Robert Segal

Brevard — Controlling Division Assignment Order AO 26-16-B (eff. 2026-04-01)

Judge Aaron J. Peacock — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Bryanna Bynum — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Seminole)

Judge Carsandra D. Buie — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Seminole)

Judge Charles Crawford — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Christina Serrano — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Clarissa Harrell — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Curt Jacobus — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge David C. Koenig — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge David E. Silverman — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Debra L. Krause — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Seminole)

Judge Donna M. Goerner — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Seminole)

Judge George T. Paulk — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge James J. DeKleva — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Seminole)

Judge Jessica J. Recksiedler — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Seminole)

Judge John D. Galluzzo — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Seminole)

Judge Jonathan A. Skinner — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Kathryn M. Speicher — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Katie C. Jacobus — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Kelly J. McKibben — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Kimberly Musselman — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Kristen Smith-Rodriguez — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Laura Moody — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Mark E. Herr — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Seminole)

Judge Michelle L. Naberhaus — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Michelle Vitt Baker — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Samuel Bookhardt III — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Scott Blaue — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Steve Henderson — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Sylvia Grunor — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Seminole)

Judge Tesha Ballou — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Thomas J. Brown — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Brevard)

Judge Wayne Culver — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Seminole)

Judge William S. Orth — Practice Preferences & Procedures (18th Circuit, Seminole)

Seminole Circuit — Controlling Division Assignment Order AO 26-28-S (eff. 2026-07-01)

Seminole County — Controlling Division Assignment Order AO 26-29-S (eff. 2026-07-01)

18th Circuit AO 26-10 — Generative AI Disclosure Mandate [RESCINDED eff. 2026-06-01]

18th Jud. Cir. — E-Filing Instructions

The Eighteenth Judicial Circuit (Seminole and Brevard) requires cover letters in PDF format and proposed orders in .docx format using DJMCA formatting codes, submitted through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.

• Prepare the cover letter in PDF format.
• Prepare the proposed order in .docx format using DJMCA formatting codes.
• Submit via the E-Filing Portal using the E-filing map icon.
• Whitelist workflow@flcourts18.org so review-system emails are not blocked.

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.