Twelfth Judicial Circuit of Florida (DeSoto, Manatee, Sarasota) Filing Timing and Cure Windows

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 9, 2026CRITICAL

File Ex Parte pleadings and documents with the Clerk and ensure they are viewable on the docket before requesting the hearing.

All pleadings/documents shall be filed with the Clerk’s office and viewable on the docket prior to requesting an Ex Parte hearing.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 9, 2026CRITICAL

File the original stipulation with the Clerk before submitting it to the Court.

Original Stipulations should be filed with the Clerk prior to submitting them to the Court.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 9, 2026CRITICAL

An attorney who removes an original document from the courtroom after a hearing must deliver it to the Clerk’s Office that same business day.

Removal of Original Documents from Courtroom: If an attorney makes a request to take an original document from the courtroom following any hearing, the original shall be delivered by the Attorney to the Clerk’s Office on the same business day. no exceptions.

CRITICALCriminal cases

File a motion before requesting or reserving hearing time on JACS.

All motions must be filed prior to requesting or reserving hearing time on JACS.

CRITICALCriminal cases

The negotiated-plea cutoff is 5:00 p.m. on the Friday of docket-sounding week; later pleas are open pleas to the Court and require a sentencing hearing.

The negotiated plea cut-off date for all cases on a trial docket is the Friday at 5:00 pm of the docket sounding week – all pleas taken after that time will be straight-up pleas to the Court and require a sentencing hearing.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Counsel must confer and submit proposed jury instructions by email to the Judicial Assistant by noon on the first day of trial.

Counsel shall confer and proposed jury instructions shall be submitted to the Court via email to the Judicial Assistant by 12:00 noon on the first day of trial.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Cases or inmates must be added to a docket by 11:30 a.m. to allow preparation of the Court Appearance Record and, for an in-custody defendant, advance transport notice.

There is a 11:30 a.m. deadline for adding cases or inmates to a docket to ensure the Clerk has a Court Appearance Record and if the defendant is in custody to allow transport advanced notice.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 9, 2026CRITICAL

Criminal cases

The listed post-judgment or plea-related motions must be filed with the Clerk and simultaneously copied to the judge’s office.

All Motions for Rehearing, Reconsideration, Arrest of Judgment, New Trial and/or Motion to Withdraw Plea must be filed with the Clerk of Court and a copy must be simultaneously provided to the judge’s office.

CRITICAL

Proposed jury instructions must be emailed to the judicial assistant by noon on the first day of trial.

proposed jury instructions shall be submitted to the Court via email to the Judicial Assistant by 12:00 noon on the first day of trial.

CRITICALCivil cases

The Court may not enter a default until a 15-day grace period has elapsed.

e. No default shall be entered by the Court until a 15 day grace period has elapsed.

CRITICAL

A motion must be filed before hearing time will be provided for it.

Motions must be filed before hearing time will be given out for the motion.

CRITICAL

Requests for orders to show cause or violations of probation must be received by noon on the Thursday before the requested Tuesday docket; later requests carry over to the following Tuesday.

In order to allow adequate advanced notice to all parties, the cut-off time to receive requests to issue Order(s) to Show Cause and/or Violations of Probation (“VOP’) is 12 p.m. on Thursday immediately prior to the Tuesday delinquency docket requested. All requests received after 12 pm on the cut-off day will be carried over to the following Tuesday’s docket.

CRITICAL

Motions must be filed before hearing time is reserved.

All motions shall be filed prior to reserving hearing time.

CRITICAL

A motion must be filed with the Clerk before hearing time is reserved.

All motions shall be filed with the Clerk prior to reserving hearing time.

CRITICAL

A fully executed stipulation must be filed with the Clerk and provided to the court as soon as it is signed.

The fully executed Stipulation must be filed with the Clerk and a copy provided to the court as soon as it is signed.

WARNING

The court allows a three-month transition period before requiring attorneys to submit proposed orders through the Portal whenever feasible.

To allow everyone adequate transition time, the court is allowing a three-month grace period before requiring that attorneys submit proposed orders electronically through the Portal whenever feasible.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 9, 2026WARNING

Unless the court directs otherwise, the party preparing a proposed order should do so promptly, generally by the following business day.

