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43 verbatim requirements extracted from media-14568__Civil-Procedures-and-Courtroom-Guidelines-FINAL-2.pdf, across 7 topics.
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. HEARING TIME & ARGUMENT LIMITS • - Case Short Style Name (Jones v. Jones) - Case Number (short case number is okay – example: 21CA234) - Purpose of Email (Order, Notice of Cancellation of Hearing, Request for Hearing more than one hour, etc.) - If you are requesting an Emergency Hearing, you MUST indicate in the subject line “Request for EMERGENCY Hearing”—the labeling of non- emergency matters as “emergency” will be sanctioned. • The body of the email must contain a brief description of the purpose of the email. If a hearing date and time over one (1) hour is requested, then you must include a good faith estimate of time needed for the time for the entire hearing (after consultation with opposing counsel/party). • All motions must be filed with the Clerk before you set the motion on the online calendaring system or contact this office for hearing time. • If you are scheduling a hearing on objections, the good faith conferral must be listed in the Notice of Hearing. • Failure to include this certification will result i n the motion and/or hearing being stricken from the docket. • • SCHEDULING HEARINGS OF LESS THAN 1 -HOUR: Attorneys and pro se parties may schedule hearings using the online scheduling program. For 2025 hearing dates, you will use: https://slccjis.stlucieco.gov/attorney_calendar. For 2026 hearing dates, you will use: https://aicalendar.circuit19.org/. You must first register to obtain your user ID and password on the site. Please note that additional motions may not be “piggy-backed” by cross-notice without permission from the Judicial Assistant. • • SCHEDULING HEARINGS OF MORE THAN 1-HOUR: Please note any hearings that require more than one hour must be requested in writing with an explanation as to why more than one hour is needed and that attempts to resolve the issue have failed. Please contact the Judicial Assistant by email at OCJudge1@Circuit19.org with your request for hearing and indicate whether opposing counsel agrees with the estimated time requested for hearing. A copy of the filed motion/petition MUST be attached. • • HEARING LOCATION: ALL EVIDENTIARY hearings will be conducted in person, unless otherwise permitted by the Court prior to the hearing. Non -Evidentiary hearings may be noticed for Zoom or in person. Meeting ID: 516-390-0212. • • COORDINATING HEARINGS AND UNILATERALLY SETTING HEARINGS: The moving party is responsible for contacting the opposing party to coordinate the hearing date. If after five (5) business days you are unable to coordinate the hearing date, you may unilaterally schedule the hearing setting forth in your good faith certificate the attempts that were made to coordinate the hearing. • • MOTION, NOTICE, AND PROPOSED ORDERS : The notice of hearing must be e-filed with the Clerk within five (5) days of scheduling the hearing. A copy of the motion, notice of hearing, (and a proposed order if applicable ) MUST also be emailed to the Judicial Assistant at OCJudge1@Circuit19.org within five (5) days of scheduling the hearing. All proposed orders must be submitted in WORD format. Failure to timely provide a copy of the notice, motion, (and proposed order if applicable), to the JA will result in the matter being stricken from the docket. If your case is stricken from a docket, it will not be rescheduled on that same date. • • CANCELLING HEARINGS: If you cancel your hearing, you must file a Notice of Cancellation and advise the Judicial Assistant by email no later than noon, the day before the hearing, with a copy to all parties, so that it may be removed from the Court’s docket. It is the responsibility of the moving party to remove any hearing from the Court’s calendaring system. Simply filing a Notice of Cancellation does not remove the hearing from the Court’s docket. Attorneys who repeatedly abuse the online calendaring by not removing hearings from the online calendar may be denied the privilege of self-scheduling. • • REQUIREMENTS FOR COURT REPORTERS: All evidentiary matters (both trials and hearings) must be reported by a court reporter. Counsel for the Plaintiff is responsible for having a court reporter present. If counsel for the Plaintiff does not plan on asking to have the proceedings reported, then he/she MUST timely notify the opposing party so that they may obtain a reporter, should they wish to do so. Failure to do so may be grounds for cancellation of the trial, and may be grounds for sanctions. • • EMERGENCY HEARINGS: If an emergency situation arises, counsel may request that a hearing be scheduled on short notice. The body of the motion must contain a detailed explanation of the circumstances constituting the emergency as well as the substance of the motion. The motion must be emailed to the Court before a hearing will be set. The Court will review the motion and, if it is determined that an emergency exists, the Judicial Assistant will contact counsel to set the hearing. In light of the short setting, opposing counsel may attend the hearing via ZOOM if their schedule will not allow them to appear in person. • • EXHIBITS: Parties are to file an exhibit list with the Clerk prior to hearing. This must be done at least 3 business days (72 hours) prior to the day of special set hearing. A completed exhibit list and all