The Florida Senate

45.031  Judicial sales procedure.--In any sale of real or personal property under an order or judgment, the following procedure may be followed as an alternative to any other sale procedure if so ordered by the court:

(1)  SALE BY CLERK.--In the order or final judgment, the court shall direct the clerk to sell the property at public sale on a specified day that shall be not less than 20 days or more than 35 days after the date thereof, on terms and conditions specified in the order or judgment. A sale may be held more than 35 days after the date of final judgment or order if the plaintiff or plaintiff's attorney consents to such time. Any sale held more than 35 days after the final judgment or order shall not affect the validity or finality of the final judgment or order or any sale held pursuant thereto. Notice of sale shall be published once a week for 2 consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation, as defined in chapter 50, published in the county where the sale is to be held. The second publication shall be at least 5 days before the sale. The notice shall contain:

(a)  A description of the property to be sold.

(b)  The time and place of sale.

(c)  A statement that the sale will be made pursuant to the order or final judgment.

(d)  The caption of the action.

(e)  The name of the clerk making the sale.

The clerk shall receive a service charge of $40 for services in making, recording, and certifying the sale and title that shall be assessed as costs. The court, in its discretion, may enlarge the time of the sale. Notice of the changed time of sale shall be published as provided herein.

(2)  DEPOSIT REQUIRED.--At the time of the sale, the successful high bidder shall post with the clerk a deposit equal to 5 percent of the final bid or $1,000, whichever is less. The deposit shall be applied to the sale price at the time of payment. If final payment is not made within the prescribed period, the clerk shall readvertise the sale as provided in this section and pay all costs of the sale from the deposit. Any remaining funds shall be applied toward the judgment.

(3)  CERTIFICATION OF SALE.--After a sale of the property the clerk shall promptly file a certificate of sale and serve a copy of it on each party not in default in substantially the following form:


(Caption of Action)

CERTIFICATE OF SALE

The undersigned clerk of the court certifies that notice of public sale of the property described in the order or final judgment was published in _____, a newspaper circulated in _____ County, Florida, in the manner shown by the proof of publication attached, and on _____, 19_____, the property was offered for public sale to the highest and best bidder for cash. The highest and best bid received for the property was submitted by _____, to whom the property was sold. The proceeds of the sale are retained for distribution in accordance with the order or final judgment. WITNESS my hand and the seal of this court on _____, 19_____.

 (Clerk) 

By  (Deputy Clerk) 

(4)  CERTIFICATE OF TITLE.--If no objections to the sale are filed within 10 days after filing the certificate of sale, the clerk shall file a certificate of title and serve a copy of it on each party not in default in substantially the following form:


(Caption of Action)

CERTIFICATE OF TITLE

The undersigned clerk of the court certifies that he or she executed and filed a certificate of sale in this action on _____, 19_____, for the property described herein and that no objections to the sale have been filed within the time allowed for filing objections.

The following property in _____ County, Florida:

(description)

was sold to  ....... .


WITNESS my hand and the seal of the court on _____, 19_____.

 (Clerk) 

By  (Deputy Clerk) 

(5)  CONFIRMATION.--When the certificate of title is filed the sale shall stand confirmed, and title to the property shall pass to the purchaser named in the certificate without the necessity of any further proceedings or instruments.

(6)  RECORDING.--The certificate of title shall be recorded by the clerk.

(7)  DISBURSEMENTS OF PROCEEDS.--On filing a certificate of title the clerk shall disburse the proceeds of the sale in accordance with the order or final judgment, and shall file a report of such disbursements and serve a copy of it on each party not in default, and on the Department of Revenue if it was named as a defendant in the action, in substantially the following form:


(Caption of Action)

CERTIFICATE OF DISBURSEMENTS

The undersigned clerk of the court certifies that he or she disbursed the proceeds received from the sale of the property as provided in the order or final judgment to the persons and in the amounts as follows:
Name

Amount

Total


WITNESS my hand and the seal of the court on _____, 19_____.

 (Clerk) 

By  (Deputy Clerk) 

If no objections to the report are served within 10 days after it is filed, the disbursements by the clerk shall stand approved as reported. If timely objections to the report are served, they shall be heard by the court. Service of objections to the report does not affect or cloud the title of the purchaser of the property in any manner.

(8)  VALUE OF PROPERTY.--The amount of the bid for the property at the sale shall be conclusively presumed to be sufficient consideration for the sale. Any party may serve an objection to the amount of the bid within 10 days after the clerk files the certificate of sale. If timely objections to the bid are served, the objections shall be heard by the court. Service of objections to the amount of the bid does not affect or cloud the title of the purchaser in any manner. If the case is one in which a deficiency judgment may be sought and application is made for a deficiency, the amount bid at the sale may be considered by the court as one of the factors in determining a deficiency under the usual equitable principles.

(9)  EXECUTION SALES.--This section shall not apply to property sold under executions.

History.--s. 1, ch. 67-254; s. 13, ch. 70-134; ss. 1-3, ch. 71-5; s. 1, ch. 77-354; s. 1, ch. 78-68; s. 1, ch. 85-267; s. 6, ch. 87-145; s. 1, ch. 93-250; s. 1, ch. 94-353; s. 1355, ch. 95-147.