User Guide

Eviction Manager Overview Statutes
Sign In

Welcome to the Eviction Manager

This system manages your Florida residential eviction cases from start to finish. It tracks every phase, generates court documents, computes deadlines based on Florida business days, and keeps you on top of what needs to happen next.

How to use this guide

Read through the "Getting Started" section first, then use the sidebar to jump to any topic. Each phase section explains exactly what the system does and what you need to do.

Here's what the system handles for you:

The Dashboard

When you log in, you land on the Dashboard. This is your home base. Here's what you see:

Stat Cards (top row)

Four cards at the top show your key numbers at a glance:

Upcoming Deadlines (left panel)

Shows your next 10 deadlines across all cases. Each one shows the date, what it is, and which case it belongs to. Click Done to mark a deadline complete.

Filters (right panel)

Three ways to filter your case list:

Cases Table

Every case shows its case number, tenant, property, county, current phase (colored badge), status, and next deadline. Click any row to open the full case detail.

Navigation

The dark header bar has links to:

Creating a Case

Click the + New Case button in the top-right corner. A form slides open with three sections:

1

Landlord

Select an existing landlord from the dropdown, or choose "+ Create New Landlord" to add one. New landlords need a name; email, phone, and address are optional but recommended (they appear on documents).

2

Property & Tenant

Enter the property address (full street address with city, state, zip), select the county, and type the tenant name(s). If multiple tenants, separate with commas. Add lease start/end dates if you have them \u2014 they'll appear on the Complaint.

3

Rent & Damages

Enter the monthly rent and the exact amount due (total outstanding). Check "Seek Money Damages" if you're filing a Count II for damages beyond just possession. Add any notes for your reference.

Click Create Case and the case opens immediately in the Intake phase. The system is ready for you to start working through the phases.

Good to know

You don't need to fill in every detail upfront. You can always edit case info later by clicking into the case. The only required fields are landlord, property, county, tenant name, rent, and amount due.

The 8 Phases

Every eviction case moves through 8 phases in order. The system enforces prerequisites \u2014 you can't skip ahead unless everything for the next phase is in place. At the top of each case, a Phase Stepper shows where you are (blue = current, green = completed, gray = upcoming).

Below the stepper, a Phase Action Card (the colored box) tells you:

Advancing phases

Click "Advance to [Next Phase]" when you've completed the current phase. If prerequisites aren't met, you'll see an error message explaining what's missing. You can also click "Force Advance" to skip checks if needed (use sparingly).

Phase 1: Intake

1 Intake \u2014 Gather Documents

This is where you collect everything you need from the landlord before starting the eviction.

What you do:

What the system does: Shows you checklist checkboxes that save automatically. Once all required info is entered, the "Generate 3-Day Notice" button appears.

Phase 2: Notice

2 Notice \u2014 3-Day Notice Period

The 3-Day Notice has been generated. Now you serve it and wait for the notice period to expire.

What you do:

What the system does:

Phase 3: Complaint

3 Complaint \u2014 File with Court

The notice period expired. Time to file the Complaint and get the case into the court system.

What you do:

What the system does:

Phase 4: Service

4 Service \u2014 Serve the Tenant

Now the Summons and Complaint need to be served on the tenant.

What you do:

What the system does:

Phase 5: Response

5 Response \u2014 Wait for Tenant Response

The tenant has 5 business days to file a response. If they don't, you file for default.

What you do:

What the system does:

Default Package shortcut

Instead of generating three documents separately, just click "Generate Default Package (3 docs)" \u2014 it creates the Motion for Default, Non-Military Affidavit, and Motion for Final Judgment all at once.

Phase 6: Judgment

6 Judgment \u2014 Obtain Final Judgment

The court reviews your default package and enters a default final judgment for possession.

What you do:

What the system does: Tracks whether the judgment document has been generated and the judgment date has been set.

Phase 7: Writ

7 Writ \u2014 Execute Writ of Possession

With the judgment in hand, you file the Writ of Possession and the sheriff executes it.

What you do:

What the system does:

Phase 8: Closed

Closed \u2014 Case Complete

The writ has been executed and the tenant is out. The case is complete.

The case status automatically changes to "Won" when closed. You can still view all documents, timeline, costs, and deadlines for your records.

Documents

The system generates 12 different court documents. Each one produces a properly formatted HTML page that you can print or save as PDF (use the "Print / Save PDF" button on each document).

DocumentPhaseWhat It Is
3-Day NoticeNoticeNotice from landlord to tenant demanding rent payment or possession within 3 working days
ComplaintComplaintThe formal eviction complaint filed with the court (Count I for possession, optional Count II for damages)
SummonsComplaintCourt summons ordering the tenant to respond within 5 days, with FL Statute 83.60(2) deposit warning
Exhibit Cover SheetComplaintCover pages for exhibits attached to the complaint (Exhibit A = Lease, Exhibit B = Notice, etc.)
Proof of ServiceServiceAffidavit documenting how and when the tenant was served
Motion for DefaultResponseMotion asking the clerk to enter a default against the tenant for failing to respond
Non-Military AffidavitResponseSCRA affidavit confirming the tenant is not on active military duty
Motion for Final JudgmentResponseMotion requesting the court enter a default final judgment for possession
Final JudgmentJudgmentProposed default final judgment order for the judge to sign
Writ of PossessionWritCourt order directing the sheriff to remove the tenant
StipulationAnySettlement agreement when parties agree on a payment plan or move-out
Voluntary DismissalAnyNotice of voluntary dismissal when the case is resolved before judgment

Generating Documents

In any case detail, click the Documents tab. For each document type you'll see:

Preview mode

Always preview a document before generating it. Preview creates the document on-the-fly without saving, so you can check all the details are correct. Once you generate, it's saved permanently.

