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Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.610 — Injunctions

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Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.610 — Injunctions

Last verified from official source: April 30, 2026 · Source: Florida Bar — Florida Rules of Civil Procedure (eff. April 1, 2026), p. 183

Rule Text (verbatim)

(a) Temporary Injunction.

(1) A temporary injunction may be granted without written or oral notice to the adverse party only if:

(A) it appears from the specific facts shown by affidavit or verified pleading that immediate and irreparable injury, loss, or damage will result to the movant before the adverse party can be heard in opposition; and

April 1, 2026 Florida Rules of Civil Procedure 183 (B) the movant’s attorney certifies in writing any efforts that have been made to give notice and the reasons why notice should not be required.

(2) No evidence other than the affidavit or verified pleading shall be used to support the application for a temporary injunction unless the adverse party appears at the hearing or has received reasonable notice of the hearing. Every temporary injunction granted without notice shall be endorsed with the date and hour of entry and shall be filed forthwith in the clerk’s office and shall define the injury, state findings by the court why the injury may be irreparable, and give the reasons why the order was granted without notice if notice was not given. The temporary injunction shall remain in effect until the further order of the court.

(b) Bond. No temporary injunction shall be entered unless a bond is given by the movant in an amount the court deems proper, conditioned for the payment of costs and damages sustained by the adverse party if the adverse party is wrongfully enjoined. Unless otherwise specified by the court, the bond shall be posted within 5 days of entry of the order setting the bond. When any injunction is issued on the pleading of a municipality or the state or any officer, agency, or political subdivision thereof, the court may require or dispense with a bond, with or without surety, and conditioned in the same manner, having due regard for the public interest. No bond shall be required for issuance of a temporary injunction issued solely to prevent physical injury or abuse of a natural person.

(c) Form and Scope. Every injunction shall specify the reasons for entry, shall describe in reasonable detail the act or acts restrained without reference to a pleading or another document, and shall be binding on the parties to the action, their officers, agents, servants, employees, and attorneys and on those persons in active concert or participation with them who receive actual notice of the injunction.

(d) Motion to Dissolve. A party against whom a temporary injunction has been granted may move to dissolve or modify it at any time. If a party moves to dissolve or modify, the motion shall be

April 1, 2026 Florida Rules of Civil Procedure 184 heard within 5 days after the movant applies for a hearing on the motion.

Committee Notes

1980 Amendment. This rule has been extensively amended so that it is similar to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65. The requirement that an injunction not be issued until a complaint was filed has been deleted as unnecessary. A pleading seeking an injunction or temporary restraining order must still be filed before either can be entered. The rule now provides for a temporary restraining order without notice that will expire automatically unless a hearing on a preliminary injunction is held and a preliminary injunction granted. The contents of an injunctive order are specified. The binding effect of an injunctive order is specified, but does not change existing law. Motions to dissolve may be made and heard at any time. The trial on the merits can be consolidated with a hearing on issuance of a preliminary injunction, and the trial can be advanced to accommodate this.

Court Commentary

1984 Amendment. Considerable dissatisfaction arose on the adoption of the 1980 rule, particularly because of the creation of the temporary restraining order with its inflexible time limits. See Sun Tech Inc. of South Florida v. Fortune Personnel Agency of Fort Lauderdale, 412 So. 2d 962 (Fla. 4th DCA 1982). The attempt to balance the rights of the parties in 1980 failed because of court congestion and the inability in the existing circumstances to accommodate the inflexible time limits. These changes will restore injunction procedure to substantially the same as that existing before the 1980 change. The temporary restraining order terminology and procedure is abolished. The former procedure of temporary and permanent injunctions is restored. The requirement of findings and reasons and other details in an injunctive order are retained.

Subdivision (b) eliminates the need for a bond on a temporary injunction issued to prevent physical injury or abuse of a natural person.

