Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Broward County Chambers Communication Rules

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

When requesting a hearing, the e-mail should include the amount of time needed and a copy of the relevant motion date-stamped by the Clerk's Office.

When requesting a hearing, the e-mail should include the amount of time needed and a copy of the relevant motion date-stamped by the Clerk's Office.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Notices of voluntary dismissal in DVCE cases must be set for hearing on the DV Docket, with a copy sent to the Judicial Assistant to request a date and time.

If a Petitioner files a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal in a domestic violence case (DVCE), the Notice must be set for a hearing on the Court's DV Docket. Please send a copy of the notice to the Judicial Assistant and request a hearing date and time.

WARNING

Contact

Email to intake unit

Phone

954-831-8532

Pro se litigants may not contact the Judicial Assistant and must direct questions to the Case Management Unit by e-mail or phone.

If you are a pro se litigant please do not contact the Judicial Assistant. Instead, all self-represented parties may seek assistance by contacting our Case Management Unit via e-mail at ufchelp@17th.flcourts.org or by phone at 954-831-8532 for all questions and guidance regarding your case.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

The Court may not be copied on e-mails unrelated to scheduling, including e-mails where the parties are litigating with each other.

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 counsel/parties are litigating with each other or disagreeing on dates/times.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

The division may not be included in party-to-party scheduling e-mails and duplicate e-mails about the same hearing are prohibited, as both cause delays.

DO NOT INCLUDE THE DIVISION IN E-MAILS BETWEEN THE PARTIES DISCUSSING SCHEDULING. This will result in delay in setting the hearing. DO NOT SEND MULTIPLE e-mailS REGARDING THE SAME HEARING. This will result in delay in setting the hearing.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Do not send multiple e-mails about the same case and respond within the existing e-mail thread; duplicates may delay responses.

DO NOT send multiple e-mails regarding the same case to the Court and please respond to the e-mails within the same existing e-mail thread. Multiple e-mail requests in the same case may result in a delayed response to your requests.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Timely objections to General Magistrate referral must be submitted to the Court via the division e-mail with the filed motion and hearing request.

If a party timely objects to referral to the General Magistrate, a copy of the Objection, along with the filed motion, and hearing request, shall be submitted to the Court via the division e-mail.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Interpreter needs in DV cases must be e-mailed to the Judicial Assistant at least seven days before the hearing.

For Domestic Violence cases, please notify the Judicial Assistant by e-mail that you require the services of an interpreter at least seven (7) days prior to your hearing.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

All parties and counsel of record must be copied on any e-mail communications with the Court.

Please ensure all parties and counsel of record are included in any e-mail communications with the Court.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Agreed Orders must not be mailed or e-mailed to the Court (they are submitted via CMS).

Do not mail or e-mail copies of Agreed Orders to the Court.

WARNING

Guardians Ad Litem may appear by Zoom without a motion but must give advance notice to the Judicial Assistant.

Guardians Ad Litem may appear via Zoom without the need to file a motion but must provide advance notice to the Judicial Assistant, unless otherwise ordered by the Court.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Using UMC to seek earlier dates, sending multiple or duplicative e-mails to the Judicial Assistant, and starting new e-mail threads to expedite hearings are all prohibited.

The following practices are not permitted: Setting motions on the Court's Uniform Motion Calendar to seek an earlier hearing date from the Court. Sending multiple, disorganized, or duplicative e-mails to the Judicial Assistant. Initiating a new e-mail thread for a request to expedite a hearing.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

After complying with the Preliminary Order, the moving attorney must contact the Judicial Assistant to obtain a special set evidentiary hearing time.

Once the attorneys comply with the Preliminary Order and are ready for a special set hearing, the moving attorney must contact the Judicial Assistant to obtain a special set evidentiary hearing time. The judge's office will then enter an Order Setting Evidentiary Hearing.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

A request to use screen-sharing on Zoom must be emailed to the division email at least one business day before the hearing.

FOR THE USE OF SCREEN-SHARING ON ZOOM, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO THE DIVISION EMAIL AT DIV82@17TH.FLCOURTS.ORG, AT LEAST ONE BUSINESS DAY PRIOR TO THE HEARING.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Filing a notice of cancellation does not automatically cancel a hearing; the Judicial Assistant must be notified.

Filing a notice of cancellation does not automatically cancel the hearing. PLEASE ENSURE YOU NOTIFY THE COURT BY CONTACTING THE JUDICIAL ASSISTANT.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Do not send multiple emails regarding the same hearing; duplicates cause delays.

DO NOT SEND MULTIPLE E-MAILS REGARDING THE SAME HEARING. This will result in delay in setting the hearing.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

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

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

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Cancelled special set hearings require emailing a Notice of Cancellation to div41@17th.flcourts.org as soon as reasonably possible.

If your special set is cancelled, please e-mail a Notice of Cancellation to div41@17th.flcourts.org. Please cancel as soon as is reasonably possible to allow other litigants to use that time.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Emails to the division must have the case number and case style in the subject line and must not contain legal argument or substantive factual discussion to the Judicial Assistant.