Unless otherwise directed by the court following a hearing, the party charged with preparing a proposed order should prepare it promptly, generally no later than the following business day.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 9, 2026INFO

Trial stipulations may be completed and submitted to the Court before case management.

Stipulations for trial may be completed and submitted to the Court in advance of Case Management.

INFOCriminal cases

A departure request may be filed at sentencing if the State already knows of the request and no continuance is needed to secure rebuttal witnesses.

It is, however, acceptable to file at the time of sentencing if the State is previously aware of the request and eliminates the need to file a motion to continue to secure witnesses to rebut any facts necessary to support the departure.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 9, 2026INFO

For an in-person hearing, exhibits may be brought to the courtroom the morning of the hearing.

If the Hearing is In Person, you may bring the exhibits the morning of the hearing to the courtroom.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Civil cases

d. The aforementioned Notice of Appearance shall be deemed timely filed when it is hand delivered, e-filed, or provided by mail for filing to the Clerk of the Sarasota County Court, Civil Division and served by hand delivery, email or facsimile to the Plaintiffs counsel, no later than 4:00 p.m., one business day prior to the date of the Pre-trial Conference/Mediation; and

Summary: The Notice of Appearance must be filed no later than 4:00 p.m. one business day before the conference to be deemed timely.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Civil cases

3. The Clerk of Court is directed to reject any new County Civil Complaint/Petition (not including evictions or other summary proceedings) that does not include this Standing Order and County Civil Case Management Report.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

All motions shall be filed prior to reserving hearing time.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

For remote proceedings, parties must submit marked exhibits and confirm the Court received them three business days in advance.

For remote proceedings, parties must submit their marked exhibits three business days in advance and confirm receipt with the Court.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

To seek excusal from the pretrial conference, the parties may submit the proposed pretrial conference order through the E-Filing Portal at least three business days beforehand.

Prior to the Pretrial Conference, the parties may complete a proposed Pretrial Conference Order found on the Civil Division page and submit to Judge Johnson via the E-filing Portal at least three business days prior to the Pretrial Conference to be excused from the hearing.

CRITICAL

Deadline

48 hours

Provide the transcript no later than 48 hours before the hearing.

By rule a transcript must be provided no later than 48 hours prior to hearing.

CRITICAL

Deadline

1 business days

Proposed jury instructions must be submitted at least one business day before jury selection.

At least one business day before jury selection is to commence, the parties shall submit joint proposed jury instructions to Judge Felix’s Judicial Assistant in Word via email at CirCrimDiv1@jud12.flcourts.org.

CRITICAL

For remote proceedings, parties must submit marked exhibits three business days in advance and confirm that the Court received them.

For remote proceedings, parties must submit their marked exhibits three business days in advance and confirm receipt with the Court.

CRITICAL

Parties may be excused from the mandatory pretrial conference by submitting a completed joint Pretrial Conference Order at least two business days beforehand.

Parties may be excused from the mandatory Pretrial Conference date by submitting a completed, joint Pretrial Conference Order to the Court at least two (2) business days in advance.

CRITICAL

The uniform Case Management Order must be used to set civil cases for a future trial date within the specified case-management track within 120 days after the action commences.

Please review AO 2025-1.1, which explains the required use of the uniform Case Management Order setting all civil cases for a future trial date within the specified case management track within 120 days of the action commencing.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 9, 2026CRITICAL

The State must respond by 4:30 p.m. on the day it receives the motion about whether it intends to file an Information, a Notice of Case Action, or has no objection to an ROR order.

The State will have until 4:30 pm of the day a motion was received to respond regarding the State’s intention to file an Information, a Notice of Case Action or no objection to an ROR Order.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 9, 2026CRITICAL

If the motion is received in the afternoon, the State must respond by noon on the following business day.

If the motion is received in the afternoon, the State shall respond by the following business day by 12:00 pm.

CRITICAL

For all cases on a trial docket, the negotiated plea cutoff is Friday of the docket-sounding week.

The negotiated plea cut-off date for all cases on a trial docket is the Friday of the docket sounding week.

CRITICALCriminal cases

At least three days before a hearing, the scheduling attorney must deliver paper copies of the hearing notice, motion, and relevant supporting documents, and both parties must deliver supporting case law; email submissions are not accepted without Court approval.

