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

WARNINGCivil cases

Contact

Phone to chambers

Call the judicial assistant to schedule a Case Management Conference.

Please call the judicial assistant to schedule it.

WARNINGCivil cases

Judicial assistants cannot give legal advice but may help with procedural questions.

Judicial assistants cannot provide legal advice to anyone; however, they may assist with procedural questions.

WARNINGCivil cases

Contact

Phone

Phone

(850) 595-4533

Contact Court Administration by phone or email to request an interpreter for a hearing or trial.

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.

WARNINGCivil cases

Contact

Phone to chambers

Call the judicial assistant to schedule the case for trial.

Please call the judicial assistant to schedule.

WARNINGCivil cases

Contact

Phone to chambers

Conference with the opposing party before calling the judicial office.

Before calling, please conference in the opposing party.

WARNINGCivil cases

Contact

Phone to chambers

Schedule hearings by telephone through the judicial assistant after filing the motion.

All hearings are scheduled by telephone through the judicial assistant after the motion is filed.

WARNINGCivil cases

Contact

Phone to chambers

Have the pleading name and requested hearing time ready when scheduling.

Please have ready the name of the pleading(s) and the amount of time requested.

WARNINGCivil cases

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.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

If opposing counsel or a party has no electronic contact information, state that in the scheduling email.

If there is no electronic contact information for opposing counsel/party, please not that in the email.

WARNING

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

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

WARNING

The judicial assistant cannot provide legal advice.

The judicial assistant is not authorized to provide legal advice.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Counsel should email the judicial assistant to coordinate scheduling for pretrial motions in upcoming trials.

Time blocks for pretrial motions in upcoming trials are reserved separately and do not appear on the website. Counsel should contact the JA by email to coordinate scheduling.

WARNING

Counsel must respond promptly to communications from opposing counsel.

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

WARNING

Parties may contact the judicial office only as permitted by these procedures.

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

WARNING

If the Court finds an emergency, it may schedule a hearing unilaterally while attempting to accommodate the parties’ schedules.

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.

WARNING

Ten-minute UMC hearings are scheduled in the 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. time slots.

UMC Hearings (10-minutes) are set during the 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. timeslots.

WARNING

Contact

Phone

Phone

(850)609-5430

Contact the Okaloosa County Court Administration ADA Liaison for ADA accommodations at the listed phone number.

Court Administration, ADA Liaison Okaloosa County (850)609-5430

WARNING

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

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

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

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

The subject line of any e-mail must contain the case number and case name (e.g., 2025 DR 1234 – Doe v. Doe).

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

A hearing-scheduling email must include opposing counsel and self-represented parties, use reply all, identify the case and parties, list the motions and docket numbers, state the time needed, and flag trial-related urgency.

When emailing the judicial assistant to set a hearing, please include the following in your email: Opposing counsel and any self-represented party must be included on the email thread. Please be sure to always select “reply all” when responding. Case Number Party Names Motions to be set along with their respective docket numbers Length of time needed Please notate in your email if this hearing is time sensitive due to an upcoming trial date.

WARNING

Contact

Email

For Probate or Guardianship matters, contact case manager Thomas Golden by email.

If you are reaching out regarding a Probate or Guardianship case, you will need to contact the Probate-Guardianship case manager, Thomas Golden. He can be reached by email at thomas.golden@flcourts1.gov.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

If the parties disagree about an order's language, email a Word-format redline directly to the judicial assistant.

If the parties disagree on the language in an order, please email a redline in Word format directly to the judicial assistant at kaitlyn.dalton@flcourts1.gov.

WARNING

Contact the judicial assistant to obtain available case management conference dates; the Court will then enter the setting order.

You will reach out to the judicial assistant to obtain available case management dates and then the Court will enter an Order Setting Case Management Conference.

WARNING

Contact

Email

For Domestic Violence Injunction matters, contact case manager Jeanie Piland by email.

If you are reaching out regarding a Domestic Violence Injunction, you will need to contact the Domestic Violence case manager, Jeanie Piland. She can reached by email at jeanie.piland@flcourts1.gov.

WARNING

Contact

Email

Send Domestic Violence proposed orders by email to Jeanie Piland at the stated address.

All Domestic Violence proposed orders should be emailed directly to Jeanie Piland at jeanie.piland@flcourts1.gov.

WARNING

Phone

(850) 595-4533

If an interpreter is needed for a hearing or trial, contact Court Administration by phone or email to request one.

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

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

Contact the judicial assistant to obtain the remote-platform meeting ID.

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

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

If the motion is not yet docketed, you may email the judicial assistant a file-stamped copy, copy all parties, and state that the proposed order was submitted through the e-Portal.

If the motion has not yet been docketed, you may email a file-stamped copy to the judicial assistant, copying all parties, and advise that you have submitted the proposed order through the e-Portal.

WARNING

Judicial assistants cannot provide legal advice but may assist with procedural and scheduling inquiries.

