Heather L. Higbee
Circuit Judge · Ninth Judicial Circuit Court
High confidence· verified July 25, 2026
Circuit Judge · Ninth Judicial Circuit Court
What applies in this courtroom
545 verified requirements and 6 rule deadlines govern practice before Judge Heather L. Higbee across the judge, division, county, circuit, and statewide layers.
The tabs below show the judge-and-division layer only. The Full Premium Report assembles the complete stack — every requirement, deadline table, ruling intelligence, live case-type scan, and source appendix in one cited document.
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Probate, Guardianship & Mental Health — Division 5/02 (Orange)
Judicial Assignment: 2025-2026 Associate Administrative Judge, Probate; 2024-2026 Circuit Judge, Orange County Probate/Guardianship/Mental Health/Trusts; 2022-2023 Associate Administrative Circuit Judge, Juvenile; 2021-2023 Circuit Judge, Orange County Juvenile Dependency; 2020 Administrative Circuit Judge, Domestic Relations; 2019 Associate Administrative Circuit Judge, Domestic Relations; 2017-2018 Circuit Judge, Orange County Civil; 2016 Circuit Judge, Orange County Criminal; 2015 Circuit Judge, Orange County Criminal (VOP); 2014 Associate Administrative Circuit Judge, Domestic Relations; 2011-2014 Circuit Judge, Orange County Domestic; 2013-2014 Administrative Circuit Judge, Appellate; 2010-2011 Orange County Judge, Civil; 2007-2009 Orange County Judge, Criminal — Education: Juris Doctor: University of Florida, College of Law; Bachelor of Arts, English: Duke University — Professional Activities: Member, The Florida Bar; Member, Orange County Bar Association; Important Information; OCBA Standards of Professionalism; Courtroom Decorum Policy; Circuit
Published by the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court on this judge's own profile page and reproduced verbatim — BenchPath does not write or paraphrase judicial biographies. Read it on the court's site →
Thomas S. Kirk Justice Center
Published forms & procedures: Courtroom Decorum Policy; Guidelines and Procedures
Verified against Judge Heather L. Higbee's own court profile page, 2026-07-24.
Captured verbatim from the court's own published pages and orders during circuit verification. Chambers practices change without notice — confirm anything time-critical with the judicial assistant. Procedural information only; not legal advice.
Appeals from this courtroom go to the Sixth District Court of Appeal (Lakeland).
● LiveThat court's published bench (11): Carrie Ann Wozniak, Dan Traver, Jared E. Smith, John K. Stargel, Joshua A. Mize, Joshua E. Pratt, Keith F. White, Mary Alice Nardella, Paetra T. Brownlee, Rachel B. Kamoutsas, Roger K. Gannam
Jurisdiction per § 35.043, Fla. Stat. (six-district alignment eff. Jan. 1, 2023).
Profile upgraded 2026-07-24: bio_url now points to this judge's own page (https://ninthcircuit.org/judges/circuit/heather-l-higbee), confirmed to name them before extraction. Biography captured verbatim from the court's page. 2 linked form/procedure document(s) fetched and hashed.
4 verified rules specific to this judge's division, grouped by requirement category. 545 total requirements apply in this courtroom across all layers — the Full Premium Report assembles the complete stack.
No judge-level deadline on record runs shorter than a statewide deadline with the same trigger. The sentinel compares quoted timing across every published rule scoped to this judge on each visit — a clean result today is re-earned tomorrow.
No judge-scoped deadlines on this tab. Deadlines are extracted only when the source rule text states them — we never infer or calculate dates the rule does not explicitly contain. 6 rule deadlines apply in this courtroom across all layers — assembled with citations in the Full Premium Report.
Timing shown here is quoted from the rule text. Compute your actual date against the court's calendar and the rule itself — not legal advice.
No verified ruling summary yet. BenchPath generates ruling summaries from opinion and docket corpora (CourtListener where covered) and publishes them only after human review — fabricated judicial analytics are exactly what this platform refuses to ship.
Use the live case-law search below to see what exists for this judge today.