The scheduling attorney must submit a paper copy of the notice of hearing, the motion to be heard, and any relevant supporting documents to which the parties may refer during the hearing by hand-delivery or mail at least three days prior to the hearing. Both parties shall submit any supporting case law at least three days prior to the hearing by mail or hand delivery. The Court does not accept email submission of documents absent Court approval.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Deadline

3 business days

Paper copies of motions, hearing documents, case law, and proposed orders must be hand-delivered or mailed to the judge’s office, and hearing materials must arrive at least three business days before the proceeding.

Paper copies of motions, hearing documents, case law and proposed orders must be hand-delivered or mailed to the judge’s office in a timely manner; for hearings, submit items at least three business days prior to the court proceeding.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Deadline

5 business days

For an exhibit in a different form or format from the discovery version, counsel must deliver an exact copy to opposing counsel at least five business days before trial and identify where the exhibit’s information appears in discovery.

If either side is going to use an exhibit that is in a different form/format than has been prepared and submitted with discovery the Court requires an exact copy of the exhibit to be delivered to opposing counsel no less than five (5) business days before trial. Counsel shall disclose to opposing counsel where in the discovery the information contained in the newly formatted exhibit can be found.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Deadline

5 business days

A request to redact any portion of an exhibit must be made to opposing counsel at least five business days before trial.

If any party requests that any portion of an exhibit, i.e., recordings, cell phone records, text messages, email messages, transcripts, etc., be redacted, the request for redaction shall be made to opposing counsel no less than five (5) business days before trial.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Deadline

3 business days

Signed stipulations may be submitted by noon on Friday or three business days before the scheduled Case Management hearing.

Signed Stipulations may be submitted to the Court by noon the Friday or (3) business days prior to the scheduled Case Management.

CRITICALCriminal cases

A departure request must be noticed five days before the hearing.

Departure requests shall be noticed five days before the hearing.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Deadline

2 business days

Each party must email its Pre-Hearing Conference Memorandum to the Court and opposing party and file a copy with the Clerk at least two business days before the conference.

At least two business days prior to the pre-hearing conference, each party shall submit a Pre-Hearing Conference Memorandum to the Court via the Felony 2 email at Felony2@Jud12.FlCourts.org and the opposing party and file a copy with the Clerk.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Deadline

0 business days

The State must respond to a release motion by 4:30 p.m. on the day received, or by noon the following business day if received in the afternoon; without a timely response, a hearing will be set on the next available date.

Motions to release uncharged defendants must be emailed to the Court and the assigned assistant state attorney. The State will have until 4:30 p.m. of the day a motion was received to respond regarding the State’s intention to file an Information, a Notice of Case Action or no objection to a ROR Order. If the motion is received in the afternoon the State shall respond by the following business day by 12:00 noon. If the JA does not receive a response from the State Attorney by the specified deadline a hearing will be set on the next available hearing date.

CRITICAL

A trial stipulation submitted before Case Management must reach the Court at least three days before the conference.

Stipulations for trial may be completed and submitted to the Court in advance of Case Management; however, they must be received by the Court three days prior to Case Management to allow time for the court’s review.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

Documents normally filed with the clerk, including the listed forms and exhibits, must be filed three business days before the hearing.

Any documents that would normally be filed with the clerk shall be filed with the clerk 3 business days in advance of the hearing. This includes, but is not limited to, plea in absentia forms, acknowledgment and waiver of rights forms, exhibits, etc.

CRITICAL

Acknowledgment and waiver forms and pleas in absentia must be filed with the clerk in advance, not sent to the Judicial Assistant.

Please do not email or send Acknowledgement and Waiver of Rights forms and Pleas in Absentia to the judicial assistant. Instead, file these documents with the clerk in advance of the hearing.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

The Pretrial Conference Continuance Form must be filed with the Clerk three business days before the hearing, not sent to the Judicial Assistant.

The Pretrial Conference Continuance Form should not be sent to the judicial assistant but rather filed with the Clerk three business days in advance of the hearing.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

The plea form must be filed with the Clerk three business days before the hearing and must not be sent to the Judicial Assistant.

Please file the plea form with the Clerk three business days in advance of the hearing. Please do not email or send the plea form to the judicial assistant.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

For a plea in absentia, the appropriate forms must be filed with the Clerk three business days before the hearing and not sent to the Judicial Assistant.

