11/18/2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2025
Contact: Michael Peltier
850.264.7702 (cell)
Circuit Judge Orders DOAH to Resume Citizens’ Arbitration Process
On Friday, November 14, 2025, a Leon County Circuit judge ordered the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) to move forward with over 400 pending Citizens arbitration cases that had been stalled due to a preliminary injunction entered by a Hillsborough County Circuit judge in August.
DOAH’s legality has been presented to numerous state court judges throughout Florida - both before and after the preliminary injunction was entered. No other judge has adopted the Hillsborough County Circuit judge’s critical view of the DOAH process. In fact, many judges have ordered Citizens cases to go to DOAH despite the Hillsborough injunction, citing the well-established legal precedent that one trial court judge is not bound by the decision of another.
Citizens remains committed to defending DOAH arbitrations because it is a fair and transparent process, allowing Citizens and policyholders to resolve claims disputes much faster than overburdened state courts (90 days on average, instead of almost two years). This quick resolution of disputed claims saves both sides considerable attorney’s fees and costs.
A copy of the order is available here: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.citizensfla.com/documents/20702/35182283/235842429+Order.pdf/588a9f9f-aed9-97ce-71ad-1f5add8eddbe
