First Judicial Circuit of Florida, Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton Counties Chambers Communication Rules

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

The email accompanying an emergency motion must be marked urgent and sent to the listed Judicial Assistant address.

Requirements: E-file the Motion and Email a copy to Judge Love’s Judicial Assistant at candace.bearden@flcourts1.gov and mark the email as urgent.

CRITICAL

If a case set for trial settles, notify the judicial assistant immediately and cancel any scheduled hearings.

If your case is set for trial and settles, notify the J.A. immediately and also cancel any hearings that may be scheduled.

CRITICAL

If a case set for trial settles, immediately notify the judicial assistant and cancel any scheduled hearings.

If your case is set for trial and settles, notify the J.A. immediately and also cancel any hearings that may be scheduled.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

For a 1.5-to-2-hour hearing, do not confirm through OnceHub; email after the parties agree on one or two dates so the court can confirm the hearing.

DO NOT PROCEED TO CONFIRM THROUGH ONCEHUB if hearing will be 1.5-2 hours. Please email me once everyone has agreed on one or two dates and I will remove it from OnceHub and confirm the date/time.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

For a 1.5- to 2-hour hearing, do not confirm through OnceHub; email the Judicial Assistant after everyone agrees on one or two dates.

DO NOT PROCEED TO CONFIRM THROUGH ONCEHUB if hearing will be 1.5-2 hours. Please email me once everyone has agreed on one or two dates and I will remove it from OnceHub and confirm the date/time.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

After scheduling an in-person hearing through OnceHub, email the court to convert it from Zoom to in person.

For IN-PERSON hearings please schedule via OnceHub.OnceHub automatically schedules hearings by ZOOM.Once the hearing has been scheduled, please email tressie.leatherman@flcourts1.gov to have the hearing converted to in-person.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

After scheduling an in-person hearing through OnceHub, email the Judicial Assistant to have it converted from Zoom to in-person.

For IN-PERSON hearings please schedule via OnceHub. OnceHub automatically schedules hearings by ZOOM. Once the hearing has been scheduled, please email tressie.leatherman@flcourts1.gov to have the hearing converted to in-person.

CRITICAL

A hearing may not be cross-noticed without express authorization from opposing counsel and Judge Duncan’s office, and a motion will not be heard unless it is properly scheduled and noticed.

Do not “cross notice” a hearing without having express authorization from opposing counsel and Judge Duncan’s office. The judge will not hear a motion(s) which has not been properly scheduled and noticed.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Email the Judicial Assistant to schedule hearings longer than two hours.

HEARINGS OVER 2 HOURS, PLEASE EMAIL Tressie.leatherman@flcourts1.gov

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Email the court to schedule hearings longer than two hours.

HEARINGS OVER 2 HOURS, PLEASE EMAIL Tressie.leatherman@flcourts1.gov

CRITICAL

If a case or issue is resolved, immediately notify Judge Duncan’s office and cancel all scheduled hearings.

If a case or issue is resolved, please notify Judge Duncan’s office immediately and cancel all scheduled hearings so that time can be made available for other hearings.

CRITICAL

The parties must notify the Court if they need additional time to conclude the settlement term.

The parties must advise the court if additional time is required to conclude the settlement term.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Coordinate a Case Management Conference date by emailing the judicial assistant at the specified address.

Contact the judicial assistant via email at anna.lee@flcourts1.gov to coordinate a CMC date.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Use email to schedule hearings, but submit matters for court consideration as filed and served motions or pleadings; do not argue substantive issues by email or include the judicial assistant in party conferrals.

Email shall be utilized for scheduling hearings. All matters to be considered by the Court should be in the form of a motion or pleading, filed and served on all parties. Attempts to argue substantive issues through email will not be tolerated. Moreover, the judicial assistant shall not be included in conferrals between the parties regarding availability or otherwise discussing the case.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Communications to the judicial office must be emailed to the specified address, copy opposing counsel and self-represented litigants, and include the case number and case name in the subject line.

Method of Communication: All communications to the judicial office must be submitted by email to anna.lee@flcourts1.gov with copy to all opposing counsel and each self-represented litigant. The subject line of any email must contain the case number and case name (e.g., 2024 CA 001234 – Doe v. Doe).

