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79 verbatim mandatory provisions from S-2026-023.
Thirteenth Judicial Circuit. Check the order's own effective and rescission dates before relying on it. Procedural information only; not legal advice.
• Judges assigned to Protective lnJ·unctions Divisions " G" "H " "K " " M" "Q " "S " and "V" may not ' ' ' ' ' 'consolidate or transfer a petition for protective injunction into a standard Family Law Division. • Any protective injunction division judge who needs coverage by a UFC division judge to review petitions must provide as much advance notice to the administrative judge of the UFC as possible, but no later than ninety days before coverage is needed. • Any protective injunction division judge who needs return hearing coverage by a UFC division judge must provide as much advance notice to the administrative judge of the UFC as possible but no later than ninety days before coverage is needed. • The petitioner must serve a copy of the Standing Temporary Order along with a copy of the initial process and original petition. • Service If the petitioner is represented by counsel, the clerk will provide petitioner's counsel with two copies of the Case Management Order and petitioner's counsel must serve a copy of the Case Management Order along with a copy of the initial process and original petition and copy of the Standing Temporary Order. • (4) that mediation has been completed or is scheduled and will not be cancelled except by order of court; and ( 5) the date and time of the new case management conference that has been provided by the judicial assistant and cleared by both parties, which is within sixty days of the originally-scheduled date. • Cancellation A case management conference may only be canceled if (1) the case settles prior to the date of the case management conference; • A final disposition form and final judgment must be submitted to the court within ten days of the cancellation, if no hearing is required to prove the elements of the case. • If a hearing is required to prove the elements of the case, the case management conference will be used for the final hearing unless an earlier date is cleared and properly calendared. • Notice of Related Cases Form Petitioners must file a Notice of Related Cases form (Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.900(h)) with the clerk along with the initial pleading in a family law case, even if there are no related cases. 9. • Attorney & Party Information In all filed pleadings and other documents, an attorney must state the following information directly below the signature line: the attorney's name; address; telephone number, including area code; • In all filed pleadings and other documents, all self-represented litigants must state the following information directly below the signature line: the party's name; address; and telephone number, including area code. • Pleadings All pleadings and other documents must be filed with the clerk in accordance with Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.525 and served in accordance with Rule 2.516. • Financial Affidavits The title page of a financial affidavit must designate the date the affidavit was signed and the name of the affiant. • Sufficient copies of all financial affidavits and other exhibits must be brought to the hearing or trial for use by the court and parties. • Specific Requirements It is incumbent upon the attorney or self-represented party to review each individual judge's webpage for any specific requirements of the judge including, but not limited to, whether memorandum oflaw, documentary evidence, or other papers must be delivered in advance of a scheduled court hearing. 11. • Modification Proceedings - Attachments In all modification proceedings involving financial matters, in addition to the cun-ent financial affidavit filed, there must also be attached to the initial modification pleading a copy of the last financial affidavits submitted to the court by the parties together with a copy of the final judgment and the most recent modification order, if any, entered in the cause. • A copy of any stipulation or property settlement agreement incorporated into such judgment or modification order must also be attached. • Complex matters will not be heard during the uniform motion calendar / open docket time. • JAWS Attorneys and parties do not need to reserve calendar time with the judicial assistant for a hearing on the Uniform Motion Calendar/ Open Docket if the hearing has been reserved through the Judicial Automated Workflow System ("JAWS") which may be accessed at the following link on the court's website.i However, counsel or a self-represented moving party must file a notice of hearing with the clerk and serve notice upon opposing counsel or a self-represented party in accordance with the applicable rules of procedure. ii. • The judicial assistant will provide a minimum of two available dates/times to the requesting party, with a copy to the opposing party by "replying to all." If the requesting party sends the dates to the opposing party or attorney (whichever is applicable) by e-mail, the responding party or a representative in the attorney's office must respond via e-mail within two business days of receipt of the request. • Counsel or a self-represented moving party must review each individual judge's webpage to determine whether the division judge requires a courtesy copy of the motion to be delivered to the judge in advance of a scheduled hearing. • Notice All pleadings or motions seeking relief in a family law action must be served on the party or counsel not less than five days prior to the hearing. • General All motions to compel discovery, for compulsory physical examination, and to set case for trial must contain a certificate by the attorney filing such motion that the attorney has discussed the subject matter of the motion with the opposing counsel and has been unable to reach agreement concerning the disputed discovery or the setting of the case for trial, or that opposing counsel has failed to respond. ii. • In addition to the certification required in section 13D(i) above, such motion must also include a certification that the non-moving party has: • The moving party utilizing this procedure must submit the proposed order to the Court via the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (Portal) or with delivery of hard copies of the proposed order with sufficient copies, envelopes, and postage to facilitate service to all parties. • The proposed order must allow the non-responding party no less than ten days to provide responses to the discovery request or mandatory disclosure. • The motion, proposed order, and any correspondence to the Court accompanying the same must reference this section of this administrative order and that the relief sought by the moving party is for judicial consideration without a hearing. • Because an award of expenses may only be granted after an opportunity for hearing under Florida Rule of Family Law Procedure 12 .380, a party electing to utilize this procedure to obtain discovery must not include any request within the motion to recover attorney 's fees or costs associated with such motion. • Motions for Continuance In accordance with Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.545(e) and Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.460, all motions for continuance must be signed by the litigant requesting the continuance as well as the litigant's attorney, unless made at trial, or good cause is shown. 