If pleading in absentia, please file the appropriate forms with the Clerk three business days in advance of the hearing. Please do not email or send the Plea in Absentia documents to the judicial assistant.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

Documents normally filed with the clerk must be filed at least 3 business days before the hearing.

Any documents that would normally be filed with the clerk shall be filed with the clerk 3 business days in advance of the hearing.

CRITICAL

Motions must be filed before or at the same time hearing time is reserved.

All motions must be filed prior to or simultaneously with reserving hearing time.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

Submit the proposed Pretrial Conference Order through the Portal at least three business days before the conference.

The parties must complete a proposed Pretrial Conference Order found on the Civil Division page and submit to Judge Carroll via the Portal at least three (3) business days prior to the Pretrial Conference.

CRITICAL

The parties must meet and confer and complete the Case Management Report within 30 days after the last defendant is served, then file it within five days after the initial meet-and-confer.

Within 30 days of the last Defendant being served with process, the parties are directed to meet-and-confer and complete the appropriate Case Management Report. The parties must file the Case Management Report within 5 days of the parties’ initial meet-and-confer.

CRITICALCivil cases

Each successor attorney must file a notice of appearance and designate an email address within five days if not already done.

If not already completed, within 5 days each Successor Attorney appearing on behalf of the Party must file a notice of appearance as well as a designation of email address.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Deadline

5 business days

All parties must exchange trial exhibits at least five business days before trial.

Trial exhibits shall be exchanged between all parties, not less than five (5) business days prior to trial.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Deadline

5 business days

A party seeking pretrial redaction of an exhibit portion must make the request to opposing counsel at least five business days before trial.

If any party requests that any portion of an exhibit, i.e., recordings, cell phone records, text messages, email messages, transcripts, etc., be redacted prior to trial, the request for redaction shall be made to opposing counsel no less than five (5) business days before trial.

CRITICALCriminal cases

If the parties cannot stipulate to a requested redaction, a motion must be filed and scheduled for hearing before trial.

If the parties cannot stipulate to the redaction a motion must be filed and scheduled for hearing prior to trial.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Motions to suppress, Stand Your Ground motions, and other applicable evidentiary motions must be filed and heard before the plea cut-off date, unless the opportunity did not exist or the defendant was unaware of the grounds.

Motions to Suppress, Stand Your Ground Motions or any other evidentiary motion applicable to the case, shall be filed and heard prior to the plea cut-off date unless opportunity did not exist, or the Defendant was not aware of the grounds for the Motion.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Proposed jury instructions and a verdict form are due by the Friday before the trial period begins.

Parties shall provide proposed jury instructions and a verdict form by email (in word format) no later than the Friday before the start of the trial period to CoDivision3@jud12.flcourts.org

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

Documents normally filed with the clerk must be filed at least three business days before the hearing.

Any documents that would normally be filed with the clerk shall be filed with the clerk 3 business days in advance of the hearing.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

The pretrial conference continuance form must be filed with the Clerk three business days before the hearing and must not be sent to the judicial assistant.

The Pretrial Conference Continuance Form should not be sent to the judicial assistant but rather filed with the Clerk three business days in advance of the hearing.

CRITICAL

Acknowledgement and Waiver of Rights forms and Pleas in Absentia must be filed with the Clerk before the hearing, not sent to the judicial assistant.

Please do not email or send Acknowledgement and Waiver of Rights forms and Pleas in Absentia to the judicial assistant. Instead, file these documents with the clerk in advance of the hearing.

CRITICALCivil cases

Dispositive and Daubert motions may not be heard within 15 days before the first day of trial without Court permission.

Dispositive motion (i.e., summary judgment) and Daubert motion deadline to be heard. (These motions may not be heard within 15 days before the first day of the trial without Court permission.

CRITICALCivil cases

The mediation deadline is 450 days after the complaint is filed in general cases and 270 days in streamlined cases.

Mediation deadline 450 days after Complaint filed for general cases, 270 days for streamlined

CRITICAL

A motion to vacate will be denied if the transcript is not filed by the deadline in the Order for Transcript or another date set by court order.

If the transcript is not filed within the time limit established by the Order for Transcript or such other date set by the Court upon motion and order, the Motion to Vacate will be denied.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

Failure to provide required financial disclosures at least three business days before mediation may result in sanctions and cancellation of mediation.

