Judge Melissa M. Polo
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Motion
- Email • Immediately Upon Filing
Notice Of Hearing
- Email • Immediately Upon Filing
Chambers Copy
Court-wideCourtesy copies
Court-wideAdjournments
- A hearing canceled within 24 hours requires both emailing the filed Notice of Cancellation and telephoning the Judicial Assistant, with a follow-up notice if no answer is received.
- To cancel a hearing more than 24 hours in advance, the scheduling party must cancel it in JAWS and email the e-filed Notice of Cancellation to the Judicial Assistant.
Request must include
Communication
Chambers
Clerk
Clerk
Clerk
Phone
Court-wideChambers
Page & Word Limits2 rules
All motions, responses, replies, and memoranda of law must be e-filed in the ePortal and may not exceed 10 pages without leave of court.
ALL MOTIONS/RESPONSES/REPLIES/MEMOS OF LAW efiled in the eportal and SHALL NOT EXCEED 10 PAGES without leave of Court.
Brief
10 pages
Photographs, charts, diagrams, and caselaw are excluded from the 10-page limit.
Photographs, charts, diagrams and caselaw do not count against the page limit.
Brief
Document Format Requirements3 rules
A proposed order must be submitted in PDF format.
Proposed Orders must be submitted as a PDF.
A proposed agreed order and cover letter may be uploaded through the Florida ePortal only in PDF format, with Circuit Civil Division C selected.
A proposed agreed Order, along with a cover letter, can be uploaded, only as a PDF, for Judge Polo’s review and consideration through the Florida ePortal. Be sure Circuit Civil Division C is selected.
A competing proposed order may include a brief explanation of its correctness but may not include additional legal argument.
The parties may briefly describe why the party’s proposed form is correct, but additional legal argument is prohibited.
Document Filing Requirements6 rules
A Notice of Hearing must include the Zoom information.
INCLUDE ZOOM INFORMATION ON NOTICES OF HEARING.
Document Type
Notice Of Hearing
A unilateral hearing notice based on lack of cooperation must detail the parties’ efforts to agree on a hearing date.
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.
Document Type
Notice Of Hearing
When parties disagree on an order’s form, each may email a Word-format proposed order with a cover letter detailing the disputed issues.
Competing Orders - If parties do not agree with the form of the Order, each party may email the JA a proposed Order as a Word Document, along with a cover letter detailing the conflicting issues.
Document Type
Competing Order
An attorney or pro se party that used AI to prepare a filing must disclose that use in a clear factual statement and certify that every legal and record citation was verified as accurate.
for any case assigned to Judge Polo, if any attorney or pro se party has used Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) in the preparation of any complaint, answer, motion, brief, or other paper filed with the Court, the party MUST, in a clear and plain factual statement, disclosure that AI has been used in any way in the filing, and CERTIFY, that each and every citation to the law or the record in the paper has been verified as accurate.
Document Type
Court Filing
When permission to cross-notice or add a motion is granted, the Notice of Hearing must include the phrase “If time allows…”.
If permission is granted, parties must include, “If time allows…” on the Notice of Hearing.
Document Type
Notice Of Hearing
Each proposed order must include a cover letter stating the motion and hearing details, when the order was provided to opposing counsel, and opposing counsel’s position.
A cover letter must accompany each proposed Order and should state: Title, filing date, and hearing date of Motion Date the proposed Order was provided to opposing counsel Opposing counsel agrees to the Order OR opposing counsel failed to respond after 5 days OR opposing counsel indicated they object and will be submitting a competing Order
Document Type
Proposed Order
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
Motions must not be mailed, hand-delivered, or emailed to the Division or Judicial Assistant.
Motions SHALL NOT be mailed, hand delivered, or emailed to the Division or JA.
Page 1 | Additional Procedures
A proposed agreed order with a cover letter may be uploaded through the Florida ePortal for Judge Polo’s review.
A proposed agreed Order, along with a cover letter, can be uploaded, only as a PDF, for Judge Polo’s review and consideration through the Florida ePortal. Be sure Circuit Civil Division C is selected.
Page 1 | Proposed Agreed Orders
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
A proposed order submitted in Word will be automatically rejected by the filing system and will not reach Judge Polo.
Proposed Orders submitted in Word will automatically be rejected by the system prior to getting to Judge Polo for consideration.
