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Early access — free during Florida V1Howard Coates, Jr.
Circuit Judge · Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court · Palm Beach County, Florida
01 Division & assignment
Circuit Criminal — Division V
02 Procedural requirements (164)
Judge / division specific
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division V Divisional Instructions
Judge Coates requires a courtesy copy of all FILED speedy-trial demands and notices of expiration, and counsel must know when speedy runs at every status check; no unilateral hearing settings.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division V Divisional Instructions
Judge Coates requires defendants not in custody to be physically present for plea conferences, arraignments, calendar calls, motion hearings, and trials; Zoom is allowed only for dispositions and status checks.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division V Divisional Instructions
Judge Coates inverts the after-hearing norm: proposed orders — including on Motions to Withdraw — are submitted electronically through OLS BEFORE the hearing, in Word.
County
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division X Divisional Instructions
Judge Suskauer: any matter anticipated to take 15+ minutes must be specially set through the JA; short-matter dates are held for five days, and no hearing gets less than 5 days' notice unless agreed.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AI Divisional Instructions
Judge Curley runs every hearing starting at 4:00 p.m. or later electronically via Zoom only, while in-person appearance at calendar call is strongly preferred — and jury panels max out at 42 without a prior court order.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RB Divisional Instructions
Judge Barnett requires plaintiffs awarded a default to deliver a proposed judgment within 20 days; small-claims pretrials run in person only, Tuesdays at 8:45 a.m.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division D/DR Divisional Instructions
Judge Damico rejects agreed orders that leave the court date blank: every agreed order must reference the parties' agreement AND carry a new agreed court date.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division KK1 Divisional Instructions
Judge Casanova's order spec: Times New Roman 12-point, double-spaced, all paragraph tabs/macros/columns stripped, and no blank date space — write "DONE and ORDERED in Palm Beach County, Florida."
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division U Divisional Instructions
Judge Collins wants one agreed set of verdict forms by noon on the Friday before trial week; hearing materials including case law are due three business days out; orders within one week after hearing.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RD Divisional Instructions
Judge Corlew bars informal contact: every communication with the Court must be in writing, filed with the Clerk, with copies furnished to all parties — and no calls to the JA to schedule or cancel UMC.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division M Divisional Instructions
Judge Zuckerman holds every hearing in person — the bluntest appearance rule in the courthouse; remote appearance takes a written motion filed at least 3 days ahead.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FI Divisional Instructions
Judge Scher enforces brief discipline: memoranda capped at ten pages, legal authority limited to the best three cases per issue absent good cause, and string citations banned.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AA Divisional Instructions
Judge Keyser conducts all calendar calls electronically by e-mail; there is no physical or remote appearance.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division W Divisional Instructions
Judge Nutt does not permit hearing cancellations (an Agreed Order on a Motion to Continue MAY be accepted) — and once a case is on 2-hour call, only extraordinary circumstances move it.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FJ Divisional Instructions
Judge Weiss: case law and memos to chambers five business days before the hearing, and every exhibit a party intends to use listed on a notice of discovery and provided to the other side five business days out.
15th Jud. Cir., Domestic Violence Division DV/TD Divisional Instructions
Judge Burke requires all case law and written responses the parties rely on filed at least two business days before the hearing, with a PDF courtesy copy of the motion e-mailed to the court.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RF Divisional Instructions
Judge DiGangi makes every case management conference mandatory for attorneys and self-represented litigants alike, unless excused by the court in advance.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JL Divisional Instructions
Judge Volker: routine orders through Online Services, but competing orders are e-mailed to the Judicial Assistant in Word with copies to all parties.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JA/JM Divisional Instructions
Judge Small quantifies meet-and-confer: reasonable efforts require at least three good-faith attempts by the moving party, certified in every Notice of Hearing — and the NOH may be filed only after the JA's confirmation e-mail.