14. • Notices of Hearing All notices of hearing must be on a document separate from the pleading or motion for which the hearing is scheduled. • Cancellation of Hearings All hearings scheduled for two hours or more must be approved by the presiding judge and should be scheduled by order of the court. • Whether scheduled by order of the court or by notice of hearing, a hearing of two hours or more may not be canceled without approval of the court. • Any attorney or party cancelling a hearing of less than two hours must notify the opposing party or their counsel and the court. 16. • Hearing Prerequisites of Moving Party The party seeking temporary relief must: 1. • Contemporaneously, the responding party must serve upon the opposing party, but not file with the clerk or with the judge, the documents required in Rule 12.285(d)(2)-(4 ). • Temporary Relief Mediation Temporary relief matters involving children must be mediated prior to being heard by the court. • Temporary Attorney's Fees If the relief sought includes temporary attorney's fees, the seeking party must file an attorney 's fee affidavit at least seven business days before the hearing. • The attorney's fee affidavit must set forth fees and costs to date and anticipated hours, fees, and costs reasonably expected to be incurred through the final hearing. • Exhibits and Temporary Relief Memorandum At least seventy-two hours prior to the scheduled temporary relief hearing, the parties will exchange exhibits and each will file and serve a copy of a Temporary Relief Hearing Memorandum using the uniform Temporary Relief Hearing Memorandum that may be accessed at http://www.fljudl3.org/Forms.aspx. • Temporary Injunctions Applications for temporary injunctions without notice must comply with Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.610 or Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.610. • All petitions for protective injunction must be filed with the clerk's office through the protective injunctions division of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in accordance with Florida Statutes sections 741.30, 784.046, or 784.0485 . • Emergency Matters in an Assigned Case Application for emergency relief in an assigned case must be filed with the clerk with a request for emergency handling. • Any judge assigned to the Family Law Division who issues an ex parte order must hold the return hearing personally, unless the judge of the division in which the case is pending agrees to hold the hearing. • All emergency motion handling orders must be docketed by the clerk and delivered, along with the paper court file if electronic images are not available in the case maintenance system, to the chambers of the judge of the division in which the case is pending for any necessary follow- up action. • All emergency motion handling orders must be served to the parties by facsimile, e-mail, or regular United States mail. • If the reviewing judge determines that an emergency does not exist or denies the emergency request without a hearing, the requesting party is prohibited from presenting the emergency request to any other judge except the judge presiding in the division to which the case is assigned. ii. • All emergency motion handling orders must be docketed by the clerk and delivered, along with the paper court file if electronic images are not available in the case maintenance system, to the chambers of the judge of the division in which the case is pending for any necessary follow-up action. • If a duty judge determines that an emergency does not exist or denies the emergency request without a hearing, the requesting party must not present the emergency request to any other judge except the judge presiding in the division to which the case is assigned. • Emergency Matters in an Unassigned Case An unassigned case is a matter that has not been assigned to a Family Law Division because the clerk's office is not and will not be open within a reasonable time. • Professional Courtesy in Clearing Hearing Dates and Deposition Dates A good faith effort to clear all hearing dates and deposition dates with opposing counsel or a self-represented patty is required prior to notices being filed. • A pretrial memorandum must be served at least three days prior to the pretrial conference. • All trials must be scheduled in accordance with Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.440 and Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.440, or by stipulation waiving such procedure. 22. • Attorneys must ascertain from the individual judge's office the day and time provided for such trials. • Consultation with Opposing Counsel or Self-Represented Party Unless the presiding judge directs otherwise, prior to submitting a proposed order or judgment for the court's consideration after a hearing, the counsel or self- represented party directed to submit the proposed order must consult with opposing counsel or the opposing self-represented party within five business days after the court's decision and make a genuine effort to agree on the language of the proposed order. • Objection If, after consultation with opposing counsel or the opposing self-represented party, the parties cannot agree on the language in the proposed order or judgment to be submitted to the court, then the attorney or self-represented party submitting the proposed order or judgment must document in a cover letter that the opposing party or counsel has registered an objection and specifically state what the objection is. • At the time the cover letter and proposed order or judgment is submitted to the court, a copy must simultaneously be sent to all parties or their attorneys. • Timely Submission The attorney or self-represented party directed to prepare the order or judgment must submit the proposed order or judgment to the court by within ten business days after the court's decision. • Submission of Proposed Orders and Judgments Unless the presiding judge directs otherwise, if all parties are represented by attorneys, none of whom have been excused from e-mail