Page 1 | PDF Only
A competing proposed order must be emailed as a Word document with a conflict cover letter within three days, include the case number and “Competing Orders” in the subject line, and contain no additional legal argument.
Competing Orders - If parties do not agree with the form of the Order, each party may email the JA a proposed Order as a Word Document, along with a cover letter detailing the conflicting issues. The competing Order must be received within 3 days. The Subject Line in the email should include the case number and “Competing Orders.” The parties may briefly describe why the party’s proposed form is correct, but additional legal argument is prohibited.
Page 1 | Proposed Orders NOT Agreed Upon Following a Hearing
Unless Judge Polo directs otherwise, a proposed agreed order and cover letter must be uploaded as a PDF through the Florida ePortal within five days after the hearing.
A proposed agreed Order, along with a cover letter, should be uploaded, as a PDF, to the Florida ePortal within 5 days of the hearing unless otherwise directed by Judge Polo during the hearing.
Page 1 | Proposed Orders Agreed Upon Following a Hearing
A Notice of Hearing must be filed immediately after reserving hearing time, and a timestamped e-filed courtesy copy must be sent to the division.
A Notice of Hearing should be filed immediately after hearing time is reserved and an efiled copy with the Clerk’s date and time stamp at the top should be sent to the division as a courtesy.
Page 1 | Evidentiary Hearing on Fees and Costs
A hearing may be noticed unilaterally only because of a lack of cooperation and must be noticed at least 60 days in advance.
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 | Cross-Noticing and Piggy-Back Hearings
If opposing counsel does not respond within five days after service, the proposed order may be uploaded as a PDF with a cover letter documenting service and the lack of response.
No Response - If after 5 days of service a response is not received by opposing counsel, a proposed Order, as a PDF, may be uploaded to the Florida ePortal, along with a cover letter detailing the service and no response, for Judge Polo’s consideration.
Page 1 | Proposed Orders NOT Agreed Upon Following a Hearing
Supporting documents, responses, and replies must be e-filed at least three business days before the hearing.
Documents in support, responses, and/or replies are to be efiled at least three (3) business days prior to the hearing.
Page 1 | Additional Procedures
Materials submitted after the three-business-day deadline or through mail, hand delivery, or email will not be reviewed or considered.
Due to work-place constraints, anything submitted after this deadline or submitted via mail, hand delivery or email will not be reviewed and/or considered.
Page 1 | Additional Procedures
Service and Proof of Service Rules
The attorney is responsible for providing copies of an order to a pro se party that has no email address associated with the case.
If a Pro Se party does not have an email address associated with the case, the attorney will be responsible for providing copies of the Order to Pro Se parties.
Page 1 | Service / Email Addresses in JAWS
When a pro se party has no email address associated with the case, the attorney must mail the order to that party.
If a party is pro se and does not have an email address associated with the case, the attorney will be responsible for mailing copies of the Order to pro se parties.
Page 1 | Cover Letters
Each attorney or party entitled to service must have an email address registered in JAWS for each individual case.
Parties must register email addresses on JAWS for each individual case and for each individual attorney or party entitled to service.
Page 1 | Service / Email Addresses in JAWS
Parties must associate their email addresses with the case in JAWS and select recipients for rejection notices.
Parties must ensure their email addresses are associated to the case in JAWS AND have selected recipients for rejections.
Page 1 | Service / Email Addresses in JAWS
Courtesy Copy Requirements
After filing and properly flagging an emergency motion, the filer must email an e-filed courtesy copy to the Judicial Assistant.
Emergency Motion: After an Emergency Motion is filed with Clerk AND properly flagged as an EMERGENCY, email the JA an efiled courtesy copy at circivdivc@fljud13.org.
Page 1 | Documents in the Court File
A timestamped e-filed copy of the Notice of Hearing must be emailed to the division as a courtesy copy after hearing time is reserved.
A Notice of Hearing should be filed immediately after hearing time is reserved and an efiled copy with the Clerk’s date and time stamp at the top should be sent to the division as a courtesy.
Page 1 | Evidentiary Hearing on Fees and Costs
Filing Bundling Requirements
A briefing notebook should not be submitted.
Please do NOT submit a briefing notebook.
Page 1 | Additional Procedures
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
A movant must confer in good faith with the opposing party or counsel to resolve the motion’s issues and file the required detailed certification or face denial without prejudice and cancellation of the hearing.
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.” 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.
