Florida Statute 48.31 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research

The 2024 Florida Statutes

Title VI
CIVIL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE

Chapter 48
PROCESS AND SERVICE OF PROCESS

View Entire Chapter

F.S. 48.31

48.31 Removal of certified process servers; false return of service.—

(1) A certified process server may be removed from the list of certified process servers for any malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, or incompetence, as provided by court rule.

(2) A certified process server must be disinterested in any process he or she serves; if the certified process server willfully and knowingly executes a false return of service, he or she is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, and shall be permanently barred from serving process in this state.

History.—s. 5, ch. 88-135; s. 285, ch. 95-147.

F.S. 48.31 on Google Scholar

F.S. 48.31 on Casetext

Amendments to 48.31

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 48.31

Level: Degree
Misdemeanor/Felony: First/Second/Third

S48.31 2 - FRAUD - EXECUTE FALSE RETURN OF SERVICE - F: T

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 48.31

Total Results: 20

Celebrity Actor's Camp, Inc., Winebarger v. McLaughlin, Bredbrenner

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2024-09-18T00:00:00-07:00

Snippet: default."). As provided for in section 48.031(6)(a), Florida Statutes (2022): If the only…DCA 2010) (analyzing a prior version of section 48.031(6)). Claimants do not have "carte blanche

In Re: Amendments to Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure - 2024 Legislation

Court: Fla. | Date Filed: 2024-08-29T00:00:00-07:00

Snippet: the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure and section 48.031, Florida Statutes. To protect deponents and the

Cash Wallace Pawley, Sr. v. First National Bank of South Miami, N.A.

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2024-08-28T00:00:00-07:00

Snippet: record, we affirm the order in all respects. § 48.031, Fla. Stat. (2019); see also Fla. Dep't of

Meredyth Capasso v. Mary Jo Buchanan and Herbert Bookstein

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2024-01-17T00:00:00-08:00

Snippet: ’s identification number as required by section 48.031(5), Florida Statutes (2023), and Florida Rule of…not comply with all the requirements of section 48.031(5) and rule 1.070. “A defendant is entitled…server’s failure to strictly comply with section 48.031(5) and rule 1.070. See id.; see also Brown v. U.S

SPENCER C. BLANTON v. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2023-09-06T00:00:00-07:00

Snippet: GORDO, JJ. PER CURIAM. Affirmed. See § 48.031, Fla. Stat. (2019); Robles-Martinez v. Diaz, Reus

HENCILE DORSEY v. KIMBERLEE JO PERRETTA, etc.

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2023-03-22T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: for purposes of substitute service under section 48.031, Florida Statutes). The propriety of service has

TAMARA CARUS v. COVE AT ISLES AT BAYSHORE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2022-11-22T23:53:00-08:00

Snippet: sections of chapter 48, Florida Statutes. Section 48.031(1)(a) directs: Service of original process… 4 contemplated by section 48.031, Florida Statutes. Carus’ arguments are well taken…with section 48.21.”). 4 Second, section 48.031(1)(a) requires service to be made by leaving a

JONATHAN MICHAEL SCHULER v. SANDY T. FOX, P.A.

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2022-10-06T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: notes contain no evidence of compliance with [§ 48.031(1)(a), Fla. Stat. (2009)].”).

In Re: Amendments to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.220, Florida Rule of Civil Procedure for Involuntary Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators 4.310, and Florida Rule of Juvenile Procedure 8.060

Court: Fla. | Date Filed: 2022-08-25T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure and section 48.031, Florida Statutes. To protect deponents and the

OTTAWA PROERTIES 1 LLC v. US BANK, NA, etc.

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2022-08-24T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: initial or sign the summons, as required by section 48.031(5), Florida Statutes. Based upon U.S. Bank’s commendable

DANIELLA BECKER v. TIMOTHY BECKER

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2022-07-20T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: server complied with the service statute. See § 48.031, Fla. Stat. Competent, substantial evidence…of process, the delivery requirement of [section 48.031] . . . may be satisfied if the process server

BRIAN SYMONETTE v. OLGA D. LOZANO

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2021-10-20T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: service was not his “usual place of abode.” See § 48.031, Fla. Stat. (2020). Thus, service was not perfected

In Re: Amendments to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure - 2019 Regular-Cycle Report

Court: Fla. | Date Filed: 2020-04-16T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: persons under the following provisions: sections 48.031 (service of process generally), 48.041 (service

Epstein v. Brunel

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2019-04-24T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: comply with section 48.031. In order for substitute service to be made under section 48.031(2)(b), an individual…Ordinarily, service of process is governed by section 48.031(1)(a), Florida Statutes (2018), which provides…attempted substitute service pursuant to section 48.031(2)(b): (b) Substitute service may…under the substitute service provisions of section 48.031, Florida Statutes, must be strictly complied with…sole proprietorship, so substitute service under 48.031(2)(b) is unavailable.1 Brunel and MC2 attempt

ROY L. LILLY v. BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2019-04-10T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: process server’s failure to comply with section 48.031, Florida Statutes (2015). See Nirk v. Bank of Am…- 660 (Fla. 4th DCA 2012) (holding that section 48.031(5), Florida Statutes (2010) required the information

Sadlak v. Nationstar Mortgage

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2018-07-18T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: method-of-service statute – in this case, section 48.031 – and the “Return of execution of process” statute…satisfy the requirements set forth in sections 48.031(1)(a) and 48.21.”); Robles-Martinez v. Diaz, Reus…compliance with the specific requirements of section 48.031(1)(a). . . . This determination was made by simply…. 3d at 14 (quotation omitted). Section 48.031(1)(a) provides that “[s]ervice of original process…petition, or other initial pleading or paper.” § 48.031(a)(1), Fla. Stat. (2016). Service must be done

Williams v. Nuno

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2018-02-07T00:00:00-08:00

Citation: 239 So. 3d 153

Snippet: usual place of abode as required under section 48.031(1)(a), Florida Statutes (2016).1 For the reasons…Jones resides at a specific address in 1 Section 48.031(1)(a) provides: Service of original process

Pace v. Bank of New York Mellon Trust Co.

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2017-08-11T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 224 So. 3d 342, 2017 WL 3443075, 2017 Fla. App. LEXIS 11541

Snippet: unnecessary to effectuate service of process. See § 48.031(l)(a), Fla. Stat. (2008); Matthews v. U.S. Bank

Ingenieria Y Exportacion De Tecnologia S.L. v. Freytech, Inc.

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2016-12-28T00:00:00-08:00

Citation: 210 So. 3d 211, 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 19257

Snippet: comply with Florida’s service requirements. See § 48.031(l)(a), Fla. Stat. (2016) (providing that “[sjerviee…So.3d 658, 659 (Fla. 4th DCA 2012) (“By section 48.031(l)(a)’s plain language ... the ‘copy of it

Coutts v. Sabadell United Bank, N.A.

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2016-09-07T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 199 So. 3d 1099, 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 13419, 2016 WL 4645513

Snippet: incorporate section 48.031, nor does it refer to the factors contained within section 48.031(l)(a).” The court…under section 48.031(l)(a) is inapplicable in the context of a challenge under section 48.031(6)(a). Applying…under the substitute service provisions of section 48.031(6)(a) FÍóridá Statutes (2015), which provides: … show compliance with the provisions of section 48.031(6)(a), which permits substitute service on a private…regarding the manner of service as set forth in section 48.031 must be indicated in a valid return of service.