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Email proposed orders concerning a hearing that counsel do not agree on to the judicial assistant in Microsoft Word format.

All proposed orders relating to a hearing that counsel are NOT in agreement should be emailed to the judicial assistant at anna.lee@flcourts1.gov in Microsoft Word format.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Cancel a hearing by immediately emailing the judicial assistant and attaching a courtesy copy of the Notice of Cancellation.

You must cancel hearings by notifying the judicial assistant immediately via email with a courtesy copy of the Notice of Cancellation attached.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone to chambers

Phone

850-892-5425

If a hearing is scheduled within 24 hours, cancellation also requires a phone call to the judicial assistant.

If the hearing is scheduled to occur within 24 hours, a phone call to the judicial assistant at 850-892-5425 is also required.

CRITICALCivil cases

The Court must be notified immediately if the case settles or anyone requests a continuance; failure to notify may result in significant monetary sanctions.

If the case settles for any reason or a continuance is requested by any person, party or counsel, the failure to notify this court immediately may result in the imposition of significant monetary sanctions, as there are other cases set the same week and adjustments will need to be made affecting the scheduling of the other cases.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

If no objection is filed to the Notice of Readiness for Trial, the moving party must schedule a Case Management Conference or status conference using the hearing instructions.

If no objection is filed to the Notice of Readiness for Trial, the moving party must schedule the CMC or status conference through the hearing instructions below.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

When requesting Case Management Conference dates, state whether the conference is to schedule a trial date and whether the trial is jury or non-jury.

When requesting dates for a Case Management Conference, please advise if it is to schedule a trial date and if the trial is jury or non-jury.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

After obtaining available dates, coordinate a mutually workable date with opposing counsel and email the judicial assistant; the hearing is not set until the assistant confirms the slot.

After obtaining available dates, coordinate with opposing counsel to select dates that work for all parties. Once the parties have agreed on the potential date(s), please inform the judicial assistant via email, and she will reply to confirm that the time slot is still available, and the hearing is being set. The hearing is not considered set until you receive confirmation from the judicial assistant.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Hearing-scheduling emails must include opposing counsel and any self-represented litigant.

Opposing counsel and any self-represented litigant must be included in the email.

CRITICAL

If the Court determines an emergency exists, it may schedule a hearing unilaterally, and all parties must make themselves available absent exigent circumstances.

If the court determines that an emergency exists, a hearing may be scheduled unilaterally by the court, but an attempt will be made to accommodate schedules. All parties shall make themselves available for the emergency hearing, barring exigent circumstances.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Hearings must be scheduled by email.

All hearings must be scheduled by email, please note the following:

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Communications concerning pending or impending proceedings must not be ex parte unless authorized by law, and emails to the judicial office must copy all parties 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 other communications outside the presence of the parties concerning a pending or impending proceeding, unless authorized by law. All parties must be copied on any email directed to the judicial office, unless authorized by law.

CRITICAL

Coordinate any additional motion with the judicial assistant and other counsel or parties before adding it to an existing hearing; the Court will not hear motions that were not properly scheduled and noticed.

No additional motions should be added to the existing hearing time without first coordinating with the judicial assistant and other counsel/parties. The Court will not hear motions that have not been properly scheduled and noticed.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

A hearing-scheduling email must identify the case number, party names, hearing and motions to be set with CCIS document number and filing date, requested hearing length sufficient for both sides, and any time sensitivity due to an upcoming trial.

Your email must include the following: Case Number Party Names Type of Hearing (Motion(s) to be set) (Include CCIS document number and date filed) Length requested for hearing (make certain you request enough time for both sides to be heard) Please notate in your email if this hearing is time sensitive due to an upcoming trial date.

CRITICALCivil cases

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 email directed to the judicial office, unless an ex parte communication is authorized by law.

CRITICALCivil cases

Contact

Phone to chambers

After filing an emergency or urgent motion, call to set a hearing.

Please email a courtesy copy of the motion to the judicial assistant and call to set a hearing after the motion is filed.

CRITICALCivil cases

Contact

Email

Phone

(850) 595-4400

Contact the ADA Liaison at least seven days before the court appearance, or immediately upon notification if fewer than seven days remain; hearing- or voice-impaired users may call 711.

