Florida Exhibit List Requirements by Court

Last updated: September 7, 2026

Florida has no single statewide exhibit list template. Requirements come from a combination of the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, local administrative orders, and individual judges' standing orders. This guide covers the major circuits and federal districts, with the specific columns, sticker formats, and deadlines each expects.

The two types of exhibit lists in Florida

Florida practice uses two distinct exhibit list formats, and confusing them is a common mistake:

The trial clerk's list is the simple version: Exhibit No., Description, Date Identified, Date Admitted. The clerk fills in the last two columns during the proceeding as each exhibit is formally offered. This is what most circuit courts expect as the baseline.

The joint pretrial stipulation exhibit list is the detailed version, filed as part of the pretrial order. It includes the witness through whom each exhibit will be offered, whether the exhibit is stipulated or objected to (with the specific basis for any objection), and sometimes whether the party expects to offer it or may offer it if the need arises. Failing to list an exhibit here typically means it cannot be offered at trial without leave of court.

Circuit-by-circuit details

Federal courts in Florida

Joint pretrial stipulation exhibit columns

When filing a joint pretrial stipulation (required in most Florida civil cases before trial), the exhibit list typically needs more detail than the simple clerk's list. Standard columns for a Florida joint pretrial stipulation exhibit list include Exhibit No., Description (with Bates range), Document Date, Witness (through whom the exhibit will be offered), whether the exhibit is stipulated, specific objections (if any, with the legal basis), and whether it has been admitted.

Objections must be stated with specificity — "relevance" or "hearsay" alone, without elaboration, may be deemed waived in some circuits. Exhibits not listed in the pretrial stipulation are generally excluded from trial absent good cause.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a trial clerk's exhibit list and a joint pretrial stipulation exhibit list in Florida?

The trial clerk's list is the simple version — Exhibit No., Description, Date Identified, Date Admitted — with the clerk filling in the last two columns as each exhibit is offered at trial. The joint pretrial stipulation exhibit list is the detailed version filed with the pretrial order, adding the witness through whom each exhibit will be offered and whether it's stipulated or objected to. An exhibit left off the pretrial stipulation typically can't be offered at trial without leave of court.

Where does the exhibit sticker go on Palm Beach County exhibits?

On the back of the last page — not the front of the first page, which is the more common placement in other Florida circuits and trips people up who assume Palm Beach follows the same convention.

What exhibit list format do federal courts in Florida use?

All three Florida federal districts (Southern, Middle, and Northern) follow AO 187 (Exhibit and Witness List): Party, Exhibit No., Date Offered, Marked, Admitted, Description. The Southern District's Local Rule 16.1 governs the pretrial stipulation, and FRCP 26(a)(3) requires pretrial disclosures to separately identify exhibits a party expects to offer versus those it may offer if needed, due no later than 30 days before trial.

When is the exhibit list due before trial in Florida state courts?

There's no single statewide deadline — it's set by the judge's standing order, typically 15 to 30 days before trial, filed together with the joint pretrial stipulation. Always confirm the exact date on your assigned judge's order, since standing orders frequently modify the default timing.

Do all Florida circuit courts use the same exhibit sticker format?

No. Each circuit has its own field layout — Palm Beach's sticker includes Party, Court, Case No., Date, Exhibit #, Identification, and Deputy Clerk Name fields, while Broward and Miami-Dade use different layouts entirely. This is why dedicated software ships with court-specific templates rather than one generic label.