The Florida Senate

55.03  Judgments; rate of interest, generally.--

(1)  On December 1 of each year, the Chief Financial Officer shall set the rate of interest that shall be payable on judgments or decrees for the year beginning January 1 by averaging the discount rate of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for the preceding year, then adding 500 basis points to the averaged federal discount rate. The Chief Financial Officer shall inform the clerk of the courts and chief judge for each judicial circuit of the rate that has been established for the upcoming year. The interest rate established by the Chief Financial Officer shall take effect on January 1 of each following year. Judgments obtained on or after January 1, 1995, shall use the previous statutory rate for time periods before January 1, 1995, for which interest is due and shall apply the rate set by the Chief Financial Officer for time periods after January 1, 1995, for which interest is due. Nothing contained herein shall affect a rate of interest established by written contract or obligation.

(2)  Any judgment for money damages or order for a judicial sale and any process or writ directed to a sheriff for execution shall bear, on its face, the rate of interest that is payable on the judgment. The rate of interest stated in the judgment accrues on the judgment until it is paid.

(3)  The interest rate established at the time a judgment is obtained shall remain the same until the judgment is paid.

(4)  A sheriff shall not be required to docket and index or collect on any process, writ, judgment, or decree, described in subsection (2), and entered after the effective date of this act, unless such process, writ, judgment, or decree indicates the rate of interest. For purposes of this subsection, if the process, writ, judgment, or decree refers to the statutory rate of interest described in subsection (1), such reference shall be deemed to indicate the rate of interest.

History.--s. 1, ch. 1562, 1866; RS 1176; GS 1604; RGS 2806; CGL 4493; s. 1, ch. 16051, 1933; s. 9, ch. 67-254; s. 7, ch. 77-354; s. 8, ch. 79-396; ss. 1, 2, ch. 80-110; s. 1, ch. 81-113; s. 37, ch. 81-259; s. 8, ch. 94-239; s. 4, ch. 98-410; s. 101, ch. 2003-261.