Attorneys, at all times, shall conduct themselves consistent with the Guidelines for Professional Conduct set forth on the Florid Bar Website, as well as the HCBA Standards of Professionalism, and abide by the requirements of Administrative Order 2025-013.

 

If you are not represented by an Attorney, the Judicial Assistant (JA) cannot answer legal questions, give

advice, or explain your situation to the Judge. Your opportunity to speak to the Judge happens in COURT ONLY, when all parties are given the opportunity to be present and heard. If you are self-represented, the following information may be helpful:

 

13^th Circuit Self Help Information

Florida Courts Help

Bay Area Legal Services: (813) 232-1343

 

E-Filing Portal Contact Information: All attorneys and self-represented litigants must provide an e-mail address to receive signed orders electronically, unless excused. Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.516. It is the responsibility of attorneys and self-represented litigants to update their contact information using Form 2.603 any time there is a change in the e-mail account registered for electronic service.

 

COMMUNICATION WITH THIS OFFICE:

The preferred method of communication with the Judicial Office is e-mail at FAMLAWDIVI@fljud13.org. All communication with the Judicial Office should include: case number, case name, which party you represent, what you are asking to be set, and how long you will need for the Hearing. All parties must be copied on any e-mail directed to the Judicial Office, unless an ex parte communication is authorized by law.

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. ALTHOUGH THE JA MAY SEND COMMMUNICATIONS OUTSIDE OF BUSINESS HOURS, SHE MIGHT NOT RESPOND TO INCOMING COMMUNICATIONS.

 

UNSOLICITED COMMUNICATIONS: Unsolicited communications from non-parties will not be considered by the Court. Parties may only contact the judicial office in accordance with these practices and procedures.

 

SCHEDULING HEARINGS:

Please Note: The Court will not provide hearing times before a motion has been filed on the issue the party is requesting hearing time for.

 

The preferred method for scheduling is by JAWS. For any request for hearing times more than 30 minutes, please contact the JA. For any scheduling request, the requesting party should e-mail the JA for hearing time(s) and copy opposing party. The JA will provide a minimum of two (2) available dates/times to the requesting party, also with a copy to opposing party. If the requesting party sends the dates the opposing part or attorney (whichever is applicable) by email, that responding party or the attorney’s office is responsible for responding with his/her availability within two (2) business days of receiving the request. If the responding part or attorney fails to respond within two business dates of the request, the requesting party may pic the hearing date and time of his/her choice per the Administrative Order. The ability of the requesting party to choose a hearing date of his/her choice is an option only if:

• The requesting party has attempted in good faith to clear the dates/times with the opposing (or non-requesting) party, AND
• There has been no response form the responding party or attorney within two (2) business fates of the request, AND
• The requesting party has documented the scheduling attempts through email.

Only after the Court confirms the hearing date in the email, or if there has been no response from the other party pursuant to the above regarding the unilateral setting of a hearing, with the requesting party file and serve a Notice of Hearing.

If the parties cannot agree on the first set of proposed dates/times, they may request a second set of dates/times. If the parties cannot agree upon the second set of dates/times, the parties shall notify the JA of the scheduling impasse. If the parties reach a scheduling impasse, the Court will set the hearing regardless of prior attorney scheduling conflicts. 

 

NOTICES OF HEARING: The Court requires that a Notice of Hearing be filed for all hearings scheduled before the court. The notice shall be filed a reasonable amount of time for notice prior to the scheduled hearing. The hearing notice must include the following in addition to what the applicable law, including rules and administrative orders, requires:

• The title of the motion to be heard
• The date the underlying motion was filed and docket number, if available
• The time and date of the scheduled hearing
• The hearing location, including courtroom #
• Whether the hearing is evidentiary
• Whether a court reporter has been reserved for the hearing

 

CANCELING A HEARING: Do not cancel a hearing without notification and agreement of all parties. A Notice of Cancellation MUST be immediately e-filed with the Clerk of Court AND a courtesy copy of said Notice of Cancellation sent to the division email address at FAMLAWDIVI@fljud13.org.

