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

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

When required by the case-specific order, email the judicial assistant a copy of each prospective testifying witness’s driver’s license and copy opposing counsel.

In some cases, you may need to email the judicial assistant (and cc the other side) with a copy of the driver’s license of each witness who you may call to testify.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Once a date has been agreed upon, an email should be sent to the judicial assistant confirming the date is still available on the Court’s calendar.

Once a date has been agreed upon, an email should be sent to the judicial assistant confirming the date is still available on the Court’s calendar.

WARNING

Mail comments to the Clerk’s Office in the appropriate county.

If you have a comment to make, please mail it to the Clerk’s Office in the appropriate county.

WARNING

Do not contact the Circuit Judge’s office about guardianship matters assigned to the General Magistrate.

Please do not contact the Circuit Judge’s office for any Guardianship matters assigned to the General Magistrate.

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

The parties may obtain a trial date without a hearing by filing a motion that states the agreed trial date and trial term and emailing it to the Court.

The parties may obtain a trial date without the requirement to appear for a hearing by filing a motion to set trial setting forth the agreed trial date and term of the trial and providing it by email to polkl@circuit8.org.

WARNING

Hearing dates provided by the Judicial Assistant are not held and may be given to other cases.

Dates provided for hearings are not held and may be given to other cases.

WARNING

The court will not consider unsolicited communications from non-parties, and parties may contact the judicial office only under 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

The Court considers arguments made in court and documents filed by actual parties, not other opinions or arguments about the case.

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

Unprofessional communications to the Judicial Assistant will be referred to the local bench bar committee.

Unprofessional communications to the judicial assistant will result in a referral to the local bench bar committee.

WARNING

Contact

Email

A participant experiencing technical issues should email the Court’s judicial assistant.

If a participant is having technical issues, please email the Court’s judicial assistant to advise of the issues.

WARNINGCriminal cases

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

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

WARNING

The Court considers arguments made in court and documents filed by actual parties, not other opinions or arguments about the case.

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.

WARNINGCriminal cases

Phone

(352) 337-6237

A person needing disability accommodation should contact the ADA Coordinator at least seven days before the court appearance, or immediately upon receiving the notice if fewer than seven days remain; assistance is provided at no cost.

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.

WARNINGCriminal cases

Contact

Phone

Phone

(352) 264-7063

If you do not receive a confirmation request within two business days prior to the hearing or event, please contact the Court Interpreter at (352) 264-7063.

If you do not receive a confirmation request within two business days prior to the hearing or event, please contact the Court Interpreter at (352) 264-7063.

WARNINGCriminal cases

Contact

Email to chambers

Any plea expected to last more than 15 minutes should be specially set on the judge’s calendar. Parties should email FeagleR@circuit8.org to specially set.

Any plea expected to last more than 15 minutes should be specially set on the judge’s calendar. Parties should email FeagleR@circuit8.org to specially set.

WARNINGCriminal cases

Contact

Email to chambers

For a time-sensitive matter requiring immediate attention, email the judicial office to notify it that the proposed order has been uploaded to the portal.

For time sensitive matters that require immediate attention, please email FeagleR@circuit8.org to advise that a proposed Order has been uploaded to the portal.

WARNINGCriminal cases

Contact

Email

Interpreter requests should be made in advance whenever possible, in writing by email to Court Administration, with a copy to Raina Feagle.

All requests should be made in advance whenever possible and in writing to Court Administration via e-mail at: interpreter@circuit8.org and copied to Raina Feagle at: FeagleR@circuit8.org.

WARNINGCriminal cases

Suggested hearing dates are not held, and a hearing is not scheduled until the judicial assistant confirms it.

Our office does not hold suggested dates for hearings and a hearing is not scheduled on the Court’s calendar unless you receive confirmation from the judicial assistant.

WARNINGCriminal cases

Contact

Phone

Phone

(352) 264-7029

If the Court Interpreter is unavailable, contact Court Administration at the listed number.

If the Court Interpreter is unavailable, contact Court Administration at (352) 264-7029.

WARNING

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

Please note that the Code of Judicial Conduct governing behavior by judges forbids the judges of the Eighth Judicial Circuit to discuss pending cases with the public. Please do not call or email the Court expecting to speak with a Judge about any case.

WARNINGCriminal cases

Parties may contact the judicial office only in accordance with the division’s practices and procedures.

Parties may only contact the judicial office in accordance with these practices and procedures.

WARNING

The judicial assistant cannot provide legal advice.

The judicial assistant is not authorized to provide legal advice.

WARNING

Hearing times that are not noticed timely will be removed from the Court’s calendar.

Hearing times not timely noticed will be removed from the Court’s calendar.

