Fourteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson and Washington Counties Adjournment & Extension Requirements

CRITICALCivil cases

Trial continuances are disfavored and should be granted only for good cause; successive continuances are highly disfavored, and lack of diligence is not grounds for a continuance.

The Court reminds the parties that, pursuant to Rule 1.460(a), “Motions to continue trial are disfavored and should be rarely granted and then only upon good cause shown. Successive continuances are highly disfavored. Lack of due diligence in preparing for trial is not grounds to continue the case.” (emphasis added).

CRITICALCivil cases

Continuances requested within seven days of trial generally will not be granted, including requests based on witness unavailability.

Subject to the aforementioned, continuances requested within seven (7) days of trial will generally not be granted. Said policy includes requested continuances due to the unavailability of witnesses.

CRITICAL

A trial may be cancelled or continued only by further Court Order.

C. Following the associated Case Management Conference, the Court will enter an Order scheduling the matter for trial. Trials shall only be cancelled or continued by further Court Order.

CRITICALCivil cases

Unless good cause is shown, continuance motions must be written, signed, include a Certificate of Good Faith and specified efforts, and be filed promptly; continuance stipulations must provide the same information and are reviewed case by case.

Unless good cause is shown, all motions for continuance must be in writing, signed by the requesting party, contain a Certificate of Good Faith, specify all efforts made to move the case and resolve discovery issues, and be filed promptly after the appearance of good cause to support such a motion. Failure to promptly request a continuance may be a basis for denying the requested continuance. Stipulations for continuance shall contain the same information as a motion for continuance and will be reviewed by the court on a case-by-case basis.

CRITICAL

Submit a continuance motion at least three business days before the scheduled court date, absent exigent circumstances, and have the requesting party sign it unless good cause is shown.

Motions for continuance must be submitted at least three (3) business days prior to the scheduled court date for which the continuance is sought, barring exigent circumstances. Except for good cause shown, the motion must be signed by the party requesting the continuance, as required by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.545(e).

CRITICAL

A continuance motion must be submitted at least three business days before the scheduled court date, except in exigent circumstances, and must be signed by the requesting party unless good cause is shown.

Motions for continuance must be submitted at least three (3) business days prior to the scheduled court date for which the continuance is sought, barring exigent circumstances. Except for good cause shown, the motion must be signed by the party requesting the continuance, as required by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.545(e).

CRITICAL

Continuance motions are disfavored and are granted only for good cause; successive continuances are highly disfavored, and lack of due diligence is not a basis for a continuance.

Motions for continuance are disfavored and will be granted only upon good cause shown. Successive continuances are highly disfavored. Lack of due diligence is not grounds for granting a continuance.

CRITICAL

Continuance motions are disfavored and will be granted only for good cause; successive continuances are highly disfavored, and lack of due diligence is not a ground for granting one.

Motions for continuance are disfavored and will be granted only upon good cause shown. Successive continuances are highly disfavored. Lack of due diligence is not grounds for granting a continuance.

CRITICAL

A continuance motion must specifically state the reason and when it became known, whether it is opposed, the actions and dates needed to be ready, and the proposed readiness date and whether all parties agree to it.

Motions for continuance must state with specificity: (1) the basis of the need for the continuance, including when the basis became known to the movant; (2) whether the motion is opposed; (3) the action and specific dates for the action that will enable the movant to be ready, including, but not limited to, confirming the specific date any required participants are available; and (4) the proposed date by which the case will be ready to proceed and whether that date is agreed by all parties.

CRITICAL

A continuance motion must specifically state why it is needed and when the basis became known, whether it is opposed, the actions and dates needed to be ready (including required participants’ availability), and the proposed ready-to-proceed date and whether all parties agree; the requesting party must sign unless good cause is shown.

Motions for continuance must state with specificity: (1) the basis of the need for the continuance, including when the basis became known to the movant; (2) whether the motion is opposed; (3) the action and specific dates for the action that will enable the movant to be ready, including, but not limited to, confirming the specific date any required participants are available; and (4) the proposed date by which the case will be ready to proceed and whether that date is agreed by all parties. Except for good cause shown, the motion must be signed by the party requesting the continuance, as required by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.545(e).

CRITICALCivil cases

Continuances requested within 7 days of trial generally will not be granted.

Subject to the aforementioned, continuances requested within seven (7) days of trial will generally not be granted.

CRITICALCivil cases

A continuance stipulation must contain the same information as a continuance motion and will be reviewed individually.

