Florida Statute 55.604 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2025 Florida Statutes

Title VI
CIVIL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE

Chapter 55
JUDGMENTS

View Entire Chapter

F.S. 55.604

55.604 Recognition and enforcement.—Except as provided in s. 55.605, an out-of-country foreign judgment meeting the requirements of s. 55.603 is conclusive between the parties to the extent that it grants or denies recovery of a sum of money. Procedures for recognition and enforceability of an out-of-country foreign judgment shall be as follows:

(1) The out-of-country foreign judgment shall be filed with the clerk of the court and recorded in the public records in the county or counties where enforcement is sought.

(a) At the time of the recording of an out-of-country foreign judgment, the judgment creditor shall make and record with the clerk of the circuit court an affidavit setting forth the name, social security number, if known, and last known post-office address of the judgment debtor and of the judgment creditor.

(b) Promptly upon the recording of the out-of-country foreign judgment and the affidavit, the clerk shall mail notice of the recording of the out-of-country foreign judgment, by registered mail with return receipt requested, to the judgment debtor at the address given in the affidavit and shall make a note of the mailing in the docket. The notice shall include the name and address of the judgment creditor and of the judgment creditor’s attorney, if any, in this state. In addition, the judgment creditor may mail a notice of the recording of the judgment to the judgment debtor and may record proof of mailing with the clerk. The failure of the clerk to mail notice of recording will not affect the enforcement proceedings if proof of mailing by the judgment creditor has been recorded.

(2) The judgment debtor shall have 30 days after service of the notice to file a notice of objection with the clerk of the court specifying the grounds for nonrecognition or nonenforceability under this act.

(3) Upon the application of any party, and after proper notice, the circuit court shall have jurisdiction to conduct a hearing, determine the issues, and enter an appropriate order granting or denying recognition in accordance with the terms of this act.

(4) If the judgment debtor fails to file a notice of objection within the required time, the clerk of the court shall record a certificate stating that no objection has been filed.

(5) Upon entry of an order recognizing the out-of-country foreign judgment, or upon recording of the clerk’s certificate set forth above, the out-of-country foreign judgment shall be enforced in the same manner as the judgment of a court of this state.

(6) Once an order recognizing the out-of-country foreign judgment has been entered by a court of this state, the order and a copy of the judgment may be recorded in any other county of this state without further notice or proceedings, and shall be enforceable in the same manner as the judgment of a court of this state.

(7) A lien on real estate in any county shall be created only when there has been recorded in the official records of the county (a) a certified copy of the judgment, and (b) a copy of the clerk’s certificate or the order recognizing the out-of-country foreign judgment. The priority of such lien will be established as of the time the latter of the two recordings has occurred.

(8) A judgment lien on personal property is acquired only when a judgment lien certificate is filed in accordance with s. 55.203 with the Department of State.

History.—s. 4, ch. 94-239; s. 77, ch. 99-251; s. 17, ch. 2000-258; s. 10, ch. 2001-154; s. 7, ch. 2005-241.

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Amendments to 55.604

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 55.604

Total Results: 23

Chabert v. Bacquie

694 So. 2d 805, 1997 WL 245192

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 14, 1997 | Docket: 1732770

Cited 20 times | Published

were a final judgment of a Florida court. See § 55.604(5), (6), and (7), Fla.Stat. (1995). The judgment

Chabert v. Bacquie

694 So. 2d 805, 1997 WL 245192

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 14, 1997 | Docket: 1732770

Cited 20 times | Published

were a final judgment of a Florida court. See § 55.604(5), (6), and (7), Fla.Stat. (1995). The judgment

Nadd v. Le Credit Lyonnais, SA

804 So. 2d 1226, 26 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 769, 2001 Fla. LEXIS 2274, 2001 WL 1472623

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Nov 21, 2001 | Docket: 1699582

Cited 18 times | Published

county or counties where enforcement is sought. See § 55.604, Fla. Stat. The judgment is then recorded in that

Osorio v. Dole Food Co.

665 F. Supp. 2d 1307, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 99981, 2009 WL 3398931

District Court, S.D. Florida | Filed: Oct 20, 2009 | Docket: 64572

Cited 14 times | Published

the filing and notice requirements of Fla. Stat § 55.604, the judgment will be enforced unless the judgment

Nicor International Corp. v. El Paso Corp.

292 F. Supp. 2d 1357, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21306

District Court, S.D. Florida | Filed: Nov 24, 2003 | Docket: 364871

Cited 10 times | Published

grants or denies recovery of a sum of money." § 55.604, Fla. Stat. (emphasis added). Pursuant to section

Le Credit Lyonnais, SA v. Nadd

741 So. 2d 1165, 1999 WL 729066

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Sep 10, 1999 | Docket: 453069

Cited 9 times | Published

clerk of a Florida circuit court, pursuant to section 55.604, Florida's UFMJRA. The UFMJRA was adopted in

Kramer v. Von Mitschke-Collande

5 So. 3d 689, 2008 Fla. App. LEXIS 20379, 2008 WL 5412008

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 31, 2008 | Docket: 1664200

Cited 6 times | Published

specify and prove a ground for non-recognition. § 55.604(2), Fla. Stat. (2004); Banque Libanaise Pour Le

Osorio v. Dow Chemical Co.