exhibits must be delivered or scanned and emailed to the Clerk and all parties at evidence@myokeeclerk.com, you will receive an auto -reply that someone will contact you for pre -payment for printing. Parties should bring a minimum of four (4) copies of all exhibits with them to trial (original to Clerk, copy for each party, copy for the witness, and copy for the Court). • • MOTION TO DISMISS AND/OR MOTION FOR MORE DEFINITE STATEMENT : The Court will initially consider all Motions to Dismiss filed pursuant to Rule 1.140(b) and Motions for More Definite Statement filed pursuant to Rule 1.140(e), without a hearing. Motions to Dismiss must strictly comply with the requirements of the Rule in that the grounds on which they are based and the substantial matters of law intended to be argued shall be stated specifically and with particularity. Motions for More Definite Statement must strictly comply with the requirements of the Rule in that the motion must point out the defects complained of and the details desired. • A copy of the motion and proposed order(s) shall be emailed to the Judicial Assistant (copies to other side). All proposed orders must be in Word format. All proposed orders and motions MUST contain proper address certification for ALL parties—i.e. the FULL address or email address where the motion was served (or order will be served.) “I certify that a copy of the foregoing was emailed to all parties through the e-service portal” is NOT sufficient. Likewise, listing a party on the order “cc:” without listing the address is insufficient. The order will reflect that counsel will be required to mail copies of any orders that require US mail . If the Court determines that a hearing is necessary, the movant will be advised to schedule a hearing and file the appropriate notice. If a hearing is not required, an appropriate order will be entered. No dispositive ruling will be made without a hearing. Please do not call the Judge’s assistant for a hearing on these motions. • • MOTIONS FOR PROTECTIVE ORDERS : The filing of a Motion for Protective Order, without presenting it before the Court, is insufficient. The Court will make itself available for expedited hearings on said motions where the motion could not have been filed and heard in the due course of discovery. • party fails to comply, any party may furnish a copy of the motion and the required documents to the Court. If the Court determines that a hearing is necessary, the movant will be advised to schedule and hearing and file appropriate notices. Please do not set a Motion for Rehearing or Motion for Reconsideration for hearing without first receiving permission from the Court. All proposed orders and motions MUST contain proper address certification—i.e. the FULL address or email address where the motion was served (or order will be served.) “I certify that a copy of the foregoing was emailed to all parties through the e- service portal” is NOT sufficient. Likewise, listing a party on the order “cc:” without listing the address is insufficient. The order will reflect that counsel will be required to mail copies of any orders that require US mail. • • WITHDRAWAL OR SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL : You must follow the provisions of Fla.R.Jud.Ad. 2.505. You must obtain the client’s consent in writing which shall be filed with the Court, or a hearing must be held after proper notice to the client. • • PROCEDURES FOR MOTIONS FOR EXTENSION OF TIME: When a motion for extension of time is filed, and there is no opposition for the extension, an order may be entered without a hearing, so long as the motion details the grounds for “good cause.” The movant shall submit the proposed order in WORD format, and in a cover letter or email shall certify that that opposing counsel or unrepresented party has been contacted and agreed to the order or waived a hearing thereon. • • The Court will strive to issue orders and rulings in a timely manner. If counsel is asked to prepare an order, the order shall be drafted and circulated to opposing counsel or pro se party within 2 business days of the hearing and must be submitted to the Court in Word format and to all counsel and pro se parties within 7 days of the hearing, unless otherwise ordered at the hearing. Counsel or opposing party must advise the Court of any objection to the form of the proposed order upon submission. All proposed orders must describe, in the caption, the subject and ruling of the C ourt, i.e. “Order Granting Plaintiff Motion for Partial Summary Judgment on Liability” See Rule 1.100(c)(1), Florida Rules of Civil Procedure. • • The proposed order shall reflect the date that the hearing was or will be held. As an example, if the hearing will be held on March 1, 2023, the proposed order should state something to the effect of: “THIS CAUSE came on to be heard on March 1, 2023 on Plaintiff’s Motion to … .” • If any matters concerning the conduct of the pre-trial or trial procedures are not covered herein, counsel is free to contact the Court, in writing via e-mail at OCJudge1@Circuit19.org. A status hearing can be set at which time the Court will attempt to answer any inquiries. The Court appreciates counsels’ efforts to understand and comply with this Court’s procedures. PROPOSED ORDERS • • SUBMISSIONS: Documents submitted to this office by email should be attached as a document with a name that is easily identifiable and searchable. As an example: Jones v. Jones, 21CA234 O-Set