 

CONTINUANCES: If a continuance is agreed upon by all parties, contact the Judicial Assistant to remove the Hearing and/or trial from the docket. Upload the AGREED proposed Order for Continuance to the E-Poral for electronic signature. Before uploading to E-Portal, please ensure that the email of all parties associated with the case is listed on JAWS under “Associated Parties”. The parties will receive an electronically signed conformed copy of the document.

 

CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE (CMC):

• The First Case Management Conference will not be canceled or rescheduled absent good cause shown by written motion and an order canceling or rescheduling.
• All Attorney CMC’s will take place by Zoom until further notice.
• All Pro Se CMC’s will be held in person in Courtroom #403.
• Parties requiring interpreters MUST provide their own interpreter. The Court will not provide interpreters for Family Law Hearings.
• The Court will cancel first CMCs set in post-judgment matters and refer the case to the General Magistrate if no order of referral has been submitted.
• Resetting CMC:
  • The parties must agree to a continuance of a reset CMC.
  • Contact JA by email, copying all parties, to request a continuance of CMC Reset.
  • Any agreed proposed order of continuance should include the CMC rescheduled hearing date and time.
  • All parties or attorneys must have an email address on file with the Court for service of the order. If a party does not have an email address on file, the proposed order must be submitted in hard copy to the Court with confirming copies and stamped envelopes.

 

UNIFORM MOTION CALENDAR (UMC)/OPEN DOCKET & 10 MIN HEARING DOCKETS:

This multi-case docket may include but is not limited to: motions to compel discovery, motions for protective orders, motions to withdraw, uncontested final hearings, and motions to continue. Each side has 3 minutes to argue the motions/issues. Hearings set on these two styles of dockets will be conducted via Zoom, until further notice, and can be scheduled in JAWS. Complex matters will not be heard during the UMC docket and will be rescheduled. Attorneys must file a Notice of Hearing with the Clerk’s Office and serve notice upon opposing counsel or a self-represented party in accordance with the applicable rules of procedure.

 

15 MIN/30 MIN HEARING DOCKET:

This Motion Docket is for 15 or 30-minute hearings, and Default Final Hearings. If your motion is Post-Judgment, IT MUST be referred to the General Magistrate and mediated if ordered to do so. If you are unable to clear time on an available Motion Docket, you may email the Judicial Assistant to obtain alternative hearing times, with all partied copied on email. Any hearing exceeding the time selected or appears to be evidentiary in nature will be rescheduled. 15-Minute and 30-Minute hearings can be scheduled in JAWS by parties, once coordinated, and will be conducted in person in Courtroom #403.

 

MORE THAN 30 MIN HEARINGS:

Please email our office for any scheduling request for more than 30 minutes. If your motion is Post-Judgment, IT MUST be referred to the General Magistrate and mediated if ordered to do so. You may contact the Judicial Assistant via email at FAMLAWDIVI@fljud13.org. All parties must be copied on the email, and if a party encounters any issues obtained hearing times, you may set a Case Management Conference (CMC) on the Open Docket so that the Court may address it. Please include in the Notice of CMC Hearing that the nature of the CMC is to discuss obtained hearing time. All Hearings over 30 minutes will be conducted in person, in Courtroom #403.

 

MOTIONS:

There will be no cross noticing on hearing time or “piggybacking” one motion upon a previously scheduled motion without timely notice to the parties and the Court. No “piggybacked” motion will be heard unless otherwise determined by the Court that the docket will accommodate the hearing of the additional matters at the scheduled time. The motions will be heard in the order in which they are scheduled.

• All motions will need to be typed (no handwritten motions) with opposing parties contact information included and filed with the Clerk of Court before asking for a hearing date. Parties on the case will need to be served with the filed motion or documents.
• If filing an emergency motion: No party or Attorney should file an emergency motion without first studying Smith v. Crider, 31 F.L.W. D1018 (2^nd DCA April, 2006).
  • File the originalmotion with the Clerk of Circuit Court, Edgecomb Courthouse, First Floor, 800 East Twiggs Street, Tampa, FL 33602. 
  • DO NOTdeliver a copy to the Judge as the Clerk of Court will bring the court file and the docketed motion to the Judge’s Chambers for review.
  • The Judicial Assistant will email or mail a copy of the Judge’s decision regarding the emergency status of the motion to both parties. If a party is unrepresented, then a copy of the Judge’s ruling will be mailed.
  • If a hearing is required, the Judicial Assistant will coordinate, by email, hearing date/times with the parties. When possible, all parties email addresses should be included for service of any hearing notice or order.

