attorneys to file all court documents electronically through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.6Florida Courts. Filing Your Forms The Portal accepts Word, WordPerfect, PDF, and PDF/A files and converts them to an approved PDF/A format for the record.7Supreme Court of Florida. Filing Electronic Court Documents Standards You don’t have to create a searchable PDF yourself. Once the upload completes, the Portal generates a time-stamped confirmation that serves as your proof of filing.
Self-represented parties who have not opted into electronic filing may submit paper documents directly to the Clerk of Court, who will convert them.8The Florida Bar. Rule 2.525 – Electronic Filing Once you opt into electronic filing, you cannot switch back to paper without a court order.
Most routine motions filed in an already-open case carry no separate filing fee. Certain motions, such as motions to intervene or counterclaims, do trigger additional charges. The Portal will prompt you for payment during filing if a fee applies.
Serving the Opposing Party
After filing, serve a copy on every other party in the case. Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.516 governs service for all documents filed after the initial pleading.9Supreme Court of Florida. Rule 2.516 – Service of Pleadings and Documents When all parties are registered on the E-Filing Portal, the system serves them automatically by email or by link, and filing through the Portal counts as service.
When a party is not registered and has no email on file, you must serve them by delivering a physical copy or mailing it to their last known address. Service by mail is complete on the date you mail it. Hand delivery is complete when you hand the document to the person, leave it at their office with someone in charge, or leave it at their home with a household member at least 15 years old.
Every motion must include a Certificate of Service at the end. Rule 2.516(f) provides the format: certify that a copy was furnished to the named parties, list their addresses, state the method of service, and give the date. The certificate is treated as prima facie proof that service was properly made. Leaving it off gives the opposing party grounds to argue they were never notified.
Scheduling a Hearing
Filing a motion does not automatically put it in front of a judge. For most motions, you have to separately schedule a hearing and then file a Notice of Hearing telling the court and all parties when and where it will take place. Each judge in the Ninth Circuit maintains their own calendar and procedures.
In some divisions you check available dates through an online calendar, pick a slot, and file your Notice of Hearing without calling anyone first.10Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida. Domestic Relations – Division 42 Procedures In others, you contact the judicial assistant for your assigned division to coordinate a time. Check the specific division’s procedures page on the circuit’s website before scheduling. For civil motions, remember that the Notice of Hearing must include the Certificate of Compliance from the meet-and-confer conference, and you have to give the opposing party enough notice to prepare.
Submitting a Proposed Order After the Ruling
If the judge grants your motion, you will usually need to prepare and submit a proposed order for signature. Division 40’s procedures illustrate what most judges in the circuit expect: the proposed order must be accompanied by an e-filed cover letter stating that opposing counsel has reviewed and approved its form.11Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. Procedures for Orders Submitted to Chambers – Division 40 Submit the order in Word format, not PDF, by email to the division’s designated address, with a copy of the e-filed cover letter. If any party receives service by U.S. Mail rather than through the Portal, deliver the order and cover letter to chambers by mail or in person, with stamped, addressed envelopes for each party needing a paper copy.
Do not put the word “proposed” in the order’s title. Label it with the substance of the ruling, such as “Order Granting Motion for Extension of Time.” The court generally will not hold an order while waiting for opposing approval, so secure that approval before you submit. Once the judge signs, the order becomes enforceable and part of the official case record. Check the clerk’s system or your e-service email to confirm the order has been signed before contacting the judicial assistant for a status update.