Appeals to the Third District Court of Appeal

The Third District Court of Appeal is the intermediate appellate court that reviews decisions of the trial courts in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. For clients with cases in Miami and the Florida Keys, the Third DCA is where most appeals are decided. The Law Offices of Albert Goodwin, PA, based in Coral Gables, handles appeals before the Third District Court of Appeal across a range of civil and probate matters.

Jurisdiction and Location

The Third District Court of Appeal sits in Miami and has appellate jurisdiction over Miami-Dade County and Monroe County. Appeals from the Eleventh Judicial Circuit (Miami-Dade) and the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit (Monroe) are taken to this court. The Third DCA reviews final judgments, certain appealable non-final orders, and petitions for extraordinary writs such as certiorari, prohibition, and mandamus.

What the Third DCA Reviews

Like Florida's other District Courts of Appeal, the Third DCA hears appeals as a matter of right from most final orders under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.110, and it hears immediate appeals from the categories of non-final orders listed in Rule 9.130. The court also entertains petitions for a writ of certiorari when an interlocutory order departs from the essential requirements of law and causes harm that cannot be remedied on appeal. Cases are typically decided by three-judge panels, and the court may rule on the briefs and the record or set the matter for oral argument.

The Body of Third DCA Case Law

Because it sits in one of Florida's busiest legal markets, the Third DCA has produced a deep body of precedent on probate, trust, real property, commercial, and personal injury issues. Familiarity with that case law — and with how this particular court approaches recurring questions — is part of effective appellate advocacy here. A decision of the Third DCA binds the trial courts within its territory and remains controlling unless and until it is receded from, conflicts with another district, or is reviewed by the Florida Supreme Court.

Deadlines and Procedure

An appeal to the Third DCA begins with a notice of appeal filed in the lower tribunal within 30 days of rendition of the order being appealed. This jurisdictional deadline cannot be extended once it passes. After the notice is filed, the record is prepared, and the parties file their briefs according to the schedule in the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure. For a full walk-through, see our overview of the Florida appellate process.

Matters We Handle Before the Third DCA

We represent appellants and appellees before the Third District Court of Appeal in civil appeals, probate and estate appeals, real estate appeals, personal injury appeals, partition appeals, and family law and divorce appeals.

Speak With a Third DCA Appellate Attorney

If you have an adverse ruling from a Miami-Dade or Monroe County trial court, contact the Law Offices of Albert Goodwin, PA. Call 786-522-1411, email email@lawyergoodwin.com, or visit our contact page. Because the 30-day deadline to file a notice of appeal is jurisdictional, please contact us promptly.