E-mail is the most effective way to communicate with the Court. Please note: it is never appropriate to include legal argument or substantive discussion regarding facts of any case in e-mails to a Judicial Assistant. All e-mails to the division e-mail must have the CASE NUMBER and CASE STYLE in the SUBJECT LINE.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Do not contact the Judicial Assistant to ask whether an order has been signed.

Please do not contact the Judicial Assistant to see if your order has been signed, the Court will review, enter, and conform orders as promptly as possible.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Do not send multiple emails regarding the same case; respond within the same email thread.

DO NOT send multiple e-mails regarding the same case and please respond to the e-mails within the same e-mail thread. Multiple e-mail requests in the same case may result in a delayed response to your requests.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Do not include the Division in party-to-party emails discussing scheduling.

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

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Please ensure all parties are included in any e-mail communications with the Court. When requesting a hearing, the e-mail should include the amount of time needed and a copy of the relevant motion date-stamped by the Clerk's Office. Please do not copy the Court with any e-mails that are not related to scheduling.

Please ensure all parties are included in any e-mail communications with the Court. When requesting a hearing, the e-mail should include the amount of time needed and a copy of the relevant motion date-stamped by the Clerk's Office. Please do not copy the Court with any e-mails that are not related to scheduling.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

If a trial-setting matter settles, the Judicial Assistant must be emailed immediately.

If the matter set for trial settles, please e-mail the Judicial Assistant IMMEDIATELY.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

The Court does not rule on emails; requests that should be motions must not be sent to the Judicial Assistant.

The Court does NOT rule on e-mails. Please do not contact the Judicial Assistant with requests that should be presented to the Court in the form of a properly filed motion.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Cancelling a self-set special set hearing requires emailing the Judicial Assistant a Notice of Cancellation.

If you are cancelling a Special Set Hearing that you set, please e-mail the Judicial Assistant a copy of a Notice of Cancellation.

WARNING

Special Set Hearings for up to 15 minutes may be set online. Please do not contact Ms. Stitt to set a hearing requiring 15 minutes or less or to confirm the hearing after it has been scheduled.

Special Set Hearings for up to 15 minutes may be set online. Please do not contact Ms. Stitt to set a hearing requiring 15 minutes or less or to confirm the hearing after it has been scheduled.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to chambers

Pro se parties may not call the Judicial Assistant for advice on what to file or how to prepare filings; the Clerk's office may help with forms.

The Judicial Assistant is not a lawyer and handles scheduling only, therefore, do not call and ask for advice on what to file or how to prepare anything. On some matters, you may be able to go to the Clerk of Court's office on the fourth floor and they can help you with their forms.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

The Judicial Assistant will not resolve unilateral hearing scheduling disputes; parties must coordinate through CMS or set the hearing on UMC.

DO NOT ask the judicial assistant to get involved in the scheduling of unilaterally online hearings. The CMS system was created so that both parties can coordinate the hearings. The judicial assistant is not an arbitrator of your scheduling disputes. Set a hearing on UMC.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

If the parties agree, a Notice of Settlement may be emailed to the division to obtain a final order closing the case and canceling the scheduled hearing/calendar call.

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

Parties may not call or email Judges, Judicial Assistants, or Staff Counsel about the status of filed documents in the Appellate Division; they must file an appropriate motion per Administrative Order 2019-06-GEN.

Phone calls to Judicial Assistants regarding the status of filed documents are inappropriate. It is for that reason that ALL parties are directed to review the Guidelines for Communications with the Appellate Division and to govern himself/herself accordingly. The Guidelines for Communications with the Appellate Division provides that parties shall not “call or email Judges, Judicial Assistants, or Staff Counsel.”

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Documents for in camera inspection must be emailed to div24@17th.flcourts.org because uploading them to CMS would make them visible to the other side.

Submit your documents by email to div24@17th.flcourts.org. If you upload the documents to CMS, the other side can see it.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Self-represented parties must make any request of the Judge by email and may not call the Judicial Assistant for advice on what to file or how to prepare anything.

If you represent yourself, any requests you are making of the Judge needs to be in EMAIL. The Judicial Assistant is not a lawyer and handles scheduling only, therefore, do not call and ask for advice on what to file or how to prepare anything.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

After a Final Order of Dismissal, Notice of Voluntary Dismissal, or Notice of Settlement is signed, a copy must be emailed to div24@17th.flcourts.org to remove the case from the docket.

When the Order is signed. Please send an email to div24@17th.flcourts.org with a copy of the Order to remove your case from the docket.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Confidential paperwork for the judge to review must be submitted by email to div24@17th.flcourts.org.

CONFIDENTIAL PAPERWORK FOR THE JUDGE TO REVIEW: Submit your documents by email to div24@17th.flcourts.org.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

If the parties do not agree on the language of an order, the order must be emailed to Division 24 notifying the Court of the disagreement, with the proposed order and all parties included.

