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12.920(a)(b)(c)

Motion for Referral to General Magistrate, Order of Referral to General Magistrate and Notice of Hearing Before General Magistrate

Florida · Florida Supreme Court · Effective April 1, 2022

This set of forms helps with the process of having a general magistrate review certain parts of a family law case. It includes a motion to ask for the referral, an order confirming the referral, and a notice for the hearing.

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Where this fits in a case

Motions

Stage: Motions

These forms are used when a party wants their case, or parts of it, to be heard by a general magistrate, who is an attorney appointed by a judge. This process is meant to help lower costs and speed up cases.

Either party may file.

Common questions

Who can ask to have their case heard by a general magistrate?
Either party can request that their case, or parts of their case, be heard by a general magistrate by filing the Motion for Referral to General Magistrate (Form 12.920(a)).
If the court refers the case, what forms are needed?
Even if the court refers the case, you might still need to prepare and submit an Order of Referral to General Magistrate (Form 12.920(b)) to the judge.
What is the moving party required to do with the notice of hearing?
The party who requested the referral is required to have the notice of hearing properly served on the other party.

Revision history

No changes recorded since we started tracking this form on October 9, 2026. The current version took effect April 1, 2022.

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