15th Jud. Cir., Probate Division IZ Divisional Instructions
Judge Burton holds all contested guardianship proceedings in person, reads every UMC motion online before the hearing, and strictly enforces Rule 1.202 and Local Rule 4 conferral; courtesy copies five business days ahead.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division T/KK2 Divisional Instructions
Judge Hafele requires continuance requests at least five days before the scheduled court date — and no remote appearance at first appearances or RPO hearings.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JO Divisional Instructions (updated 06/10/2026)
Judge Kroll requires continuance motions five days before the court date and, per Rule 2.545(e), signed by the party requesting the continuance absent good cause; emergencies follow AO 3.206 with a detailed three-part motion.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division B Divisional Instructions
Judge Bryson runs the tightest continuance window in the courthouse — at least 24 hours before the court date — with hearing materials due 2 business days out and jury instructions e-mailed one day before trial.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RC Divisional Instructions
Judge Rex requires continuance motions at least ten days before the scheduled court date; Local Rule 4 and Rule 1.202 conferral are mandatory.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division R Divisional Instructions
Judge Parnofiello: courtesy copies due 3 days before any hearing or trial; all hearing materials in chambers 2 business days ahead; in-courtroom counsel are addressed first and video must be on.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division X Divisional Instructions
Judge Suskauer requires courtesy copies of motions and case law at least three days before the hearing — and anything over 30 pages must arrive as a hard copy.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division KK1 Divisional Instructions
Judge Casanova accepts defense courtesy copies of motions and proposed agreed orders by e-mail to the division — with the State always CC'd and originals filed with the Clerk.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FA Divisional Instructions
Judge Leitner is the family lane's paper judge: courtesy copies of UMC and special-set motions, memoranda, and case authority are PRINTED and sent via U.S. Mail.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division B Divisional Instructions
Judge Bryson requires the defendant personally at the pretrial hearing; defense counsel cannot waive the defendant's presence.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division C Divisional Instructions
Judge Bonavita requires the defendant's presence at all plea conferences and second case dispositions; jury trials own Tuesdays/Wednesdays at 8:15 a.m.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RH Divisional Instructions
Judge Stephens bars defendants from calling chambers — all defendant communication in writing — and criminal Zoom appearances require a motion 4 business days out, ASA conferral, confirmed duration, and a signed order.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division D/DR Divisional Instructions
Judge Damico: every defendant/defense motion for continuance must be accompanied by a waiver of speedy trial.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JA/JM Divisional Instructions
Judge Small runs dependency trials on a fixed clock from the trial-setting hearing: witness/exhibit lists in 1 week, pre-trial motions in 2 weeks (late ones deemed WAIVED), joint case brief, case law, and redacted records in 4 weeks — and DCF drafts the proposed order within 14 days, with unrecorded objections waived.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RC Divisional Instructions
Judge Rex: hearing materials via e-courtesy three business days ahead; UMC Mon–Wed 8:45 a.m. (10 minutes, 5 per side); small-claims pretrials stack Mondays at 1:00, 1:15, 1:30, 1:45.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AH Divisional Instructions
Judge Scott: hearing materials must be filed, docketed, AND delivered through E-courtesy five days before the hearing — and never send paper or notebooks to the courthouse.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AG Divisional Instructions
Judge Siperstein flips the courthouse norm: each party uploads a Word proposed order via OLS before any and all hearings, stating case status, desired outcome, factual basis, and legal authority.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AK Divisional Instructions
Judge Sherman signs orders electronically only — no hard or emailed copies — with a cover letter confirming all parties reviewed, a 3×3-inch upper-right space, and one-inch margins.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FI Divisional Instructions
Judge Scher requires a written numbered list of every disputed asset and liability with proposed values two business days before the hearing — and pre-trial stipulations that NAME the witnesses, not just attach lists.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JS Divisional Instructions
Judge Surber: ALL notices of hearing filed 72 hours before the hearing; status-check resets by agreed order filed at least 24 hours prior; delinquency arraignments Wed/Fri, dependency arraignments Tuesdays.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FX Divisional Instructions
Judge Rowe: every proposed order must be accompanied by a document either confirming all parties' agreement or identifying the disagreement — due within one week after the hearing.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division X Divisional Instructions
Judge Suskauer requires State, Defense, AND Defendant in person at Calendar Call, will not hear Motions to Continue on Calendar Call day, and hears in-person appearances before Zoom ones.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division P Divisional Instructions
Judge Castor requires motions needing an evidentiary hearing on file at least 14 days before calendar call; continuance motions must state grounds, length requested, and/or the new date.
15th Jud. Cir., Probate Division IA Divisional Instructions
Judge Schosberg Feuer reviews uploaded ex parte orders continuously — and asks that no one contact the JA about an order's status until seven days have passed.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division T/KK2 Divisional Instructions
Judge Hafele: exhibits in chambers three days before any evidentiary proceeding, courtesy copies two days out, all hearing materials three business days ahead, and interpreter requests seven days in advance.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FZ Divisional Instructions
For dissolution/paternity finals before Judge Delgado: child-support calculations, parenting plan, parenting-class certificates, MSA, and testimony sheets must all be attached no more than 24 hours before the hearing.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RA Divisional Instructions
Judge Alijewicz requires every motion for attorney's fees and/or costs to attach a document detailing time records — no records, no fee award.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AE Divisional Instructions
Judge Shull requires a 3×3-inch blank space at the top-right corner of every final judgment.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FI Divisional Instructions
[PREEMPTED effective June 15, 2026 by Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.515(d)(2) and AOSC26-12 — the statewide certification standard now controls.] Judge Scher requires any attorney or self-represented litigant who used a generative AI tool to disclose that use on the face of the filing — one of the first standing AI-disclosure mandates on the Palm Beach bench.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AO Divisional Instructions — Hearings
Every party setting a hearing in Division AO must first confer in a good-faith effort to resolve the matter, and every hearing notice must include a certificate of that conferral. The division instructions state that conferral requires counsel to actually talk.
- Confer in good faith BEFORE setting any hearing — counsel must actually talk (phone or in person), not just exchange emails.
- Coordinate the hearing date with the opposing party — always.
- Include a certificate of good-faith effort on ALL hearing notices.
- If the matter resolves, cancel the hearing promptly.