Failure to provide statutorily mandated financial disclosures three (3) business days prior to mediation may result in sanctions and the cancellation of the mediation session.

CRITICAL

A Motion to Vacate will be denied if the transcript is not filed by the Order for Transcript deadline or a later deadline set by Court order.

If the transcript is not filed within the time limit established by the Order for Transcript or such other date set by the Court upon motion and order, the Motion to Vacate will be denied.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

File Case Management Reports and Pre-Trial Conference Orders at least three business days before the hearing; late reports will not be reviewed and the hearing remains scheduled.

Please note that the Court will observe a hard deadline of 3 business days on submitting Case Management Reports and Pre-Trial Conference Orders prior to the scheduled hearing. Reports filed after this deadline will not be reviewed and you should attend the hearing as scheduled.

CRITICAL

Meet and confer and complete the appropriate Case Management Report within 30 days after the last defendant is served, then file it within five days after the initial conference.

Within 30 days of the last Defendant being served with process, the parties are directed to meet-and-confer and complete the appropriate Case Management Report. The parties shall file the Case Management Report within 5 days of the parties’ initial meet-and-confer.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

Parties may skip a trial-date CMC only if, at least three business days beforehand, they agree on a date, file the signed trial-setting stipulation and order, and obtain the judge’s signature; otherwise they must appear.

For Case Management Conferences (CMC) called for the purpose of selecting a trial date, the parties/counsel may be excused from appearing provided that no later than three business days before the CMC each of these items has occurred: (1) all parties/counsel agree on the trial date; (2) they download, fill out, and sign the appropriate Stipulation and Order Setting Case for Jury/Nonjury Trial; (3) e-file; and (4) Judge Bruning has signed the proposed Order. If that is not completed, the parties/counsel must appear in Court as ordered.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

Personal appearance at the Pretrial Conference is required unless the parties e-file a completed joint order at least three business days beforehand.

Personal appearance is required unless the parties e-file a completed, joint Pretrial Conference Order at least three (3) business days prior to the Pretrial Conference.

CRITICAL

Pro se parties must file Form A with the Pro Se Case Manager within 10 days of the Order to request a mediation date.

Pro Se parties shall file a Form A with the Pro Se Case Manager to request a mediation date within 10 days of this Order.

CRITICAL

An objection to mediation by Zoom must be filed with the Court and notice provided to all parties and the Mediation Department within 10 days of the Order.

Any objection to mediating via the ZOOM platform shall be filed with the Court and notice of the objection provided to all parties and the Mediation Department within 10 days of this Order.

CRITICAL

Deadline

5 business days

For an unagreed proposed order, allow five business days for objections, state in the cover letter that no objection was made, and wait until the period lapses before submission.

When submitting a proposed order which has not been previously agreed to, the cover letter must indicate that the parties were provided five (5) business days to make an objection and failed to do so. Do not submit the proposed order until the five (5) business days have lapsed.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

A Zoom appearance request must be received at least three business days before the scheduled proceeding, comply with Rule 2.530, and establish good cause.

Requests to appear via Zoom will be granted upon the Court’s finding of good cause if Judge Uzabel receives the request no fewer than three (3) business days prior to the scheduled and the request is otherwise in compliance with Rule 2.530 of the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration.

CRITICAL

Deadline

24 hours

Counsel must schedule a time for a negotiated plea during a criminal PTC with the Judicial Assistant and submit all paperwork at least 24 hours before the PTC.

Please contact the Judicial Assistant to schedule a time for a negotiate plea during PTCs and ensure that all paperwork has been submitted to the Court at least 24 hours prior to the PTC.

CRITICAL

Deadline

5 business days

Counsel must notify the Court Interpreters Office and request and schedule a foreign-language interpreter at least five business days in advance.

It is counsel’s responsibility to notify the Court Interpreters Office of the need for a foreign language interpreter for court proceedings. Due to the limited number of on-site and contractual court interpreters, attorneys must request and schedule interpreter services at least five business days in advance.

CRITICAL

Expert-admissibility motions must be filed and heard as soon as practicable after the need is identified and before the Pre-Trial Conference unless good cause and due diligence support a later hearing.

