Florida›Circuit 5
Fifth Judicial Circuit
Verified judges, local rules, standing orders, and controlling division-assignment orders for Citrus County, Hernando County, Lake County, Marion County, Sumter County — every entry cites its official source with a last-verified date.
Official site: https://www.circuit5.org
Counties in this circuit
Controlling division-assignment orders
- Citrus AO C-2025-45-D: Duty Judge Rotation & Judicial Assignments CY2026 (eff. June 22, 2026)eff. June 21, 2026
- Hernando AO H-2025-56-C: Third Amended Caseload Assignment CY2026 — full table (eff. June 22, 2026, 12:01 a.m.)eff. June 21, 2026
- Lake AO L-2025-60-D: Circuit Judge Assignments (eff. June 22, 2026)eff. June 21, 2026
- Marion AO M-2025-62-B: Circuit Judge Assignments (eff. June 15, 2026) — Youmans becomes Administrative Judgeeff. June 14, 2026
- Sumter AO S-2025-58-A: Judicial Assignments (county/officers eff. June 1; circuit eff. June 29, 2026)eff. May 31, 2026
- Lake AO L-2025-61: County Judge Assignments (eff. Jan. 1, 2026)eff. December 31, 2025
Bench (59 judicial officers)
Circuit judges
County judges
Magistrates, hearing officers & senior judges
Titles shown as circuit judges, county judges, and quasi-judicial officers per the official directory.
Recently verified rules
Search all rules →Judge Militello (Sumter county criminal): continuance motion + proposed order 3 business days ahead; in-person criminal
A continuance motion with proposed order should be submitted at least three business days before the proceeding; criminal proceedings are in person (some civil matters may be hybrid).
Judge Jerald (Marion FG): maximum 7 proposed dates; document failed coordination
Scheduling correspondence may identify no more than seven proposed dates and must document conflicts when coordination fails; Division FG carries DV/dating-violence DR cases, a third of repeat/stalking/sexual-violence injunctions, after-hours injunctions and ALL risk-protection orders.
Judge Daly (Sumter civil): OnceHub ≤1 hour, Zoom ≤30 minutes, 48-hour Zoom materials, 5-business-day remote requests
Hearings of one hour or less schedule through OnceHub (instructions PDF posted); non-evidentiary hearings ≤30 minutes generally proceed by Zoom under her standing Zoom order (materials 48 hours ahead); general hearing evidence 5 days ahead; trial continuances within 14 days of learning grounds; remote-appearance motions at least 5 business days ahead; DACMS + motion-practice standing order (3/2025) and stipulated-plan approval order (DOCX) posted.
Judge Senn (Sumter county civil/small claims): motion first; special set for testimony or exhibits; in person by default
A motion must be filed before a hearing request; testimony, exhibits and oral argument require a specially set hearing; proceedings are in person unless a written order authorizes remote appearance; .docx proposed orders.
Judge Hatcher (Sumter family/probate): notify after e-portal acceptance; 3-day processing; 4-day interpreter requests
Chambers should be notified after a filing is accepted through the e-portal (not before it appears on the docket); allow three business days for chambers to process hearing submissions; interpreter requests at least four business days ahead; editable-Word proposed orders.
Judge Helm (Sumter felony): hearing requests state case, time and motion; cancellations need proof of resolution
A hearing request must identify the case, requested time and motion, followed by a notice of hearing; a cancellation request requires proof that the matter has been resolved or otherwise removed from the docket.
Judge Curington (Lake county criminal): plea, plea-in-absentia and transport forms posted
The profile supplies plea, plea-in-absentia and inmate-transport forms and instructions; no separate comprehensive procedure document exists.
Judge Pepperman (Lake county civil): Zoom is the default, subject to judicial discretion
Most matters are handled by Zoom, with the judge retaining discretion to require in-person appearance.
Marion Circuit Civil Standing Order: motion practice — 15-page cap, 5-day replies, motions in limine 15 days before trial term
County-wide standing order (signed by Judge Hodges as Administrative Judge, June 24, 2022) establishing motion-practice procedures in ALL Marion circuit-civil cases: 15-page memo cap absent permission; replies within 5 days of receipt of the opposing memorandum; Rule 1.380 motions need good-faith certification; motions in limine resolved without hearing unless argument is granted and must be filed at least 15 days before the trial term; non-compliance risks striking, stay, dismissal or default.
Judge Toti (Lake family): >15-minute and evidentiary matters in person; no remote evidence
Hearings longer than 15 minutes and all evidentiary proceedings are held in person; remote evidence is not accepted.
Judge Monty (Lake small claims/traffic): 10 calendar days' notice; proof of service for pro se parties
Hearings require 10 calendar days' notice; proof of service is required when a party is self-represented.
Judge Takac (Lake): CM order imposes detailed evidence-disclosure requirements — non-compliant evidence excluded
Before trial or any dispositive evidentiary hearing a case-management order sets specific, detailed requirements for disclosing ALL evidence to the other parties and the Court; failure to comply results in exclusion. Hearing requests use a 7-item email format to ssutton@circuit5.org.