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

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Contact

Email to chambers

Schedule hearings by emailing the judicial assistant.

Hearings must be scheduled by e-mailing the judicial assistant at kaitlyn.dalton@flcourts1.gov.

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Contact

Email to chambers

Communications to the judicial office must be sent by email to the judicial assistant.

All communications to the judicial office must be submitted by e-mail to kaitlyn.dalton@flcourts1.gov.

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Contact

Email to chambers

Copy all parties 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.

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Contact

Email to chambers

Email Judge Brown's judicial assistant the Joint Pretrial Statement and Joint Equitable Distribution Grid five business days before the Pretrial Conference.

Attorneys email Judge Brown’s JA a Joint Pretrial Statement and Joint Equitable Distribution Grid five (5) business days before the Pretrial Conference.

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Contact

Email to chambers

Hearing requests must be emailed to Cheryl.Gary@flcourts1.gov.

Hearings must be requested by e-mail to Cheryl.Gary@flcourts1.gov

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Contact

Email to chambers

Contact the judicial assistant by email to set a 15-minute Case Management Conference.

Contact the judicial assistant by e-mail to set a 15 minute Case Management Conference.

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Contact

Email to chambers

Emails to the judicial office must copy all parties unless the law authorizes an ex parte communication.

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

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Contact

Email to chambers

Communications to the judicial office must be emailed to the dedicated division account, and the subject line must include the case number, case name, and relevant matter.

Method of Communication: All communications to the judicial office must be submitted by e-mail to Cheryl.Gary@flcourts1.gov, the dedicated division e-mail account. The subject line of any e-mail to the judicial office must contain the case number, case name, and relevant matter (e.g., 2024 DR 001234 SC – Doe v. Doe – 2-Hour Hearing Requested).

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A hearing must be canceled by notifying the judicial assistant immediately.

You must cancel hearings by notifying the judicial assistant immediately.

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Phone

(850) 609-4700

For ADA accommodations, 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 persons should call 711.

Please contact: Court Administration, ADA Liaison, Escambia County, 190 Governmental Center, 5th Floor, Pensacola, Florida 32502, Phone (850) 609-4700 Fax (850) 651-772, ADA.Okaloosa@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.

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Judge Miller will not discuss a pending case with a party outside a hearing.

Judge Miller will not discuss pending cases with any party outside of a hearing.

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Judicial assistants may not make substantive inquiries of the judge on behalf of an attorney or litigant in the action.

The Code of Judicial Conduct precludes judicial assistants from making substantive inquiries of the judge on behalf of any attorney or litigant involved in the action.

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Communications about cases must take the form of written documents filed with the Clerk and served on all parties, or court hearings.

Communication with Judge Miller regarding cases can take two forms: Written documents filed with the Clerk of Court (with a copy served on all parties); and Court hearings.

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The judicial assistant may not recommend specific lawyers or advise a party how to handle a pending matter.

Judge Miller's judicial assistant is not permitted to recommend specific lawyers or advise a party on how to handle the matters pending before the judge.

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Judges may not consider ex parte communications.

The Code prohibits all judges from considering ex parte (one side only) communications.

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The judicial assistant may not take messages about pending cases to pass to Judge Miller.

Judge Miller's judicial assistant cannot take a message pertaining to a pending case from a party, family member, or other person to pass to Judge Miller.

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Judge Miller and his judicial assistant may not give legal advice to self-represented litigants.

Judge Miller and his judicial assistant are not permitted to give legal advice.

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The moving party is responsible for setting the motion for hearing.

It is the responsibility of the moving party to set the motion for hearing.

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Contact

Email to chambers

If a hearing is no longer necessary, notify the judicial assistant by email as soon as possible.

Upon determining that a hearing is no longer necessary, please notify the Court's judicial assistant as soon as possible via email at susy.carlson@flcourts1.gov.

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The Judicial Assistant cannot relay messages about pending cases to Judge Simon from parties or other people.

Judge Simon’s Judicial Assistant cannot take a message pertaining to a pending case from a party, family member, or other person to pass to Judge Simon.

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Judge Simon will not discuss a pending case with a party outside a hearing.

Judge Simon will not discuss pending cases with any party outside of a hearing.

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Contact

Email to chambers

After filing a motion, the moving party must email the Judicial Assistant to request a hearing date.

When a Motion is filed, it is up to the party who filed the motion to email the JA and ask for the Motion to be set for a hearing.

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Contact

Email

For an emergency matter, mark the email to the court as urgent.

Requirements: Email and E-file the Motion and proposed Order and mark the email as urgent.

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The Judicial Assistant cannot relay messages about pending cases to Judge Simon from parties or other people.

His Judicial Assistant cannot take a message pertaining to a pending case from a party, family member, or other person to pass to Judge Simon.

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Contact

Email to chambers

After filing the motion, email it to the Judicial Assistant with the case number, defendant’s name, copies to all attorneys, and any additional scheduling information.

Once filed, email the Motion to Judge Simon’s JA at jane.alford@flcourts1.gov and include: Copy of the Motion Case number Name of defendant Copy all attorneys involved Any additional information (e.g., hearing needed before/after a certain date, emergency filing, etc.)

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Communications with the judicial office must comply with Canon 3, including its restrictions on ex parte communications and communications outside the parties’ presence.

Ex parte Communications: 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.

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Contact

Email to chambers

Hearings longer than 90 minutes must be scheduled directly with the Judge’s office by emailing the judicial assistant.

Hearings for more than 90 minutes must be scheduled directly with Judge Schlechter’s office by emailing his JA at tracie.fields@flcourts1.gov

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Contact

Email to chambers

In family law cases, request a final hearing by emailing the Judge’s Assistant; the Court will schedule the hearing and prepare an Order Setting Trial/Final Hearing.