WARNING

The court will not consider unsolicited communications from non-parties, and parties may contact the judicial office only under 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

Participants with technical issues should email the Court’s judicial assistant.

If a participant is having technical issues, please email the Court’s judicial assistant to advise of the issues.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Case law emailed to the Court less than 7 days before a hearing will not be considered.

Case law emailed to the Court less than 7 days prior to the hearing will not be considered.

WARNING

Judges of the Eighth Judicial Circuit may not discuss pending cases with the public.

The Code of Judicial Conduct governing behavior by judges forbids the judges of the Eighth Judicial Circuit to discuss pending cases with the public.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

For a trial date obtained without a hearing, the motion must be emailed to hallt@circuit8.org.

The parties may obtain a trial date without the requirement to appear for a hearing by filing a motion to set trial setting forth the agreed trial date and term of the trial and providing it by email to hallt@circuit8.org.

WARNING

Dates provided for hearings are not held and may be offered to other cases.

Dates provided for hearings are not held and may be given to other cases.

WARNING

Unprofessional communications to the judicial assistant will result in a referral to the local bench bar committee.

Unprofessional communications to the judicial assistant will result in a referral to the local bench bar committee.

WARNING

Contact

Phone

Phone

(352) 374-3655

Contact the Court’s Information Technology department by phone to coordinate technological issues before a trial or hearing.

Please contact the Court’s Information Technology department at (352) 374- 3655 to coordinate any technological issues in advance of the trial or hearing.

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

Include copies of relevant pleadings when emailing the Court to request a hearing or entry of an order.

PLEASE INCLUDE A COPY OF ANY RELEVANT PLEADINGS WHEN YOU EMAIL THE COURT TO REQUEST A HEARING OR ENTRY OF AN ORDER.

WARNING

A hearing date and time are not secured until the Court sends confirmation.

Hearing dates/times are not secured until confirmation is sent from the Court.

WARNING

Contact

Phone

Phone

(352)337-6237

Contact the ADA Coordinator at least 7 days before the court appearance, or immediately upon receiving the notice if fewer than 7 days remain.

Please contact the ADA Coordinator at (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.

WARNING

Suggested hearing dates are not held, and a hearing is not scheduled until the judicial assistant confirms it has been added to the court calendar.

Our office does not hold suggested dates for hearings, and a hearing is not scheduled on the Court’s calendar unless you receive confirmation from the judicial assistant that it has been added.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

When a case is ready for trial, any party may file a Motion to Set Matter for Trial and email a copy to the judicial assistant.

If a case is ready to be set for trial any party may file a Motion to Set Matter for Trial and provide a copy of same to the judicial assistant via email.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

If the parties filed the notice of hearing, they may cancel by filing a Notice of Cancellation of Hearing, which should be emailed to the judicial assistant upon filing; for a court-set hearing, email the judicial assistant to request cancellation or rescheduling.

If the parties were responsible for filing the Notice of Hearing it may be cancelled via filing a Notice of Cancellation of Hearing which should be emailed to the judicial assistant upon filing. If the hearing was set by the Court, please email the judicial assistant to request cancellation/rescheduling.

WARNING

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

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

WARNING

If the judicial assistant’s out-of-office response provides instructions, follow them.

If an out-of-office response is received upon attempt to contact the judicial assistant, please note the instructions contained therein and proceed accordingly.

WARNING

If you have a comment to make, please mail it to the Clerk’s Office in the appropriate county.

If you have a comment to make, please mail it to the Clerk’s Office in the appropriate county.

WARNING

The Court considers only arguments made in court and documents filed by parties, not other opinions or arguments about the case.

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,

WARNING

The court will not consider unsolicited communications from non-parties, and parties may contact the judicial office only as permitted by 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

If the court agrees that a CMC or SC is required, the moving party may request hearing times from the judicial assistant and coordinate with the opposing party under the stated scheduling procedures.

If the Court agrees that a CMC or SC is required, the moving party may request hearing times from the judicial assistant and coordinate with the opposing party following the courts scheduling procedures outlined above.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

If extenuating circumstances prevent dismissal within the stated period, the parties must notify the judicial assistant by email.

If extenuating circumstances exist which prevent dismissal in that time frame parties are to notify the judicial assistant via email.

WARNING

The court may set an emergency hearing without coordinating with counsel or the parties.

Please note that emergency hearings may be set by the Court without being coordinated with counsel and/or parties.

WARNING

Contact

Phone

Phone

1-800-955-8770

People who are hearing or voice impaired should call the Florida Relay Service at 1-800-955-8770.

If you are hearing or voice impaired, call 1-800-955-8770 via Florida Relay Service.

WARNING

The court will not consider unsolicited communications from non-parties, and parties may contact the judicial office only as permitted by 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.

WARNINGCivil cases

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

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