Judge Alissa M. Ellison
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Motion
Notice Of Hearing
Chambers Copy
Court-wideCourtesy copies
Court-wideCommunication
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Clerk
Clerk
Clerk
Document Format Requirements2 rules
Competing proposed orders must be submitted in Word format by email with “Competing Proposed Order” in the subject line.
Competing orders should be submitted in Word format to the division email (gencivdivj@fljud13.org) with the words “Competing Proposed Order” in the subject line.
DOCX
Proposed orders must be submitted electronically in PDF format through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.
Proposed orders must be submitted in PDF format through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.
Document Filing Requirements8 rules
An agreed proposed order must begin with “Agreed Order,” state in its first paragraph that the parties agree to the relief, and identify the underlying stipulation or motion.
Agreed orders. Proposed orders on agreed relief or relief sought jointly by the parties should begin with “Agreed Order” in the caption. The first paragraph of the order must state that the parties agree to the relief afforded by the order, and it must identify the stipulation or motion providing the basis for the relief.
Document Type
Proposed Order
A unilateral hearing notice must describe in detail the efforts to reach agreement; a single email, letter, or ultimatum is insufficient, and a noncompliant hearing may be canceled without notice.
A notice of a hearing set unilaterally due to a lack of cooperation must describe, in detail, the efforts made to reach agreement on the hearing date. A single email, letter, or ultimatum is insufficient. Unilaterally set hearings that do not describe efforts to agree on a hearing date may be cancelled without notice.
Document Type
Notice Of Hearing
A proposed-order cover letter must affirmatively state whether the other parties object or do not object to the order’s form.
The cover letter must affirmatively state whether the other parties object or do not object to the form of the order.
Document Type
Proposed Order
Failure to confer and include the required certification statement in a motion may result in denial without prejudice and cancellation of the hearing.
Failure to confer and certify the appropriate statement with the motion—with the detail required by the Administrative Order—will result in the motion being denied without prejudice and any hearing cancelled.
Document Type
Motion
Except in rare circumstances, an agreed order not preceded by a motion or stipulation will be rejected.
Except in rare circumstances, agreed orders that are not preceded by a motion or stipulation will be rejected.
Document Type
Proposed Order
Failure to timely submit a proposed order may result in denial of the motion without prejudice or a rehearing.
Document Type
Proposed Order
A notice of hearing must be timely filed, include the filing date and docket number, and contain all information needed to access the hearing.
Notice of Hearings should include the date filed and docket number of the Matter being called up for hearing. Parties scheduling hearings must ensure that the notice of hearing is timely filed and contain all information necessary to access the hearing.
Document Type
Notice Of Hearing
A proposed order should include a cover letter identifying the hearing date and stating whether all parties agree to the proposed form.
Proposed orders should be accompanied by a cover letter identifying the hearing date (if any) and stating whether all parties agree to the form of the order.
Document Type
Proposed Order
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
Proposed orders must be filed through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.
Proposed orders must be submitted in PDF format through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.
Page 1 | Proposed Orders
Parties may not seek litigation relief by emailing chambers; relief must be sought by motion or stipulation, and unauthorized emailed requests may result in sanctions without further notice.
Litigation by emailing chambers is absolutely prohibited. All relief must be sought by motion or stipulation. Parties who seek any form of relief by emailing chambers—other than for administrative purposes allowed above—may be sanctioned without further notice.
Page 1 | Additional Procedures
The court will not accept documents submitted through ShareFile links.
Documents cannot be accepted via sharefile links.
Page 1 | Chambers Communications and Hearing Materials
Exhibits and proposed documents for evidentiary hearings should be uploaded through the ePortal.
Exhibits for Evidentiary hearings should be uploaded via the eportal: proposed documents, exhibits
Page 1 | Hearing Scheduling
If the parties agree, they must electronically file the relevant motions and responses and email the judicial assistant the titles of motions to be resolved without a hearing.
