Collecting Smaller Debts Just Got Easier for Creditors Thanks to New Legislation

Collecting smaller debts may be getting easier. On May 24, 2019, Governor DeSantis signed HB 337 which increased the jurisdictional limits of the county courts. Presently, county courts handle lawsuits for up to $15,000 while the circuit courts handle larger cases. Starting in 2020, the limit for county courts will rise to $30,000. That limit will increase again (to $50,000) in 2023. As a result, soon claims in the $15,000 to $50,000 range will go to county court instead of circuit court. This change may provide a more viable option for creditors to cost-effectively recover debts under $50,000, as litigation in county courts is typically faster, and therefore less costly. Eventually, as more lawsuits move to county court, the backlog of cases in circuit court may ease, resulting in faster litigation there as well.