Eighth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy and Union Counties Chambers Communication Rules

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Request hearing time from the judicial assistant by email, include pro se litigants and counsel of record, and do not seek to set hearings by phone.

To obtain a hearing time, contact the judicial assistant by email at wablekc@circuit8.org. Hearings will not be set over the phone. Pro se litigants and counsel of record must be included in emails to the judicial assistant.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Communications to the judicial office must be sent by email to the stated address.

All communications to the judicial office must be submitted by e-mail to Wablekc@circuit8.org.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email

Attorneys and self-represented litigants must provide an email address for receiving signed orders electronically unless excused.

All attorneys and self-represented litigants must provide an e-mail address to receive signed orders electronically, unless excused. Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.516.

CRITICAL

Comments or requests must be filed in writing with the Clerk’s Office and served on all other parties.

If you have a comment or request to make, please file it in writing with the Clerk’s Office and serve a copy on all other parties.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Proposed orders must be emailed to the stated address in Word format.

Proposed Orders shall be emailed to wablekc@circuit8.org in Word format.

CRITICALCriminal cases

The moving or referring party must arrange for the matter to be placed on the next appropriate VTC docket by contacting the Specialty Courts Manager.

The moving or referring party shall set the matter on the next appropriate VTC docket by contacting the Specialty Courts Manager.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

If both parties are represented and cannot agree on an order’s form, counsel must email one proposed order with the differences redlined to the judicial assistant.

If the parties cannot agree on the form of the order and both parties are represented, the lawyers shall email one proposed order with their difference redlined to the judicial assistant.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

An agreed proposed order must be emailed to the Court with an indication that the parties agreed to it.

Once it has been agreed upon, the order shall be emailed to the Court and advising that the order has been agreed upon.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

If either party is unrepresented, each side must email its proposed order to the judicial assistant for review.

If one or both parties are unrepresented, then each side shall email their proposed order to the judicial assistant for the Court to review.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Emergency motions must be emailed to the judicial assistant for the Court’s review.

Emergency motions must be e-mailed to the judicial assistant for the Court’s review.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Non-exhibit documents for the Court’s review must be emailed to the Court and opposing party at least three business days before the hearing or trial.

All other non-exhibit documents that a party wishes the Court to review must be provided to the Court and the opposing party by email to wablekc@circuit8.org at least three (3) business days prior to the hearing or trial.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Communications to the judicial office must be emailed to the Judicial Assistant and include the case number, case name, and relevant matter.

All communications to the judicial office must be submitted by e-mail to the Judicial Assistant, Alexandra Courtney, at courtneya@circuit8.org Please include the case number, case name, and relevant matter (e.g., 2024 CF 001234 – Doe v. Doe – 2-Hour Hearing Requested.).

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

To schedule a Zoom hearing, email the Judicial Assistant, state that a Zoom hearing is requested, and provide the case number, hearing subject, requested duration, and names and email addresses of participants.

Please email the Judicial Assistant, Alexandra Courtney, at courtneya@circuit8.org to to schedule your hearing. You must inform her that you are requesting a zoom hearing in order for a Zoom hearing to be set up. You will need to provide the case number, subject of the hearing, amount of time requested, and the names and email addresses of all attorneys and/or parties who will be participating.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Copy all parties on emails to the judicial office unless the communication is authorized by law to be ex parte.

All parties must be copied on any e-mail directed to the judicial office, unless an ex parte communication is authorized by law.

CRITICAL

Communications with the judicial office must comply with Canon 3, including its prohibition on ex parte communications unless authorized by law.

All communications with the judicial office must comply with Canon 3 of the Code of Judicial Conduct, which prohibits a judge from initiating, permitting, or considering ex parte communications and from considering other communications outside the presence of the parties concerning a pending or impending proceeding, unless authorized by law.

CRITICAL

The requesting attorney or party must arrange third-party appearances and share Zoom information only with anticipated participants; the information must not be publicly published, and the court will not call participants into the hearing.

