Request for Production of Documents
(RFP) (FL)

Summary

This template request for production of documents and things (RFP) propounded between parties during discovery in Florida state courts. You can customize it according to the specific facts of your case. This template includes practical guidance, drafting notes, and alternate clauses. Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.350 governs RFPs in Florida state courts between parties in a civil action, and it states that a party may serve on any other party a request to inspect and copy documents, electronically stored information, and tangible things, or to permit entry onto designated land or property for the purpose of inspecting the property. To address the lack of coordination between the timing of initial discovery disclosures and the timing of the first set of discovery requests, the Florida Supreme Court amended Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.280 to state that "[a] party may not seek discovery from any source before that party's initial disclosure obligations are satisfied, except when authorized by stipulation or by court order." A written response is required within 30 days of service of the request, except that a defendant may serve a response within 45 days after service of the process and initial pleading on that defendant. Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.350(b)(3). This template is not for use in propounding RFPs on non-parties. There are many times when you can use a template like this one for your RFPs, but always modify the document to fit the specific facts of your case. Remember that the rule requires that you state your requests with "reasonable particularity." See Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.350(b)(2). Don't waste discovery on standardized requests that won't advance your case strategy. If you are aware of a specific document or piece of evidence that you want, ask for it in your RFPs. For a full listing of key content covering fundamental civil litigation tasks throughout a Florida state court litigation lifecycle, see Civil Litigation Fundamentals Resource Kit (FL). For more on drafting RFPs, see Document Requests: Drafting and Serving RFPs (FL). For a related checklist, see Document Requests: Drafting and Serving RFPs Checklist (FL).