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

WARNING

Judicial assistants cannot provide legal advice or discuss case-specific information, but may assist with procedural questions.

Judicial assistants cannot provide legal advice to anyone, and they cannot discuss case specific information. However, they are more than happy to assist with procedural questions.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Any email requesting to set a trial date should include time requested for the trial as well as any requested date/time frames.

Any email requesting to set a trial date should include time requested for the trial as well as any requested date/time frames.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Email the judicial office with all parties copied, include the case number, case name, and reason in the subject, and include the referenced child or children in the body when applicable.

E-mail (Preferred): All communications to the judicial office must be submitted by e-mail to branda.wright@flcourts1.gov. and include all parties in the case. The subject line must contain the case number, case name, and reason for email. When applicable, the specific child(ren) referenced in the Motion or Hearing requested should be included in the body of the email.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to chambers

Phone

850-595-3710

Telephone: Preferred communication is via email; However, communications to the judicial office via telephone (850-595-3710) are accepted. Judicial offices do not accept text messages. Voicemail is checked daily, and calls are returned at the earliest convenience. When leaving a voicemail, include your name; case number, case name, (FID if applicable), reason for call and return contact number.

Telephone: Preferred communication is via email; However, communications to the judicial office via telephone (850-595-3710) are accepted. Judicial offices do not accept text messages. Voicemail is checked daily, and calls are returned at the earliest convenience. When leaving a voicemail, include your name; case number, case name, (FID if applicable), reason for call and return contact number.

WARNING

If a hearing has been set, any request to add additional motions to that hearing time must be submitted to the JA and should comply with all requirements listed above.

If a hearing has been set, any request to add additional motions to that hearing time must be submitted to the JA and should comply with all requirements listed above.

WARNING

If the court grants a status-conference request, the movant must schedule the conference under the stated scheduling procedures.

If the court grants the request for a status conference, the movant must schedule the status conference as indicated in Scheduling Procedures as listed above.

WARNING

The judicial office does not accept text messages.

The judicial office does not accept text messages.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

The subject line of the email should indicate the intent to cancel a hearing and the date of hearing.

The subject line of the email should indicate the intent to cancel a hearing and the date of hearing.

WARNING

Final hearings and hearings expected to last more than one hour may be scheduled by coordinating with opposing counsel and the judicial assistant using one of the listed methods.

ALL Final Hearings, no matter the length, and other hearings expected to last longer than one hour may be scheduled using one of the following methods: arrange a conference call with opposing counsel’s office first, then contact the JA at 850-981-5541 office; or email the judicial assistant, copying all parties without attorneys and all attorneys- include (a) the request for hearing, (b) the title of the motion at issue, (c) the date the motion was filed, and (d) the amount of time needed; or obtain dates by phone from the judicial assistant to coordinate with opposing party/parties and then contact the judicial assistant once an agreement is reached.

WARNING

Phone

(850) 595-4533

Request an interpreter for a hearing or trial from Court Administration by phone or email.

If an interpreter is needed for a hearing or trial, please contact Court Administration to request an interpreter at (850) 595-4533 or Trinidad.SerranoBennitt@flcourts1.gov.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to chambers

Do not leave a voicemail to confirm a hearing date.

Please do not leave a voicemail to confirm a hearing date, as the date may no longer be available.

WARNING

The judicial assistant does not hold hearing dates, which are confirmed first come, first served.

The judicial assistant does not hold dates and times and hearings are confirmed on a first come/first served basis.

WARNING

Filing a motion with the clerk alone does not bring the matter before the judge.

Merely filing a motion with the Clerk will not bring the matter before the Judge.

WARNING

Counsel may schedule motion hearings of 60 minutes or less through OnceHub, but the application is unavailable to parties without attorneys.

Counsel may schedule a motion hearing of 60 minutes or less using OnceHub (online hearing application), at Judge Darlene F. Dickey - Online scheduling. This application is currently not available for parties not represented by an attorney.