April 1, 2026 Florida Rules of Civil Procedure 185 Subdivision (e) institutes a requirement that a motion to dissolve an injunction shall be heard within 5 days after the movant applies for it. This provision emphasizes the importance of a prompt determination of the propriety of injunctive relief granted without notice or, if the circumstances have changed since the issuance of the injunctive order, the need for speedy relief as a result of the changes. Former subdivisions (a), (b)(3), and (b)(4) have been repealed because the new procedure makes them superfluous. The right of the court to consolidate the hearing on a temporary injunction with the trial of the action is not affected because that can still be accomplished under rule 1.270(a).

Plain-English Breakdown

Practitioner notes by John M. Phillips, Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer — coming soon. Watch the video below for the plain-English breakdown.

Rule Text (Verbatim)

The text below is mirrored verbatim from the Florida Bar’s official publication. Public domain.

(a) Temporary Injunction. (1) A temporary injunction may be granted without written or oral notice to the adverse party only if: (A) it appears from the specific facts shown by affidavit or verified pleading that immediate and irreparable injury, loss, or damage will result to the movant before the adverse party can be heard in opposition; and

(B) the movant’s attorney certifies in writing any efforts that have been made to give notice and the reasons why notice should not be required. (2) No evidence other than the affidavit or verified pleading shall be used to support the application for a temporary injunction unless the adverse party appears at the hearing or has received reasonable notice of the hearing. Every temporary injunction granted without notice shall be endorsed with the date and hour of entry and shall be filed forthwith in the clerk’s office and shall define the injury, state findings by the court why the injury may be irreparable, and give the reasons why the order was granted without notice if notice was not given. The temporary injunction shall remain in effect until the further order of the court. (b) Bond. No temporary injunction shall be entered unless a bond is given by the movant in an amount the court deems proper, conditioned for the payment of costs and damages sustained by the adverse party if the adverse party is wrongfully enjoined. Unless otherwise specified by the court, the bond shall be posted within 5 days of entry of the order setting the bond. When any injunction is issued on the pleading of a municipality or the state or any officer, agency, or political subdivision thereof, the court may require or dispense with a bond, with or without surety, and conditioned in the same manner, having due regard for the public interest. No bond shall be required for issuance of a temporary injunction issued solely to prevent physical injury or abuse of a natural person. (c) Form and Scope. Every injunction shall specify the reasons for entry, shall describe in reasonable detail the act or acts restrained without reference to a pleading or another document, and shall be binding on the parties to the action, their officers, agents, servants, employees, and attorneys and on those persons in active concert or participation with them who receive actual notice of the injunction. (d) Motion to Dissolve. A party against whom a temporary injunction has been granted may move to dissolve or modify it at any time. If a party moves to dissolve or modify, the motion shall be

heard within 5 days after the movant applies for a hearing on the motion.

▶ Watch: Rule 1.610 — Injunctions

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Infographic — Rule 1.610 at a Glance

Florida Rule 1.610 infographic

Committee Notes

View Committee Notes (legislative history)

1980 Amendment. This rule has been extensively amended so that it is similar to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65. The requirement that an injunction not be issued until a complaint was filed has been deleted as unnecessary. A pleading seeking an injunction or temporary restraining order must still be filed before either can be entered. The rule now provides for a temporary restraining order without notice that will expire automatically unless a hearing on a preliminary injunction is held and a preliminary injunction granted. The contents of an injunctive order are specified. The binding effect of an injunctive order is specified, but does not change existing law. Motions to dissolve may be made and heard at any time. The trial on the merits can be consolidated with a hearing on issuance of a preliminary injunction, and the trial can be advanced to accommodate this. Court Commentary 1984 Amendment. Considerable dissatisfaction arose on the adoption of the 1980 rule, particularly because of the creation of the temporary restraining order with its inflexible time limits. See Sun Tech Inc. of South Florida v. Fortune Personnel Agency of Fort Lauderdale, 412 So. 2d 962 (Fla. 4th DCA 1982). The attempt to balance the rights of the parties in 1980 failed because of court congestion and the inability in the existing circumstances to accommodate the inflexible time limits. These changes will restore injunction procedure to substantially the same as that existing before the 1980 change. The temporary restraining order terminology and procedure is abolished. The former procedure of temporary and permanent injunctions is restored. The requirement of findings and reasons and other details in an injunctive order are retained. Subdivision (b) eliminates the need for a bond on a temporary injunction issued to prevent physical injury or abuse of a natural person.

