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40 verbatim requirements from order AO 2.39 Third Amended (COVID-19) - linked only from the COVID-19 notice article.
20th Judicial Circuit. Procedural information only; not legal advice.
Verbatim from https://www.ca.cjis20.org/pdf/ao/ao_2_39_third_amended.pdf, harvested 2026-07-25; whitespace normalised only. • In AOSC-17, the Florida Supreme Court included a section entitled "MAINTAINING WORKFLOW AS FEASIBLE," which stated that "[t]o maintain judicial workflow to the maximum extent feasible, chie(judges are directed to take all possible steps to facilitate conducting proceedings with the use oftechnologv," and further stating that "[t]hese emergency measures are necessary to ensure public health and safety during this unprecedented pandemic; however, the constitutional right of access to the courts bv the public must be considered bv the presiding judge in all cases." (emphasis added); and • WHEREAS, in AOSC20-32, the Florida Supreme Court ordered that (1) Court reopening protocols and practices shall be guided 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: • Florida Supreme Court's third amended Administrative Order AOSC20-32, with the ongoing goal of formally establishing Phase 1 and Phase 2 0f operation and resumption of court proceedings and services, and with the ongoing intent that court operations and proceedings shall proceed to Phase 2, upon having met all Phase 2 benchmarks as required by the Florida Supreme • PHASE 1 - ESSENTIAL OR CRITICAL COURT PROCEEDINGS - The fo llowing matters are deemed essential or critical court proceedings which the circuit and county courts are required to continue performing during Phase 1: • 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 froll) 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 2 shall apply equally to Phase 1.) • Non-essential or non-critical court proceedings shall be handled by the divisional judge, magistrate, hearing officer, or duty judge who would nonnally 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 possible. • 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 remote electronic means available, unless a judge detennines that remote conduct of the proceeding is inconsistent with the United States or Florida Constitution, a statute or a rule of court that has not been suspended by administrative order, or would be infeasible because the court, the clerk or other participant in a proceeding lacks the technological resources necessary to conduct the proceedings, or, for reasons directly related to the state of emergency or the public health emergency, lacks the staff resources necessary to conduct the proceeding. • The above-listed non-essential or non-critical proceedings shall not be conducted through in-person hearings duri.Ilg Phase 1. · • Court, non-statewide grand jury selection and proceedings, civil jury selection and trial proceedings, and criminal jury selection and trial proceeding shall remain suspended until thirty (30) days after the circuit, or county within a circuit, has transitioned to Phase 2. • PHASE 2 - Upon meeting the five (5) benchmarks established in AOSC20-32 (Amendment 3), the courts of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit shall transition to Phase 2, 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 2. • Improving COVID-19 health conditions over a 14-day period in the community. 2 To meet this benchmark, condition a) orb) below must be met: a) Both of the seven-day averages for new cases for the most recent two-week period must be 20 or fewer 3 and both of the following measures must demonstrate two consecutive weeks of decline or stabilization4: i. • (a) The most recent week is lower than or equal to the seven- day average for the measure for the prior week; and (b) The prior week is lower than or equal to the seven-day average for the measure for the week that is two weeks prior to the most recent week. 9 -- 9 of 23 -- recent two-week period exceed 20, then both of the following criteria must be met: i. • The seven-day averages for new cases for the most recent two-week period must demonstrate two consecutive weeks of decline or stabilization; and • Both of the seven-day averages for the positivity rate for the most recent two-week peri od must be less than 10 percent. • If not, then both of these averages must be less than 11 percent and both of the following measures must demonstrate two consecutive weeks of decline or stabilization: a. • As such, it s hould be pres umed that each county continues to meet the criteria of benchmark 3, unless, based on the weekly data, the Chief Judge issues a written directive 5 reflecting that a county (or counties) do not meet the criteria for benchmark 3 for that particular week, with instructions that the county (or counties) are to revert back to Phase 1 or, alternatively, are to follow specific modifications to the Operational Plan as may be outlined in the written directive. • Judge of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit will issue a separate written directive as may be necessary or appropriate which shall be treated as stand-alone directive to be read in conjunction with this loc al Administrative Order and • 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. • Human Resources Policy-The purpose of this policy is to address potential COVID-19 exposure in the workplace, which shall apply to court employees, includingjudicial assistants, and judges who enter a court facility to perform all or part of their work. a) Judges exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms-Judges exhibiting • COVID-19 symptoms are required to notify the Chief Judge and are expected to either self-quarantine for at least 10 days (see below section e) of this Human Resources Policy) or arrange for a • CDC, "close contact" means they were within 6 feet of a person for at least 15 minutes). 2) The Trial Court Administrator will provide the HR Director the name of the judge and the contact tracing information. b) Judicial Assistants and Court Employees exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms - Judicial Assistants and court employees exhibiting • COVID-19 symptoms are required to notify their direct supervisor and the HR Department. 1) The HR Department will obtain the following information for contact tracing purposes: i. • CDC, "close contact" means they were within 6 feet of a person for at least 15 minutes). 2) The HR Department will send FFCRA l eave forms to utilize the Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSLA) to the • Judicial Assistant and/or court employee with instructions if they are required to self-quarantine or test for COVID- • The HR Department will send the Judicial Assistant or court employee who is required to test or self- quarantine the FFCRA forms to be completed for usage of the Emergency Paid Sick Leave (ESPLA). v. • If a judge, Judicial Assistant or a court employee does not want to get tested, they will be required to self-isolate at home for at least 10 days. • Assistants and court employees will need to utilize their own accrued leave while absent. d) Close Contact 1) Judges, Judicial Assistants, and court employees must remain home and contact their direct supervisor if they live with a household member who: i. is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms; or ii. who was directed to be tested; or m. has tested positive for COVID-19. 2) They can choose to get tested or can self-isolate for at least 10 days. 3) If symptoms appear, please refer to abov~ paragraph b) of this Human Resources Policy. e) Returning to the Workplace ·1) Judges, Judicial Assistants, and court employees who test positive for COVID-19 can return to work using the symptom-based strategy under the following conditions: i. at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared; and • II. at least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; and m. other symptoms have improved. 2) The HR Department will keep all test results and doctor notes confidential. 3) Judges will contact the Chief Judge with a return to work date. 4) The HR Department will notify the Judge/supervisor and • Circuit when there is a likelihood that they may have COVID-19. b) The CDC lists the most common symptoms of COVID-19 to include: • Cough • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing • Fever or chills • Fatigue • Muscle or body aches • Headache • Sore throat • New loss of taste or smell. • Congestion or runny nose • Nausea or vomiting • Diarrhea 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 CO VID-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 Of contract court security representatives) or by deputies responsible for the no1mal screening of persons entering the com1house or court facility.
In AOSC-17, the Florida Supreme Court included a section entitled "MAINTAINING WORKFLOW AS FEASIBLE," which stated that "[t]o maintain judicial workflow to the maximum extent feasible, chie(judges are directed to take all possible steps to facilitate conducting proceedings with the use oftechnologv," and further stating that "[t]hese emergency measures are necessary to ensure public health and safety during this unprecedented pandemic; however, the constitutional right of access to the courts bv the public must be considered bv the presiding judge in all cases." (emphasis added); and
Reviewer note: Order PDF sha256: 362d046dc23cd8ce56c9aa2dc05bd9b2eb5acbc91771813b2896cd2cc6a7954b. 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.