635 F.3d 1277, 2011 U.S. App. LEXIS 6208, 2011 WL 1087111

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Mar 25, 2011 | Docket: 422468

Cited 5 times | Published

grants or denies recovery of a sum of money," id. § 55.604. The Act, however, provides three mandatory and

Frymer v. Brettschneider

696 So. 2d 1266, 1997 WL 361577

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 2, 1997 | Docket: 1695993

Cited 5 times | Published

FOREIGN MONEY JUDGMENTS, at 2 (Nov.1993). Section 55.604 does, however, set forth a procedure for enforcement

Garnac Grain Co., Inc. v. Mejia

962 So. 2d 408, 2007 WL 2316950

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Aug 15, 2007 | Docket: 480349

Cited 3 times | Published

See § 55.601, et. seq., Fla. Stat. (2006). Section 55.604, Florida Statutes (2006), outlines specific

Eos Transport Inc. v. Agri-Source Fuels LLC

37 So. 3d 349, 2010 Fla. App. LEXIS 6966, 2010 WL 2222259

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 20, 2010 | Docket: 1668729

Cited 2 times | Published

foreign judgment may be denied recognition. See § 55.604-.605, Fla. Stat.; Osorio, 665 F.Supp.2d at 1323

Strod v. Lewenstark

958 So. 2d 1138, 2007 WL 1827505

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 27, 2007 | Docket: 1734860

Cited 2 times | Published

rights because Lewenstark failed to comply with section 55.604, Florida Statutes (2006), in notifying him

Volksbank Regensburg eG v. Burger

703 So. 2d 538, 1997 Fla. App. LEXIS 14517, 1997 WL 795671

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 31, 1997 | Docket: 1349084

Cited 2 times | Published

accordance with the procedures described in section 55.604(1), Florida Statutes (1995), in order to have

F.V. de Araujo S.A. Madeiras, Agricultora, Industria e Comercio v. Dantzler Lumber & Export Co.

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 10, 2024 | Docket: 68377322

Published

counties where enforcement is sought. See § 55.604, Fla. Stat. The judgment is then

OKSANA SHAKHOVA v. SERGIY PUGACHOV

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Aug 17, 2022 | Docket: 64898836

Published

the Ukrainian judgment, arguing that, under section 55.604(1), Florida Statutes (2020), Shakhova needed

RAFAEL ANTONIO OLVERA AMEZCUA v. HECTOR ARMANDO VEJAR CORTEZ

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 13, 2021 | Docket: 29102439

Published

enforcement of certain interlocutory rulings. See § 55.604, Fla. Stat. As is relevant to this case, courts

Vuillermin v. Mitsubishi Electric Europe Bv

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 22, 2017 | Docket: 6235091

Published

judgment meets the criteria for recognition under section 55.604 of the Act. Contrary to Vuillermin’s argument

Vuillermin v. Mitsubishi Electric Europe Bv

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 22, 2017 | Docket: 6229122

Published

judgment meets the criteria for recognition under section 55.604 of the Act. Contrary to Vuillermin’s argument

Harold v. Sanders

159 So. 3d 338, 2015 Fla. App. LEXIS 3394, 2015 WL 1034621

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 11, 2015 | Docket: 60246565

Published

judgment set forth in section 55.604, Florida Statutes (1995), because section 55.604 does not contain language

Campbell v. Rapetti

91 So. 3d 276, 2012 Fla. App. LEXIS 11281, 2012 WL 2813881

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 11, 2012 | Docket: 60309889

Published

judgment establishing a cumulative arrear-age. § 55.604(5), Fla. Stat. (2012). WARNER, DAMOORGIAN and

Osorio v. Dow Chemical Company

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Mar 25, 2011 | Docket: 2906490

Published

grants or denies recovery of a sum of money,” id. § 55.604. The Act, however, provides three mandatory and

Tettamanti v. Opcion Sociedad Anonima

201 So. 3d 3, 2009 Fla. App. LEXIS 4181

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 6, 2009 | Docket: 60257004

Published

manner as the judgment of a court of this state.” § 55.604(5), Fla. Stat. (2008).. To stay the Florida judgment

Israel v. Flick Mortgage Investors, Inc.

23 So. 3d 1196, 2008 Fla. App. LEXIS 17855, 2008 WL 4998760

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 26, 2008 | Docket: 1657323

Published

Fla. Stat. (2008); § 55.604, Fla. Stat. (2008) (emphasis added); see also § 55.604(2), Fla. Stat. (2008)