Third Judicial Circuit of Florida (Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor Counties) Filing Rules
Official filing rules, court-wide sources, and procedure resources for Third Judicial Circuit of Florida (Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor Counties)
For Third Judicial Circuit of Florida (Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor Counties) filings, start with the official local rules and court-level instructions. Then confirm any division, department, clerk, or assigned-officer procedure that applies to the case.
- Judge Jennifer K. Griffin
Communications to the judicial office must be sent by email to the listed address.
- Judge Gregory S. Parker
Parties may contact the judicial office only in accordance with its stated practices and procedures.
- Judge Fred Koberlein Jr.
The court will not consider unsolicited communications from non-parties.
- Judge Bill Blue
Email a copy of each motion to continue to Ms. Cassidy immediately after E-Filing it.
- Judge Kathryn R. Land
For matters typically held in person, parties who both agree to a Zoom hearing must request it in writing from the judicial assistant; the Court decides whether to grant the request.
- Judge Fred Koberlein Jr.
A notice of cancellation must be filed immediately.
- Judge Jennifer K. Griffin
A notice for trial must be filed to set the case for trial.
- Judge Bill Blue
Every proposed order must contain a Certificate of Service substantially conforming to the court's provided form.
- Judge Kathryn R. Land
A motion must state that the parties met and conferred without resolution, or that the other party could not be contacted after due diligence.
- Judge Gregory S. Parker
A notice of hearing involving a remote appearance must list the judge's Zoom videoconferencing credentials.
- Judge Fred Koberlein Jr.
A notice of cancellation must be filed immediately.
- Judge Kathryn R. Land
Continuance motions must be filed before the pretrial date.
- Judge Jennifer K. Griffin
A notice of hearing must be filed immediately after hearing time is reserved.
- Judge Bill Blue
A motion to continue must be E-Filed by noon two business days before the hearing, absent a true emergency.
- Judge Gregory S. Parker
A notice of hearing must be filed immediately after hearing time is reserved.
- Judge Fred Koberlein Jr.
Attorneys and self-represented litigants must make and receive service by email, generally through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, unless excused.
- Judge Jennifer K. Griffin
Attorneys and self-represented litigants must provide an email address for electronic receipt of signed orders unless excused.
- Judge Kathryn R. Land
The parties must exchange witness lists and exhibits within 7 calendar days of an evidentiary hearing.
- Judge Wesley R. Douglas
Counsel must provide self-represented parties a copy of an electronically signed order.
- Judge Gregory S. Parker
A notice of hearing must be served immediately after hearing time is reserved.
- Judge Jennifer K. Griffin
Proposed orders must be submitted in both PDF and Word format.
- Judge Bill Blue
Parties must share-screen via Zoom or use another means to show the Court digital media evidence and exhibits.
- Judge Fred Koberlein Jr.
Proposed orders must be submitted in Microsoft Word format (.docx).
- Judge Jamie L. Tyndal
Motions for continuance must be in writing.
- Judge Wesley R. Douglas
Agreed proposed orders submitted for signature must be in Word (.docx) format.
- Judge Kathryn R. Land
A continuance motion based on witness unavailability, filed after the parties select a hearing date without first checking the witness's availability, may be denied.
- Judge Bill Blue
Motions to continue must be filed by noon two business days before the hearing, absent a true emergency, and state whether opposing counsel was consulted and opposes the motion.
- Judge Gregory S. Parker
A continuance will be granted only for good cause; successive continuances are highly disfavored, and lack of due diligence is not a sufficient ground.
- Judge Fred Koberlein Jr.
Continuances are disfavored and require good cause; successive continuances are especially disfavored, lack of diligence is insufficient, and the requesting party must sign the motion unless good cause is shown.
- Judge Jamie L. Tyndal
Continuance motions must be submitted by noon the day before the scheduled pretrial date; they should state the number of prior continuances and the reason, and deposition continuances should state the deposition date. Boiler-plate motions may be denied.
- Judge Fred Koberlein Jr.
Self-represented litigants excused from e-mail service may submit proposed orders by U.S. mail or hand-delivery.
- Judge Jennifer K. Griffin
Proposed orders may be emailed to the judicial assistant, with opposing counsel or self-represented litigants copied.
- Judge Gregory S. Parker
Proposed orders may be submitted to the court by email at the listed address.
- Judge Bill Blue
Motions to continue must be electronically filed, absent a true emergency.
- Judge Jennifer K. Griffin
The rule’s requirements do not apply when either the movant or the nonmovant is unrepresented by counsel.
- Judge Fred Koberlein Jr.
Before filing a non-dispositive motion, the movant must confer in good faith with the opposing party to try to resolve the issues.
- Judge Bill Blue
Motions must be briefed before the hearing according to the due dates in the court's order, which parties must read and follow.
- Judge Kathryn R. Land
The parties must meet and confer before filing a motion.
- Judge Fred Koberlein Jr.
For any hearing or trial, courtesy copies of aids and case law must be submitted to the court and opposing counsel or litigants.
- Judge Jennifer K. Griffin
For evidentiary proceedings, case-law courtesy copies must be submitted to the court at least 72 hours before the hearing by email.
- Judge Jamie L. Tyndal
Courtesy copies of case law for evidentiary hearings that the parties want the Court to review must be emailed to the judicial assistant and opposing counsel at least 24 hours before the hearing.