Subdivision (e) institutes a requirement that a motion to dissolve an injunction shall be heard within 5 days after the movant applies for it. This provision emphasizes the importance of a prompt determination of the propriety of injunctive relief granted without notice or, if the circumstances have changed since the issuance of the injunctive order, the need for speedy relief as a result of the changes. Former subdivisions (a), (b)(3), and (b)(4) have been repealed because the new procedure makes them superfluous. The right of the court to consolidate the hearing on a temporary injunction with the trial of the action is not affected because that can still be accomplished under rule 1.270(a).

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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.

Subsection-by-Subsection Practitioner Notes — Rule 1.610

The Four-Element Test

Before reaching the subsections, every Florida injunction motion is decided under the same four-element test: (1) substantial likelihood of success on the merits, (2) irreparable injury that cannot be adequately remedied by money damages, (3) the threatened injury outweighs any harm the proposed injunction may cause the defendant, and (4) the injunction is not adverse to the public interest. All four elements must be shown. Failure on any one defeats the motion. The element on which most denials turn is irreparable injury — Florida courts require specific reasons why money damages are inadequate, and “the harm cannot be calculated” rarely suffices.

Subsection (a)(1) — Preliminary Injunction; Hearing Required

(a)(1) requires an evidentiary hearing on a motion for preliminary injunction. Affidavits alone do not suffice for a contested motion — the court must hear testimony and consider evidence subject to cross-examination. The party opposing the injunction has the right to cross-examine the moving party’s witnesses. Telephonic and remote-attendance arrangements are common in modern practice but the right to confront and cross-examine is preserved.

Subsection (a)(2) — Temporary Restraining Order Without Notice

(a)(2) authorizes a TRO ex parte — without notice to the opposing party — only when (1) immediate and irreparable injury will result before notice can be given, and (2) the application specifically describes the efforts the moving party made to give notice or the reasons notice should not be required. The TRO automatically expires within 14 days unless extended for good cause or by consent. The 14-day clock is firm — extensions must be sought before expiration.

Subsection (b) — Bond Requirement

(b) requires the moving party to post a bond as security before the injunction takes effect. The bond compensates the enjoined party if the injunction is later determined to have been wrongful. The amount is set by the court, typically based on the potential damages the enjoined party would suffer during the period of the injunction. Plan for the bond cost when planning the motion. Some clients cannot afford a meaningful bond on short notice — the bond requirement can effectively kill an otherwise meritorious injunction.

Subsection (c) — Specificity Requirement

(c) requires the order to “specifically describe in reasonable detail” the act or acts enjoined. “Defendant shall not interfere with Plaintiff’s business” is too vague and unenforceable. “Defendant shall not contact Plaintiff’s customer X by phone, email, or any other means until further order of this court” is specific and enforceable. The specificity requirement protects due process — the enjoined party must know exactly what conduct is prohibited.

Common Florida Injunction Contexts

The most common contexts in Florida civil practice are trade secrets, restrictive covenants (non-competes, non-solicitations), copyright and trademark infringement, threatened irreparable harm to property, and contractual specific performance. Each has developed case law refining the four-element test in that specific area. Restrictive-covenant injunctions, for example, are governed by section 542.335, Florida Statutes, which alters the irreparable-injury and public-interest analysis.

Cross-references: See Rule 1.140 (motion to dissolve injunction), Rule 1.540 (relief from final injunction), and Rule 1.630 (writs as related extraordinary remedies).