If the parties agree, e-file motions and responses and advise the judicial assistant via email of the title(s) of the specific motions you want the Judge to resolve without a hearing.
Page 1 | Additional Procedures
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
A party objecting to an order’s form must immediately notify chambers and submit a competing order within three days.
Any party objecting to the form of an order must notify chambers immediately and submit a competing order within 3 days.
Page 1 | Proposed Orders
A hearing may be noticed unilaterally only because of a lack of cooperation and must provide at least 60 days’ notice.
Unilateral notices of hearing. Hearings may be unilaterally noticed with a minimum of 60 days’ notice, and only due to a lack of cooperation.
Page 1 | Hearing Scheduling
Authorities and other documents intended for the court’s consideration must be filed in JAWS at least two business days before the hearing or by any earlier deadline required by the rules; late material will not be considered.
All authority or other documents you would like the Court to consider must be filed in JAWS no fewer than two business days prior to the hearing or as specifically required by the Rules, whichever is earlier. Material received after that deadline will not be considered.
Page 1 | Chambers Communications and Hearing Materials
Proposed orders following a hearing should be submitted within five days, although some instances permit submission within ten days.
Proposed orders following a hearing should be submitted within 5 days, but may be submitted within 10 days in some instances.
Page 1 | Proposed Orders
Courtesy Copy Requirements
After filing and properly emergency-flagging a motion, the filer must email the judicial assistant a courtesy copy so the court can act promptly.
After the motion is filed with the clerk and properly flagged as an emergency pursuant to Administrative Order S-2024-046, Paragraph 19 (B), please email the JA with a courtesy copy so the Court is aware of the need to act on the Motion. gencivdivj@fljud13.org
Page 1 | Chambers Communications and Hearing Materials
A courtesy copy of the notice of hearing should be emailed to the divisional email address.
A courtesy copy of the notice of hearing should be emailed to the divisional email gencivdivj@fljud13.org.
Page 1 | Hearing Scheduling
Filing Bundling Requirements
Cross-noticing is prohibited; agreed additions must be cleared with chambers through an amended notice, while unilaterally cross-noticed motions will not be heard and may be denied without prejudice.
Cross-noticing. Cross-noticing hearings is absolutely prohibited. If the parties agree to add certain motions to a hearing, they should file an amended notice of hearing after clearing the addition with Judge Ellison’s chambers. Motions unilaterally cross-noticed will not be heard and may be denied without prejudice.
Page 1 | Hearing Scheduling
Hearing binders and other documents may not be submitted to chambers.
WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING HEARING BINDERS-Please do not submit any hearing binders or other documents to Chambers.
Page 1 | Chambers Communications and Hearing Materials
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
Mediation is required before trial except in extraordinary circumstances or when time does not allow it.
Except in extraordinary circumstances, or where time does not allow it, mediation will be required before trial.
Page 1 | Additional Procedures
Every movant must confer with the opposing party or counsel in good faith to attempt to resolve the issues raised by the motion.
Good-Faith Conference. Movants must comply with paragraph 11(A) of Administrative Order S-2024-046, which requires the movant to “confer with the opposing party or opposing counsel in a good faith effort to resolve the issues raised by the motion.”
Page 1 | Additional Procedures
A motion to compel must specifically describe the relief sought and include the required good-faith conference certification; noncompliant motions will be denied and their hearings canceled.
Motions to compel should describe with specificity the relief sought. The motion must comply with the good-faith conference certification requirements of Rule 1.380(a)(2) and paragraph 11(A) of Administrative Order S-2024-046. Motions that do not comply will be denied and hearings cancelled.
Page 1 | Additional Procedures
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
A pretrial conference or trial may be canceled only if the matter is completely settled, and the settlement or dismissal notice must be emailed to the judicial assistant.
