Twelfth Judicial Circuit of Florida (DeSoto, Manatee, Sarasota) Filing Rules
Official filing rules, court-wide sources, and procedure resources for Twelfth Judicial Circuit of Florida (DeSoto, Manatee, Sarasota)
For Twelfth Judicial Circuit of Florida (DeSoto, Manatee, Sarasota) 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 Kevin Bruning
Hearings must be in person unless the Court approves a motion requesting Zoom appearance.
- Judge Megan Leaf
Each summary judgment motion must include a specifically captioned “Statement of Material Facts” section.
- Judge Kennedy Legler
Pre-hearing memoranda are encouraged for motions set for 30 minutes or less and mandatory for hearings over 30 minutes.
- Court-level rules
County civil complaints must be filed with the Standing Order and Case Management Report, except eviction complaints and other section 51.011 summary proceedings.
- Judge Charles Sniffen
A motion for rehearing, reconsideration, or new trial should be detailed and cite relevant legal authority.
- Judge Diana Moreland
Do not call or email the Court to discuss a pending case; case arguments must be made in court or in properly filed documents by parties.
- Judge Maria Ruhl
Read the requirements before calling the judicial assistant’s office.
- Judge Charles Sniffen
Use email only to communicate basic information or send documents, not to state a position, argue, or persuade the court on substantive or procedural matters.
- Judge Danielle Brewer
For a hearing requiring transport of a client in custody, email the Judicial Assistant at least two days before the hearing.
- Judge D. Ryan Felix
Hearings expected to last longer than one hour must be scheduled by contacting the Judicial Assistant, not through JACS.
- Judge Donna Marie Padar
File a motion before requesting or reserving hearing time on JACS.
- Judge Kaylin Humerickhouse
The clerk must reject a new county civil complaint or petition that lacks the Standing Order and Case Management Report, except evictions and other summary proceedings.
- Judge Melissa Gould
Documents normally filed with the clerk, including plea-in-absentia forms, waiver forms, and exhibits, must be filed with the clerk three business days before a hearing.
- Court-level rules
All objections to pleadings and pre-trial motions must be resolved within 45 days after filing and before the pre-trial conference.
- Judge Jacqueline B. Steele
All parties must exchange trial exhibits at least five business days before trial.
- Judge Charles Sniffen
Judges and magistrates are encouraged to establish procedures for receiving proposed orders through the Portal.
- Court-level rules
Judges and magistrates are encouraged to set Portal procedures, and proposed orders must be submitted through the Portal if their requirements do not address them.
- Judge Charles E. Williams
E-filing proposed orders with the Clerk is prohibited in Probate and Guardianship cases except for specified orders that must be e-filed.
- Judge Diana Moreland
Proposed orders in Probate cases must not be e-filed with the Clerk of Circuit Court, except for the specified orders requiring the Clerk’s audit.
- Judge Kevin Bruning
Filing a Notice of Cancellation with the Clerk or through the e-Filing Portal does not itself cancel the JACS hearing.
- Judge Maria Ruhl
Anyone authorized to appear by Zoom must use a working camera and may not appear by telephone, including court reporters.
- Judge Charles Sniffen
Do not provide materials through outside links or ZIP files; submit documents as PDFs or another readable format.
- Judge Kennedy Legler
Courtesy-copy documents must be PDFs; outside sharing links, ZIP files, and folders cannot be opened.
- Judge Danielle Brewer
Attachments to orders must be submitted in PDF/A format only.
- Judge Edward Nicholas
Final Judgments of Dissolution must be sent in Word format to the Family Division 3 email address.
- Judge Kennedy Legler
Hearing packets or binders should be submitted at least three business days before the hearing.
- Judge Maria Ruhl
If PDF delivery is not possible, the Court would appreciate paper copies of the motion, directly relevant evidence and case law, and opposing parties’ filed responses.
- Judge Diana Moreland
Provide the Court copies of all documents at least five business days before an Emergency Temporary Guardianship hearing.
- Judge Danielle Brewer
The submitting attorney must ensure all parties and attorneys receive courtesy copies of both the proposed order and its cover letter.
- Judge Don T. Hall
The scheduling attorney must provide the judge’s office with copies of the hearing notice and scheduled motion.
- Court-level rules
Papers should not be served to exploit an opponent’s absence or to inconvenience the adversary.
- Judge Frederick P. Mercurio
Counsel must notify all parties of a hearing cancellation.
- Judge Hunter W. Carroll
The Court serves the document by First Class U.S. Mail to individuals without an email address.
- Judge Charles Sniffen
To cancel a hearing, promptly cancel it in JACS, file a Notice of Cancellation, and send the notice to the court, all parties, and affected non-parties.
- Judge Matt Whyte
Withdrawing counsel must immediately serve the Order on all parties and file a certificate identifying everyone served and their service information.
- Court-level rules
When asked about a proposed proceeding time, an attorney should promptly agree or suggest a time as close as reasonably possible.
- Judge Donna Marie Padar
An opposed continuance may be granted upon a showing of good cause, including an emergency or other unanticipated event.
- Judge Charles Sniffen
A stipulation does not automatically continue a trial; the court must review any continuance motion or stipulation and may require a hearing.
- Judge Kennedy Legler
Attorneys and parties should bring or have access to their calendars at every court appearance in case rescheduling or a continuance is needed.
- Judge Thomas Krug
Request cancellation or continuance of a CMC or PTC by a proper motion filed in the court file and provided to all parties before the conference.
- Judge Charles Sniffen
Additional, cross-noticed, or substituted motions require prior court approval once a hearing is scheduled.
- Judge Donna Marie Padar
Hearings are limited to the reserved time, opposing parties receive equal time, and the scheduling party must confer with opposing counsel about total hearing time.
- Judge Danielle Brewer
File a motion before requesting or reserving hearing time for it.
- Judge Kevin Bruning
If the parties cannot agree on an issue, file the appropriate motion and set it for hearing.
- Court-level rules
Whenever possible, attorneys should contact opposing counsel before filing or upon receiving a motion to explore resolving it in whole or in part.
- Judge Charles Sniffen
Submit a proposed order using only one delivery method, not both ePortal and email.
- Court-level rules
Ancillary documents related to a proposed order may be attached to the cover letter in PDF/A format.
- Judge Stephen Walker
After a motion is scheduled, subsequent motions may not be cross-noticed without prior approval from opposing counsel and the Court.
- Judge Thomas Krug
Additional motions cannot be added to or substituted into a hearing slot without express consent from opposing counsel and the court.
- Judge D. Ryan Felix
Courtesy materials should be combined into as few attachments as reasonably possible.
- Judge Thomas Krug
County Civil mediation costs $60 per party per session.
- Court-level rules
The mediation fee is $120 per person per scheduled session when the parties’ combined gross annual income is greater than $50,000 and less than $100,000.
- Judge Megan Leaf
A defendant unable to pay the total when the plea in absentia is entered may elect a Clerk payment plan and must set it up within six months after disposition; the Clerk charges $25 to establish the plan and $5 with each payment.