How Florida’s appellate courts disposed of the 75 opinions in BenchPath’s corpus (June 3, 2013–January 16, 2024) that name this judge as the lower-tribunal judge — the courts’ own disposition labels, counted verbatim. This is a census of the appellate record we hold, not a complete case history, an affirmance rate, or a performance rating.
Florida appellate and Supreme Court opinions naming this judge as the lower-tribunal judge, taken verbatim from each court’s official slip opinion (source-hashed). Descriptive record, not a rating. Showing the 50 most recent; all 75 are counted in the outcome census above.
N. W. VS DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN & FAMILIES
last checked September 4, 2026
last checked September 3, 2026
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Probate, Guardianship & Mental Health — Division 5/02 (Orange)current
date not recorded — present
assignment source →Monitor could not safely verify the registered source.
via 9th Circuit — Division 2 procedures (Judge Heather L. Higbee)
Monitor could not safely verify the registered source.
via 9th Circuit — Division 44 procedures (Judge Luis F. Calderon)
Monitor: content changed at 9th Circuit — Division 2 procedures (Judge Heather L. Higbee). Review before republishing dependent rules.
via 9th Circuit — Division 2 procedures (Judge Heather L. Higbee)
Sixth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Appeal - Per Curiam Affirmed
M. C.-E. VS DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN & FAMILIES
Sixth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Appeal - Per Curiam Affirmed
BRUCE WAYNE BATTS, ESQUIRE vs GREGORY MEYER, ROMACORP, INC., AND NICOLE KING
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
L. M. VS DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN & FAMILIES
Sixth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Appeal - Per Curiam Affirmed
B. C. VS DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN & FAMILIES
Sixth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Appeal - Per Curiam Affirmed
B.T., MOTHER OF T.S.M.T, T.T., AND B.L., CHILDREN vs DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Sixth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
JEB BACHMAN vs ALEX OLIVEROS AND H.A.T. SERVICE CORPORATION
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
B. C. VS DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN & FAMILIES
Sixth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Appeal - Per Curiam Affirmed
C. M. VS DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN & FAMILIES AND GUARDIAN AD LITEM
Sixth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Appeal - Per Curiam Affirmed
M.T., MOTHER OF A.R., A CHILD vs DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
J.C., MOTHER OF M.L., S.L., AND K.C., CHILDREN vs DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
PHILIP K. SCHLOETZER AND KATHERINE A. SCHLOETZER vs WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
DAVID W. FOLEY, JR. AND JENNIFER T. FOLEY vs ORANGE COUNTY, A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, PHIL SMITH, CAROL HOSSFIELD, MITCH GORDON, ROCCO RELVINI, TARA GOULD, TIM BOLDIG, FRANK DETOMA, ASIMA AZAM, ET AL
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
L.L., MOTHER OF L.L., A.L., R.L., AND S.A., CHILDREN vs DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
CLEMENTINA CASTILLO-GONZALEZ vs RAUL BENAVIDES
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
ROBERT L. THOMAS vs DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE O/B/O ANGELA Y. THOMAS
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
L.S., FATHER OF M.S., A CHILD vs DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
OSCAR J LUGO vs CHELSEA B. LUGO
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
JESSICA A. DANZEY vs SAMUEL BOYD MALONE, III
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
AGNERI MARTINEZ vs ALLAN SHEBOVSKY AND LENORE SHEBOVSKY
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
VINCENT ZACCARO vs VICKY FIGUEROA-ORTIZ
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
ELWIN PAUL vs JEREE PAUL
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
MAI SO VANG AND YANG XIONG vs JOSE A. GUILLEN AND DIANA GUILLEN, HUSBAND AND WIFE
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
HUDES RICKY FREDERICK vs STATE OF FLORIDA
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
ISRAEL OTERO AND PURA RODRIGUEZ vs OMAR J. ARCIA
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Reversed
SHAKIL KHAN, DINA KHAN AND KAMRAN KHAN vs WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR THE HOLDERS OF THE BANC OF AMERICA MORTGAGE SECURITIES, INC. MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-B
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
IMRAN CHAUDHRY vs DAVID J. PEDERSEN AND MIRIAM PEDERSEN
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Reversed
MYLES P. CORRIGAN AND DEBORAH A. SMITH vs DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE FOR ARGENT SECURITIES, INC., ASSET-BACKED PASS- THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-W4, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ET AL.