Rule Text (verbatim from the Florida Supreme Court)

(a) Temporary Injunction. (1) A temporary injunction may be granted without written or oral notice to the adverse party only if: (A) it appears from the specific facts shown by affidavit or verified pleading that immediate and irreparable injury, loss, or damage will result to the movant before the adverse party can be heard in opposition; and

(B) the movant’s attorney certifies in writing any efforts that have been made to give notice and the reasons why notice should not be required. (2) No evidence other than the affidavit or verified pleading shall be used to support the application for a temporary injunction unless the adverse party appears at the hearing or has received reasonable notice of the hearing. Every temporary injunction granted without notice shall be endorsed with the date and hour of entry and shall be filed forthwith in the clerk’s office and shall define the injury, state findings by the court why the injury may be irreparable, and give the reasons why the order was granted without notice if notice was not given. The temporary injunction shall remain in effect until the further order of the court. (b) Bond. No temporary injunction shall be entered unless a bond is given by the movant in an amount the court deems proper, conditioned for the payment of costs and damages sustained by the adverse party if the adverse party is wrongfully enjoined. Unless otherwise specified by the court, the bond shall be posted within 5 days of entry of the order setting the bond. When any injunction is issued on the pleading of a municipality or the state or any officer, agency, or political subdivision thereof, the court may require or dispense with a bond, with or without surety, and conditioned in the same manner, having due regard for the public interest. No bond shall be required for issuance of a temporary injunction issued solely to prevent physical injury or abuse of a natural person. (c) Form and Scope. Every injunction shall specify the reasons for entry, shall describe in reasonable detail the act or acts restrained without reference to a pleading or another document, and shall be binding on the parties to the action, their officers, agents, servants, employees, and attorneys and on those persons in active concert or participation with them who receive actual notice of the injunction. (d) Motion to Dissolve. A party against whom a temporary injunction has been granted may move to dissolve or modify it at any time. If a party moves to dissolve or modify, the motion shall be

heard within 5 days after the movant applies for a hearing on the motion.

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 1.610 — Injunctions — sets out the procedural requirements for this aspect of Florida civil practice. (a) Temporary Injunction. (1) A temporary injunction may be granted without written or oral notice to the adverse party only if: (A) it appears from the specific facts shown by affidavit or verified pleading that immediate and irreparable injury, loss, or damage will result to the movant before the adverse party can be heard in opposition; and

Committee Notes (verbatim)

1980 Amendment. This rule has been extensively amended so that it is similar to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65. The requirement that an injunction not be issued until a complaint was filed has been deleted as unnecessary. A pleading seeking an injunction or temporary restraining order must still be filed before either can be entered. The rule now provides for a temporary restraining order without notice that will expire automatically unless a hearing on a preliminary injunction is held and a preliminary injunction granted. The contents of an injunctive order are specified. The binding effect of an injunctive order is specified, but does not change existing law. Motions to dissolve may be made and heard at any time. The trial on the merits can be consolidated with a hearing on issuance of a preliminary injunction, and the trial can be advanced to accommodate this. Court Commentary 1984 Amendment. Considerable dissatisfaction arose on the adoption of the 1980 rule, particularly because of the creation of the temporary restraining order with its inflexible time limits. See Sun Tech Inc. of South Florida v. Fortune Personnel Agency of Fort Lauderdale, 412 So. 2d 962 (Fla. 4th DCA 1982). The attempt to balance the rights of the parties in 1980 failed because of court congestion and the inability in the existing circumstances to accommodate the inflexible time limits. These changes will restore injunction procedure to substantially the same as that existing before the 1980 change. The temporary restraining order terminology and procedure is abolished. The former procedure of temporary and permanent injunctions is restored. The requirement of findings and reasons and other details in an injunctive order are retained. Subdivision (b) eliminates the need for a bond on a temporary injunction issued to prevent physical injury or abuse of a natural person.

Subdivision (e) institutes a requirement that a motion to dissolve an injunction shall be heard within 5 days after the movant applies for it. This provision emphasizes the importance of a prompt determination of the propriety of injunctive relief granted without notice or, if the circumstances have changed since the issuance of the injunctive order, the need for speedy relief as a result of the changes. Former subdivisions (a), (b)(3), and (b)(4) have been repealed because the new procedure makes them superfluous. The right of the court to consolidate the hearing on a temporary injunction with the trial of the action is not affected because that can still be accomplished under rule 1.270(a).

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