Motions filed pursuant to F.S.S. 90.702-90.706 that seek a pre-trial ruling regarding the admission of expert testimony must be filed and heard at the earliest opportunity after the need for such a hearing is identified. Any such motion must be heard by the court before the Pre-Trial Conference, unless good cause and due diligence is shown to hear the motion after PTC.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Deadline

3 business days

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.

All documents that would normally be filed with the clerk shall be filed with the clerk 3 business days in advance of the hearing. This includes, but is not limited to, plea in absentia forms, acknowledgment and waiver of rights forms, exhibits, etc.

CRITICALCriminal cases

File a motion before reserving hearing time; otherwise, hearing time may be canceled.

All motions must be filed prior to reserving hearing time. Failure to file a motion but noticing an issue for hearing may result in the cancellation of hearing time.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Deadline

3 business days

Provide case law to the Court and opposing counsel at least three business days before the scheduled proceeding, unless otherwise ordered.

Case law must be provided to the Court and opposing counsel at least three business days in advance of the scheduled unless otherwise ordered.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Deadline

3 business days

File the Pretrial Conference Continuance Form with the Clerk three business days before the hearing; do not send it to the Judicial Assistant.

The Pretrial Conference Continuance Form should not be sent to the judicial assistant but rather filed with the Clerk three business days in advance of the hearing.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Do not send acknowledgment and waiver forms or pleas in absentia to the Judicial Assistant; file them with the Clerk before the hearing.

Please do not email or send Acknowledgement and Waiver of Rights forms and Pleas in Absentia to the judicial assistant. Instead, file these documents with the clerk in advance of the hearing.

CRITICALCriminal cases

For any hearing, submit legal authority in hard copy to Chambers and provide a copy to opposing counsel at least three days before the hearing.

For any hearing, the party wishing the Court to consider legal authority shall submit their authority in hard copy format to Chambers at least three days prior to the hearing. A copy of the same shall be given to the opposing counsel within the same time frame.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Deadline

3 business days

File the plea form with the Clerk three business days before the hearing and do not send it to the Judicial Assistant.

Please file the plea form with the Clerk three business days in advance of the hearing. Please do not email or send the plea form to the judicial assistant.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Deadline

3 business days

For a plea in absentia, file the appropriate forms with the Clerk three business days before the hearing and do not send them to the Judicial Assistant.

If pleading in absentia, please file the appropriate forms with the Clerk three business days in advance of the hearing. Please do not email or send the Plea in Absentia documents to the judicial assistant.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Deadline

3 business days

Pre-trial motions, including motions in limine, must be filed and heard at least three business days before trial unless good cause supports late filing or setting, and an untimely motion may not be heard.

All pre-trial Motions, including Motions in Limine, shall be filed and heard at least three (3) business days before the scheduled trial date, unless good cause is shown for late filing/setting. Failure to timely file and set the Motion may result in it not being heard.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Motions to Suppress and Stand Your Ground Motions must be filed and heard before Docket Sounding, as addressed in the judicial requirements.

Please note that Motions to Suppress and Stand Your Ground Motions shall be filed and heard before Docket Sounding as addressed in judicial requirements;

CRITICALCriminal cases

The Court will not accept negotiated pleas after the cut-off date unless good cause is shown.

The Court will not accept negotiated pleas after the cut-off date, unless good cause is shown;

CRITICAL

Deadline

2 business days

When an attorney appears remotely, materials for the Court’s consideration must be filed at least 2 business days before the hearing.

Not only is a party required to disclose materials to opposing counsel and all interested parties, but filings and supplemental material that Judge Dees is to consider must also be provided to the Court in advance of any hearing if the attorney is appearing remotely. While the Court makes every effort to review all filings prior to hearings, courtesy copies of any materials including, but not limited to, motions, provider reports, and home studies, that are to be considered by the Court, must be filed a minimum 2 business days before the hearing, with courtesy copies hand-delivered to Judge Dees’ chambers, a minimum of 2 business days before the hearing.

CRITICAL

Provide the Emergency Motion and a cover letter stating the time needed to the Court as soon as possible.

If a matter needs to be heard on an emergency basis, a copy of the Emergency Motion, along with a cover letter advising how much time is needed, must be provided to the Court as soon as possible.

WARNING

Requests for Technology Services must be filed in a timely manner before the trial or hearing.

