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35 verbatim requirements from the 15th Circuit's Division RE instructions page as published today.
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit (Palm Beach) — Division RE only. Division instructions change with judicial rotations; the division's own page controls. Procedural information only; not legal advice.
• Other than scheduling and administrative matters, all communications and requests must be filed with the Clerk of Court , copied to all parties in the lawsuit, and set for hearing in open court. • Ex parte Communications All communications with the judicial office must comply with Canon 3 of the Code of Judicial Conduct, which prohibits a judge from initiating, permitting, or considering ex parte communications and from considering other communications outside the presence of the parties concerning a pending or impending proceeding, unless authorized by law. • All parties must be copied on any e-mail directed to the judicial office, unless an ex parte communication is authorized by law. • E-Filing Portal Contact Information All attorneys and self-represented litigants must make and receive service by e-mail, which is generally through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, unless excused. • Parties shall consult the Uniform Differentiated Case Management Order and Order Setting Trial (DCMO), issued on the day the case is filed, for the calendar call and trial date. • Permitted at UMC : non-evidentiary motions, defaults/default final judgments, motions for summary disposition, and uncontested motions for summary judgment that can be heard in 10 minutes or less shall be set on the Uniform Motion Calendar. • The moving party shall file and serve a Notice of Hearing on all parties immediately after reserving hearing time and provide notice of the Zoom information to all parties in the Notice of Hearing. • A party shall respond to a respond to a request to set a hearing within one (1) business day, unless out of the office. • The court must receive courtesy copies of all materials for the hearing no later than three (3) business days before the hearing, through e-courtesy . • Please do not reserve special set hearing time for a motion that can be heard in 5-10 minutes. • Evidentiary hearings and Special Set hearings more than 15 minutes must be requested by e-mail to CAD-DivisionRE@pbcgov.org with copy to opposing counsel and any self-represented litigant. • For in-person hearings, the Notice of Hearing must state: • All notices of hearing must contain the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) notification required by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.540. • The court must receive all materials for the hearing no later than three (3) business days before the hearing, through e-courtesy via the Court's Online Services . • Please note that it takes up to three (3) days for filings to appear on the docket; therefore, use of e-courtesy is required. • Courtesy copies must state the party name and document identification (i.e. "Plaintiff's Case Law"). • To cancel a special set hearing, a Notice of Cancellation must be filed with the Clerk and a copy e-mailed to the Judicial Assistant ( CAD-DivisionRE@pbcgov.org ). • Also, the Notice MUST note the reason for cancellation. • Motions for continuance of hearings other than trial must be filed as soon as the conflict becomes known and at least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled court date for which the continuance is sought, barring exigent circumstances. • Except for good cause shown, the motion must be signed by the party requesting the continuance, as required by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.545(e). • Please do not call or email the Judicial Assistant about Zoom without reading these instructions. • Platform Used Zoom Platform Meeting ID# Zoom Link Requirements Any person appearing remotely must be in a private location that is quiet and free from distractions. • Attorneys may not appear from a vehicle, even non-moving. • If a witness appears remotely, the party calling the witness must ensure the witness has a functioning camera and microphone and has tested the internet connection before the hearing. • Submission of Orders and Judgments Format All proposed orders must be submitted in Word format and provided to opposing counsel and any self-represented litigant. • Submission Method All Proposed Orders must be submitted through Online Scheduling . • Select the applicable date of hearing under "scheduled event." Motions/supporting affidavits must be docketed : • Proposed orders may not be submitted to the Court until the supporting motion and/or affidavits have been docketed by the Clerk. • Stamped copies of e-filed motions, affidavits and/or supporting documents necessary for the Court's review must be uploaded as attachments to the proposed order. • They must be e-filed and docketed prior to uploading the proposed order, unless an e-filed stamped copy is attached. • If the form of the order is disputed, the submitting party must notify the Court of such disagreement in the comments. • Please do not upload a proposed order unless one of the following is met: it is agreed; the hearing has already occurred; or it is proper to be considered ex parte. • The moving party must mail copies to any pro se parties and file a Certificate of Service in the court file. • All proposed orders and cover letters must be copied to all opposing parties in the lawsuit. • Proposed orders from hearings that have already occurred must be uploaded within 48 hours after the hearing, unless the Court requested proposed findings of fact and law.
Other than scheduling and administrative matters, all communications and requests must be filed with the Clerk of Court , copied to all parties in the lawsuit, and set for hearing in open court.
Reviewer note: Composed fresh after the July 2026 rotation replaced division instructions; the prior requirement-level rules for this division sit at medium with notes pointing here. Verbatim from the division's own instructions page, fetched live 2026-08-03 (sha256 a24f441e5d1a1c04…); whitespace normalised only. [moved from the text 2026-09-14]
1 verbatim requirement on judge preferences.
20 verbatim requirements on judge preferences.