
Fla. Fam. L. R. P. 12.005 — Transition Rule
Last verified from official source: May 1, 2026 · Source: Florida Bar — Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure (eff. October 1, 2025)
Rule Text (verbatim)
These rules apply to all family law cases as of March 16, 2017. Any action taken in a family law case before March 16, 2017, that conformed to the then-effective rules or statutes governing family law cases, will be regarded as valid during the pendency of the litigation.
Commentary 1995 Adoption. This rule provides for an effective date of January 1, 1996, for these Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure. Under this rule, any action taken in a family law matter before January 1, 1996, will be regarded as valid during the pendency of the litigation so long as that action was taken in accordance with the then-effective rules or statutes governing family law cases. Any action taken after January 1, 1996, in new or pending family law cases will be governed by these rules.

Plain-English Breakdown
Plain-English explanation by Matthew Hunt, B.C.S. (Board Certified in Marital & Family Law) — coming soon. Watch the upcoming video for this rule.
Common Family Law Cross-References
This rule sits in the broader Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure framework. See related rules in The Rule Book.
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, practitioner notes, and video commentary are the opinion of Phillips, Hunt & Walker and are 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.