Notice to Appear Instructions

After the filing of a small claims case, each person or business sued must be served with a Summons/Notice to Appear for Pretrial Conference. At the time the claim is filed, the Summons/Notice to Appear is issued which contains the date and time of the pretrial conference. It is the responsibility of the person filing the claim to prepare the summons/notice to appear. Two copies of the Summons/Notice to Appear must be provided for issuance for each defendant being sued. There is a charge for the Clerk's Office to prepare the summons and to provide the copies.

The summons/notice to appear must be served along with a copy of the claim by a certified process server, which can be the Sheriff's Office or a process server of your choice. Service of process on Florida residents only may also be effected by certified mail, return receipt signed by the defendant, or someone authorized to receive mail at the residence or principal place of business of the defendant. Either the clerk or an attorney of record may mail the certified mail, the cost of which is in addition to the filing fee.

Click here to view and/or print a checklist of documents that are required to file a Small Claims case.

Click here to download a blank Summons/Notice to Appear for Pretrial Conference form.