Stipulations for continuance shall contain the same information as a motion for continuance and will be reviewed by the court on a case-by-case basis.

CRITICALCivil cases

Unless good cause is shown, a continuance motion must be written, signed by the requesting party, include a Certificate of Good Faith, and detail efforts to move the case and resolve discovery.

Unless good cause is shown, all motions for continuance must be in writing, signed by the requesting party, contain a Certificate of Good Faith, and specify all efforts made to move the case and resolve discovery issues.

CRITICAL

A hearing or final hearing set by court order cannot be cancelled unless a court order is entered.

A hearing or final hearing set by Court order may not be cancelled without entry of a Court order.

CRITICALCivil cases

Requests to adjust deadlines in the trial-setting order may be submitted by stipulated order and will be permitted if they do not appear to affect trial preparation.

If the parties need to adjust any of the deadlines contained in the order setting trial, such can be submitted by stipulated order and will be permitted if they do not appear to affect preparation for trial.

CRITICALCivil cases

A hearing unilaterally set by the Court may not be canceled without a Court order.

If the Court unilaterally sets the matter for hearing, the hearing may not be canceled without a Court order.

CRITICAL

A hearing set unilaterally by the Court cannot be canceled without a Court order.

If the Court unilaterally sets the matter for hearing, the hearing cannot be canceled without a Court order.

CRITICAL

A trial or hearing scheduled by court order cannot be canceled merely by filing a notice; court approval is required.

Counsel and parties cannot cancel a trial or hearing scheduled by Court Order by simply filing a notice of cancellation without getting approval of the Court.

CRITICAL

Deadlines in the Order are strictly enforced unless a later court order specifically alters or modifies them.

All deadlines established by t his Order shall be strictly enforced unless specifically altered or modified by a subsequently issued order of t his Court.

CRITICAL

A hearing or final hearing set by court order cannot be cancelled unless a court order is entered.

A hearing or final hearing set by Court order may not be cancelled without entry of a Court order.

WARNING

Motions to continue pretrials should be made before the established pretrial date and are considered case by case.

The Court will consider motions to continue pretrials prior to the established pretrial date on a case-by-case basis.

WARNING

Extensions to serve process are discretionary, and parties generally should not expect an extension longer than 180 days from filing the complaint.

Deadlines for extensions to serve process upon defendants will be at the discretion of the trial judge. Generally, parties should not expect an extension of longer than 180 days from the filing of the complaint. See Fla. R. Civ. P. l.070(j).

WARNING

The trial judge has discretion over extensions to serve process, and parties generally should not expect an extension beyond 180 days from filing the complaint.

Deadlines for extensions to serve process upon defendants will be at the discretion of the trial judge. Generally, parties should not expect an extension of longer than 180 days from the filing of the complaint to execute service. See Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.070(j).

WARNINGCivil cases

A party’s inability to obtain a hearing time meeting the stated expectations generally is not grounds to extend deadlines or continue trial.

The inability of a party to obtain a hearing time in accordance with the expectations set forth herein will generally not constitute grounds for an extension of the deadlines, nor will it constitute grounds for a continuance of the trial.

WARNING

Extensions or modifications of deadlines in case management orders that were in effect before January 1, 2025, are governed by amended Rule 1.200.

Any extensions or modifications of deadlines specified in case management orders in effect prior to January 1, 2025, shall be governed by amended Rule 1.200.

WARNING

Deadlines established by the Order are strictly enforced unless a later court order alters or modifies them.

All deadlines established by this Order shall be strictly enforced unless specifically altered or modified by a subsequently issued order of this Court.

WARNING

Extensions of time to serve process are within the trial judge’s discretion, and parties generally should not expect an extension longer than 180 days from filing the complaint.

Service Under Extension | Deadlines for extensions to serve process upon defendants will be at the discretion of the trial judge. Generally, parties should not expect an extension of longer than 180 days from the filing of the complaint. See Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.070(j).

WARNING

Requests to change or modify deadlines in a case management order are governed by Rule 1.200(e).

Any request to change or modify the deadlines contained in a case management order shall be governed by Rule 1.200(e).

WARNINGCriminal cases

The Court considers motions to continue pretrials before the established pretrial date on a case-by-case basis.

The Court will consider motions to continue pretrials prior to the established pretrial date on a case-by-case basis.

