Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Broward County Chambers Communication Rules

WARNINGCivil cases

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Email to chambers

The judicial assistant cannot give legal advice or procedural information listed in the division procedures and will not reply to emails or return calls seeking it.

Please do not ask Judicial Assistant questions on how to proceed with the case, she is not allowed to give any legal advice, and she will not reply to your email or return your call to provide you information/procedures that are listed in the Procedures for Division 26.

WARNINGCivil cases

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Email to chambers

If the parties agree, a Notice of Settlement may be emailed to the division to obtain a case-closing order and cancel the scheduled hearing.

If the parties agree to this Order, send a Notice of Settlement to notify the division by email and this will cancel the scheduled hearing.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Emails transmitting rehearing motions to the Judge must include the case number, party names, and REHEARING/RELOCATION in the subject line.

The e-mail must include the case number, party names, and REHEARING/RELOCATION in the subject line.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

All emails to the division email must include the case number and case style in the subject line.

All e-mails to the division e-mail must have the CASE NUMBER and CASE STYLE in the SUBJECT LINE.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Do not include the Division in emails between the parties discussing scheduling, as it delays setting the hearing.

DO NOT INCLUDE THE DIVISION IN E-MAILS BETWEEN THE PARTIES DISCUSSING SCHEDULING. This will result in delay in setting the hearing.

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Email to chambers

Emails providing relocation petitions to the Division must include the case number, party names, and RELOCATION in the subject line.

The e-mail must include the case number, party names, and RELOCATION in the subject line.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Do not copy the Court on emails unrelated to scheduling, including inter-party disputes.

Please do not copy the Court with any e-mails that are not related to scheduling. These include, but are not limited to, e-mails where attorneys are litigating with each other or disagreeing on dates/times.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

If your special set is canceled, please email the Judicial Assistant a Notice of Cancellation to div44@17th.flcourts.org Please cancel as soon as is reasonably possible to allow other litigants to use that time.

If your special set is canceled, please email the Judicial Assistant a Notice of Cancellation to div44@17th.flcourts.org Please cancel as soon as is reasonably possible to allow other litigants to use that time.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Zoom or login technical difficulties must be reported to chambers immediately by email or phone.

If you have any connection issues or issues logging into the Virtual Courtroom, please Contact the Court's chambers immediately (via email or phone).

WARNING

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Email to chambers

All parties must be included on emails to the Court, and hearing requests must state the time needed and attach the date-stamped motion.

Please ensure all parties are included in any e-mail communications with the Court. When requesting a hearing, the email should include the amount of time needed and a copy of the relevant motion date-stamped by the Clerk's Office.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Do not send multiple emails on the same matter; respond within the same email thread or your request will be delayed.

DO NOT send multiple emails regarding the same matter and please respond to the e-mails within the same email thread. Emails are sorted by when they are sent starting with the oldest first. Sending a second email request on the same matter results in the system automatically moving your first message to the end of the line which results in a delayed response to your original request.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Do not send multiple emails about the same hearing; duplicate emails delay the setting of the hearing.

DO NOT SEND MULTIPLE EMAILS REGARDING THE SAME HEARING. This will result in delay in setting the hearing. Sending a second email request on the same matter results in the system automatically moving your first message to the end of the line which results in a delayed response to your original request.

WARNING

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Phone to chambers

Counsel should call chambers only after first reading all of the division's published procedures.

Please only call the Court's chambers after you have read all of the procedures contained on this page.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Parties must notify the Court by email or phone as soon as possible if a case set for trial resolves.

If your case resolves after being set for trial, please notify the Court via email or phone, as soon as possible, so as to allow other cases to use that time.

WARNINGCriminal cases

Contact

Phone to chambers

Phone

954-831-7671

Non-urgent inquiries involving both parties will be redirected to email with the opposing side copied.

You may reach the Judicial Assistant Marlene Henderson at 954-831-7671 If your call and inquiry is not urgent and involves both parties, you will be directed to correspond via email with the opposing side being copied.

WARNING

Court staff will not engage in ex-parte communications or relay ex-parte information or messages to the judge, and parties must not ask court personnel to do so.

The Court staff will not have ex-parte communications with anyone and is not permitted to relay ex-parte information to the Judge. Please do not ask this Court's Judicial Assistant or other court personnel to communicate any message to the judge.

WARNING

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Phone to chambers

If the parties cannot agree on a hearing date or length, all persons responsible for scheduling must join a conference call with the Judicial Assistant to schedule the hearing.

If the parties cannot agree on a date or the length of the hearing, then all persons responsible for scheduling such hearing for each party must participate in a conference call to the Court's Judicial Assistant in order to schedule the hearing.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

To have a matter heard in person at the courthouse instead of Zoom, parties must email the division (copying the other side) at least five days before the hearing.

If you prefer to have your matter addressed at the courthouse, please email us (copy the other side), at div54@17th.flcourts.org with your request, at least five days before the hearing.

