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50 verbatim requirements from Cruz, Laura Shearon's own page on the circuit's site.
Eleventh Judicial Circuit (Miami-Dade). Procedural information only; not legal advice.
Verbatim from Cruz, Laura Shearon's page, harvested 2026-08-02; whitespace normalised only. • If parties are seeking a Zoom hearing for matters that are typically held in-person, and both parties agree to a Zoom hearing, the parties shall request a Zoom hearing in writing to the Court’s judicial assistant. • All parties, including attorneys, the parties themselves, and pro se litigants must register at the Florida Court E-Filing Portal at https://www.myflcourtaccess.com/authority/ .This is the only method for filing and receiving pleadings and court notices. • All parties must also register with the CourtMAP system to view their case and submit required evidence or additional documents. 4. • In order to create a CourtMAP account, you must first register with the State of Florida’s E-Filing Portal for the case in which you are a self-represented litigant. • Parties appearing at hearings shall be prepared to present their entire matter within the time afforded by the Court. • Upon the filing of a motion with the Court, the party requesting the motion shall file a request for hearing within 30 days of the filing of the motion. • Failure to request a hearing within 30 days after a filed motion may result in the motion being denied without prejudice. • Parties shall meet and confer prior to the filing of motions. • In the event that a motion is required, the party filing the motions shall indicate that the parties met and conferred, and no resolution was reached or that the other party was unable to be contacted after due diligence. • Prior to any evidentiary hearing, the parties shall exchange witness lists and exhibits within 7 calendar days of the hearing. • In the event of an emergency hearing, the parties shall exchange witness lists and exhibits within 24 hours. • The parties shall not argue with one another through the Court’s or judicial assistant’s inbox. • Pursuant to Florida Family Law Rule 12.285(b)(2), mandatory disclosure must be exchanged within 45 days of serving the initial pleading, accompanied by the filing of a certificate of compliance as required by Rule 12.285(j). • Parties seeking temporary financial relief must exchange disclosure pursuant to rule 12.285(b)(1).In the event this Court determines that Rule 12.285 has not been complied with, and the parties have not agreed in writing to an extension for the exchange of disclosure, this Court may issue an order show cause why the matter should not be dismissed or default entered against the non-compliant party, or both. • The parties and attorneys shall treat and communicate respectfully with one another. • INTERPRETERS / INTERPRETES If you require an interpreter for the hearing, you are required to bring an interpreter with you. • Emergency hearings will be held via ZOOM, unless otherwise requested and approved Please do not email your Motion directly to the Judicial Assistant or Judge. • Must be uploaded via CourtMAP once filed and must contain a statement indicating that opposing counsel has been notified in an attempt to resolve the matter in an amicable manner. • Your motion must contain a certification that the matter is a true Emergency and cannot wait to be heard during a motion calendar. • You must be prepared to appear before the Court within one (1) hour of submission of the Emergency Motion to the Court. • DO NOT SET MOTIONS FOR CONTEMPT/ENFORCEMENT ON THE 5-MINUTE MOTION CALENDAR. • A Notice of Hearing must be filed for the 5-Minute Motion Calendar listing the motion and docket number entry (D.E. #) corresponding to the motion that has been set. • If a 5-Minute Motion is cancelled, a Notice of Cancellation must be filed and provided to the Judicial Assistant. • If you are seeking to schedule a hearing unilaterally, the request must be in writing to the Court with reasons as to why a unilateral setting is necessary. • All exhibits must be filed separately and listed ONE week prior to hearing. • No less than twenty (20) days prior to the trial, the attorneys/pro se litigants shall meet and communicate concerning settlement and all aspects of the trial. • NO LESS THAN FIFTEEN (15) DAYS PRIOR TO THE TRIAL, EACH PARTY SHALL FILE A PRE-TRIAL CATALOGUE WITH THE CLERK AND FORWARD A COURTESY COPY TO THE COURT. • The Pre-trial Catalogue shall contain the following information: • The attorneys/pro se litigants are required to provide a completed CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINE WORKSHEET in support of his or her position regarding child support. 