Procedure: For family law cases, request a final hearing via email with Judge Schlechter’s JA. The hearing will be scheduled and an Order Setting Trial/Final Hearing will be prepared by the Court.

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Contact

Email to chambers

Final hearings and trials must be scheduled by emailing the judicial assistant at the listed address.

Final hearings/Trials must be scheduled by email to the JA at Tracie.Fields@flcourts1.gov.

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Contact

Phone

Phone

(850) 595-4400; 711 if hearing or voice impaired

Contact Court administration about ADA accommodations at least seven days before the appearance, or immediately upon receiving notice if fewer than seven days remain; hearing- or voice-impaired persons may call 711.

ADA Accommodations: Please contact Court administration at Phone (850) 595-4400 Fax (850) 595-0360, ADA.Walton@flcourts1.gov 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; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call 711.

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Contact

Email to chambers

To cancel a hearing, immediately email the Court’s judicial assistant and file a notice of cancellation.

Cancelling Hearings: To cancel a hearing, the Court’s judicial assistant must be immediately notified via e-mail and a notice of cancellation must be filed.

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All other hearings lasting 90 minutes or less must be scheduled through OnceHub.

All other hearings 90 minutes or less must be scheduled via OnceHub.

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Contact

Email to chambers

Communications to the judicial office must be emailed to the listed address, and the subject line must state the case number, case name, and relevant matter.

Method of Communication: All communications to the judicial office must be submitted by e-mail to Tracie.fields@flcourts1.gov. The subject line of any e-mail to the judicial office must contain the case number, case name, and relevant matter (e.g., 2024 DR 001234 SC – Doe v. Doe – 2-Hour Hearing Requested).

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Contact

Email to chambers

All parties must be copied 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.

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Communications with Judge Clark about assigned cases may occur only through written motions filed and served on all parties or through court hearings.

Communication with Judge Clark regarding cases assigned to her can only take two forms: Written motions filed in the court file (with a copy served on all parties); and Court hearings (including final hearings and trials).

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Contact

Phone

Phone

(850) 651-7700

After filing an objection with the Clerk, the party must immediately call the Family Law Case Manager.

Upon filing the objection with the Clerk of Court you must immediately contact the Family Law Case Manager at (850) 651-7700.

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Communications concerning pending or impending proceedings must comply with Canon 3, which bars ex parte and other outside-the-parties communications unless law authorizes them.

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.

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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 Amanda.Bailey@flcourts1.gov. The subject line must contain the case number, case name, and relevant matter (e.g. ,2024 DR 001234 – Doe v. Doe - 2-Hour Hearing Requested.)

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Ms. Bailey may not discuss the issues in a pending case with anyone.

Ms. Bailey is not permitted to engage in discussions regarding the issues in any pending case with anyone for any purpose.

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If the court finds an emergency, it will schedule the hearing unilaterally, and all parties must be available absent exigent circumstances.

If the court determines that an emergency exists, a hearing will be scheduled unilaterally by the court. All parties shall make themselves available for the emergency hearing, barring exigent circumstances.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Copy all parties on emails to the judicial office unless law authorizes an ex parte communication.

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

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Represented parties must file court documents through counsel and communicate with the judge’s office through counsel or counsel’s staff.

If a party is represented by an attorney, all court documents must be filed by the party’s attorney.Likewise, all communication with the judge’s office must be through the party’s attorney or the attorney’s staff.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

When a case settles, each party’s attorney must immediately notify the Court by email and phone and identify any scheduled hearing dates and times.

In the event the case settles, the attorney for each party shall notify the Court immediately by email to Amanda.Bailey@flcourts1.gov and by phone at (850) 609-5415. Please include the date and time of any scheduled hearings.

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Immediately notify the Judicial Assistant of a hearing cancellation and file and serve a cancellation notice on opposing counsel and any pro se litigant.

You must cancel hearings by notifying the Judicial Assistant immediately. You must also immediately file and serve a notice of cancellation on opposing counsel and any pro se litigant.

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Do not seek to discuss a pending case with Judge Clark outside a hearing or send a case-related message through Ms. Bailey.

Judge Clark will not discuss pending cases with any party outside of a hearing. Ms. Bailey cannot give a message pertaining to a pending case from a litigant or other person to Judge Clark.

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Contact

Email to chambers

Contact the judicial assistant directly by email and phone for emergency or urgent matters.

Contact the judicial assistant directly via email and phone for all emergency and/or urgent matters.

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Contact

Email to chambers

It is the responsibility of the moving party to set the Motion for hearing. To request a hearing, the requesting party should e-mail a copy of the filed Motion to Judge Gordon's Judicial Assistant (copying all parties). The requesting party should include the amount of time requested, whether the defendant is in custody or out of custody and any other parameters that should be considered.

It is the responsibility of the moving party to set the Motion for hearing. To request a hearing, the requesting party should e-mail a copy of the filed Motion to Judge Gordon's Judicial Assistant (copying all parties). The requesting party should include the amount of time requested, whether the defendant is in custody or out of custody and any other parameters that should be considered.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

The moving party must email the judicial assistant for available hearing dates after filing a motion.

When a Motion is filed, it is up to the party who filed the motion to email the JA and ask for available dates to set the hearing.

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Immediately notify the judicial assistant to cancel a hearing if the motion is withdrawn, conceded, or no longer needed.

If a Motion that has been set for hearing is being withdrawn, conceded, or no longer needed for any reason, you must cancel the hearing by notifying Judge Gordon's Judicial Assistant immediately.

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Do not communicate with Judge Gordon about a pending case outside a hearing except as authorized by law.

Judge Gordon will not discuss pending cases with any party outside of a hearing. 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 (one side only) communication and from considering other communication outside the presence of the parties concerning a pending or impending proceeding, unless authorized by law.