WARNING

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Phone

If you are cancelling the hearing, please be sure to cancel it on the on-line. If you are cancelling a hearing that is scheduled for the same or next day, please call the JA as well.

If you are cancelling the hearing, please be sure to cancel it on the on-line. If you are cancelling a hearing that is scheduled for the same or next day, please call the JA as well.

WARNING

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Phone

Please before calling, refer to the procedures for answers to many of your questions. The office is closed between 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. daily.

Please before calling, refer to the procedures for answers to many of your questions. The office is closed between 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. daily.

WARNING

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Phone to chambers

After complying with the Preliminary Order, the moving attorney must contact the Judicial Assistant to obtain special set hearing time on a motion to tax costs or award attorney's fees.

Once the attorneys have complied with the Preliminary Order and are ready for a special set hearing, the moving attorney must contact the Judicial Assistant to obtain special set hearing time.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Hearing requests are made by contacting chambers by phone or email to confirm approval, and motions coordinated with opposing counsel requiring five minutes or less may be self-scheduled by the moving party on CMS.

Contact chambers either by phone or email (divfj@17th.flcourts.org) to request that a motion be scheduled for hearing and to confirm it has been approved for hearing. Hearings coordinated with opposing counsel and no longer than five minutes may be scheduled by the moving party on CMS.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to chambers

Phone

(954) 831-6574

The Judicial Assistant may be reached at (954) 831-6574, and at least twenty-four business hours must be allowed for a response to email or phone requests.

You may contact the Judicial Assistant at (954) 831-6574. Allow at least twenty-four business hours for the judicial assistant to respond to your email or phone requests.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Questions and correspondence to the court must be emailed to the judicial assistant with opposing counsel and the assigned assistant state attorney copied, and ex parte communication with court personnel is prohibited.

If you have any questions, please email the judicial assistant at divfj@17th.flcourts.org and copy opposing counsel on all correspondence to the court. Before sending your email, ensure you CC the correct assistant state attorney assigned to your case. Parties can refer to https://browardsao.com/contact-directory/ for additional information. It is important to note that court personnel are not allowed to have ex parte communication with parties and litigants.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Proposed orders may be delivered to chambers in person or by email, and lawyers must copy all relevant parties when communicating with chambers.

All proposed orders can be delivered to chambers either in person or by email to DIVFJ@17th.flcourts.org. Lawyers are reminded to cc all relevant parties when communicating with chambers.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

If opposing counsel does not respond within two full business days to a good-faith attempt to coordinate a hearing, the party must notify the court, which may schedule a status conference and set a hearing date.

If you have made a good faith attempt to coordinate a hearing with the opposing party and have not received a response from opposing counsel within two full business days of your contact, notify the court of this issue. The court will handle non-responsive matters by scheduling a status conference for the defendant and possibly setting a hearing date.

WARNING

Judicial Assistants and courtroom staff may not discuss substantive case matters or provide legal advice to parties.

The Code of Judicial Conduct precludes Judicial Assistants and other courtroom staff from speaking to parties about substantive matters in any case. Furthermore, the Judicial Assistant and other court personnel are not legally qualified to provide legal advice to anyone.

WARNING

Additionally, due to the volume of email received and processed on a daily basis, it is nearly impossible for the Judicial Assistant to recall if an order that was submitted for review/signature has been signed and/or sent out. Motions and accompanying orders are reviewed and processed as quickly as possible and the calls inquiring as to the status of such orders only delay that process. Therefore, please rely on the clerk's on-line docket in lieu of calling the Judicial Assistant to determine if an order has been signed.

Additionally, due to the volume of email received and processed on a daily basis, it is nearly impossible for the Judicial Assistant to recall if an order that was submitted for review/signature has been signed and/or sent out. Motions and accompanying orders are reviewed and processed as quickly as possible and the calls inquiring as to the status of such orders only delay that process. Therefore, please rely on the clerk's on-line docket in lieu of calling the Judicial Assistant to determine if an order has been signed.

WARNING

In order to maximize the Court's time and insure the Judge's time is used as efficiently as possible to allow all parties as much access to the Court as possible, please notify Judge Bristol's office of any cancellations as soon as practicable.

In order to maximize the Court's time and insure the Judge's time is used as efficiently as possible to allow all parties as much access to the Court as possible, please notify Judge Bristol's office of any cancellations as soon as practicable.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to chambers

If a case resolves after being placed on the trial docket, counsel should call the JA as soon as possible.

However, we expect that if your case does resolve, as a professional courtesy to the court, a phone call will be placed to the judicial assistant as soon as possible, so that we can properly manage the rest of our docket.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to chambers

Consult the procedures before calling chambers; the office is closed between 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. daily.

Before calling, please refer to the procedures for answers to many of your questions. The office is closed between 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. daily.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Defendants represented by an attorney should contact their attorney to communicate with our office.

Defendants represented by an attorney should contact their attorney to communicate with our office.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Parties must inform the Judicial Assistant of any drop off or upload of hearing materials.