15th Jud. Cir., Probate Division IA Divisional Instructions
Judge Schosberg Feuer requires every proposed guardian to submit to a level-2 criminal background check and a credit report, and mandates a Restricted Depository in every guardianship involving property.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AA Divisional Instructions
Judge Keyser requires ALL hearing materials in hard copy at least five days before the hearing, by U.S. mail or courthouse delivery — explicitly NOT emailed.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RJ Divisional Instructions
Judge Mullinax: OLS handles only 15- and 30-minute UMC/special sets; anything longer must be requested by e-mail to the division, with all parties copied on every communication.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FX Divisional Instructions
Judge Rowe routes hearings longer than 30 minutes through Case Management (not OLS); materials including case law due 3 business days out; remote appearance means camera on, microphone muted.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JL Divisional Instructions
Judge Volker holds all hearings in person absent special circumstances; Zoom requires e-mailed Court approval, and any remote-appearance NOH must list the judge's remote platform credentials.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AJ Divisional Instructions
Hearings exceeding fifteen minutes must be in person in Division AJ (Zoom only ≤30-min UMC-type settings); hearing materials reach chambers by mail or drop seven days prior. Motions should rarely exceed 10 pages.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JS Divisional Instructions
Judge Surber: Spanish and Creole interpreters require at least 5 working days' notice, and every attorney AND self-represented litigant must make and receive service by e-mail.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JO Divisional Instructions (updated 06/10/2026)
Judge Kroll runs a fixed weekly architecture — Monday special-set trials/motions (plus monthly truancy and early-childhood dockets), Tuesday delinquency, Wednesday dependency and monthly permanency reviews, Thursday trials, Friday adoptions and delinquency — with in-custody matters heard first.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division M Divisional Instructions
Judge Zuckerman: upload an order as "AGREED" only if the parties already agreed in writing; motions and notices get courtesy-copied to the division on e-filing; Mon/Thu 8:30 slots are self-set.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division Z Divisional Instructions
Judge Willis needs everything — responses, case law, memoranda — five business days before the hearing, and any document over 10 pages also as a hard copy to the Judge.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AE Divisional Instructions
Judge Shull requires ALL motions set for special-set hearing to go to mediation before the hearing is held.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RL Divisional Instructions
Judge Garrison caps memoranda at ten double-spaced pages and wants the controlling legal authority highlighted, delivered at least 5 business days before the hearing or trial.
15th Jud. Cir., Domestic Violence Division DV/TD Divisional Instructions
Judge Burke hears motions to modify no-contact with minor children ONLY on Thursdays at 11:00 AM — and a DCF recommendation is required before the modification is heard.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RH Divisional Instructions
Judge Stephens: motions and their orders uploaded four days before the hearing; post-hearing orders within 48 hours; every order on 1-inch margins and 12-point font; pretrials every other Tuesday 8:45 a.m.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RH Divisional Instructions
Judge Stephens deems motions abandoned when they sit unset for five days — the fastest abandonment clock in the courthouse; hearings are set by CALLING the JA and come within 30 days.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RS Divisional Instructions
Judge Silver deems motions pending 30 days without a hearing abandoned (and possibly denied), and cancels hearings when relevant case law has not reached chambers three days ahead.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RF Divisional Instructions
Judge DiGangi requires every motion filed and served at least seven business days before its hearing — with courtesy copies three business days out.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RB Divisional Instructions
Judge Barnett puts motions on a clock: set for hearing within 15 days of filing, heard within 30 — UMC runs Mondays and Wednesdays 9:00–10:00 a.m.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FJ Divisional Instructions
Judge Weiss pulled discovery-compel motions off Zoom entirely: all Motions to Compel Discovery are set for in-person hearings; special sets are requested by e-mail (not OLS) with the motion attached.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division P Divisional Instructions
Judge Castor is the courthouse's lenient plea pole: negotiated plea agreements are accepted up to or at the calendar call hearing, where all parties must appear in person.