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
THE NEMOURS FOUNDATION D/B/A NEMOURS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, ORLANDO vs XIOMARA MARTINEZ ARROYO, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS NATURAL GUARDIAN OF RAMON APONTE, A MINOR, AND RAMON LUIS APONTE, INDIVIDUALLY
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Certiorari Review of Order from the Circuit Court for Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Denied
ADRIANA JARDIM AND JOSE GOMES JARDIM, JR. vs COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS, INC.
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
GERALD ATKINS vs STATE OF FLORIDA
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
MARCELA SABAS CIFUENTES vs NORA CIFUENTES AND NORA MARIE SABAS
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
AUTO CLUB INSURANCE COMPANY OF FLORIDA vs THE ESTATE OF NORMAN LEWIS AND BILLIE JARRARD
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Reversed
JESSICA M. GRAULAU MALDONADO vs ORANGE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed in Part/Reversed in Part
E. ALLEN DEAVER AND DEBORAH DEAVER vs BFC NEW ENGLAND, LLC
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
BOBBIE KRIEGER AND JOHN KRIEGER vs US BANK NA, AS LEGAL TITLE TRUSTEE FOR TRUMAN 2013 SC4 TITLE TRUST
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
TIMOTHY WILLIS AS CEO OF THE JOSEPH-DORIS-MATY COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTER, INC. vs ORANGE COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR, ET AL.
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
FAVIAN RIVERA vs STATE OF FLORIDA
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed in Part/Reversed in Part
JEREMY BALZAN vs STATE OF FLORIDA, DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAY SAFETY AND MOTOR VEHICLES AND FLORIDA POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
AARON W. DUPREE AND AMBER DUPREE, AS HUSBAND AND WIFE vs DANA M. SPEER, INDIVIDUALLY AND JAYMOR MANAGEMENT GROUP, LLC., A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
RIZWAN AHMED, AS ASSIGNEE OF REHAN NASEER, ET AL. vs FIRST AMERICAN TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY AND UNITED GENERAL TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
GREEN EMERALD HOMES, LLC. vs FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION, SHANAAZ KETWARU, MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INCORPORATED NOMINEE FBC MORTGAGE LLC, ROBINSON HILLS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION INC. AND DENNIS KETWARU
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
QAPA INVESTING COMPANY, USA, INC. vs SHONEY'S FLORIDA, LLC
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
DAVID W. FOLEY, JR. AND JENNIFER T. FOLEY vs ASIMA AZAM, TIM BOLDIG, FRED BRUMMER, RICHARD CROTTY, FRANK DETOMA, MILDRED FERNANDEZ, MITCH GORDON, TARA GOULD, CAROL HOSSFIELD, TERESA JACOBS, RODERICK LOVE, ROCCO RELVINI, SCOTT RICHMAN, ET AL
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Reversed
THE NEMOURS FOUNDATION D/B/A NEMOURS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, ORLANDO vs XIOMARA MARTINEZ ARROYO INDIVIDUALLY AND AS NATURAL GUARDIAN OF RAMON APONTE, A MINOR AND RAMON LUIS APONTE, INDIVIDUALLY
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Certiorari Review of Order from the Circuit Court for Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Granted
Blade of Orlando v. Delsanter
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
KATHLEEN CORTEZ vs JIEPU LI
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
ASTOR BENITEZ vs STATE OF FLORIDA
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
ROBERT L. EVINS vs STATE OF FLORIDA
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Affirmed
FIRSTSERVICE RESIDENTIAL FLORIDA, INC. vs CARMEN RODRIGUEZ, VENTURA AT STONEBRIDGE COMMONS CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC. AND STONEBRIDGE COMMONS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC.
Fifth District Court of Appeal · Certiorari Review of Order from the Circuit Court for Orange County
Disposition (court’s label): Denied
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Monitor: content changed at 9th Circuit — Division 44 procedures (Judge Luis F. Calderon). Review before republishing dependent rules.
via 9th Circuit — Division 44 procedures (Judge Luis F. Calderon)