Florida Rule 1.481 governs verdicts in Florida civil jury trials — the distinction between general verdicts and special verdicts, when each is used, and how the jury delivers and signs its verdict.
▶ Watch: Rule 1.481 — Verdicts
Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.481 — Verdicts
Last verified from official source: April 30, 2026 · Source: Florida Bar — Florida Rules of Civil Procedure (eff. April 1, 2026), p. 161
Rule Text (verbatim)
In all actions when punitive damages are sought, the verdict shall state the amount of punitive damages separately from the amounts of other damages awarded.
Plain-English Breakdown
Practitioner notes by John M. Phillips, Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer — coming soon. Watch the video at the top of this page for the plain-English breakdown.
Rule Text (Verbatim)
The text below is mirrored verbatim from the Florida Bar’s official publication. Public domain.
In all actions when punitive damages are sought, the verdict shall state the amount of punitive damages separately from the amounts of other damages awarded.
Committee Notes
View Committee Notes (legislative history)
No Committee Notes for this rule version.
Infographic — Rule 1.481 at a Glance
Lawyer-to-Lawyer Co-Counsel Referrals
If you’re a lawyer with a Florida case outside your normal practice — complex civil, catastrophic injury, federal court litigation, multi-state coordination — co-counsel referrals are a core part of what we do. You keep the client. We take the trial-side work. Fee split per Fla. Bar Rule 4-1.5 with full client consent.
Call John directly: (904) 444-4444
This page summarizes a Florida Rule of Civil Procedure for educational purposes. The rule text and Committee Notes are mirrored from the Florida Bar’s official publication and are public domain. The plain-English summary is the opinion of Phillips, Hunt & Walker and is general information only — not legal advice. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case.
Rule Text (verbatim from the Florida Supreme Court)
In all actions when punitive damages are sought, the verdict shall state the amount of punitive damages separately from the amounts of other damages awarded.
Educational reference. This page summarizes a Florida Rule of Civil Procedure for educational purposes. The rule text and Committee Notes are mirrored from the Florida Bar's official publication and are public domain. The plain-English summary is the opinion of Phillips, Hunt & Walker and is general information only — not legal advice. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case.
What this rule means in plain English
Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.481 — Verdicts — sets out the procedural requirements for this aspect of Florida civil practice. In all actions when punitive damages are sought, the verdict shall state the amount of punitive damages separately from the amounts of other damages awarded.