15th Jud. Cir., Probate Division IZ Divisional Instructions
Judge Burton: 30-minute-plus special sets are requested by e-mail with case number, time needed, motion copy, and all parties included — and you do not prepare or send the order setting the hearing until the court has confirmed the date.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AD Divisional Instructions
Judge Goodman rejects proposed orders submitted before the hearing — they "will be rejected unsigned." Orders go in 48–72 hours AFTER the hearing, Word format, complete mailing and email addresses.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AG Divisional Instructions
Judge Siperstein: Division AG does not use e-courtesy; email to chambers is limited to scheduling; case law gets filed, never emailed.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AD Divisional Instructions
Judge Goodman does not participate in E-Courtesy. Hearing materials over 10 pages must arrive by U.S. mail or courier five days in advance; under 10 pages email is acceptable.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JK Divisional Instructions
Judge Harper refuses e-mailed orders (OLS submission only) and requires all hearings set through the Judicial Assistant rather than the Clerk, with defendant name and case number in every e-mail subject line.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AF Divisional Instructions
Judge Bell does not accept hard copies or courtesy e-mails for UMC (in camera excepted); e-courtesy due 3 days before UMC, all special-set materials 5 days before.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RL Divisional Instructions
Judge Garrison refuses hard copies and binders outright; orders come in Word, remote hearings run on Zoom, and small-claims pretrials are in person, Tuesday afternoons, Courtroom 6-K.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JL Divisional Instructions
Judge Volker will not look at a case or motion until the Notice of Hearing is filed and a courtesy copy has been e-mailed to the JA — file it, serve it, send it, or nothing happens.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AH Divisional Instructions
Judge Scott cancels hearings outright when counsel skip the Local Rule 4 duty to speak to one another and attempt reasonable compromise.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division U Divisional Instructions
Judge Collins cuts plea negotiations off at Calendar Call — after it, no negotiated plea absent good cause, and attorneys and defendants appear at Calendar Call in person.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division R Divisional Instructions
Judge Parnofiello will not accept negotiated pleas on trial day absent good cause — resolve the case before the trial date or try it.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division L/T2 Divisional Instructions
Judge Bristow gives cases WITHOUT a speedy-trial waiver first priority on the trial calendar; calendar calls run every other Friday for two-week trial periods, and speedy demands get a courtesy copy to the division.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RD Divisional Instructions
Judge Corlew permits remote appearance only without objection and with approval — and never at eviction mediations or final hearings without prior approval.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FY Divisional Instructions
Judge Burkhart will not schedule a temporary-relief hearing until mediation has been held ON the temporary relief sought — mediation first, hearing second.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RD Divisional Instructions
Judge Corlew forbids unilateral special-set scheduling: date and time must be agreed with all parties, good-faith conferral completed, and Zoom appearance selected when scheduling.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RJ Divisional Instructions
Judge Mullinax requires responses in opposition on file at least three days before any set hearing, with a courtesy copy — and late-filed materials must be e-mailed to chambers.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FJ Divisional Instructions
Judge Weiss requires all proposed orders and final judgments on OLS in Word at least two days BEFORE the hearing — and the Judge must receive an e-mailed courtesy copy of any Notice for Trial.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RB Divisional Instructions
Judge Barnett accepts proposed orders by mail or through Online Services, uploaded in sufficient time BEFORE the hearing — but never e-mailed to the Judicial Assistant.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division T/KK2 Divisional Instructions
Judge Hafele: Word-format proposed orders go in immediately after the hearing, with a hard outer limit of 10 days; e-mails to chambers need case number, case name, and matter in the subject line.
15th Jud. Cir., Probate Division IZ Divisional Instructions
Judge Burton: orders arrive via OLS within 48 hours after (or up to 48 hours before) the hearing, the notes/comments section MUST carry his designated label (AGREED ORDER, ORDER AFTER HEARING, DISPUTED ORDER, FUTURE PROPOSED ORDER, PROBATE EX PARTE ORDER), and the date line reads "DONE and ORDERED in Palm Beach County, Florida."
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RE/WD Divisional Instructions
Judge Shullman: Word-format orders only, and using macros, columns, or paragraph tabs is incompatible with the OLS system; e-mail subject lines must carry case number, name, and matter.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AE Divisional Instructions
Judge Shull: proposed orders in Word after the hearing (the page reads "within five (3) days"), never more than one day in advance; no tables or macros in the case style.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RA Divisional Instructions
Judge Alijewicz: orders in Word through Online Services, compliant with Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.520, with a 3"×3" blank recording space; motions filed and docketed before any hearing request; 5-business-day UMC notice with courtesy copies via OLS.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division R Divisional Instructions
Judge Parnofiello: proposed orders in Word through OLS no later than 3 days after any hearing; motions must be filed with the Clerk before contacting the JA.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AN Divisional Instructions
Judge Kerner: orders in Microsoft Word without tables or macros; the drafter must state whether the other side agrees or objects; post-hearing orders state the hearing date; full service addresses on every order.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FI Divisional Instructions
Judge Scher: proposed orders no earlier than 48 hours before and no later than 48 hours after the hearing, with the required designation typed in the notes/comments using her exact language.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AI Divisional Instructions
Judge Curley: proposed orders carry a cover letter certifying every party reviewed them; agreed orders must be titled "Agreed Order on (Title of Motion)" and post-hearing orders must state the hearing date.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FZ Divisional Instructions
Judge Delgado requires every proposed order to carry a cover letter, arrive within 48 hours of hearing, include case status, proposed findings, legal authority, mediation confirmation — in Times New Roman size 12.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RS Divisional Instructions
Judge Silver takes proposed orders through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal's proposed-order function (not OLS), in Word, within 3 days after hearing — each with a cover letter certifying agreement or identifying the disagreement.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AH Divisional Instructions
Judge Scott: proposed orders are never submitted before a hearing; all orders are due within 48 hours after it.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division E Divisional Instructions
Judge Tew: Word orders through OLS within 5 days after hearing, courtesy copies 3 business days before — and any ex parte communication is returned because it "cannot be read, considered, or acted on."
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division D/DR Divisional Instructions
Judge Damico's order specs are exacting: OLS submission in Word only, "DONE and ORDERED in Palm Beach County, Florida," every party's name and address, subject matter in the title, 1-inch margins, 12-point ADA-accessible font.
