How to Choose a Florida Eviction Attorney: 7 Questions to Ask

Choosing the right eviction attorney decides how fast you get your property back and how much rent you lose along the way. The wrong choice, or trying to handle it yourself, usually shows up as a defective notice or a missed deadline that restarts the clock and costs weeks. The seven questions below separate a firm that will move your case cleanly from one that will not, and they double as a checklist for spotting the warning signs.

Start With the Right Filter: Focus, Not Price

Most landlords start by comparing flat fees. That is the wrong first filter. Eviction is a deadline-driven, technical process where a single error on the notice or the service can get the case dismissed, and the cost of that delay (another month or two of unpaid occupancy) dwarfs any difference between a $195 and a $295 fee. The better first filter is simple: does this firm actually focus on evictions, and does it run a process that does not bounce. Price matters, but it is the last question, not the first.

The 7 Questions at a Glance

Question 1: Do You Focus on Evictions, and How Many Have You Handled?

Eviction law rewards repetition. A firm that files evictions constantly knows each county's quirks, the clerks, the local sheriff's writ timing, and the notice mistakes that get cases tossed. A general practice that files an eviction now and then does not. Ask for a sense of volume. Kelley, Grant & Tanis, for example, has handled more than 35,000 eviction cases across Florida, which is the kind of repetition that keeps a case on the fast track. If a firm cannot speak to its eviction experience specifically, that is a sign you are paying it to learn on your matter.

Question 2: Is There a Flat Fee, and What Does It Cover?

For an uncontested residential eviction, you want a flat fee and a plain explanation of what it includes. A typical structure is a flat attorney fee (for example, $295) that covers the pre-suit review, drafting the complaint, and prosecuting the uncontested case through to the judgment for possession, with the court filing fee, summons, process server, and sheriff writ fee as separate costs. The all-in number for one tenant usually lands around $530. What you are listening for is clarity: a firm that can tell you exactly what is covered and what is extra is a firm that will not surprise you later. See how much a Florida eviction costs for the full breakdown.

Question 3: Do You Handle Evictions Statewide?

If you own property in more than one county, or you might in the future, statewide coverage means one firm instead of a different local attorney for every market. It also signals an eviction practice built for scale rather than a single courthouse. This matters most for landlords with a growing portfolio and for property managers, who benefit from one consistent process across their doors. For that audience specifically, see eviction help for Florida property managers.

Question 4: Will You Draft and Serve the Notice?

The notice is where most evictions live or die. A Florida three-day notice for nonpayment has to demand the exact rent due, and folding in late fees or utilities can invalidate it under Florida Statute 83.56(3). The count excludes weekends and holidays, and filing even a day early can get the case dismissed. A firm that drafts and serves the notice for you (often for a small fee, such as $80) removes the single most common point of failure. A firm that leaves the notice entirely to you is handing back the riskiest step. To see why this step carries so much weight, read what happens after a 3-day notice.

Question 5: What Happens If the Tenant Fights Back?

Most nonpayment cases end quickly, partly because a contesting tenant generally has to deposit the rent into the court registry to raise a defense, which many cannot do. But some cases do get contested, and you want to know the plan before that happens. A strong answer explains how the firm handles a contested matter and how it is priced (contested cases are typically quoted case by case rather than flat-fee). A firm that has no answer, or that waves away the possibility, is one you do not want to discover the limits of mid-case.

Question 6: Can You Also Recover the Unpaid Rent?

Getting the tenant out and getting your money are two different goals. Under Florida Statute 83.625, a court can award both possession and a money judgment in the same case, but the money judgment requires personal service on the tenant. If the summons is only posted on the door, you get possession but not the judgment for the debt. A firm that understands this, and pursues personal service when collecting the back rent matters to you, is thinking about your whole outcome, not just clearing the unit.

Question 7: How Fast Can You File, and How Will You Keep Me Updated?

Speed in an eviction comes from filing the moment the notice period runs and from a notice that does not bounce, not from cutting corners. A good firm will file as soon as the period ends, set honest expectations (an uncontested case usually takes about 4 to 5 weeks), and tell you how it will keep you posted. Be wary of the opposite: a promise to get the tenant out immediately. No one can lawfully do that, and a firm that implies it is either overselling or hinting at self-help, which is illegal. You can speak with a firm and get your file moving the same day; for what that looks like, see same-day eviction consultation in Florida.

Attorney or Eviction "Service" Company?

Some companies advertise to "file your eviction" at a low flat rate without being a law firm. The distinction matters more than the price. A non-lawyer service can prepare and submit paperwork, but it cannot give you legal advice, and it cannot represent you in court. If your case stays uncontested, the gap may feel small. The moment a tenant raises a defense, disputes the amount, or the notice is challenged, a paperwork service cannot step into the hearing for you, and you are either on your own or scrambling to find an attorney in the middle of a live case.

An eviction law firm carries the matter from the notice through a contested hearing and, where appropriate, a money judgment for the unpaid rent. You are paying for judgment and representation, not just data entry, which is exactly what protects you when something does not go to plan. If you are weighing this choice, ask the service directly what happens if the tenant fights back. The answer usually settles it. For a full breakdown, see eviction service companies vs an eviction law firm.

What Hiring Kelley, Grant & Tanis Looks Like

Measured against these seven questions, Kelley, Grant & Tanis is an eviction-focused firm with more than 35,000 cases handled, statewide coverage across Florida, a flat $295 attorney fee on uncontested residential cases with costs explained up front, notice drafting and service available, and a team that works in English and Spanish. The firm files as soon as the notice period runs and handles both residential and commercial matters, so a landlord or property manager can route everything to one place.

What It Costs and How Long It Takes

For one tenant, an uncontested residential eviction runs about $530 all-in (the $185 filing fee, a $10 summons, a process server of about $40, and the $295 flat attorney fee), and typically takes about 4 to 5 weeks from filing to removal. The sheriff's writ fee ($90 in most counties, $115 in Miami-Dade) applies only if the tenant does not leave on their own. For the complete picture, see how much a Florida eviction costs and how long a writ of possession takes.

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