Judicial assistants are not able to provide legal advice to anyone. However, they are more than happy to assist with procedural and scheduling inquiries.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

To request a hearing, the requesting party should email a copy of the filed motion to Judge Miller's judicial assistant at susy.carlson@flcourts1.gov, and copying all parties.

To request a hearing, the requesting party should email a copy of the filed motion to Judge Miller's judicial assistant at susy.carlson@flcourts1.gov, and copying all parties.

WARNING

Judge Simon and his Judicial Assistant cannot give legal advice, including advice about filings, forms, documents, opposing parties, or likelihood of success.

Judge Simon and his judicial assistant are not permitted to give legal advice. “legal advice” means suggesting things that might be filed, evaluating the sufficiency of information on a form, interpretation of any document, evaluating the conduct of an opposing party or lawyer, and giving an opinion about the likelihood of success of an action in litigation.

WARNING

Inquiries filed with the Clerk or mailed to Judge Simon receive a written response, and must include a legible address to receive that response.

If a motion or letter is filed with the Clerk of Court or mailed to Judge Simon, a response will be given to the inquiry in writing in the form of either a letter or an Order. Please always make sure there is a legible address on any inquiries to the Court. Otherwise, you will not get a response.

WARNING

Judge Simon and his Judicial Assistant cannot give legal advice, including advice about filings, forms, documents, opposing parties, or likelihood of success.

Judge Simon and his Judicial Assistant are not permitted to give legal advice, which includes suggesting things that might be filed, evaluating the sufficiency of information on a form, interpreting any document, evaluating the conduct of an opposing party or lawyer, or giving an opinion about the likelihood of success of an action in litigation.

WARNING

Contact

Email

Request an interpreter for a hearing or trial by contacting Court Administration at Trinidad.SerranoBennitt@flcourts1.gov.

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

Email to chambers

Request a pretrial conference by emailing Judge Simon’s Judicial Assistant.

Judge Simon will set Pretrial Conferences upon request. Email any request for Pretrial Conferences to Judge Simon’s JA.

WARNING

The Judicial Assistant cannot recommend specific lawyers or excuse anyone from a court appearance; only a judge may grant an excuse.

His Judicial Assistant also cannot recommend specific lawyers or excuse a party/attorney from court appearances (only a judge may grant that request).

WARNING

The Judicial Assistant cannot excuse a party or attorney from appearing in court; only a judge can grant that request.

Judge Simon’s Judicial Assistant does not have the authority to excuse a party or attorney from court appearances. Only a judge can grant that request.

WARNING

Contact

Phone

Phone

(850) 595-4533

Request an interpreter for a hearing or trial by contacting Court Administration at (850) 595-4533.

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

WARNING

Communication about assigned cases is limited to written documents filed in the court file or court hearings.

Communication with Judge Simon regarding cases assigned to him can take two forms: Written documents filed in the court file (with a copy served on all parties); and Court hearings

WARNING

The Judicial Assistant cannot recommend lawyers or advise a party about handling a matter pending before the judge.

Judge Simon’s Judicial Assistant is not permitted to recommend specific lawyers or advise a party on how to handle the matters pending before the judge.

WARNING

Defendants or anyone sending any communication on behalf of a defendant should file the communication with the Clerk of Court, felony division, who will electronically send the communication to Judge Simon.

Defendants or anyone sending any communication on behalf of a defendant should file the communication with the Clerk of Court, felony division, who will electronically send the communication to Judge Simon.

WARNING

This should be filed with the Clerk of Court, felony division.

This should be filed with the Clerk of Court, felony division.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

If a hearing is no longer needed, notify the Judicial Assistant by email as soon as possible.

If a hearing is no longer necessary, notify Judge Simon’s JA as soon as possible via email.

WARNING

An attorney with an appointment before another judge should notify Judge Simon’s Judicial Assistant in advance so the case can be called first.

If an attorney has an appointment with another judge in our courthouse or in another courthouse, please let Judge Simon’s JA know in advance so that he will be aware that he will need to call this case first.

WARNING

Parties may contact the judicial office only under these procedures, and the court will not consider unsolicited communications from non-parties.

Unsolicited Communications: 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

If OnceHub has no temporary-relief hearing time available within 45 days, contact the Judge’s Assistant to schedule the hearing.

If no hearing time is available on OnceHub within 45 days please contact Judge Schlechter’s JA to schedule the Temporary Relief Hearing.

WARNING

The Judge’s Assistant cannot provide legal advice or filing guidance; legal questions should be directed to an attorney or other appropriate legal resources.

The Judge’s Assistant is unable to provide legal advice, interpret court rules, explain how to file documents, or advise parties on legal rights or on what actions to take in your case. Questions regarding legal matters should be directed to a licensed attorney or other appropriate legal resources.

WARNING

Before inquiring about an order’s status, check the Clerk’s website first.

Checking the Status of Orders: To inquire about the status of an order, please check the clerk's website first: