Chapter 55 — Chapter 55

(1) In all actions where either party recovers a sum of money, the amount to which he or she is entitled may be awarded by the judgment generally, without any distinction being therein made as to whether such sum is recovered by way of debt or damages.(2) Each final judgment shal…

(1) On December 1, March 1, June 1, and September 1 of each year, the Chief Financial Officer shall set the rate of interest that shall be payable on judgments or decrees for the calendar quarter beginning January 1 and adjust the rate quarterly on April 1, July 1, and October 1 …

All judgments and decrees rendered on any bonds or other written evidence of debt of any county, special road and bridge districts or any county for the use and benefit of any special road and bridge districts or incorporated city or town or taxing district bear interest at the r…

All powers of attorney for confessing or suffering judgment to pass by default or otherwise, and all general releases of error, heretofore made or to be made hereafter by any person whatsoever within or without this state, before such action brought, shall be absolutely null and …

The failure to record any order, judgment or decree shall not affect the validity of any proceedings had thereon when collaterally attacked; provided, rendition of such order, judgment or decree is shown by the progress docket in the cause. This section shall apply to all proceed…

No order, judgment or decree heretofore or hereafter entered (including decrees pro confesso, defaults and judgments by default) which was or shall be predicated on a sworn statement, affidavit or oath shall be set aside or held void or voidable because the officer before whom su…

Subject to the provisions of s. 55.10, no judgment, order, or decree of any court shall be a lien upon real or personal property within the state after the expiration of 20 years from the date of the entry of such judgment, order, or decree.

(1) A judgment, order, or decree becomes a lien on real property in any county when a certified copy of it is recorded in the official records or judgment lien record of the county, whichever is maintained at the time of recordation, provided that the judgment, order, or decree c…

No money judgment or decree against a municipal corporation is a lien on its property nor shall any execution or any writ in the nature of an execution based on the judgment or decree be issued or levied.

Any person paying money as surety for the principal in any bond or note, which he or she has signed as surety, upon which judgment has been obtained, shall have the same right to control the said judgment and collect the same, with principal, interest and costs, as the plaintiff …

(1) All judgments and decrees for the payment of money rendered in the courts of this state and which have become final, may be satisfied at any time prior to the actual levy of execution issued thereon by payment of the full amount of such judgment or decree, with interest there…

At any time after 1 year has elapsed since a bankrupt or debtor was discharged from his or her debts, pursuant to the act of congress relating to bankruptcy, the bankrupt or debtor, his or her receiver or trustee, or any interested party may petition the court in which the judgme…

All property in this state of a judgment debtor where the judgment is in favor of any state for failure to pay that state’s income tax on benefits received from a pension or other retirement plan is exempt from forced sale under process of any court, and no such judgment or execu…

The Department of State shall maintain a database of judgment lien files established in accordance with ss. 55.201-55.209.

(1) A judgment lien securing the unpaid amount of any money judgment may be acquired by the holder of a judgment:(a) Enforceable in this state under its laws or the laws of the United States;(b) Entered by an issuing tribunal with respect to a support order being enforced in this…

(1) An original judgment lien certificate must include:(a) The legal name of each judgment debtor and, if a recorded legal entity, the registered name and document filing number as shown in the records of the Department of State.(b) The last known address and the social security …

(1) Except as provided in this section, a judgment lien acquired under s. 55.202 lapses and becomes invalid 5 years after the date of filing the judgment lien certificate.(2) Liens securing the payment of child support or tax obligations under s. 95.091(1)(b) lapse 20 years after…

(1) A judgment creditor who has not acquired a judgment lien as provided in s. 55.202 or whose lien has lapsed may nevertheless proceed against the judgment debtor’s property through any appropriate judicial process, subject to the priority of conflicting rights under chapter 679…

(1) An amendment to a judgment lien acquired as provided under s. 55.202 may be filed by or on behalf of the judgment creditor of record, which may provide for:(a) The termination, partial release, or assignment of the judgment creditor’s interest in a judgment lien;(b) The conti…

(1) A person may file with the Department of State a correction statement with respect to a judgment lien file, as provided in s. 55.203, indexed under any person’s name, if the person believes that the file is inaccurate or that the judgment lien certificate was wrongfully filed…

(1) A judgment lien under s. 55.202 existing before October 1, 2023, becomes enforceable and perfected as of October 1, 2023, as to payment intangibles and accounts and the proceeds thereof of a judgment debtor under s. 55.202(2). Any security interest or lien on payment intangib…

(1) Except for liens, assessments, warrants, or judgments filed electronically as provided in s. 55.202(2)(c), the Department of State shall collect the following nonrefundable processing fees for all documents filed in accordance with ss. 55.201-55.209:(a) For any judgment lien …

Sections 55.501-55.509 may be cited as the “Florida Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act.”

(1) As used in ss. 55.501-55.509, the term “foreign judgment” means a judgment, decree, or order of a court of any other state, territory or commonwealth of the United States, or of the United States if such judgment, decree, or order is entitled to full faith and credit in this …

(1) A copy of any foreign judgment certified in accordance with the laws of the United States or of this state may be recorded in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of any county. The clerk shall file, record, and index the foreign judgment in the same manner as a judgm…

(1) At the time of the recording of a foreign judgment, the judgment creditor shall make and record with the clerk of the circuit court an affidavit setting forth the name, social security number, if known, and last known post office address of the judgment debtor and of the judg…

A foreign judgment does not operate as a lien until 30 days after the mailing of notice by the clerk. When an action authorized in s. 55.509(1) is filed, it acts as an automatic stay of the effect of this section.

(1) If, within 30 days after the date the foreign judgment is recorded, the judgment debtor files an action contesting the jurisdiction of the court which entered the foreign judgment or the validity of the foreign judgment and records a lis pendens directed toward the foreign ju…

Sections 55.601-55.607 may be cited as the “Uniform Out-of-Country Foreign Money-Judgment Recognition Act.”

As used in this act, the term:(1) “Foreign state” means any governmental unit other than the United States, or any state, district, commonwealth, territory, insular possession thereof, or the Panama Canal Zone, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, or the Ryukyu Islands.(2)…

This act applies to any out-of-country foreign judgment that is final and conclusive and enforceable where rendered, even though an appeal therefrom is pending or is subject to appeal.

Except as provided in s. 55.605, an out-of-country foreign judgment meeting the requirements of s. 55.603 is conclusive between the parties to the extent that it grants or denies recovery of a sum of money. Procedures for recognition and enforceability of an out-of-country foreig…

(1) An out-of-country foreign judgment is not conclusive if:(a) The judgment was rendered under a system which does not provide impartial tribunals or procedures compatible with the requirements of due process of law.(b) The foreign court did not have personal jurisdiction over t…

(1) For the purposes of rendering declaratory relief with respect to a person’s liability for a foreign defamation judgment and determining whether the foreign defamation judgment should be deemed nonrecognizable under s. 55.605, the courts of this state have personal jurisdictio…

The out-of-country foreign judgment shall not be refused recognition for lack of personal jurisdiction if:(1) The defendant was served personally in the foreign state;(2) The defendant voluntarily appeared in the proceedings, other than for the purpose of protecting property seiz…

If the defendant satisfies the court that an appeal is pending, or that he or she intends to appeal, and that he or she has obtained a stay of judgment from the foreign court, the court may stay the proceedings until the appeal has been determined or until the expiration of a per…