You must send the orders in the same email to Division 24 to the Judge notifying the Court that the parties DO NOT AGREE.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Parties may not ask the judicial assistant to resolve scheduling disputes over unilaterally online hearings; such matters must be set on UMC.

DO NOT ask the judicial assistant to get involved in the scheduling of unilaterally online hearings. The CMS system was created so that both parties can coordinate the hearings. The judicial assistant is not an arbitrator of your scheduling disputes. Set a hearing on UMC.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

The Judicial Assistant cannot give legal advice or explain how to proceed, so parties must review the division procedures before emailing her.

Please do not ask Judicial Assistant questions on how to proceed with the case, she is not allowed to give any legal advice Therefore, review the procedures carefully before emailing the Judicial Assistant.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Special set hearings requesting more than 5 minutes require an email to Division 24 stating the time needed, with a copy of the motion, and all paperwork uploaded through CMS 'Supporting Documents'.

Send an email to Division 24 requesting a hearing time and be sure to indicate how much time is needed when sending the email. Email a copy of the motion along with the request for hearing, ALL paperwork needs to be uploaded electronically through CMS “Supporting Documents” - any questions please email chambers.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to clerk

Phone

954-831-5505

Parties must contact the Evidence Room at least 48 hours in advance to retrieve trial exhibits, contacting the Evidence Manager first, then the main Evidence Room number.

Please contact the Evidence Room at least 48 hours in advance of the date needed in order to retrieve exhibits from evidence. First, contact: Charles Hall, Evidence Manager at 954-831-5505. If unavailable, then contact the main number for the Evidence Room at 954-831-5539.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to clerk

Phone

954-831-5570 or 954-831-5520

To check status of an emergency motion, contact the Clerk's Office in person or by phone.

If you filed an emergency motion and are trying to find out the status, you will need to contact the Clerk’s Office in person or by phone (954-831-5570 or 954-831-5520).

WARNING

The Judicial Assistant does not process petitions, amended petitions, or supplemental affidavits, or set first hearings.

The Judicial Assistant does not process any petition, amended petition, or supplemental affidavit in support of a petition, or the setting of first hearings upon the filing of petitions, amended petitions, or supplemental affidavit in support of petitions.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Attorneys should send a copy of the motion and Clerk's acceptance via division email.

Attorneys should send a copy of the motion and a copy of the Clerk’s acceptance via the division email at (div59@17th.flcourts.org).

WARNING

If you filed a petition for injunction and didn't wait for decision, follow up with the Clerk's Office in room 2140 or by phone.

If you filed a petition for an injunction in person at the Clerk’s Office, room 2140, and did not wait for the decision/paperwork, or if you e-filed a petition for an injunction, you will need to follow up with the Clerk’s Office in room 2140 or by phone.

WARNING

Unsolicited communications from non-parties will not be considered; parties may only contact the judicial office per these procedures.

Unsolicited communications from non-parties will not be considered by the court. Parties may only contact the judicial office in accordance with these practices and procedures.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

If a scheduled, evidentiary motion is going to be cancelled, whether by submission of an agreed order or by withdrawal by the filing party, the Court expects that one or both of the parties will contact the Judicial Assistant to advise of the cancellation as early as is practicable. If the cancellation is the result of an agreement on the motion then an agreed order should be submitted prior to cancelling the hearing with the Court.

If a scheduled, evidentiary motion is going to be cancelled, whether by submission of an agreed order or by withdrawal by the filing party, the Court expects that one or both of the parties will contact the Judicial Assistant to advise of the cancellation as early as is practicable. If the cancellation is the result of an agreement on the motion then an agreed order should be submitted prior to cancelling the hearing with the Court.

WARNING

The Court also expects attorneys who are delayed or unable to attend a scheduled hearing to contact the Court at first opportunity to advise of the delay or inability to appear.

The Court also expects attorneys who are delayed or unable to attend a scheduled hearing to contact the Court at first opportunity to advise of the delay or inability to appear.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Communication is preferred via email. Please include the opposing attorney (or pro se litigant) and any other necessary parties on the email. Phone messages will be returned in a timely manner in the order in which they are received.

Communication is preferred via email. Please include the opposing attorney (or pro se litigant) and any other necessary parties on the email. Phone messages will be returned in a timely manner in the order in which they are received.

WARNING

When a trial is likely to resolve, one or both parties should contact the Judicial Assistant to advise of the likely resolution as early as possible.

To the extent practicable, when parties believe that a trial will resolve the Court will expect that one or both of the parties will contact the Judicial Assistant to advise of the likelihood of a resolution as early as it is possible.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Special set hearings must be scheduled by emailing the Judicial Assistant, with phone calls only when absolutely necessary, after first coordinating with opposing counsel on the total time needed.

To schedule a hearing not accommodated by the on-line system, or “special set” hearings, please contact the J.A., Kim, via the preferred email (divfg@17th.flcourts.org). Phone calls are to be made only where absolutely necessary. Prior to contacting the office to schedule a hearing, please contact opposing counsel and be prepared to know how much time, in total for both sides, will be needed.