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1 verbatim requirement extracted from judge-cynthia-l-cox__Courtroom-Etiquette.pdf, across 1 topic.
Nineteenth Judicial Circuit (Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, St. Lucie). Check the order's own effective and rescission dates before relying on it. Procedural information only; not legal advice.
Verbatim from the order, captured 2026-07-24; whitespace normalised only. No OCR was used anywhere in this chain. EXHIBITS & EVIDENCE • Courtroom Etiquette for the Professional Trial Attorney The purpose of courtroom etiquette is to soften personal antagonisms and create formal boundaries and limits on behavior in order to create an orderly, disciplined, efficient and respectful environment in which legal disputes can be peacefully resolved. The following are just a few examples of the etiquette “dos and do nots” for professional trial court attorneys. DO: • Come to court on time (better yet, early), properly dressed, and fully prepared for business. • Enter and exit the courtroom as noiselessly as possible. • Require all clients and witnesses to be on time and properly dressed for court. • Let the Court know if you will be late, and apologize for being late when you get there. • Listen and learn as you wait for your case to be called. • Be courteous, polite, and civil to all around you, including opposing counsel, clerks, interpreters, court deputies, and court reporters (including the unseen digital court reporters). • When meeting opposing counsel for the first time, introduce yourself, shake hands and exchange business cards and other relevant contact information. • Stand up completely (unless you have an injury that prevents this) and remain silent whenever the judge or jury enters or leaves the courtroom. • Stand up straight when addressing or being addressed by the Court. • Address the Court as “Your Honor.” • Begin submissions to the Court with “May it please the Court.” • State formally and for the record your name, the name of your client, and the complete style of the case you are appearing in. • Spell out the complete names of people and places if there is a chance of error in the record. • Address or refer to people by their honorific and their last name. • Be candid with the Court. • Use your time before the court as efficiently and effectively as you can. • “Invite” the Court, rather than “direct” it. • Ask for clarification of a ruling, if needed. • When your business has been concluded, say to the Court, “This concludes my business before the Court. May I be excused?” or words to that effect. DO NOT: • Chew gum, tobacco, cough drops or breath mints, or have anything else in your mouth, in the courtroom. • Wear, carry, or use anything that makes unnecessary noise. • Hold conversations with others, tell jokes, use your cellular telephone or other electronic device, or otherwise create a distraction while waiting for your case to be called. • Address the Court as “Judge” (this form should be reserved for social occasions), “Sir,” You,” or any other familiar term. • Address or refer to anyone by his or her first name unless he or she is a minor. • Lean on or grab the lectern. • Put your hands in your pockets on on your hips when addressing the Court or a jury. • Turn your back on the Court while addressing or being addressed by the Court. • Interrupt or talk over the Court or opposing counsel. • Let your client’s feelings override your professional responsibilities. • Do things to deliberately harass, impede, or obstruct opposing counsel. • Attempt to introduce exhibits before they have been properly marked for identification. • Use foul or obscene language, even as a direct quote, unless a necessary part of the evidence, without prior Court approval. • Approach the bench or witness stand, or traverse the well, without the Court’s permission. • Make speaking objections in the presence of a jury. • Continue to argue after the Court has ruled on a matter. • Fail to practice bodily and facial serenity. • Make excuses or blame others for failures that are your personal responsibility. • Threaten the Court that it will be committing reversible error if it does not adopt your position on a matter. Judge William H. Burgess, III (03-03-2016)
Courtroom Etiquette for the Professional Trial Attorney The purpose of courtroom etiquette is to soften personal antagonisms and create formal boundaries and limits on behavior in order to create an orderly, disciplined, efficient and respectful environment in which legal disputes can be peacefully resolved. The following are just a few examples of the etiquette “dos and do nots” for professional trial court attorneys. DO: • Come to court on time (better yet, early), properly dressed, and fully prepared for business. • Enter and exit the courtroom as noiselessly as possible. • Require all clients and witnesses to be on time and properly dressed for court. • Let the Court know if you will be late, and apologize for being late when you get there. • Listen and learn as you wait for your case to be called. • Be courteous, polite, and civil to all around you, including opposing counsel, clerk
Reviewer note: Document sha256: c2bde6fcd6c90e7f4e4033774fce8709fe9a3d5dcb12684df14761fcd1101487. One rule per order rather than per topic, so an order's requirements stay together. Published during the completeness pass.
Judge Sherman requires TWO identical bound hard-copy sets of pre-marked exhibits for evidentiary hearings at least 7 days out — and anything over 50 pages must arrive as bound hard copies by mail.
Judge Hafele: exhibits in chambers three days before any evidentiary proceeding, courtesy copies two days out, all hearing materials three business days ahead, and interpreter requests seven days in advance.
Judge Mullinax wants physical copies of all documents and exhibits for in-person hearings/trials provided five days in advance; orders in Word (no macros/columns/tabs) within 48 hours, final judgments with a 3-inch top-right margin.