ADA Accommodations: Please contact: Court Administration, ADA Liaison, Escambia County, 190 Governmental Center, 5th Floor, Pensacola, Florida 32502, Phone (850) 595-4400 Fax (850) 595-0360 ADA.Escambia@flcourts1.gov at least 7 days before your scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than 7 days; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call 711.

CRITICALCivil cases

Communications with the judicial office must comply with Canon 3, including its restrictions 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 judges from initiating, permitting, or considering ex parte (one side only) 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

Submit proposed orders to the court by email at the stated address.

All proposed orders must be submitted to the court by e-mail to hayley.faulkner@flcourts1.gov.

CRITICAL

Zoom hearings lasting 60 minutes or less must be scheduled through OnceHub.

Zoom hearings that are 60 minutes or less must be scheduled via OnceHub.

CRITICAL

Coordinate with the judicial assistant and other counsel or parties before adding motions to an existing hearing.

No additional motions should be added to the existing hearing time without first coordinating with the judicial assistant and other counsel/parties.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Notify the judicial assistant by email after the parties agree on potential hearing dates.

Once the parties have agreed on potential date(s), please notify the JA via email.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

All parties must be copied on emails to the judicial office unless the law authorizes otherwise.

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

CRITICAL

All parties must be available for an emergency hearing unless exigent circumstances prevent it.

All parties shall make themselves available for the emergency hearing, barring exigent circumstances.

CRITICAL

Communications with the judicial office must comply with Canon 3’s restrictions 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 other communications outside the presence of the parties concerning a pending or impending proceeding, unless authorized by law.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

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

Method of Communication: All communications to the judicial office must be submitted by e-mail to hayley.faulkner@flcourts1.gov.

CRITICAL

Hearing dates are not protected or confirmed until the judicial assistant is notified of coordination and confirms the setting.

Dates will not be protected/confirmed until the JA is notified that the hearing date has been coordinated and confirmed the setting.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Email must be used for scheduling and routine matters unrelated to a case.

Email shall be utilized for scheduling and routine non-case related matters.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

A hearing is set only after email confirmation from the judicial assistant or, for a OnceHub setting, after the Notice of Hearing is emailed to the judicial assistant and receipt is confirmed.

PLEASE NOTE: The hearing is not considered set until: 1) you receive confirmation from the JA if setting via email; or 2) you send a Notice of Hearing (NOH) to the JA via email after receiving your OnceHub confirmation. JA will confirm receipt of the NOH.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Schedule in-person, hybrid, over-one-hour, and emergency or urgent hearings by emailing the judicial assistant at the stated address.

Hearings that are in-person, hybrid, requiring more than an hour or are deemed an emergency/urgent (to be heard within the next two weeks) must be scheduled by e-mailing the judicial assistant (JA) at hayley.faulkner@flcourts1.gov.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Copy opposing counsel and any self-represented litigant when emailing the judicial assistant to schedule a hearing.

When emailing the JA to set a hearing, please include opposing counsel and any self-represented litigant.

CRITICAL

Do not include the judicial assistant in party conferrals about availability or case matters.

Moreover, the judicial assistant shall not be included in conferrals between the parties regarding availability or otherwise discussing the case.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Parties must not use email to argue substantive issues.

Attempts to argue substantive issues through email will not be tolerated.

CRITICAL

After obtaining available dates, coordinate with opposing counsel to choose dates that work for all parties.

After obtaining available dates, coordinate with opposing counsel to select dates that work for all parties.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Cancel a hearing by immediately emailing the judicial assistant with a courtesy copy of the Notice of Cancellation and, if the matter resolved, a proposed order.

You must cancel hearings by notifying the judicial assistant immediately via email with a courtesy copy of the Notice of Cancellation attached and a proposed order, if the hearing is cancelled due to resolution of the pending matter.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

If a hearing is cancelled because the matter was resolved, immediately email the judicial assistant and provide the Notice of Cancellation and a proposed order.

You must cancel hearings by notifying the judicial assistant immediately via email with a courtesy copy of the Notice of Cancellation and a proposed order, if the hearing is cancelled due to resolution of the pending matter.