15th Jud. Cir., Probate Division IA Divisional Instructions
Judge Schosberg Feuer: shorter courtesy copies arrive three business days before the hearing, but documents exceeding 10 pages total must come as a hard copy via U.S. mail only.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JK Divisional Instructions
Judge Harper: documentation over 40 pages arrives as hard copies in a binder, labeled and tabbed; hearings are in person except special circumstances; every party's phone and e-mail on file.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AF Divisional Instructions
Judge Bell caps motions and responses at 5 pages for UMC hearings and 12 pages for special-set hearings.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division P Divisional Instructions
Judge Castor: courtesy copies of motions go to the court by e-mail as PDF, case law and responses 3 business days ahead, and agreed orders require an e-mail showing both parties agree — orders in Word via Online Services.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RJ Divisional Instructions
Judge Mullinax wants physical copies of all documents and exhibits for in-person hearings/trials provided five days in advance; orders in Word (no macros/columns/tabs) within 48 hours, final judgments with a 3-inch top-right margin.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division U Divisional Instructions
Judge Collins requires in-person appearance for plea conferences, calendar calls, and evidentiary hearings absent prior approval — and everyone, including the defendant, present the first morning of the trial period.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division Z Divisional Instructions
Judge Willis holds plea conferences, trials, and evidentiary hearings in person absent prior approval; orders in Word to opposing counsel within one week; e-mail subject lines must carry case number, name, and matter.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division E Divisional Instructions
Judge Tew: no negotiated plea after calendar call absent very good cause, none on trial day absent extraordinary circumstances — and the Court neither modifies negotiated terms nor holds pre-plea inquiries.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RF Divisional Instructions
Judge DiGangi: proposed orders from completed hearings upload through the Online Scheduling App in Word within 48 hours; UMC Mondays/Tuesdays 8:45 by Zoom.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RC Divisional Instructions
Judge Rex: orders from completed hearings go up through Online Scheduling in Word within 48 hours.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JS Divisional Instructions
Judge Surber: the prevailing party submits proposed orders within 3 days after the Court rules, and exhibits must be in at least five days before the hearing.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division W Divisional Instructions
Judge Nutt wants proposed jury instructions at least one business day before trial; morning calendar runs Monday–Thursday 8:30 a.m. for matters of 10 minutes or less, motion filed first.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AJ Divisional Instructions
Judge Cheesman requires proposed orders in Word via Online Services within 24 hours of the ruling — no date or signature line, with names and addresses of all copy recipients.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AA Divisional Instructions
Judge Keyser: proposed orders are uploaded to the Online System only after the hearing, with no formatted signature block and no law-firm location information.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AO Divisional Instructions — Proposed Orders and Final Judgments
Division AO requires proposed orders to be submitted in Word format through the 15th Circuit Online Services System. Orders submitted online do not need a date or signature line.
- Prepare the proposed order in Word format.
- Submit through the 15th Circuit Online Services System.
- Omit the date and signature lines for online submissions.
- Check the division page for final-judgment and foreclosure-specific requirements.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FC Divisional Procedures
Judge Miller's QDRO rule is absolute: after the motion and plan-administrator pre-approval letter are filed, attorneys upload proposed orders via OLS while pro se litigants mail theirs in — "NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE." The Court also never acts on letters, notes, or e-mails.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division B Divisional Instructions
Judge Bryson: remote appearance requires a written motion filed with the Clerk at least three days before; motions of 15 minutes or less set without JA approval, 30+ minutes go through the JA.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division C Divisional Instructions
Judge Bonavita grants remote appearance only on a written motion filed with the Clerk and served on all opposing parties at least three business days before the hearing; short motions file with a Notice of Hearing plus a CAD-email courtesy copy.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FC Divisional Procedures
Judge Miller: exhibits for remote hearings must be premarked and physically delivered (U.S. mail or courthouse drop box) at least three business days out or they are not considered — e-mailed exhibits are refused, and evidentiary hearings are never remote.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JA/JM Divisional Instructions
Judge Small's delinquency clock: the Court intends to try any case with a youth in secure detention within 21 days of arrest — with jury instructions, motions in limine, and memoranda all due 48 hours before trial day one.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AG Divisional Instructions
Judge Siperstein requires every motion to be set within 5 days of filing and heard within 60 days, or it may be deemed abandoned.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FC Divisional Procedures
Judge Miller mandates pre-trial mediation after every Order Setting Trial — regardless of any earlier mediation — on pain of striking from the trial docket and sanctions up to dismissal without further notice or hearing.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RS Divisional Instructions
Judge Silver limits coverage attorneys to 10 cases per pretrial and requires the case list by close of business the Monday before; non-compliant appearance waivers are STRICKEN; default judgments due in 30 days.