Hrg. Motions must be submitted in .pdf format. All proposed orders must be submitted in WORD format. Please submit all documents attached to one (1) email to the Judicial Assistant at OCJudge1@Circuit19.org. • • CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE OF ALL COURT FILINGS AND PROPOSED ORDERS: All court filings and proposed orders MUST contain proper address certification—i.e. the FULL address of ALL parties or email address where the motion was served (or order will be served.) “I certify that a copy of the foregoing was emailed to all parties through the e-service portal” is NOT sufficient. Likewise, listing a party on the order “cc:” without listing the address is insufficient. If the party does not have an e-service address, then the moving party will be required to mail a copy of the court filing or order to that party. • When a motion to compel discovery alleges a complete failure to respond or object to discovery, and the time for complying with the discovery request has lapsed and there has been no request for an extension of time, an Ex Parte order may be entered requir ing compliance with the original discovery demand. The movant shall submit a copy of the motion and proposed order(s) shall be emailed to the Judicial Assistant, OCJudge1@circuit19.org (copies to other side) . All proposed orders must be in Word format. All proposed orders and motions MUST contain proper address certification for ALL parties —i.e. the FULL address or email address where the motion was served (or order will be served.) “I certify that a copy of the foregoing was emailed to all parties through the e -service portal” is NOT sufficient. Likewise, listing a party on the order “cc:” without listing the address is insufficient. The order will reflect that counsel will be required to mail copies of any orders that require US mail. • • All proposed orders MUST contain proper address certification—i.e. the FULL address or email address where the motion was served (or order will be served.) “I certify that a copy of the foregoing was emailed to all parties through the e- service portal” is NOT sufficient. Likewise, listing a party on the order “cc:” without listing the address is insufficient. The order will reflect that counsel will be required to mail copies of any orders that require US mail. • • The Court will not execute proposed orders, agreed orders, or stipulations without a written verification or cover letter stating the action requested, that a copy was • provided to all counsel of record and pro se parties, and if there is a stipulation or an agreed order, that there are no objections to the entry of the order. Do not state in a cover letter words to the effect: “By copy of this cover letter to opposing counsel, opposing counsel is requested to advise the Court if there is an objection to the proposed order.” Instead, advise the Court if there is an objection to the proposed order. • • Proposed orders shall be submitted to the Court via email to OCJudge1@Circuit19.org . • • The proposed order shall be submitted in WORD format. Any attachments shall be submitted in PDF format. • • The proposed order shall utilize the Supreme Court Case Numbering System (County Code, Year, Division, and Six Digit Number, i.e.: 472021CA000006). • The Court will not execute agreed orders, or stipulations without a written verification or cover letter stating the action requested, that a copy was provided to all counsel of record and pro se parties, and if there is a stipulation or an agreed order, that there are no objections to the entry of the order. Do not state in a cover letter words to the effect: “By copy of this cover letter to opposing counsel, opposing counsel is requested to advise the C ourt if there is an objection to the proposed order. ” Instead, advise the Court if there is an objection to the proposed order. • • CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE: The Court will schedule certain cases for a formal Case Management Conference (CMC) and issue an order setting forth the matters to be covered at the conference. However, any case can be submitted for CMC by simply filing a written motion. Once submitted, t he action will be controlled, not only by the Order Setting Trial, but also by the CMC order. EXHIBITS & EVIDENCE • If you have reached an agreement/stipulation, a separate agreed order in WORD must be provided to the Court with language approving the agreement/stipulation. If you have exhibits to include in the agreed order, you must also submit the agreed order in .pdf format and include all necessary attachments. Agreed Orders shall be submitted to the Court via email to OCJudge1@Circuit19.org along with a copy of the corresponding motion. Motions must be in in compliance with rule 1.202. • • OPENING AND CLOSING : Only demonstrative aids or exhibits marked by the Clerk, agreed to by all counsel, or approved by the Court may be used in either opening or closing. The Court will discuss with counsel the time requirement of both opening and closing and will expect that a reasonable estimate be provided by counsel. Please note that opening statements will begin immediately after a jury is selected and sworn unless otherwise ordered by the Court. • • EXHIBITS: If counsel has questions regarding submitting exhibits to the Court, please contact the Clerk of Court/Civil Division. All exhibits are to be marked for identification by the clerk 1 week prior to the start of trial. A completed exhibit