The attorney or party requesting the Zoom hearing will be responsible for sharing the Zoom hearing information with any third party and for making arrangements for their appearance, including, but not limited to, court reporters, witnesses, etc. The court will not be able to call parties to include them in the hearing. The Zoom hearing information shall be provided only to third parties who are anticipated to participate in the hearing and shall NOT be publicly published.

CRITICAL

Communications with the judicial office must comply with Canon 3’s restrictions on ex parte and other communications outside the parties’ presence, unless authorized by law.

All communications with the judicial office must comply with Canon 3 of the Code of Judicial Conduct, which prohibits a judge from initiating, permitting, or considering ex parte communications and from considering other communications outside the presence of the parties concerning a pending or impending proceeding, unless authorized by law.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Email to the judicial office must copy all parties unless the communication is authorized ex parte by law.

All parties must be copied on any e-mail directed to the judicial office, unless an ex parte communication is authorized by law.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email

Attorneys and self-represented litigants must provide an email address for electronic receipt of signed orders unless excused.

All attorneys and self-represented litigants must provide an e-mail address to receive signed orders electronically, unless excused.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Request hearing time by email and include the case number, case style, a courtesy copy of the motion or petition, and the total time requested for both sides.

Please email Morganj@circuit8.org to request hearing time. The email request should include: Case Number Style of case A courtesy copy of the motion(s) or petition(s) being set The Total amount of time requested for both sides.

CRITICAL

Notify the Judicial Assistant immediately to cancel a hearing.

You must cancel hearings by notifying the judicial assistant immediately.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Communications to the judicial office must be emailed to the stated address with the case number, case name, and relevant matter in the subject line.

All communications to the judicial office must be submitted by e-mail to Morganj@circuit8.org. The subject line must contain the case number, case name, and relevant matter (e.g., 01-24-DR-0000 – Doe v. Doe – 2-Hour Hearing Request).

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Communications to the judicial office must be sent by email to the stated address and include the case number with county code, case name, and relevant matter in the subject line.

All communications to the judicial office must be submitted by e-mail to CourtneyK@circuit8.org. The subject line must contain the case number including the county code, case name, and relevant matter (e.g., 01-2024-CF-001234-A: State v. Doe – 2-Hour Hearing Requested).

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Copy all parties on emails to the judicial office unless the communication is authorized ex parte by law.

All parties must be copied on any e-mail directed to the judicial office, unless an ex parte communication is authorized by law

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Request hearing time by emailing the judicial assistant because the judge’s scheduling calendars are not available online.

The judge’s scheduling calendars are not available online. Please email CourtneyK@circuit8.org to request hearing time.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

Phone

352-337-6237

A person needing an ADA accommodation should contact the ADA Coordinator at least seven days before the court appearance, or immediately upon receiving notice if fewer than seven days remain.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in a proceeding, you are entitled to be provided with certain assistance at no cost to you. Please contact the ADA Coordinator, Alachua County Family and Civil Justice Center, 201 East University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32601 (352-337-6237) at least 7 days before your scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving this notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than 7 days.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

If the Zoom motion is granted, email the participant’s driver’s license or photo ID to the judicial assistant immediately upon receiving the proposed order, unless the witness is in the presence of a notary public.

If the Court grants the Motion, please email a Driver’s License or photo ID of the Zoom participant to CourtneyK@circuit8.org immediately upon receipt of the proposed Order. This is required for identification purposes, or the witness can be in the presence of a Notary Public.

CRITICAL

Communications concerning a pending or impending proceeding must comply with Canon 3’s restrictions on ex parte and outside-the-parties’-presence communications, unless authorized by law.

All communications with the judicial office must comply with Canon 3 of the Code of Judicial Conduct, which prohibits a judge from initiating, permitting, or considering ex parte communications and from considering other communications outside the presence of the parties concerning a pending or impending proceeding, unless authorized by law.

CRITICAL

Do not notice other motions or matters for the time reserved for a scheduled motion or petition without prior approval from the judicial assistant.

Once a motion or petition is scheduled, any other motions or matters may NOT be noticed at the same time reserved for the first motion unless prior approval has been obtained from the judicial assistant.

CRITICAL

Hearings must be canceled by immediately notifying the Judicial Assistant.