15th Jud. Cir., Probate Division IA Divisional Instructions
Judge Schosberg Feuer: probate special sets are established by an Order Specially Setting — NOT a notice of hearing; 60 minutes or less schedules online, over an hour goes through the JA.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JK Divisional Instructions
Judge Harper requires written responses on special-set hearings with case law/authority 48 hours ahead, memoranda filed directly with the judge's office five business days out, and strict Local Rule 4 compliance.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AI Divisional Instructions
Judge Curley requires special-set motion, memo, and case law sent directly to him via U.S. Mail at least 5 days ahead — and the Court WILL NOT accept those courtesy copies by email.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RE/WD Divisional Instructions
Judge Shullman releases special-set hearing dates on the first of every month for slots 30–60 days out — the scheduling window attorneys need to watch; UMC needs no permission.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AN Divisional Instructions
Judge Kerner demands hard copies of ALL special-set materials — motions, responses, replies, briefs, case law — in the JA's hands at least 10 BUSINESS days before the hearing; the longest lead time in the courthouse.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FX Divisional Instructions
Judge Rowe wants any pre-trial substantive motion needing more than 10 minutes per side brought to the Court's attention at least 10 days before trial; continuances get no due-diligence excuse.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division Z Divisional Instructions
Judge Willis: continuances only on good cause; successive continuances highly disfavored, and lack of due diligence is expressly NOT grounds.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division E Divisional Instructions
Judge Tew reserves UMC for status checks, plea conferences, and 5-minute-or-less motions; suppression, limine, bond, and restitution hearings must be specially set.
15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JO Divisional Instructions (updated 06/10/2026)
Judge Kroll publishes an enumerated list of who may appear remotely (youth from school via the School Liaison, parents from jail or treatment, DJJ liaisons, JPOs, case managers, CPIs, volunteer GALs, out-of-state parties) — everyone else moves for leave 3 days out, and no one appears from a moving vehicle.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RL Divisional Instructions
Judge Garrison abolished UMC in his division: every hearing and trial is specially set (small-claims pretrials excepted) — online scheduling handles only 15-minute special sets, anything longer goes through the JA.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FH Divisional Instructions
Judge Keever-Agrama's office is the courthouse outlier: it does not communicate via e-mail at all — call the Judicial Assistant, including for special-set dates.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division C Divisional Instructions
Judge Bonavita: defense counsel must submit Orders to Transport no later than 3 PM on the last business day before the scheduled hearing.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FA Divisional Instructions
Judge Leitner requires trial exhibit and witness lists exchanged within 45 days before trial, and every notice, motion, referral, and Magistrate objection must state its docket entry number.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AF Divisional Instructions
Judge Bell holds all trials and special-set hearings over 15 minutes in person; Zoom appearances must be on camera — no phone.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AK Divisional Instructions
Judge Sherman requires TWO identical bound hard-copy sets of pre-marked exhibits for evidentiary hearings at least 7 days out — and anything over 50 pages must arrive as bound hard copies by mail.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RA Divisional Instructions
Judge Alijewicz runs ALL UMC hearings telephonically or by videoconference, while evidentiary hearings are in person (effective June 21, 2021) — across her four dockets: RA, Y, FW/FW2, BG/WI.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AK Divisional Instructions
Judge Sherman caps UMC at two motions/10 minutes total per case and forbids stacking OLS slots to manufacture hearings longer than 30 minutes; one motion only per 15-minute special set.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FY Divisional Instructions
Judge Burkhart's UMC checklist: provide the testifying party's driver license, the settlement agreement, parenting plan, and child-support guideline worksheet — orders within two days after via OLS.
15th Jud. Cir., Civil Division AN Divisional Instructions
Judge Kerner's chambers will print no more than 25 pages of e-courtesy hearing materials for UMC — send more and it will not be in front of the judge.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FY Divisional Instructions
Judge Burkhart runs all UMC hearings on the Court's static Zoom link, but wants evidentiary-hearing case law, motions, and memoranda in HARD COPY at least three days before — and the Judge must get a courtesy copy of the Notice for Trial.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FA Divisional Instructions
Judge Leitner: proposed orders upload the DAY BEFORE the UMC hearing, a maximum of three motions per case may be set, and temporary custody matters are NEVER UMC — they are special set.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division KK1 Divisional Instructions
Judge Casanova requires unrepresented defendants to request continuances/resets in writing, filed with the Clerk — resets cannot be granted over the phone or by e-mail.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division L/T2 Divisional Instructions
Judge Bristow allows a proposed order upload only in three cases: it is agreed, the hearing already occurred, or it is proper without a hearing — Times New Roman 12pt double-spaced, agreed status in title AND body.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FH Divisional Instructions
Judge Keever-Agrama: proposed order uploads first with exhibits following, motion and order 48 hours before the hearing (UMC materials 3 business days via OLS), no date needed in "Done and Ordered" — and MAIL a courtesy trial notice "or the Judge will not be aware."
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division M Divisional Instructions
Judge Zuckerman runs a weekly cycle — calendar call every available Friday 8:30 a.m. (defendant present), trials starting Tuesday 8:30 a.m. the following week, sentencings Thursdays 8:30 a.m.
15th Jud. Cir., Domestic Violence Division DV/TD Divisional Instructions
Judge Burke disfavors Zoom: plan for in-person hearings, with injunction hearings on Mondays at 2 PM in Courtroom 2C.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division RE/WD Divisional Instructions
Judge Shullman: UMC and special sets of 15 minutes or less run by Zoom; evidentiary hearings and all trials are in person; courtesy copies 3 business days out; continuances 10 days.