list and all exhibits must be delivered or scanned and emailed to the Clerk and all parties at evidence@myokeeclerk.com, you will receive an auto- reply that someone will contact you for pre- payment for printing. Parties should bring a minimum of four (4) copies of all exhibits with them to trial (original to clerk, copy for each party, copy for the witness, and copy for Court). Exhibits shall be organized in a binder . Exhibits which will be stipulated into evidence may be marked in evidence. Once exhibits are marked, either for identification or in evidence, they become the property of the Clerk of Court and may not be altered or removed from the courtroom without order of the Court. No exhibits are to be published or exhibited to the jury until admitted into evidence and authorized by the Court. Objections to exhibits not preserved in the pre- trial stipulation shall be deemed waived. • • DEMONSTRATIVE AIDS: Any demonstrative aide that is to be used at trial must be marked by the clerk and exhibited to opposing counsel and the Court prior to the start of trial. The Court will hear argument of any counsel opposing the use of the demonstrative aids prior to the start of trial. No aids are to be shown to the jury without prior approval of the Court. CASE MANAGEMENT • • Pursuant to Florida Supreme Court AOSC20- 23, Amendment 12, ALL parties MUST comply with Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Admin. Order 2025-1, by timely filing Civil Case Management Plan and Order. The Court may issue a case management plan upon the filing of a new case or at any time during the proceedings at its own discretion. The parties must comply with the Case Management Plan and Order, unless it is superseded by subsequent court order. A WORD version of the Case Management Plan and Order can be found on the Court’s webpage. • • JURY INSTRUCTIONS: Jury instructions are to be prepared by both sides and exchanged prior to the pre -trial meeting pursuant to the Case Management Plan and Order Setting Trial . A final draft in Word format shall be provided to the Court by e -mail (OCJudge1@Circuit19.org), no later than noon the Monday prior to the start of the trial. The Court intends to provide the jury with a written copy of all jury instructions when the jury retires to deliberate. Therefore, there should be enough copies of the final instructions for each juror and the Court, counsel and the court reporter. In addi tion, the final instructions (the instructions that go back with the jury for deliberations) should not contain any citations, jury instruction titles, or information as to who requested the instruction. In certain cases, and with the agreement of all counsel, the Court may provide some substantive law instructions to the jury during preliminary instructions and/or before closing arguments. REMOTE & VIRTUAL APPEARANCES • Judicial Assistant: Tiffany Wile E-mail / E-Service Address: OCJudge1@Circuit19.org Okeechobee County Judicial Center 312 N.W. 3rd Street Okechobee, Florida 34972 Courtroom: B Telephone: 863-763-1122 Zoom Meeting ID: 516-390-0212 PAGE & WORD LIMITS • • LEGAL MEMORANDUM AND CITATIONS : Any legal memoranda or briefs for special set hearings, along with copies of significant cited authorities (highlighting the pertinent sections is appreciated by the Court) , should be provided to the Court and opposing counsel at least ten (10) business days prior the hearing. A list of any witnesses to be called and any responsive memoranda should be provided to the Court and to opposing counsel at least five (5) business days prior to the hearing. The Court will attempt to review the motion and memorandum, and read the cases cited therein, prior to the hearing so that an immediate ruling may be rendered. BREVITY IS APPRECIATED AND ENCOURAGED and memorandums should be kept to no more than five (5) pages in length. Case law and Memorandums provided to the Court during the hearing may not be considered. The Court, on occasion, may rule on motions without a hearing. Therefore, both counsel filing the motion and opposing parties are encouraged to timely file written argument with the Court. DISCOVERY DISPUTES • • DISCOVERY MOTIONS AND MOTIONS TO COMPEL : Motions to Compel, as well as all discovery motions must comply with the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, including, but not limited to, a certification that the movant, in good faith, has conferred or attempted to confer with the person or party failing to make discovery in an effort to secure the information without court action. See, Fla.R.Civ.P. 1.380(a)(2).
Judicial Assistant: Tiffany Wile E-mail / E-Service Address: OCJudge1@Circuit19.org Okeechobee County Judicial Center 312 N.W. 3rd Street Okechobee, Florida 34972 Courtroom: B Telephone: 863-763-1122 Zoom Meeting ID: 516-390-0212
Reviewer note: Document sha256: 255b185f201e92d688e32bc146b5e99bb15d1d9df5b23bea7fe1ab58a892595e. One rule per order rather than per topic, so an order's requirements stay together. Published during the completeness pass. | Title normalised 2026-07-26 for readability; the court's own asset name was "19th Cir. — media-14568__Civil-Procedures-and-Courtroom-Guidelines-FINAL-2.pdf: published requirements". Only the display title changed — the requirement text, source URL and hash are untouched.
46 verbatim courtroom requirements published by Judge Michael Rudisill.
16 verbatim courtroom requirements from Judge Jessica G. Costello's published division procedures.