Florida Court Exhibit Requirements
A comprehensive guide to preparing exhibits for Florida courts under Rule 2.520, including the January 2026 disclosure amendments, myflcourtaccess requirements, and circuit-specific rules.
- Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.520 requires text-searchable PDFs and prohibits stapling — use removable paper clips only.
- The myflcourtaccess e-filing portal caps each document at 7 MB, the smallest limit among major state courts.
- Plaintiffs label exhibits with numbers (1, 2, 3) and defendants with letters (A, B, C) in Florida circuit, county, family, and small claims courts.
- Effective January 2026, Florida adopted FRCP-style 60-day initial disclosures requiring parties to identify exhibits supporting claims and defenses.
- Miami-Dade (11th Circuit) requires exhibit exchange at least 5 days before evidentiary hearings.
- Hillsborough County family court recommends Avery #5963 labels for physical exhibit copies.
- Multi-page exhibits keep a single exhibit number; pages are paginated as "Exhibit 1, p. 2 of 12" and remain text-searchable.
- PDF/A-2a is the preferred archival format for Florida e-filings.
Opens the tool set up for Florida — plaintiff: Numbers starting at 1; defendant: Letters starting at A.
Quick Reference
Updated 2026-01-317 MB per document
Numbers (1, 2, 3...)
Letters (A, B, C...)
60 days (Jan 2025 rule)
January 2026 Rule Amendments - New Disclosure Requirements
Effective January 2026, Florida adopted 60-day initial disclosure requirements similar to federal practice. Parties must now identify documents and exhibits that support claims or defenses within 60 days of the case management conference. This represents a significant shift toward federal-style mandatory disclosure.
- Initial disclosures due within 60 days of case management conference
- Must identify documents/exhibits supporting claims and defenses
- Mirrors FRCP Rule 26(a) federal disclosure framework
Applicable Rules & Citations
Primary Rule
PDF format required, text-searchable. Removable paper clips only - no stapling. PDF/A-2a preferred.
Confidentiality
Rule 2.420
Redact SSN, financial accounts, dates of birth, and minors' names. File Notice of Confidential Information when applicable.
E-Filing System
7 MB max per document (smaller than most states). Text-searchable PDF required. No password protection.
Key Deadlines
January 2026 Rules
Initial disclosure: 60 days. Miami-Dade evidentiary hearings: 5 days before.
Overview
Florida's 20 circuit courts use the myflcourtaccess portal for mandatory e-filing. Exhibit requirements are governed by Rule 2.520 of the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration, supplemented by circuit-specific administrative orders. The January 2026 amendments brought significant changes to disclosure requirements.
Key limitation: Florida's 7 MB file size limit is among the smallest of state e-filing systems. Plan to split larger exhibits into multiple parts with clear labeling.
7 MB File Size Limit - Smallest Among Major States
Florida's myflcourtaccess portal limits files to 7 MB per document - significantly smaller than New York (100 MB), California (25 MB), or Texas (25 MB). Plan for document splitting on larger exhibits and use clear sequential labeling: "Exhibit 5, Part 1 of 3."
Florida Exhibit Numbering Conventions
Standard Florida Conventions
Plaintiff Exhibits
- Numbers: 1, 2, 3... (sequential)
- Or: P-1, P-2, P-3...
- Include case number on all exhibits
Defendant Exhibits
- Letters: A, B, C... (traditional)
- Or: D-1, D-2, D-3...
- Or: numbers starting at 100+
Rule 2.520: Removable Paper Clips Only - No Stapling
Florida Rule 2.520 specifically prohibits stapling documents. Use removable paper clips only for physical exhibit preparation. This applies to all court filings in Florida circuit and county courts.
Circuit-Specific Requirements
Miami-Dade (11th Circuit)
Exhibits uploaded at least 5 days before evidentiary hearings through e-filing portal. Marked "FOR IDENTIFICATION ONLY" initially. Proposed Exhibit List filed 7 days before.
Hillsborough County (13th Circuit)
Exhibits listed numerically, not alphabetically. Use Avery #5963 adhesive labels placed on back of last page, bottom left corner.
Broward County (17th Circuit)
Color-coded labels provided by clerk. Exhibits labeled alphabetically. Labels include case number, description, party name, trial date.
Common E-Filing Rejection Reasons
File Size Exceeds 7 MB Limit
Solution: Split large exhibits into parts. Label clearly (e.g., "Exhibit 5, Part 1 of 3"). Florida's limit is among the smallest of major state courts.
