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40 verbatim requirements from order [unlisted file in the court's /pdf/ao/ order directory] ao_2_39_second_amended.pdf.
20th Judicial Circuit. Procedural information only; not legal advice.
Verbatim from https://www.ca.cjis20.org/pdf/ao/ao_2_39_second_amended.pdf, harvested 2026-07-25; whitespace normalised only. • In AOSC -1 7, the Florida Supreme Court included a section entitled "MAINTAINING WORK.FLOW AS FEASIBLE," which stated that "[ t]o maintain judicial workflow to the maximum extent feas ible, cltiefiudges are directed to take all possible steps to facilitate conducting proceedings with the use ofteclmology ," and further stating that "[t]hese emergency measures are necessary to ensure public health and safety during this W1precedented pandemic; however, the constitutional right of access to the courts bv the public must be considered bv tlte presiding judge ill all cases." (emphasis added); and • WHEREAS, in AOSC20-32, the Florida Supreme Court ordered that (1) Court reopening protocols and practices shall be guid ed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations and align with guidance provided by the Florida Department of Health, county health departments, and local medical professionals, and (2) In order to transition to • Phase 2 and expand in-person activities in a manner consistent with AOSC20-23, Amendment 2, each appellate court and each trial court must: • Admin. 2.215, and pursuant to the Florida Supreme Court's ~~.St' tive Order AOSC20-32, I, as Chief Judge of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit hereby 3 -- 3 of 20 -- adopt the below Operational Plan formally establishing Phase I and Phase II of operation and resumption of court proceedings and services, with the intent that court operations and proceedings shall proceed to Phase II, upon having met all Phase II benchmarks as required by the Florida Supreme Court, effective on or after June 1, 2020. • PHASE I - ESSENTIAL OR CRITICAL COURT PROCEEDINGS - The following matters are deemed essential or critical court proceedings which the circuit and county courts are required to continue performing during Phase I: • Essential or critical court proceedings shall be handled by the divisional judge, magistrate, hearing officer, or duty judge who would normally hear the matter. • When possible, essential court proceedings shall be held remotely using communication equipment. • For essential court proceedings involving in-custody defendants, the in- custody defendants shall appear remotely utilizing communication equipment. • No one shall be permitted to accompany persons who are otherwise allowed in the courthouse, and there shall be no loitering. • At a minimum, and in accordance with CDC guidelines, all persons entering any public area of the courthouse or court facility, without exception, shall wear a face mask or appropriate face covering and all efforts shall be made to ensure six-feet of social distancing between all persons (with the exception of persons with children or within a single family unit). • Any person, regardless of status, who is exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19, or any person who has traveled or has knowingly been in contact with another person who is suffering from the effects of the COVID-19 virus, is prohibited from entering any court facility. • (The requirements and procedures for screening, social distancing, and face masks/coverings under Phase II shall apply equally to Phase 1.) 5 -- 5 of 20 -- • Non-essential or non-critical court proceedings shall be handled by the divisional jud ge, magistrate, hearing officer, or duty judge who would normally hear the matter. • All of the above-listed non-essential or non-critical court proceedings shall proceed and shall be held to the fullest extent possibl e. • In accordance with the directive of the Florida Supreme Court, each of the above-listed non-essential or non-critical proceedings shall be conducted using telephonic or other el ectronic means available, unless a jud ge determines that remote conduct of the proceeding is inconsistent with the • The above-listed non-essential or non-critical proceedings shall not be conducted through in-person hearings. • PHASE II- Upon meeting the five benchmarks established in AOSC20-32, the courts of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit shall transition to Phase II, where limited in-person contact is authorized for certain purposes and/or requires use of protective measures. • Courts, the following criteria shall be met prior to the Courts of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit transitioning to Phase II. • Remote Hearings - To the extent possible, all essential/critical and non- essential/non-critical proceedings shall be conducted remotely via teleconferencing, videoconferencing, or other means, unless litigants or other court participants are unable to successfully participate in a remote hearing for reasons beyond the court's control. • Circuit when there is a likelihood that they may have COVID -1 9. 11 -- 11 of 20 -- b) The CDC lists the most common symptoms of COVID-19 to include: • Cough • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing • Fever • Chills • Muscle pain • Sore throat • New loss of taste or smell. c) The CDC has defined "fever" as subjective fever (feeling feverish) or a measured temperature of 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C) or higher. d) All judges, judicial staff, and employees who work within any courthouse or court facility, regardless of the agency or entity for which they work, shall self-check for symptoms of COVID-19. • If any such person presents any of the symptoms of COVID-19, they must not report to work within any courthouse or court facility, and should contact their supervisor and should consult their doctor or other medical professional. e) All others entering any courthouse or court facility, without exception, are required to undergo a health screening with a no- contact temperature check. • The screening shall be conducted by court security (either employees or contract court security representatives) or by deputies responsible for the normal screening of persons entering the courthouse or court facility. • In addition to a no-contact temperature check, the screening shall include the following questions: • Question 1: • Have you travelled to an area with a notably high concentration of COVID-19 cases? f) Any person who has a fever of 100.4 degrees For greater, answers affirmatively to any of the symptoms in Question 1, or answers affirmatively to Questions 2, 3, 4 or 5 shall not be allowed to enter the courthouse or court facility. • Likewise, any person who fails to 12 -- 12 of 20 -- cooperate by refusing to allow a no contact temperature screening, refusing to answer any of the questions, or otherwise refusing to comply with any other requirements or guidelines (i.e. wearing a face mask or appropriate face covering), shall not be allowed to enter the courthouse or court facility. • Such persons refused entry shall be re-directed to a designated employee of the Administrative • The designated employee assisting shall first complete a form identifying the person denied entry, the reason given for seeking entry into the