You must cancel hearings by notifying the judicial assistant immediately.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

A hearing-time email request should include the case number, case style, a courtesy copy of the motion or motions, and the total time requested for both sides.

The email request should include: Case Number Style of Case A courtesy copy of the motion(s) being set The total amount of time requested for both sides

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

Phone

352 337 6237

For ADA accommodations, contact the ADA Coordinator at least seven days before the court appearance, or immediately upon receiving notice if fewer than seven days remain.

Please contact the ADA Coordinator, Alachua County Family and Civil Justice Center, 201 East University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32601, phone# 352 337 6237 at least 7 days prior to your scheduled Court appearance or immediately upon receiving the notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than 7 days.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Hearing time must be requested by email to PolkL@circuit8.org.

Please email PolkL@circuit8.org to request hearing time.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email

Attorneys and self-represented litigants must provide an email address for electronically receiving signed orders unless excused.

All attorneys and self-represented litigants must provide an e-mail address to receive signed orders electronically, unless excused.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Communications to the judicial office must be sent by email to PolkL@Circuit8.org.

All communications to the judicial office must be submitted by e-mail to PolkL@Circuit8.org.

WARNING

Do not call the Court expecting to speak with a judge about a case.

Please do not call the Court expecting to speak with a Judge about any case.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Email the Zoom hearing participant list to the stated address.

This information shall be provided via email to StephensonT@circuit8.org.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Emails coordinating hearings should be limited to the attorneys’ offices and should not include the judicial assistant.

Email communications to coordinate hearings should only be between the attorneys’ offices and should not include the judicial assistant.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to chambers

If multiple parties will appear by Zoom, the first party to seek Zoom appearance must coordinate the conference call unless the parties agree otherwise.

If multiple parties will be appearing by Zoom, the party who first seeks Zoom appearance must coordinate the conference call unless otherwise agreed.

WARNING

Do not deliver packages or mail to the Alachua County Family & Civil Justice Center.

Alachua County Family & Civil Justice Center (no deliveries)

WARNING

Contact

Email

Contact Court Interpreting at the stated email address if an interpreter is needed for a hearing or trial.

If an interpreter is needed for a hearing or trial, please contact Court Interpreting at interpreter@circuit8.org

WARNING

The Court will not consider unsolicited communications from non-parties.

Unsolicited communications from non-parties will not be considered by the court.

WARNING

Contact

Phone

Phone

352-337-6237

Contact the ADA Coordinator at the stated address and number at least seven days before the appearance, or immediately upon notice if fewer than seven days remain.

Please contact the ADA Coordinator, Alachua County Family and Civil Justice Center, 201 East University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32601 (352-337-6237) at least 7 days before your scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving notification of a hearing if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than 7 days.

WARNING

Do not contact the Circuit Judge’s office about foreclosure matters.

Please do not contact the Circuit Judge’s office for any Foreclosure matter.

WARNING

Contact

Phone

Phone

(352) 374-3648

In addition, attorneys should call Court Administration (352) 374-3648 to alert them to the filing of the emergency motion. Messages to Court Administration should only be left concerning emergency/time-sensitive motions.

In addition, attorneys should call Court Administration (352) 374-3648 to alert them to the filing of the emergency motion. Messages to Court Administration should only be left concerning emergency/time-sensitive motions.

WARNING

The Court considers only arguments made in court and documents filed by actual parties, not other opinions or arguments, and does not give legal advice.

Please keep in mind that the Court is only allowed to consider arguments made in court and documents filed by actual parties to the case. They cannot ethically read or consider any other opinions or arguments about the case, and they cannot give legal advice.

WARNING

The attorney or party requesting a third party’s attendance must provide that person the Zoom information and arrange their appearance.

The attorney or party requesting that third parties attend the hearing will be responsible for sharing the Zoom hearing information with that third party and for making arrangements for their appearance.

WARNING

All packages and mail should be delivered to the Levy County Courthouse.

All packages and mail should be delivered to the Levy County Courthouse.

WARNING

Direct foreclosure inquiries to the Foreclosure case manager.

Please direct your inquiry to the Foreclosure case manager.