WARNING

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

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

WARNING

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

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

WARNING

Hearing time is protected on the judge's calendar only after the judicial assistant confirms the date and time.

Protecting hearing time on the Judge’s calendar happens only after the judicial assistant has confirmed the date and time.

WARNING

Phone

(850) 623-3159

A person with a disability needing an accommodation must contact the ADA Liaison at least seven days before the appearance, or immediately if fewer than seven days remain; hearing- or voice-impaired persons may call 711.

If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact Court Administration, ADA Liaison, Santa Rosa County, 4025 Avalon Boulevard, Milton, Florida, 32583, Phone (850) 623-3159, Fax (850) 982-0602, ADA.SantaRosa@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.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Emails to the judicial office must identify the case number, case name, and relevant matter in the subject line.

The subject line of any e-mail must contain the case number, case name, and relevant matter (e.g., 2024 DR 001234 – Doe v. Doe – 2-Hour Hearing Requested).

WARNING

Do not include the judicial assistant in back-and-forth coordination while parties arrange hearing dates.

Due to the high volume of emails, DO NOT include the judicial assistant in the coordination process, or the “back and forth” between the people scheduling the hearings.

WARNING

Only attorneys may use the scheduling feature; unrepresented litigants may not.

This scheduling feature is for attorneys only, not unrepresented litigants.

WARNING

Contact the Court’s Judicial Assistant for available dates when a case is ready for a final hearing.

When a case is ready for a final hearing, please contact the Court’s Judicial Assistant for available dates.

WARNING

Five-minute time slots should be used for non-evidentiary motions that are either uncontested or that can be heard within a short time span such as Motions to Withdraw.

Five-minute time slots should be used for non-evidentiary motions that are either uncontested or that can be heard within a short time span such as Motions to Withdraw.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

These items should be combined into one searchable PDF document and emailed to the Court’s judicial assistant.

These items should be combined into one searchable PDF document and emailed to the Court’s judicial assistant.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

All exhibits should be combined into a single, searchable PDF document and emailed to the Court’s judicial assistant.

All exhibits should be combined into a single, searchable PDF document and emailed to the Court’s judicial assistant.

WARNING

If the court determines an emergency exists, it will schedule the hearing unilaterally.

If the court determines that an emergency exists, a hearing will be scheduled unilaterally by the court.

WARNING

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

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

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Schedule hearings longer than one hour directly with the Court by emailing Catia Heinz.

Hearings more than one hour should be scheduled directly with the Court by emailing Catia Heinz at Catia.Heinz@flcourts1.gov.

WARNING

Phone

(850) 623-3159

Contact Court Administration by phone or email to request an ADA accommodation.

If you need an ADA accommodation, please contact Court Administration at (850) 623-3159 or SRC-CourtAdministration@flcourts1.gov.

WARNING

Contact the judicial assistant to obtain the Zoom meeting ID.

Zoom Meeting ID#: Contact the judicial assistant to obtain the Zoom meeting ID#.

WARNING

Phone

(850) 623-3159

Contact Court Administration by phone or email if an interpreter is needed for a hearing or trial.

If an interpreter is needed for a hearing or trial, please contact Court Administration at (850) 623-3159 or SRC-CourtAdministration@flcourts1.gov.

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

Email to chambers

To check the status of a specific proposed order to see if a ruling has been made by the Judge, you should first check the clerk’s system to see if has been docketed. If the order is not found, an email to the JA at Katie.Rhodes@flcourts1.gov can be sent (allow a minimum of five (5) business days to process proposed orders) to inquire the status of said order.

To check the status of a specific proposed order to see if a ruling has been made by the Judge, you should first check the clerk’s system to see if has been docketed. If the order is not found, an email to the JA at Katie.Rhodes@flcourts1.gov can be sent (allow a minimum of five (5) business days to process proposed orders) to inquire the status of said order.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Parties may email the Judge’s Assistant a stipulated extension order.

The parties may e-mail the Judge’s Assistant a stipulated order including the number of days agreed to or submit a proposed order with the number of days blank for Judge Oberliesen to decide.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Hearings longer than one hour should be scheduled by emailing Judge Oberliesen’s office.