You must inform the Judicial Assistant of any drop off or upload.

WARNING

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Phone to chambers

Parties may not call or email judges, judicial assistants, or staff counsel for status reports on pending appellate proceedings.

DO NOT call or email judges, judicial assistants or staff counsel to request a status report regarding a pending appellate proceeding.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

To cancel an unnecessary special-set hearing, the scheduling party must immediately email the Judicial Assistant with the reason, and the hearing is cancelled only if the Court approves.

Should any scheduled special-set hearing become unnecessary, the scheduling party shall immediately send an email to the Judicial Assistant explaining the reason for the desired cancellation. If approved by the Court, the Judicial Assistant will cancel the hearing (see Local Rule 11).

WARNING

Contact

Phone to chambers

In-person appearances require advance coordination with the JA (preferably 5-10 days before the hearing), both sides' agreement to appear in person, and both sides actually appearing in person.

Persons desiring to instead appear in person should contact the judicial assistant and coordinate in advance (preferably 5 to 10 says ) of the hearing date for further information. However, prior to contacting the judicial assistant, both sides have to agree for an in person hearing and both sides have to appear.

WARNING

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Phone to chambers

The office will not confirm receipt of materials, hearings, pending orders, or procedures, so parties should not seek such confirmations.

WE DO NOT CONFIRM THE FOLLOWING: RECEIPT OF ANY MATERIALS SENT TO OUR OFFICE, HEARINGS, PENDING ORDERS AND PROCEDURES.

WARNING

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Phone to chambers

Do not call or email about the status of an order's signing; read orders carefully before uploading because the office does not intercept orders already uploaded to the workbench.

PLEASE DO NOT CALL OR EMAIL AS TO THE STATUS OF THE SIGNING OF AN ORDER. PRIOR TO UPLOADING ORDERS - PLEASE READ THEM CAREFULLY AS THIS OFFICE DOES NOT INTERCEPT ORDERS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN UPLOADED TO THE JUDGE’S WORKBENCH.

WARNING

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Phone to chambers

Do not contact the JA for additional hearing dates; instead check the online system for cancellations with the opposing side's agreement.

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE JA TO ASK FOR ADDITIONAL DATES. CHECK THE SYSTEM PERIODICALLY FOR CANCELLATIONS AS WE DO GET THEM - MAKING SURE THE OPPOSING SIDE AGREES.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

If an interpreter other than Spanish or Creole is required, please provide as much advance notice via telephone or our division email, so as not to have your case possibly delayed.

If an interpreter other than Spanish or Creole is required, please provide as much advance notice via telephone or our division email, so as not to have your case possibly delayed.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Motions for termination or modification of probation must be emailed to the division email with a copy to the State and a request for a hearing time.

All Motions for Termination or Modification of Probation shall be sent to our division email with a copy to the State with a request for a hearing time.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Hearing dates are obtained by emailing the judicial assistant, with a courtesy copy to the opposing party.

In order to obtain a hearing date, an email shall be sent to the judicial assistant with courtesy copy to the opposing party.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Hearing and trial requests must be made by email to divmw@17th.flcourts.org with the State or opposing counsel copied.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST TO HAVE A HEARING/TRIAL, PLEASE CONTACT divmw@17th.flcourts.org AND REMEMBER TO COPY THE STATE OR OPPOSING COUNSEL(see names/emails below).

WARNING

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Email to chambers

Pro se parties may contact the Judicial Assistant to follow up on a filing, but must not ask court personnel to relay any message to the Judge.

Contact the Judge's Judicial Assistant to follow up upon filing and please do not ask this Court's Judicial Assistant or other Court personnel to communicate any message to the Judge.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Pro se litigants may contact the Judicial Assistant to follow up on filings, but must not ask the Judicial Assistant or other court personnel to relay messages to the Judge.

Contact the Judge's Judicial Assistant to follow up upon filing and please do not ask this Court's Judicial Assistant or other Court personnel to communicate any message to the Judge.

WARNINGCivil cases

Contact

Email to chambers

Hearings set through CMS must be cancelled by the party that set them; do not ask the Judicial Assistant to cancel them.

Please do not request the Court's Judicial Assistant to cancel any hearings set by the parties through CMS, as it should be done by the party that set the hearing.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

All motions in domestic violence cases must be scheduled through the Judicial Assistant.

All motions in domestic violence cases must be scheduled through the Judicial Assistant.

WARNING

If a settlement is reached, please notify the Court IMMEDIATELY so hearings in all related matters may be cancelled.

If a settlement is reached, please notify the Court IMMEDIATELY so hearings in all related matters may be cancelled.

WARNING

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Email to chambers

When e-mailing this office, you must include the opposing counsel/party in all correspondence.

When e-mailing this office, you must include the opposing counsel/party in all correspondence.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Every e-mail to the division e-mail must include the case number and case style in the subject line.

All e-mails to the division e-mail must have the CASE NUMBER and CASE STYLE in the SUBJECT LINE.