Page 1 | Additional Procedures
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
A hearing canceled within 24 hours requires both emailing the filed Notice of Cancellation and telephoning the Judicial Assistant, with a follow-up notice if no answer is received.
Cancelling Hearings within 24 Hours of Hearing: Email JA a copy of the FILED Notice of Cancellation AND call the JA to advise of cancellation. Leave a message if necessary and then follow up with a Notice of Cancellation.
Page 1 | Documents in the Court File
To cancel a hearing more than 24 hours in advance, the scheduling party must cancel it in JAWS and email the e-filed Notice of Cancellation to the Judicial Assistant.
Cancelling Hearings Prior to 24 Hours of Hearing : Scheduling party must cancel on JAWS and email efiled Notice of Cancellation to the JA.
Page 1 | Documents in the Court File
Chambers Communication Rules
Litigation by email to Chambers is prohibited; all relief must be requested by motion or stipulation.
Litigation by emailing chambers is absolutely prohibited. All relief must be sought by motion or stipulation.
Page 1 | Communication to Chambers
An email to the division must identify the case number and case name in the subject line and copy all parties.
When emailing the division at circivdivc@fljud13.org be sure to include the case number and name in the subject line and you MUST copy all parties.
Page 1 | Communication to Chambers
The Judicial Assistant may answer questions about scheduling, court preferences, and procedures but may not hear case details or provide legal advice.
The Court’s Judicial Assistant is available for questions regarding scheduling and the Court’s preferences and procedures and cannot hear any details of the case or provide any legal advice.
Page 1 | Communication to Chambers
An evidentiary hearing must be requested by emailing the Judicial Assistant with the specified case and hearing information.
These hearings are scheduled by contacting the JA at circivdivc@fljud13.org and providing the following information: Case number Case name Title, date, and docket number of the Motion or matter for hearing State you are requesting an Evidentiary Hearing Amount of time needed
Page 1 | Evidentiary Hearings
A party must first review all listed resources before calling or emailing the Judicial Assistant and must copy opposing counsel on any subsequent email.
PLEASE DO NOT CALL OR EMAIL THE J.A. UNTIL YOU HAVE FIRST REVIEWED THIS WEBPAGE IN ITS ENTIRETY, THE RESOURCES PROVIDED ONLINE, AND IN THE PROCEDURAL/LOCAL/ADMINISTRATIVE RULES/ORDERS. IF AFTER REVIEWING ALL OF THE ABOVE RESOURCES YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU MAY EMAIL THE J.A. AT circivdivc@fljud13.org AND COPY OPPOSING COUNSEL ON YOUR EMAIL.
Page 1 | Additional Procedures
Before calling or emailing the Judicial Assistant, a party must review the webpage, online resources, and governing rules; unresolved questions may then be emailed with opposing counsel copied.
PLEASE DO NOT CALL OR EMAIL THE J.A. UNTIL YOU HAVE FIRST REVIEWED THIS WEBPAGE IN ITS ENTIRETY, THE RESOURCES PROVIDED ONLINE, AND IN THE PROCEDURAL/LOCAL/ADMINISTRATIVE RULES/ORDERS. IF AFTER REVIEWING ALL OF THE ABOVE RESOURCES YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU MAY EMAIL THE J.A. AT circivdivc@fljud13.org AND COPY OPPOSING COUNSEL ON YOUR EMAIL.
Page 1 | Communication to Chambers
Non-evidentiary hearings longer than 30 minutes must be scheduled by emailing the Judicial Assistant with the case, matter, and duration information specified.
These hearings are scheduled by emailing the JA at circivdivc@fljud13.org and providing the following information: Case number Case name Title, date, and docket number of the Motion or matter for hearing Amount of time needed
Page 1 | Non-Evidentiary Hearings: More than 30 Minutes
Communications to Chambers should be sent to the division’s email address.
Communication to Chambers should be directed to the division’s email address: circivdivc@fljud13.org.
Page 1 | Communication to Chambers
After entitlement to attorney’s fees and costs is established, a party may email the Judicial Assistant for an evidentiary hearing time.
Once entitlement is established, parties may email the JA at circivdivc@fljud13.org for hearing times.
Page 1 | Evidentiary Hearing on Fees and Costs
Pro se litigants may email the Judicial Assistant to obtain hearing availability.
Pro Se litigants may email the JA for hearing availability.
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Civil, Division C