service under Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.516, an attorney who is requested to submit a proposed order or judgment must do so through the Portal. • If any party is represented by an attorney who has been excused from e-mail service by the court under Rule 2.516, the attorney who is requested to submit a proposed order or judgment must do so by submitting to the presiding judge sufficient hard copies of the proposed order or judgment along with stamped, addressed envelopes. • When submitting a proposed order, a contemporaneous cover letter must also be included indicating that one of the following statements is true: • Competing proposed orders or judgments must not be submitted through the Portal. • Title The title of every proposed order and judgment submitted must contain the subject matter of the pleading or motion upon which the ruling is made and must fairly apprise the reader of the action being ordered. • Form The first paragraph of all proposed orders and judgments must state the date or dates on which the hearing or trial took place. • In all proposed orders or judgments, the page containing the court's signature must also contain substantive language of the proposed order or judgment so that a proposed order or judgment does not contain a signature page consisting only of the court's signature. • Income Withholding Order If an order or final judgment provides for payment of alimony or child support by income withholding order, the income withholding order must be submitted contemporaneously with the order or final judgment. • Settlement Agreements Unless the presiding judge directs otherwise, either the entire settlement agreement must be recited word for word in the final judgment or it must be attached and incorporated into the final judgment. • Notwithstanding the above, the judgment must recite provisions of the settlement agreement pertaining to shared or sole parental responsibility, time-sharing, child support, and alimony. • Orders Granting Motions to Withdraw Any order granting an attorney's motion to withdraw under Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.505(f)(l) must include a statement that the party whose attorney is withdrawing is obligated to provide the court and the opposing attorney or opposing self-represented party a written notice of any change to the party's mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address (if available) if the party intends to remain self-represented. • Final Disposition Form A Final Disposition Form must be submitted at the time of submission of a final order or judgment to the court. 24. • When a person is required by law or court order to deposit a specified sum of money into the registry of the court, the person making the deposit must pay the amount of the registry fee to the clerk in addition to the amount of the deposit. • Request for Clerk's Statement of Available Registiy Funds Any time a party seeks an order directing the clerk to disburse funds from the court registry, prior to filing a motion, the party must request the clerk to provide a statement showing available funds in the court registry. • Motion for Disbursement of Registry Funds The party must attach a copy of the clerk's Statement of Available Registry Funds to the motion for disbursement of funds, file and serve the motion on all parties and legal counsel for the clerk. • If the party seeking disbursement objects to the amount listed in the clerk's Statement of Available Registry Funds, the motion must identify the basis for the objection, and set the motion for hearing. • If the party seeking disbursement does not object to the amount listed in the clerk's Statement of Available Registry Funds, the motion must confirm the stated amount is the proper amount of disbursement and request the entry of an order, without a hearing, if no other party files and serves a written objection within five days after service of the motion. • Change in Registry Balance If any party becomes aware of any change to the court registry balance after the issuance of the initial clerk's Statement of Available Registry Funds, that party must obtain an updated clerk's Statement of Available Registry Funds and provide copies to the other party and to the court prior to the hearing on the motion seeking disbursement. • Disbursement Orders to Account for Clerk Fees All proposed orders submitted to the court for disbursement from the court registry must contain the phrase "less clerk fees" immediately after the total requested disbursement amount (for example, Total: $12,000, less clerk fees). • Children and Court In accordance with Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.407, children must not be brought to the courthouse for any reason without prior approval of the court authorizing a child's appearance on any day when any hearing, mediation, or other related court proceeding is scheduled to occur, except in uncontested adoption cases or in an emergency situation. 27. • Professional Conduct and Courtroom Decorum Counsel must also adhere to The Florida Bar's Guidelines for Professional Conduct, The Florida Bar's Professionalism Expectationsiii , and the Hillsborough County Bar Association' s Standards of Professionalismiv_ Each judge may announce and enforce additional requirements, or may excuse compliance with any provision(s) of the Guidelines, Expectations, or Standards as that judge deems appropriate. 29.
Judges assigned to Protective lnJ·unctions Divisions " G" "H " "K " " M" "Q " "S " and "V" may not ' ' ' ' ' 'consolidate or transfer a petition for protective injunction into a standard Family Law Division.
Reviewer note: Document sha256: 6d67250ffb29d3de5961ddddabb9e43874e3d5d0832ba3c23a86ec7509089907 (13244565 bytes). BenchPath harvested this circuit itself because no research corpus existed for it. Extraction is conservative: mandatory-language sentences only, so this rule is a faithful subset of the order, never a summary of it. Text layer cleaned 2026-09-08 (Phase 3a): page markers removed; wording untouched. Text recomposed 2026-09-08 (Phase 3c): text-layer artifacts corrected (escape leaks, dropped spaces, single-token OCR mis-reads); wording unchanged. Text layer cleaned 2026-09-08 (Phase 3e): running page headers/footers removed; wording untouched. Text layer cleaned 2026-09-08 (Phase 3g): 4 kerning-split words rejoined; wording untouched. Verbatim from the order's own text layer, harvested 2026-07-24; whitespace normalised only. No OCR was used. Only sentences containing mandatory language (shall, must, may not, no later than, within N) are reproduced — the full document is in custody and is the controlling text. [moved from the text 2026-09-14]
4 verbatim requirements on hearings.
2 verbatim requirements on hearing time in LAUREN N. PEFFER's division.