Requests for Technology Services must be timely filed prior to the trial or hearing.

WARNING

Interpreter services should be requested at least five business days before the event using the Interpreter Request Form or the listed phone number.

Request for services should be made no less than 5 business days prior to the event by using the Interpreter Request Form or calling 941–749–3659.

WARNINGCriminal cases

After the negotiated-plea cutoff, pleas are open pleas requiring a sentencing hearing and, when requested and applicable, a presentence investigation, unless charges are significantly amended or the Court extends the cutoff for extenuating circumstances.

Thereafter all pleas will be open pleas and require a sentencing hearing and pre-sentence investigation report (if requested and if applicable) unless the charge(s) are amended in some significant manner, or the Court has extended the negotiated plea cut-off date due to extenuating circumstances.

WARNINGCriminal cases

An untimely motion may not be heard.

Failure to timely file the Motion may result in it not being heard.

WARNING

Deadline

2 business days

Case law should be submitted at least two business days before the scheduled hearing.

All case law should be submitted no less than two (2) business days prior to the scheduled hearing.

WARNING

Parties may cancel the Small Claims Pretrial Conference and proceed directly to mediation by submitting the specified stipulation form at least two days before the conference.

Parties may agree in advance to cancel the PTC and go straight to mediation by submitting the Stipulation for Small Claims Mediation form found in the Judge’s Forms & Requirements page, no less than two (2) days before the PTC.

WARNINGCivil cases

The Court recommends filing initial witness and exhibit lists 15 days before the pre-trial conference in jury cases or the trial period in nonjury cases.

Deadline to file initial witness and exhibit lists. (The Court recommends 15 days before the Pre-Trial Conference date in jury cases and 15 days before the Trial Period in a nonjury case.)

WARNINGCivil cases

The Court recommends filing dispositive and Daubert motions no later than 30 days before trial.

Dispositive motions (i.e., summary judgment) and Daubert motion deadline to be filed. (The Court recommends no later than 30 days before the trial)

WARNING

Parties and attorneys may be excused from the Initial CMC if they file the agreed Case Management Report three days beforehand.

Parties and attorneys may be excused from appearing if the parties’ file the agreed-to Case Management Report 3 days prior to Initial CMC.

WARNING

Deadline

3 business days

Motions and objections should be concluded at least three business days before the hearing.

For the court to provide ample notice to the parties and court staff, all motions and objections should be concluded no less than 3 business days prior to the hearing.

WARNINGCivil cases

Deadline

1 business days

The Statement of Material Facts may be filed separately within one business day after the summary judgment motion is filed.

The Statement of Material Facts may be filed as a separate document within 1 business day after filing the summary judgment motion to permit pinpoint citations.

WARNINGCriminal cases

Deadline

3 business days

Related authority should be provided to the Court at least three business days before the scheduled hearing.

All authority related to the Motions should be provided to the Court no less than three (3) business days before the scheduled hearing.

INFO

The Court may extend the negotiated plea cutoff date for extenuating circumstances.

The Court may extend the negotiated plea cut-off date due to extenuating circumstances.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Civil cases

Deadline

48 hours

Ex Parte hearings are scheduled on the JACS calendar up to 48 hours in advance by attorneys and shall be conducted virtually/remotely. Ex Parte hearings shall be uncontested, non-evidentiary and 15 min. or less in length.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Deadline

1 business days ?

All documents shall be emailed in one .pdf attachment to the Probate Coordinator no later than noon, on the business day immediately preceding the hearing, no exceptions.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Criminal cases

They are, however, required to submit case law to the Court and opposing counsel at least three (3) days before the hearing in conformance with the court’s general requirements.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Criminal cases

Stipulations for trial may be completed and submitted to the Court in advance of Case Management; however, they must be received by the Court three days prior to Case Management to allow time for the court’s review.

Summary: A trial-date stipulation submitted before Case Management must be received by the Court at least three days before the hearing.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Criminal cases

Requests for a downward departure from the criminal punishment code scoresheet presumptive sentence shall be in writing stating the legal authority for the proposed departure, i.e. the rule or statute, as well as supporting case authority and a brief factual basis to support the departure request. Departure requests shall be noticed five days before the hearing. It is, however, acceptable to file at the time of sentencing if the State is previously aware of the request and eliminates the need to file a motion to continue to secure witnesses to rebut any facts necessary to support the departure.