 

TRIALS:

All Pre-Trial Conferences (PTC) and Trials will be held in person in Courtroom #403. The parties in Dissolution of Marriage cases are required to upload an agreed Equitable Distribution chart prior to the PTC. In cases involving children, the parties are required to upload a Certificate of Completion of Parenting Course and a Proposed Parenting Plan prior to PTC. Failure to file these required documents may result in cancellation of the PTC and Trial.

All cases ready for trial must be set for CMC. The Parties can schedule this on JAWS. At this CMC, the Court will enter an order allowing all parties to set PTC and Trial dates with the Judicial Assistant. The parties shall send an email to the Judicial Assistant with a copy of the order attached requesting trial and pre-trial dates. The email shall also include the amount of time needed for the trial. Once all parties agree to the trial date, the Uniform Order Setting Trial and Pre-Trial shall be uploaded, through the E-Portal as a proposed order, within 48-hours.

NOTE: A Pre-Trial Memorandum SHALL be electronically filed and served on each party by the other party, as well as a copy of both delivered to the Judge, at least three (3) business days prior to the Pre-Trial Conference. The parties should be prepared to discuss provisions set forth in the Pre-Trial Memorandums and Pre-Trial Conference Order.

 

EXHIBITS AND CASE LAW FOR TRIALS AND EVIDENTIARY PROCEEDINGS:

• Submission Method: Physical/paper/hard copies of the Case Law and/or exhibits may be submitted to the Court via mail or hand delivery. Exhibits must be labeled in the following format: “Petitioner/Plaintiff #1” or “Respondent/Defendant A”. Please also organize the binders/documents with a “Table of Contents” with corresponding tabs displaying the documents.
• Deadline for Submissions: Courtesy copies must be submitted to the Court no less than five (5) days prior to any proceeding in which case law/evidence is to be used.
  • Five (5) days prior to Trial in which alimony, child support and/or Attorney’s fees are an issue, each party is required to provide the Court a copy of their respective final financial affidavit highlighting only the entries that are contested.
  • If Equitable Distribution (ED) is an issue, please provide a single ED Worksheet in Excel highlighting those items the parties agree upon and a different highlight color for those items not agreed upon. Attorneys are required to confer prior to the submission and create one document for the Court’s consideration.
• Responses: Responses to motions and copies of case law must be delivered to the Court three (3) days prior to any proceeding.
• Any material delivered to this court less than the deadline provided above for the hearing WILL NOT BE REVIEWED OR CONSIDERED AT THE HEARING.
• No hearing or trial shall be delayed or continued beyond the scheduled starting time because parties need to confer with a witness or review evidence with a witness.

 

POST-JUDGMENT MOTIONS:

All post-judgment matters must have an order of referral to the Genera Magistrate filed at the same time the motion is filed. All post-judgment matters MUST be mediated prior to the scheduling if ordered by the Court. You must email the Judicial Assistant to schedule post-judgment hearings.

 

TEMPORARY RELIEF

Will be held pursuant to Administrative Order S-2025-013. Regarding temporary relief hearings, mediation is mandatory prior to attending a hearing with the Court. If the moving party fails to schedule and/or cooperate in attending mediation prior to the Temporary Relief Hearing, the hearing WILL BE CANCELLED by the Judge. If the opposing (or non-moving) party fails to cooperate in attending mediation, the issue shall be addressed by the Judge at the Hearing where possible sanctions could be imposed. All Temporary Relief Hearings shall take place in person.

• At least two (2) business days prior to the scheduled Hearing, the moving party shall file the original Temporary Relief Hearing Memorandum with the Clerk of the Court and serve a copy on all parties, as well as deliver a copy to the Judge. A proposedParenting Plan is also required if the case involves minor child(ren).
• Temporary Relief Hearings will be scheduled for sixty (60) minutes. If more than sixty (60) minutes is requested, please email explaining why more time is needed and whether the opposing party agrees to the additional time.

 

DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE:

Review the Requirements for Dissolution of Marriage.