Default Package

When the response deadline passes and the tenant hasn't responded, you need to file three documents at once. Instead of generating each one separately, click "Generate Default Package (3 docs)" in the Response phase action card.

This creates all three in one click:

  1. Motion for Clerk's Default
  2. Non-Military Affidavit (SCRA)
  3. Motion for Entry of Default Final Judgment

Each opens in its own tab for printing.

Calendar

Click Calendar in the navigation bar to see all deadlines and hearings across every case on a visual calendar.

Month View

The default view shows a month grid. Each day shows colored dots:

Week View

Click Week to see a detailed day-by-day view with full event labels.

Clicking a Day

Click any day to see a detail panel listing every deadline and hearing for that date, with the case name and status.

Hearings

Track court hearings for any case. In a case detail, click the Hearings tab, then "+ Add Hearing".

Fill in:

Each hearing starts as "Pending." After the hearing, use the dropdown to change the outcome to Continued, Granted, Denied, or Settled.

Hearings automatically create deadlines and appear on the Calendar.

Costs & Fees

Track all filing fees, service costs, and other expenses per case. Click the Costs tab in a case detail.

Auto-Costs

The system automatically adds standard fees when you enter key dates:

When you set...Auto-added costAmount
Complaint Filed DateFiling fee$300 (Broward), $315 (Miami-Dade)
Service DateService of process fee$55
Writ Filed DateWrit of Possession fee$90

Manual Costs

Click "+ Add Cost" to add any other expense (attorney fees, recording fees, etc.). The running total appears at the top of the Costs tab and in Case Info.

Deadlines

The system auto-creates deadlines when you set key dates. All deadlines use Florida business day calculations, excluding weekends and state holidays (New Year's, MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4th, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas).

Auto-Created Deadlines

TriggerDeadline CreatedCalculation
Notice served dateNotice expiry3 business days + 5 calendar days (mail)
Service dateResponse deadline5 business days from service
Judgment dateWrit filing windowReminder to file writ

Mark deadlines as Done when completed \u2014 either from the dashboard or from the Deadlines tab inside a case.

Settle / Dismiss a Case

Not every case goes to judgment. At any point during an active case, you can:

Settle

Click "Settle Case" at the bottom of the case detail. Enter the settlement amount, date, and notes. The system:

You can generate a Stipulation document for the settlement agreement.

Dismiss

Click "Dismiss Case" and select a reason (tenant paid, settlement reached, tenant vacated, landlord decision, or other). The system:

You can generate a Voluntary Dismissal document to file with the court.

Needs Attention

The "Needs Attention" filter shows cases that require your immediate action. A case appears here if:

Check this view daily to make sure nothing is falling through the cracks.

Tips & Shortcuts

Inline Editing

Most fields in the case detail (case number, process server, judge, dates) are directly editable. Just click the field, type, and press Tab or click away. Changes save immediately.

Best Workflow

  1. Start each morning on the Dashboard \u2014 check the "Needs Attention" stat
  2. Review Upcoming Deadlines in the left panel
  3. Open any case that needs action \u2014 the Phase Action Card tells you exactly what to do
  4. Use the Calendar for weekly planning

Document Tips

Phase Advancement Tips

FAQ

How do I change a date I already entered?

Click the date field in Key Dates and pick a new date. If the old date triggered auto-costs or deadlines, those stay \u2014 you can manually remove costs from the Costs tab if needed.

What if the tenant responds to the complaint?

If the tenant files a response, you'll need to proceed with a hearing rather than the default path. Add a hearing in the Hearings tab. You can still advance through phases manually using "Force Advance" as the case progresses through the contested path.

Can I generate the same document twice?

Yes. Each time you click "Generate," a new copy is created and saved. The Documents tab shows all versions. This is useful if case details change and you need an updated version.

How do I print documents?

Every generated document opens in a new tab with a blue "Print / Save PDF" button in the top-right corner. Click it or use Ctrl+P. The documents are formatted for letter-size paper with 1-inch margins.

What happens to costs if I settle or dismiss?

Costs remain on the case for your records. The cost total is still visible in the settled/dismissed case detail.

Can multiple people use the system at the same time?

Yes. The system is web-based and can be accessed from any device. Use authorized account access for each user and avoid sharing login credentials.

How do I contact support?

Email evan@cafecito-ai.com for any questions, issues, or feature requests.

Ready to get started?

Head to the dashboard and open a case to see the Phase Action Card in action.

Sign In