15th Jud. Cir., Criminal Division W Divisional Instructions
Judge Nutt holds only nonessential hearings (status checks, case dispositions) via Zoom; all other hearings are in person, and every order goes through Online Services.
15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division L/T2 Divisional Instructions
Judge Bristow lets parties Zoom into case dispositions and status checks any day (in-custody defendants excused), with defense counsel conferring with the State beforehand — all other remote appearances need a written motion 3 days out.
15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FH Divisional Instructions
Judge Keever-Agrama: any litigant testifying at a Zoom UMC or evidentiary hearing must be physically present with their attorney at the same location, in a quiet and stationary place.
Statewide
Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.514
How Florida procedural deadlines are computed: exclude the trigger day; count every day for periods of 7 days or more; for periods under 7 days, skip intermediate weekends and legal holidays; roll forward when the last day is a weekend or holiday.
- Exclude the day of the triggering event.
- Periods of 7+ days: count every day, including weekends and holidays.
- Periods under 7 days: skip intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.
- If the last day is a weekend or legal holiday, the deadline rolls to the next business day.
- Add 5 days when the party may act after service by mail.
Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.202
Under the 2025 case-management amendments, a movant must confer with the opposing party in a good-faith effort to resolve a nondispositive motion before filing it, and must include a certificate of conferral.
- Confer with the opposing party before filing any nondispositive motion.
- Make the conferral a genuine attempt to resolve — document date, time, method, and outcome.
- Include a certificate of conferral in the motion (or describe the specific attempts if the other side did not respond).
- Check the division's instructions for additional local conferral requirements.
Fla. Fam. L. R. P. 12.610; § 741.30, Fla. Stat.
A DV injunction petition is reviewed promptly; the court may issue a temporary injunction ex parte, and when it does, a full evidentiary hearing is generally set within 15 days. There is no filing fee.
- File the petition on the approved form — no filing fee.
- A temporary injunction may issue ex parte on the verified petition.
- Calendar the final hearing — generally within 15 days when a temporary injunction issues.
- Appear with evidence and witnesses; non-appearance can end the case.
Florida Courts E-Filing Portal; Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.525
Florida attorneys must file court documents electronically through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com). Self-represented litigants may e-file through the same portal. Local circuits layer their own formatting and routing quirks on top.
- Register a Portal account at myflcourtaccess.com.
- Attorneys: e-file every document through the Portal.
- Check the destination circuit's e-filing instructions for format quirks before filing.
Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.516
Service of pleadings and documents after the initial pleading is made by e-mail — in practice through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal's e-service feature — to the designated service addresses on file.
- Serve by e-mail to every designated e-mail service address (via Portal e-service in ordinary practice).
- Confirm all parties' designated service addresses are current before serving.
- Include a certificate of service reflecting method and date.
Fla. Fam. L. R. P. 12.285
Parties in dissolution and most family financial cases must exchange a financial affidavit and specified financial documents within 45 days of service of the initial pleading, file a certificate of compliance, and supplement as circumstances change.
- Serve the financial affidavit within 45 days of service of the initial pleading.
- Exchange the documents required by rule 12.285.
- File the certificate of compliance.
- Supplement disclosure as circumstances change — the duty is continuing.
Fla. R. App. P. 9.110
An appeal of a final order must be commenced by filing a notice of appeal within 30 days of rendition of the order. This deadline is jurisdictional — missing it generally ends the appeal.
- Calendar 30 days from rendition of the final order.
- Confirm the rendition date — timely authorized post-judgment motions suspend rendition.
- File the notice of appeal with the lower tribunal's clerk with the filing fee.
Fla. Sm. Cl. R. 7.090
Small claims cases (up to $8,000) begin with a mandatory pretrial conference where the court narrows issues and typically orders mediation. Failure to appear can result in default or dismissal.
- Confirm the claim is within the $8,000 small-claims limit (exclusive of costs, interest, and fees).
- File the Statement of Claim on the approved form.
- Attend the pretrial conference — appearance is mandatory.
- Come prepared to mediate.
In re: Amends. to Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.515, No. SC2026-0673 (Fla. May 28, 2026); Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.515(d)(2); AOSC26-12
Effective June 15, 2026, every signer of a Florida court filing — attorney or self-represented — represents that "the legal authorities identified exist and are accurately cited," with express sanctions (reprimand, contempt, striking, dismissal, costs, fees) for violations. Companion order AOSC26-12 preempts ALL circuit- and judge-level AI disclosure/certification requirements.
Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.510
Florida follows the federal summary-judgment standard. The motion must be served at least 40 days before the hearing; the nonmovant's response is due no later than 20 days before the hearing.
- Serve the motion at least 40 days before the hearing date.
- Support factual positions with record citations.
- Calendar the nonmovant's response deadline — no later than 20 days before the hearing.
- Special-set the hearing per the division's procedure and confirm courtesy-copy requirements.
Verified the complete requirement set for Judge Howard Coates, Jr. — checklists, verbatim requirements, and deadlines — unlocks with a free account during early access. Founding members keep full access when billing begins.