 

Submission of Orders and Judgments

DO NOT SUBMIT PROPOSED ORDERS IN THE QUEUE PRIOR TO THE HEARING BEING HELD.

Format: Unless otherwise instructed, Proposed Orders that are agreed upon by both parties shall be submitted through the Florida E-Filing Portal in “PDF” format. All Proposed Order should include a cover letter containing explanatory information, specifically: when the issue that is the subject of the proposed order was heard, the docket number of the motion, if the proposed order was provided to the opposing party, if an objection was received, if no response was received, and when the proposed order was provided to the opposing party.

 

Deadline for Submissions: The Attorney or self-represented party directed to prepare the Order or Judgment must submit the proposed order to the Court within ten (10) business days after the Court’s decision. If the Attorney or self-represented party designated to prepare the Order or Judgement fails to submit it, the Attorney for the opposing party or the opposing self-represented party may submit a Proposed order or Judgment within five (5) business days after that initial ten (10) day period.

 

Unrepresented Parties: In the majority of cases, the court will prepare orders to be entered. If the parties are required to prepare an order, they may be uploaded through the E-Filing Portal.

 

Incoming Withholding Orders can be uploaded into E-Filing Portal. However, if one of the parties to the case is representing themselves and does not have an email address associated with the case, the individual submitting the Proposed Order through the E-Filing Portal must send a copy of the Proposed Order to the party that is self-represented and without an email address via mail.

 

FINAL DISPOSITION FORMS:

A Final Disposition Form must be submitted at the time of submission of a proposed Final Order or Final Judgment in order to close the case.

 

SIGNATURE BLOCK:

Recent changes to JAWS regarding the judicial signature block added additional language and made the signature block larger. Proposed Orders should have sufficient space in the signature area for the Court to sign (with the larger signature block) and not cover any of the proposed Order’s text. If there is insufficient space for the signature block, the Court may place the signature block in a location that does not cover any text on the proposed Order.

 

Proposed Orders that are NOT agreed upon by the parties, in other words, Competing Orders, should be submitted to the Judicial Assistant by e-mail and attached as a "WORD" formatted document, which will be forwarded to the Judge upon receipt of both proposed competing Orders or with a cover letter indicating the objections to portions of the proposed order. The Court will determine if a hearing is necessary to resolve dispute.

 

OTHER DIVISION PROCEDURES:

ADA ACCOMMODATIONS: If you need an ADA accommodation, please contact the ADA Coordinator via e-mail ADA@fljud13.org; telephone 1-813-272-7040; hearing impaired 1-800-955-8771; voice impaired 1-800-955-8770; or US Mail Administrative Office of the Courts, Attn.: ADA Coordinator, 800 E. Twiggs Street, Tampa, FL 33602.

 

INTERPRETER REQUESTS: If an interpreter is needed for a hearing or trial, the parties are responsible for contact and securing the necessary interpreters. The steps to secure interpreters must be done with enough time to have them present.

 

E-FILING INFORMATION:

Information about E-Filing is available from the Hillsborough County Clerk Website.

• Steps to Upload a Proposed Order to the Florida E-Portal
• Viewing Filed Documents (HOVER)
  • The Hillsborough Online Viewing of Electronic Records (HOVER) provides remote viewing of court records maintained by the Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court, as authorized by Florida Supreme Court Administrative Order 23-2. In this site, Attorneys of Record and Self-Represented Litigants (Pro Se) will have access to search case indexes and view case progress dockets not sealed or made confidential by Florida Rules of Judicial Procedure or court order.

 

ZOOM HEARING APPEARANCE REQUEST:

All Zoom Hearing requests shall be in writing and filed with the Court approximately ten (10) business days before the hearing, pursuant to Florida Rules of General Practice 2.530. A courtesy copy shall be provided to all parties as well as the JA – an email or phone call will not suffice. Once the request has been approved, the Zoom link will be provided via email.

 

All parties shall be appropriately dressed, as well as have their names displayed correctly. Parties will be brought in from the waiting room one case at a time to cut down on confusion and background noise. All parties are expected to still adhere to Guidelines for Professional Conduct. Any party not ready or causing a hinderance to the court process will be removed from the Zoom Hearing and rescheduled for an in-person.