Summary: A downward-departure request must be noticed five days before the hearing, unless the State already knows of the request and filing at sentencing avoids the need for a continuance to secure rebuttal witnesses.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Departure requests shall be noticed five days before the hearing.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

In the rare circumstance where a party is appearing remotely and has an exhibit to enter in evidence, please file all paper documents with the clerk at least 3 days prior to the scheduled hearing.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Civil cases

Deadline for all objections to pleadings and pre- 45 days after filing and trial motions to be resolved prior to the pre-trial conference

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Civil cases

Discovery deadline. No discovery may occur after 450 days after this date without Court permission or agreement Complaint filed for of all parties. general cases, 270 days for streamlined

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Civil cases

Any pending motion not heard by the Court by this deadline will be denied.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Pursuant to Family Law Rule 12.491(f), any party affected by an order may move to vacate an order by filing a motion to vacate within ten (10) days from the date of entry of the order. The motion must be filed in the Clerk’s Office, and a copy of the motion must simultaneously be sent to the assigned Circuit Judge and to the Hearing Officer.

Summary: A party affected by a child-support order must file a Motion to Vacate within 10 days of entry and simultaneously send a copy to the assigned Circuit Judge and Hearing Officer.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

A party may file an objection in writing to the use of Zoom within 10 days after service of the motion or within such other period as may be directed by the court.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Parties may also file a Stipulation for Small Claims Mediation form found on the website no less than two (2) days prior to the PTC. Attendance at mediation is mandatory before a trial date may be set.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Exhibits for evidentiary hearings and trials, as well as indices/exhibit lists, must be delivered to the courthouse in two hard copy sets (one for the judge and one for the clerk), at least two days prior to the evidentiary hearing date.

Summary: Deliver two hard-copy sets of exhibits and indices or exhibit lists to the courthouse at least two days before the evidentiary hearing.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

A Final Judgment of Voluntary Dismissal (filed by the party making an affirmative plea for relief) and any other documents or forms that are required to close and finally dispose of the case must be filed with the Clerk of Court within thirty (30) days after the court removes the case from the trial schedule.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Deadline

72 hours

If the ASA notifies the Judge and Defense that he/she has no objections to the Defendant’s immediate release, the Judicial Assistant will contact the Defense attorney to pick up an Order. If the ASA does not respond by 5 pm on the date the Defense motion is filed, the motion shall be placed for hearing at the very next available hearing date or within 72 hours. The Defense attorney shall prepare the Notice of Hearing.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Deadline

3 business days

The parties must complete a proposed Pretrial Conference Checklist and submit to Judge Leaf via the Portal at least three (3) business days prior to the Pretrial Conference.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Within 30 days of the last Defendant being served with process, the parties are directed to meet-and-confer and complete the appropriate Case Management Report. The parties must file the Case Management Report within 5 days of the parties’ initial meet-and-confer.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

If it is a remote hearing, please submit the evidence five days prior to the hearing/trial.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Deadline

3 business days

All motions and objections should be filed no less than 3 business days prior to the hearing.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Pursuant to Family Law Rule 12.491(f), any party affected by an order may move to vacate an order by filing a Motion to Vacate within ten (10) days from the date of entry of the order. The motion must be filed in the clerk’s office, and a copy of the motion must simultaneously be sent to the assigned court and to the hearing officer.

Summary: A party affected by a child-support order must file a Motion to Vacate within ten days of entry and simultaneously send a copy to the assigned court and hearing officer.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Criminal cases

JACS dockets are closed one week prior to the hearing date. After a docket is closed, no additional changes can be made using JACS.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

The four (4) weeks begins upon the court’s receipt of the last post-hearing submission (e.g., transcripts, supplemental briefs, legal authority, proposed orders).

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Deadline

24 hours

All cases on the trial schedule, including back up trials, are subject to being called to trial at any time during the trial period with 24 hours advance notice.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Criminal cases

All parties should be given at least two days’ notice before a hearing is set, absent exceptional circumstances.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Requests must be made 5 days in advance.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?

Civil cases

Projected trial date 18 months after Complaint filed for general cases, 12 months for streamlined

Summary: The projected trial date is 18 months after the complaint is filed in general cases and 12 months in streamlined cases.