How-To Guide: Drafting a State Court Summons (FL)

III. Samples

#	PDF	Comments
1		✓ Issued. TBD case. Pro se Filing. Based on template. Disability Notice. Multilingual.
2		✓ Issued. Attorney's Filing. Multilingual. 2020.
3		✓ Issued. Personal Service on an Individual. Fill-in Form. Multilingual. 2020.
4		✓ Issued. Attorney's Filing. Personal service on a corporation. Spanish Included. 2020
5		✓ Issued. Attorney's Filing. 2016. Short.
6		✓ Issued. Attorney's Filing. 2016. Multilingual.
7		✓ Issued. Attorney's Filing. 2016. Disability Notice.
8		✓ Issued. Attorney's Filing. 2016. Very brief.
9		✓ Issued. Attorney's Filing. 2015. Uncommong format.
10		✓ Issued. Attorney's Filing. 2014. Very brief.
11		✓ Issued. Pro se Filing. Personal Service on an Individual. Handwritten. 2014. Multilingual.
12		✓ Issued. Attorney's Filing. Fill in Form. Very brief.
13		✓ Issued. Attorney's Filing. Fill in Form. Complaint attached. 2011.
14		✓ Issued. Pro se Filing. Handwritten. Attached Certificate of Indigency.
15		✓ Issued. Attorney's Filing. Uncommon form.

IV. Templates

#	Word	Comments
1		Replace all of the placeholder tags with real information (eg "[plfName]" becomes "John Doe").

V. Quick Commentary

• You must summon the defendant in order to notify him/her that he/she is being sued.
• You are responsible for drafting the summons.
• Feel free to use the template (see Part IV - above) to help.
  • TBD is 99% sure it will work for you.
• Please download as many sample documents as you'd like.
• Proofread your document as much as possible.
• Save the final version as a PDF file.
• File it with your state court
• The Clerk of the Court will stamp it and issue it back to you.
  • History shows that the Clerk accepts, approves, and issues a wide array of differently formatted summonses.
  • It usually takes only 1-2 days.
  • Get it served thereafter:
    
    Option A: Sheriff
    • Step #1: Assemble the Package:
      • Process Service Memorandum (Download Template)
      • Certificate of Civil Indigency
      • Summons (2 copies!)
      • Complaint
      • Your Contact Information
      • Delivery Envelope (to house the summons/etc.)
      • Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope
      • see this TextBook Package (PDF)
      
      
    • Step #2: Deliver it to the Sheriff (either by mail or in-person).
    • Step #3: Pay the Sheriff
      • Crucial note: the Sheriff will waive payment if you have a Certificate of Indigency
    
    Option B: Private Process Server
    • Step #1: Assemble the Package
      • see Option A, Step #1 (above)
    • Step #2: Deliver it to the Server (either by mail or in-person)
    • Step #3: Pay the Server (usually $60-135)
      • Note: Private process servers do not have to honor a Certificate of Civil Indigency.

VI. Additional Notes

• Please review TBD's Analysis on the Prevalance of State Court Summonses for more information.
• At first, TBD found the summoning process to be rather bewildering; and mechanical. After using this self-created guide, however, TBD has gained mastery of the method. Please use this guide to master the process as well.
• The procedure for a federal summons is very similar.
• Of course, this operation differs from how you must proceed at DOAH.
• Note: This is a very important competency to have! Once you master the ability to summon a defendant you will empower yourself to limit reliance on attorneys and the legal system. Thereby, reducing the likelihood of someone violating you in the first place.
• Leon County Sheriff's Office: Link

VI. Conclusion

In short, you must summon the defendant in your state court proceeding (unless the defendant has waived service - see Rule 1.070(i)(2) Fla. R. Civ. P.).

If you are indigent, the Sheriff will serve the defendant for free.