Every legal claim has a clock. Miss it and the strongest case in the world is over before it starts. Pick your situation and see roughly how much time Florida gives you.
Findings memo
General limitations period
Clock started
Estimated deadline
Florida statute (general)
Things that can move this clock
Discovery rule — for some claims the clock starts when you discovered the harm, not when it happened.
Tolling — the clock can pause for minors, incapacity, a defendant who left the state, or fraud that was concealed.
Government defendants — suing a city, county, or the state usually requires a written pre-suit notice first, with its own shorter deadline.
2023 changes — Florida's HB 837 shortened several periods (general negligence dropped from 4 years to 2). Older summaries online may be wrong.
This is general information, not legal advice, and it doesn't create an attorney-client relationship. The exact deadline for your situation can be shorter than the general period. If you think a clock is running, talk to a licensed Florida attorney now — not next month.
Educational tool · The Ticktin Suite. Deadlines are unforgiving. When in doubt, act early and get counsel.