WARNING

The trial judge has discretion over extensions to serve process, and parties generally should not expect an extension allowing service later than 180 days after filing the complaint.

| Service Under Extension | Deadlines for extensions to serve process upon defendants will be at the discretion of the trial judge. Generally, parties should not expect an extension of longer than 180 days from the filing of the complaint to execute service. See Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.070(j). |

WARNINGCivil cases

Extensions to serve process are at the trial judge’s discretion; parties generally should not expect an extension longer than 180 days from the complaint’s filing.

Deadlines for extensions to serve process upon defendants will be at the discretion of the trial judge. Generally, parties should not expect an extension of longer than 180 days from the filing of the complaint. See Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.070(j).

WARNINGCivil cases

Where the party opposing the summary judgment informs the court that its diligent efforts to obtain evidence from the moving party have been unsuccessful, “a continuance of a motion for summary judgment for purposes of discovery should be granted almost as a matter of course.”

Where the party opposing the summary judgment informs the court that its diligent efforts to obtain evidence from the moving party have been unsuccessful, “a continuance of a motion for summary judgment for purposes of discovery should be granted almost as a matter of course.”

WARNINGCivil cases

If a party asks to address a new issue raised by materials not cited in the motion or response, the Court will consider the objecting party’s request for more time but does not promise to grant it.

In the event any party advocates the Court consider such things not cited in the motion or response, the Court will consider the objecting party’s request for more time to address the new issue based upon the following language of Rule 1.510(e):

WARNING

Extensions to serve process are discretionary, and parties generally should not expect an extension longer than 180 days from the complaint filing date.

Deadlines for extensions to serve process upon defendants will be at the discretion of the trial judge. Generally, parties should not expect an extension of longer than 180 days from the filing of the complaint to execute service.

WARNING

Extensions to serve process are within the trial judge’s discretion, and parties generally should not expect an extension longer than 180 days from filing the complaint.

Deadlines for extensions to serve process upon defendants will be at the discretion of the trial judge. Generally, parties should not expect an extension of longer than 180 days from the filing of the complaint. See Fla. R. Civ. P. l.070U).

WARNINGCivil cases

An inability to obtain a hearing date within the expected period generally is not grounds to extend deadlines or continue trial.

The inability of a party to obtain a hearing time in accordance with the expectations set forth herein will generally not constitute grounds for an extension of the deadlines, nor will it constitute grounds for a continuance of the trial.

WARNINGCivil cases

The court may proceed to rule on a summary judgment motion without further discovery if the proposed discovery is unlikely to produce relevant evidence.

The court reasoned that, “[i]f the additional discovery will not likely generate evidence germane to the summary judgment motion, the district court may, in its discretion, proceed to rule on the motion without further ado.”

WARNINGCivil cases

If a nonmovant makes the specified showing by affidavit or declaration, the court may defer or deny the motion, allow time for affidavits or discovery, or issue another appropriate order.

If a nonmovant shows by affidavit or declaration that, for specified reasons, it cannot present facts essential to justify its opposition, the court may: (1) defer considering the motion or deny it; (2) allow time to obtain affidavits or declarations or to take discovery; or (3) issue any other appropriate order. Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.510(d) (emphasis added).

WARNING

If extensive argument occurs, the hearing will be continued to a later time certain under the General Procedures.

If extensive argument occurs, the hearing will be continued to a later time, to be set for a time certain under the General Procedures on Page 2.

WARNING

Extensions to serve process are within the trial judge’s discretion, and parties generally should not expect an extension beyond 180 days from filing the complaint.

Deadlines for extensions to serve process upon defendants will be at the discretion of the trial judge. Generally, parties should not expect an extension of longer than 180 days from the filing of the complaint.

WARNING

If extensive argument occurs at a motion-calendar hearing, the hearing will be continued to a later time certain under the General Procedures.

If extensive argument occurs, the hearing will be continued to a later time, to be set for a time certain under the General Procedures on Page 2.

WARNING

Submit deadline-adjustment requests by stipulated order; they will be permitted if they do not appear to affect trial preparation.

If the parties need to adjust any of the deadlines contained in the order setting trial, such can be submitted by stipulated order and will be permitted if they do not appear to affect preparation for trial.

WARNING

Extensions to serve process are within the trial judge’s discretion; parties generally should not expect more than 180 days from the complaint’s filing to complete service.

Deadlines for extensions to serve process upon defendants will be at the discretion of the trial judge. Generally, parties should not expect an extension of longer than 180 days from the filing of the complaint to execute service. See Fla. R. Civ. P. l.070(j).