A Pretrial Conference or a Trial may not be cancelled unless the matter has been completely settled. If so, please email the Notice of Settlement or the Notice of Voluntary Dismissal to the JA to confirm the cancellation.
Page 1 | Canceling Hearings, Pretrial Conferences, and Trials
Chambers Communication Rules
Parties seeking a hearing time for an attorney-fee determination must contact the divisional email address.
For Scheduling hearing time on the Determination on the Amount of Attorney’s Fees, please contact the divisional email gencivdivj@fljud13.org for requested time.
Page 1 | UMC Dockets
A competing-order email may briefly explain why the proposed form is correct but may not contain additional legal argument.
The email may briefly describe why the party’s proposed form is correct, but additional legal argument is prohibited.
Page 1 | Proposed Orders
A hearing canceled within 24 hours requires an emailed notice of cancellation; when cancellation occurs moments before the hearing, the judicial assistant must also be telephoned.
Canceling hearings within 24 hours of the hearing: Please email the JA a copy of the notice of cancellation; if it is moments before the scheduled time of the hearing, please also phone the JA, Jennifer, at 813-272-6991 so we know not to expect your attendance at the hearing.
Page 1 | Canceling Hearings, Pretrial Conferences, and Trials
Attorneys set UMC, 15-minute, and 30-minute hearings through JAWS; pro se litigants may email the judicial assistant, and requests for 60-minute-or-longer hearings must be made to the judicial assistant.
UMC’s, 15 and 30minute hearings are to be set by attorneys through JAWS. Pro Se litigants may email the JA for hearing availability. Anyone requesting a hearing of 60 minutes or longer must contact the JA for availability. gencivdivj@fljud13.org
Page 1 | Circuit Civil Division J Division Preferences - The Top Ten
Competing proposed orders must be emailed to the division email address with “Competing Proposed Order” in the subject line.
Competing orders should be submitted in Word format to the division email (gencivdivj@fljud13.org) with the words “Competing Proposed Order” in the subject line.
Page 1 | Proposed Orders
Chambers emails must include all parties because they may be filed on the public docket as ex parte communications; court staff also may not give legal advice or discuss orders.
Please remember that court staff cannot give legal advice or discuss orders, and emails must include all parties or they will be filed on the public docket as ex parte communications.
Page 1 | Proposed Orders
Parties must email the judge’s office to obtain a pretrial time.
Pre-Trials (Must e-mail Judge’s Office for a Time)
Page 1 | Schedule
Availability questions and requests for hearing time exceeding 30 minutes should be sent to chambers with all parties included.
If you have questions about availability or need more than 30minute hearing time, please contact chambers and please be sure to include all parties.
Page 1 | UMC Dockets
Any message to chambers must include the sender’s name, case number, and phone number.
With any message, please include your name, case number, and phone number, so that we can respond as soon as possible.
Page 1 | Proposed Orders
A hearing canceled more than 24 hours in advance may also be canceled through JAWS when it was scheduled there; if it was scheduled by email, the cancellation notice must be emailed to the judicial assistant.
If you are canceling more than 24 hours in advance and the hearing was scheduled through JAWS, you may cancel it also through JAWS. If you scheduled it by Emailing the JA, please email a notice of cancellation to her at gencivdivj@fljud13.org.
Page 1 | Canceling Hearings, Pretrial Conferences, and Trials
If a party can email briefs with embedded authorities, it may do so at least two business days before the hearing; otherwise, it must not send paper documents to chambers.
If you have the capability to submit your briefs with embedded cases, you may email that to the Division at gencivdivj@fljud13.org at least two business days prior to the scheduled hearing. Otherwise, do not send any paper documents to Chambers.
Page 1 | Chambers Communications and Hearing Materials
Questions and scheduling requests may be sent to chambers by email or phone.
Please contact chambers at gencivdivj@fljud13.org or 813.272.6991 if you have any questions. We maintain open lines of communication and are happy to help with scheduling.
Page 1 | Proposed Orders