Non-Searchable PDF (Rule 2.520)
Solution: Ensure scanned documents have OCR applied. ExhibitPrep preserves existing searchability when adding stamps. PDF/A-2a format is preferred.
Missing Confidentiality Redactions (Rule 2.420)
Solution: Redact SSN, financial account numbers, dates of birth, and minors' names before stamping and filing. File Notice of Confidential Information when required.
Stapled Documents
Solution: Rule 2.520 prohibits stapling. Use removable paper clips only for physical documents. This requirement applies to all Florida court filings.
How ExhibitPrep Helps with Florida Requirements
Time Savings
Stamp 50 exhibits in 5 minutes vs. 2+ hours manually preparing labels.
Cost Effective
$14.99 Day Pass vs. $100+/hr paralegal time. Stamp unlimited exhibits for one low price.
Rule 2.520 Compliant
Preserves PDF searchability. Export individual files to meet 7 MB limit.
ExhibitPrep Configuration for Florida Courts
Recommended Settings
Exhibit Format
Use "Exhibit [number]" for plaintiff or "Exhibit [letter]" for defendant (e.g., "Exhibit 1", "Exhibit A"). Include case number in stamp when possible.
Stamp Position
Bottom-right corner is standard. Ensure stamps are clearly visible and don't obscure document content.
Export Format
Individual files recommended given 7 MB limit. Split larger exhibits into parts. Combined PDF with bookmarks acceptable for summary judgment filings.
Don't Risk Having Your Exhibits Rejected
Download the checklist so you know exactly what Florida courts require
Court rules and e-filing requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with your local court clerk or official court website before filing. This content is for general reference only and does not constitute legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Florida Rule 2.520 exhibit requirements?
Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.520 requires PDF format for all e-filed documents, text-searchable PDFs, and removable paper clips only (no stapling). The rule was amended effective January 2026 to include 60-day initial disclosure requirements similar to federal practice.
What is the Florida e-filing size limit?
The myflcourtaccess Portal limits files to 7 MB per document - one of the smallest among state e-filing systems. For larger exhibits, split into multiple parts and label clearly (e.g., "Exhibit 5, Part 1 of 3"). PDF/A-2a format is preferred.
What are the January 2026 Florida disclosure rule amendments?
Effective January 2026, Florida adopted new disclosure requirements mirroring federal practice. Parties must make initial disclosures within 60 days, including identification of documents and exhibits to be used in support of claims or defenses. This represents a significant shift toward federal-style discovery.
What are Miami-Dade exhibit requirements?
Miami-Dade (11th Circuit) requires exhibit exchange 5 days before evidentiary hearings. Exhibits filed with summary judgment motions require consecutive page numbers. Check Administrative Order 2020-20 and subsequent orders for complex litigation division requirements.
What label format does Hillsborough County require?
Hillsborough County has specific label requirements including Avery #5963 size labels recommended for physical exhibit preparation. Check current administrative orders for specific formatting requirements in the Tampa circuit.
Do Florida courts accept digitally stamped exhibits?
Yes. Florida courts accept electronic exhibit stamps that are clearly legible and consistently formatted. ExhibitPrep creates Rule 2.520-compliant stamps that preserve PDF searchability as required. PDF/A-2a format is preferred for long-term archival.
Where should I label exhibits in Florida small claims and family court?
Place the exhibit label in the bottom-right corner of the first page of each exhibit. Florida small claims (Rule 7.135) and family courts (Rule 12.090) follow the same convention as circuit court: plaintiffs use numbers (1, 2, 3) and defendants use letters (A, B, C). Hillsborough County family court additionally recommends Avery #5963 size labels for any physical exhibit copies.
How do I label multi-page exhibits in Florida courts?
A multi-page exhibit keeps a single exhibit number across every page (e.g., Exhibit 1, p. 1 of 12; Exhibit 1, p. 2 of 12). Each page should remain text-searchable per Rule 2.520. If the combined PDF would exceed myflcourtaccess's 7 MB cap, split the exhibit into clearly labeled parts ("Exhibit 5, Part 1 of 3") rather than reducing image quality.
Prepare Florida Court Exhibits in Minutes
ExhibitPrep makes it easy to create professional, Rule 2.520-compliant exhibits for Florida court filings. Preview your stamped exhibits before paying.
Opens the tool set up for Florida — plaintiff: Numbers starting at 1; defendant: Letters starting at A.
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