Case Types

The types of cases that are automatically assigned to the business division are specified in the governing administrative order of the Chief Judge of the circuit, currently AO S-2013-021. These are:

A. Internal affairs or governance; dissolution or liquidation rights; obligations between or among owners (shareholders, partners, members); or liability or indemnity of managers (officers, directors, managers, trustees, or members or partners functioning as managers) of corporations, partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability companies or partnerships;

B. Trade secrets and non-compete agreements;

C. Intellectual property;

D. Securities or state securities laws;

E. Antitrust statutes;

F. Shareholder derivative actions and related class actions;

G. Corporate trust affairs or director and officer liability;

H. Non-consumer UCC-related transactions;

I. Purchases and sales of businesses or the assets of a business; and

J. Franchisee / franchisor relationships and liabilities.

Under the administrative order, other complex cases may be transferred into business court at the request of the judge assigned to the case.

Business Court Procedures

Procedures in Business Court are governed by the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure and by Local Rule 3, approved by the Florida Supreme Court on June 10, 2017.

The rule was formulated by a business court rules committee appointed by former HCBA President Carter Anderson and chaired by attorney Erin Jackson.

For information about scheduling, submitting proposed orders, appearing by telephone, or other chambers preferences, click here.