Hernando County
Fifth Judicial Circuit (Circuit 5) · official circuit site ✓
Rules that apply here (county → circuit → statewide)
Preview of 25 instruments. All 55 county-scoped rules → search all three layers.
Hernando AO H-2025-59-A: Duty Judge Assignment (eff. Jan. 1, 2026)
Hernando duty-judge assignment order effective January 1, 2026; the circuit also posts a Hernando weekly duty schedule page. Weekend first-appearance duty is separate (see H-2025-56-C).
5th Cir. — Judge Kurt E. Hitzemann: courtroom procedures
5 verbatim requirements from Judge Kurt E. Hitzemann's published procedures.
5th Cir. — Judge Jason L. Smith: courtroom procedures
5 verbatim requirements from Judge Jason L. Smith's published procedures.
5th Cir. — Judge Barbara-Jo Bell: courtroom procedures
5 verbatim requirements from Judge Barbara-Jo Bell's published procedures.
5th Cir. — Judge Daniel B. Merritt, Jr.: courtroom procedures
1 verbatim requirement from Judge Daniel B. Merritt, Jr.'s published procedures.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Thomas R. Eineman: Judge preferences
1 summarised requirement on judge preferences.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Stephen E. Toner: Filing
1 summarised requirement on filing.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Joel D. Fritton: Judge preferences
4 summarised requirements on judge preferences.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Daniel B. Merritt, Jr.: Judge preferences
3 summarised requirements on judge preferences.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Daniel B. Merritt, Jr.: Filing
1 summarised requirement on filing.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Stephen E. Toner: Remote appearances
1 summarised requirement on remote appearances.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Stephen E. Toner: Judge preferences
1 summarised requirement on judge preferences.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Kurt E. Hitzemann: Judge preferences
5 summarised requirements on judge preferences.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Jason L. Smith: Hearings
1 summarised requirement on hearings.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Jason L. Smith: Continuances
1 summarised requirement on continuances.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Donald E. Scaglione: Judge preferences
4 summarised requirements on judge preferences.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Barbara-Jo Bell: Hearings
1 summarised requirement on hearings.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Barbara-Jo Bell: Continuances
1 summarised requirement on continuances.
Judge Barbee (Hernando) Standing Order — Probate (eff. June 18, 2026): 12-month completion, 1-business-day evidence
Probate matters should be completed within 12 months of letters of administration (Fla. Prob. R. 5.400(c)); electronic evidence for all evidentiary hearings due at least one full business day ahead; petitions to admit a lost/destroyed will require a hearing.
Judge Fritton Standing Order (am. June 11, 2024): 10-page memos, 10-day responses, 48-hour case law, criminal Zoom ≤30 min
Applies to all matters assigned to Judge Fritton: email scheduling via sjones@circuit5.org with time-set-aside stated in the notice; motions filed before scheduling; proposed orders digital by email EXCEPT probate through the e-portal; case law <15 pages by email ≥48 hours ahead; interpreters via online form 7 days ahead; meet-and-confer certification in extension/discovery motions; 10-page memo cap; 10-day responses (silence = unopposed); criminal proceedings in person with Zoom only for non-evidentiary pretrial matters ≤30 minutes; criminal continuances e-filed ≥5 days ahead; family cases follow C-2007-22-B and A-2020-1.
Judge Eineman (Hernando family): TREcalendarrequest scheduling; practices document (rev. Nov. 13, 2025)
Hearing requests to TREcalendarrequest@circuit5.org with case name/number, motion and time; Judicial Practices & Procedures document (last modified 11/13/2025) covers communications, scheduling, remote appearance, orders, courtesy copies, emergencies, exhibits, pretrial and trial settings; courtesy-copies and pretrial-scheduling standing orders posted (2017); H-2010-04 applies.
Judge Barbee (Hernando) Standing Order — Guardianship (eff. June 18, 2026): 10-page memos, 2-business-day evidence
Guardianship-docket standing order mirrors the civil order's core limits: 10-page legal-memorandum cap absent permission and electronic evidence at least 2 business days before hearings/trials.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Kurt E. Hitzemann: Judge preferences
3 verbatim requirements on judge preferences.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Jason L. Smith: Judge preferences
3 verbatim requirements on judge preferences.
Fifth Cir. — Judge Jason L. Smith: Judge preferences
3 summarised requirements on judge preferences.