Hearings more than one hour should be scheduled directly with Judge Oberliesen’s office by emailing Katie Rhodes at Katie.Rhodes@flcourts1.gov.

WARNING

Defendants or anyone sending any communication on behalf of a defendant should file the communication with the Clerk of Courtwho will electronically send the communication to Judge Love.

Defendants or anyone sending any communication on behalf of a defendant should file the communication with the Clerk of Courtwho will electronically send the communication to Judge Love.

WARNING

Contact

Phone

Phone

(850) 595-4533

Request an interpreter for a hearing or trial by contacting Court Administration at the listed phone number.

Interpreter Requests: If an interpreter is needed for a hearing or trial, please contact Court Administration to request an interpreter at (850) 595-4533 or Trinidad.SerranoBennitt@flcourts1.gov.

WARNING

If an attorney has an appointment with another judge in our courthouse or in another courthouse, please let Judge Love’sJudicial Assistant know in advance so we can accommodate.

If an attorney has an appointment with another judge in our courthouse or in another courthouse, please let Judge Love’sJudicial Assistant know in advance so we can accommodate.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

To check the status of a specific proposed order to see if a ruling has been made by the Judge, you should first check the clerk’s system to see if it has been docketed. If the order is not found, an email to the JA at tressie.leatherman@flcourts1.gov can be sent (allow a minimum of five (5) business days to process proposed orders) to inquire the status of said order.

To check the status of a specific proposed order to see if a ruling has been made by the Judge, you should first check the clerk’s system to see if it has been docketed. If the order is not found, an email to the JA at tressie.leatherman@flcourts1.gov can be sent (allow a minimum of five (5) business days to process proposed orders) to inquire the status of said order.

WARNING

When a case or issue is resolved, notify Judge Duncan’s office immediately 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.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

To check the status of a specific proposed order to see if a ruling has been made by the Judge, you should first check the clerk’s system to see if it has been docketed. If the order is not found, an email to the JA at tressie.leatherman@flcourts1.gov can be sent (allow a minimum of five (5) business days to process proposed orders) to inquire the status of said order.

To check the status of a specific proposed order to see if a ruling has been made by the Judge, you should first check the clerk’s system to see if it has been docketed. If the order is not found, an email to the JA at tressie.leatherman@flcourts1.gov can be sent (allow a minimum of five (5) business days to process proposed orders) to inquire the status of said order.

WARNINGCivil cases

Counsel and unrepresented parties must notify the Court of any special courtroom aids needed to present evidence.

each counsel and each unrepresented party shall notify the court of any requests for special courtroom aids needed in the presentation of evidence.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Hearing dates will not be provided until the filed motion is showing in the case.

Dates will not be given until the filed motion is “showing” in the case.

WARNING

Counsel should check with the Clerk of Court for Walton County for directions on filing and use of exhibits at hearings or trial.

Counsel should check with the Clerk of Court for Walton County for directions on filing and use of exhibits at hearings or trial.

WARNING

A hearing date is not protected or final until the judge’s office is notified that the date has been coordinated.

Dates will not be protected/final until the judge’s office is notified that the hearing date has been coordinated.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Do not send repetitive hearing-scheduling requests; emails are answered in received order as time permits.

Please do not make repetitive requests. Emails are answered in the order they are received as time allows.

WARNING

Counsel must respond promptly to inquiries and communications from opposing counsel.

Counsel shall respond promptly to inquiries and communications from opposing counsel.

WARNING

Parties may contact the judicial office only under the stated procedures, and unsolicited non-party communications will not be considered.

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

WARNING

Do not send proposed orders to the Judge’s office before a hearing.

Please do not send proposed orders to the Judge's office prior to a hearing.

WARNINGCivil cases

Contact

Email to chambers

Emails to the judicial office must include all parties and identify the case name and number in the subject line.

Emails must include all parties, and the subject line must contain the case name and case number.