facility, and, to safeguard against the release of sensiti ve health information, solely whether the person was denied entry (1) based on refus al to cooperate or otherwise comply with the guidelines, or (2) based on the screening/ temperature check. • Further details as to the rea so n for denial of entry shall not be included on the form. • The designated employee shall then offer to assist the person refused entry with alternative arrangements, such as providing phone numbers or contact information so that the person denied entry can handle their business over the phone or remotel y, contacting the courtroom or judicial office to report that the person has been denied entry, rescheduling a hearing, or other means as may be appropriate. g) Irunates or detainees from jail and ju venile facilities who ma y be transported to a courtroom are to be screened as above by the jail or juvenile facility prior to transport to any courthouse or court facility. • No inmate or detainee who fai ls to pass the screening questions or temperature check, or who refuses to cooperate or otherwise comply with the guidelines, shall be admi tted into any courthouse or court facility, and the jail or ju ve nile facility shall notify the court. h) Court Bailiffs and local Sheriff Deputies are hereby granted the authority to screen and eject persons from courtrooms, courthouses, or court facilities in accordance with this • Circuit will take all reasonable precautions and efforts to ensure that the CDC recommendation of maintaining six feet of social distance is enforced within all courthouses and court facilities. c) Social distancing requirements shall apply in all areas of courthouses and court facilities, including areas of private circulation. • Specifically, social distancing shall be practiced in cing guidelines shall not be strictly app li ed to persons of a single fami ly un it or household. 13 -- 13 of 20 -- public common areas, galleries and wells of the courtrooms, hallways, elevators, restrooms, or other locations where the public may gather. d) Where practicable and appropriate, areas of the courthouse or court facility will be reconfigured and chairs, benches or other furniture will be removed or taped off so as to facilitate and enforce social distancing. • The revised maximum capacities for the galleries of all courtrooms shall be strictly enforced. • Social distancing while waiting outside of a courtroom shall also be strictly enforce d. f) So as to further facilitate social distancing, persons al lowed in the courtrooms will be limited to those essential to the proceedings. • Family members and friends who are not essential to the proceedings will not be allowed into the courtrooms, and are encouraged to not enter the courthouse or court facility at all. g) All efforts shall be taken to schedule in-person hearings on a staggered schedule so as to minimize the potential of exceeding the social distancing capacity in common areas such as hallways, restrooms, and elevators. h) Court Bailiffs and local Sheriff Deputies are hereby granted the authority to enforce all social distancing guidelines and to eject persons from courtrooms, courthouses, or court facilities in accordance with this Administrative Order. • Hygiene Protocols and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) a) Hygiene protocols such as hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes will be encouraged and enforced. b) Visible signage in, at a minimum, English and Spanish and in compliance with the ADA , will be readily posted through all courthouses and court facilities reminding individuals of hygiene protocols, including hand washing, as well as social distancing, directional guidance and any changes to processes due to the 14 -- 14 of 20 -- pandemic. c) Hand sanitizer will be widely available for use throughout the courthouses and court facilities, including inside courtrooms. d) Face masks or appropriate face coverings are required for everyone entering the courthouse or court facilities, including judges, court staff, and employees of all other occupants of the courthouse or court facility, with no exceptions. • Face masks or appropriate face coverings shall be worn at all times throughout the courthouse and court facilities, including inside courtrooms. e) Judges, court staff, and employees of all other occupants of the courthouse or court facility do not have to wear a mask in their private chambers or office as long as social distancing is possible. • If they do not have a private office, and ample social distancing is not observed, a face mask or appropriate face covering shall be worn while at their desk. f) If visitors with official court business do not have a face mask or appropriate face covering, one will be provided to them at no cost, for as long as supplies last. • Admittance will likewise be denied to any person who refuses to wear a face mask or appropriate face covering. g) Face shields will be available for those participants involved in a court proceeding where facial expressions or features must be observed or where audio is hampered and jeopardizes the creation of an accurate court record. h) To the extent that health experts have noted that proper hand hygiene is generally preferable to gloves, the wearing of protective gloves is not required within the courthouses or court facilities, though it is encouraged for certain tasks requiring direct contact, such as bailiffs taking fingerprints of a defendant. i) CDC guidance on cleaning and disinfecting public spaces, workplaces, and other public locations shall be followed in all areas of the courthouses and court facilities publically accessible. • Vulnerable Populations a) Vulnerable individuals are those .over age 65 and individuals with serious underlying health conditions, such as high blood pressure, chronic lung disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma, and those whose immune systems are compromised such as by chemotherapy for cancer or other conditions requiring such therapy. b) If an in-person hearing is scheduled, and a person who meets the above definition of a "vulnerable individual" wishes to request an accommodation to avoid an in-person appearance, that perso n shall file a motion with a copy to the appropriate judicial office and all counsel or parties of record.
In AOSC -1 7, the Florida Supreme Court included a section entitled "MAINTAINING WORK.FLOW AS FEASIBLE," which stated that "[ t]o maintain judicial workflow to the maximum extent feas ible, cltiefiudges are directed to take all possible steps to facilitate conducting proceedings with the use ofteclmology ," and further stating that "[t]hese emergency measures are necessary to ensure public health and safety during this W1precedented pandemic; however, the constitutional right of access to the courts bv the public must be considered bv tlte presiding judge ill all cases." (emphasis added); and
Reviewer note: Order PDF sha256: f16ff86645b0659fb1516bad76d003c7cef75e5e559da13cad5639998256b157. Extracted from the order's own text layer.
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.
Judge Corlew bars informal contact: every communication with the Court must be in writing, filed with the Clerk, with copies furnished to all parties — and no calls to the JA to schedule or cancel UMC.