1. • In all cases where either party seeks alimony or other special relief a STATEMENT OF CLIENT'S CLAIM for alimony and/or special relief is required and shall state the nature of alimony claimed, whether lump sum, rehabilitative or permanent, together with the factual and legal basis therefore. • The Pre-trial Catalogue shall contain a list of witnesses to be called at trial. • The Pre-trial Catalogue shall contain a list of all exhibits which may be used at trial. • Each exhibit must be shown to the opposing attorney/pro se litigant at least seven (7) days before trial. • Exhibits not specifically listed may not be used at trial except for good cause shown. • In all cases in which there is a disputed question as to division of any assets, real or personal, concurrently with the Pre-trial catalogue each party shall file a SCHEDULE OF ASSETS, signed by the party in affidavit form, setting forth each asset to which a disputed question exists or to the division thereof. • Said Schedule shall reflect: a description of the asset and non-marital assets (so identified); in whose name the title or ownership lies; the date of acquisition; the value at the time of acquisition; the value at time of filing of petition or, if another date is used, explain why another date is used; the present value thereof; the basis for any claim of unequal distribution thereto; and the basis for allowance of, (or any portion thereof,) of EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION; a list of suggested disposition of each asset. • In all cases in which there is a disputed question as to division of any debts, concurrently with the Pre-Trial catalogue each party shall file a Schedule of Debts, signed by the party in affidavit form, which shall reflect: a description of the marital debts and non-marital debts: in whose name the debt is in; the date debt was incurred; the amount of the debt when it was first incurred; the amount of the debt at the time of filing of the petition. • The attorneys/pro se litigants shall review testimony and stipulate to the admissibility, where appropriate, of all records and testimony which can be read into the record at final hearing. • A current, fully executed financial statement in accordance with Form 12.901(d) or (e) of the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure shall be attached to the Pre-trial Catalogue and exchanged with the attorneys/pro se litigants. • PRIOR TO THE TRIAL, the attorneys or the parties shall include a statement advising that the parties have scheduled a full mediation conference as to all issues (except in cases where there are domestic violence issues) and, if minor children are involved, completed the parenting class titled "Children of Divorcing Parents" and for children over six (6) years of age that they have completed the "Sandcastles" program, both of which are offered by Miami Dade Community College. • All discovery shall be completed ten (10) days prior to the date set for TRIAL and shall be allowed thereafter only upon agreement of the attorneys/pro se litigants or on a showing of good cause. • The attorneys/pro se litigants shall immediately notify the Court in the event of settlement. • All cases must attend mediation prior to filing a Notice of Readiness for Trial. • Motions to continue the trial must include a signature from the client agreeing to the continuance. • Order Granting Motion to Withdraw do not need a hearing if the client's written consent is attached to the Motion. • The moving party must proceed to resubmit the entire submission to correct the issues detailed in the rejection. • Any settings that do not include the motion and request for hearing with the e-file stamp will be rejected. • If you reach a resolution after a hearing has been scheduled, the party that requested the hearing must, IMMEDIATELY UPON REACHING A RESOLUTION, file a Notice of Cancellation with the Clerk or thru E-Portal AND EMAIL CHAMBERS to remove the matter from calendar. • A copy of the Petitioner’s and/or Counter Petitioner’s valid Driver’s License, Florida State ID, or Voter’s Registration Card (must be current) h. • If you do not wish to file a driver’s license in the court file, the case may be set on calendar and the driver’s license attached as a supporting document to the calendared event.
If parties are seeking a Zoom hearing for matters that are typically held in-person, and both parties agree to a Zoom hearing, the parties shall request a Zoom hearing in writing to the Court’s judicial assistant.
Reviewer note: Page sha256: e32ed980ded1f20ee769d273adebf500e6d233c67dc208d65232816f88c94279. Requirements published on the judge's own page; navigation stripped before extraction.
Judge Bell caps motions and responses at 5 pages for UMC hearings and 12 pages for special-set hearings.
Judge Alijewicz requires every motion for attorney's fees and/or costs to attach a document detailing time records — no records, no fee award.