As of September 1, 2007, there are two laws that apply to appeals from an Associate Judge’s recommendation. Yes, two!! The “old” law remains in effect for all cases pending as of September 1, 2007, with the requirement to file an appeal within three days of receipt of the ruling.
The “new” law is effective only for cases filed on or after September 1, 2007. The “new” law provides that a party may request a de novo hearing of an Associate Judge’s recommendations by filing with the clerk a written request not later than the seventh working day after the date the party receives notice of the report. The written request must specify the specific issues that will be presented to the referring court.
If one side files a request for de novo appeal, then the other party may file their request for a de novo hearing within seven working days after the date of the initial request for the hearing was filed.