Unlock free →03 Deadline table
| Deadline | Trigger | Period | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mail service +5 days | Service by mail | 5 calendar days after | Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.514 |
| Final hearing within 15 days | Temporary injunction issued | 15 calendar days after | Fla. Fam. L. R. P. 12.610; § 741.30, Fla. Stat. |
| Financial affidavit 45 days | Service of initial pleading | 45 calendar days after | Fla. Fam. L. R. P. 12.285 |
| Notice of appeal 30 days | Rendition of final order | 30 calendar days after | Fla. R. App. P. 9.110 |
| Serve MSJ 40 days before hearing | Hearing date | 40 calendar days before | Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.510 |
| MSJ response 20 days before hearing | Hearing date | 20 calendar days before | Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.510 |
Periods compute under Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.514 — confirm the holiday calendar for this courthouse.
Verified the deadline matrix — checklists, verbatim requirements, and deadlines — unlocks with a free account during early access. Founding members keep full access when billing begins.
Unlock free →04 Ruling intelligence
No verified ruling summary yet — summaries publish only after human review of a real opinion/docket corpus. The live scan below covers what public sources hold today.
05 Live case-law scan
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06 Source appendix (56)
- 15th Cir. — Division V Instructions (Judge Coates)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division X Instructions (Judge Suskauer)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division AI Instructions (Judge Curley)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division RB Instructions (Judge Barnett)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division D/DR Instructions (Judge Damico)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division KK1 Instructions (Judge Casanova)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division U Instructions (Judge Collins)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division RD Instructions (Judge Corlew)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division M Instructions (Judge Zuckerman)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division FI Instructions (Judge Scher)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division AA Instructions (Judge Keyser)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division W Instructions (Judge Nutt)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division FJ Instructions (Judge Weiss)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division DV/TD Instructions (Judge Burke)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division RF Instructions (Judge DiGangi)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division JL Instructions (Judge Volker)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division JA/JM Instructions (Judge Small)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division IZ Instructions (Judge Burton)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division T/KK2 Instructions (Judge Hafele)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division JO Instructions (Judge Kroll)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division B Instructions (Judge Bryson)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division RC Instructions (Judge Rex)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division R Instructions (Judge Parnofiello)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division FA Instructions (Judge Leitner)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division C Instructions (Judge Bonavita)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division RH Instructions (Judge Stephens)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division AH Instructions (Judge Scott)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division AG Instructions (Judge Siperstein)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division AK Instructions (Judge Sherman)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division JS Instructions (Judge Surber)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division FX Instructions (Judge Rowe)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division P Instructions (Judge Castor)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division IA Instructions (Judge Schosberg Feuer)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division FZ Instructions (Judge Delgado)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division RA Instructions (Judge Alijewicz)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division AE Instructions (Judge Shull)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Circuit — Division AO Divisional InstructionsHealthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division RJ Instructions (Judge Mullinax)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division AJ Instructions (Judge Cheesman)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division Z Instructions (Judge Willis)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division RL Instructions (Judge Garrison)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division RS Instructions (Judge Silver)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division AD Instructions (Judge Goodman)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division JK Instructions (Judge Harper)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division AF Instructions (Judge Bell)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division L/T2 Instructions (Judge Bristow)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division FY Instructions (Judge Burkhart)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division RE/WD Instructions (Judge Shullman)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division AN Instructions (Judge Kerner)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- PBC County Court — Division E Instructions (Judge Tew)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division FC Procedures (Judge Miller)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Cir. — Division FH Instructions (Judge Keever-Agrama)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- Florida Courts — State Courts SystemHealthychecked July 7, 2026
- Florida Courts E-Filing PortalHealthychecked July 7, 2026
- Fla. Sup. Ct. Opinion SC2026-0673 — Amendments to Rule 2.515 (AI-era authority certification)Healthychecked July 7, 2026
- 15th Circuit — Judges DirectoryHealthychecked July 7, 2026
07 Recent change events
- July 7, 2026Monitor: content changed at 4th Circuit — Nassau Judges: Ex Parte Dates & Procedures. Review before republishing dependent rules.
- July 7, 2026Monitor: 11th Cir. Family division page returned HTTP 404.
- July 7, 2026Monitor: 11th Cir. AO 26-04 — Disclosure of Use of Generative AI (County Civil) returned HTTP 404.
- July 7, 2026Monitor: 11th Cir. AO 24-01 — Case Reassignment Procedures returned HTTP 404.
- July 7, 2026Monitor: content changed at 17th Circuit — Division 47 procedures (Judge Michele McCaul Ricca). Review before republishing dependent rules.
- July 7, 2026Monitor: content changed at 17th Circuit — Division MA procedures (Judge Melinda Brown). Review before republishing dependent rules.
08 Contribute ground truth
Intelligence skills executed on this report
This report compiles procedural information and public-record research from the official sources cited above, with per-item verification status. It is not legal advice, contains no outcome predictions, and creates no attorney–client relationship. Items below high confidence must be verified against the official source before relying on them. Print with your browser for a clean PDF.