EMERGENCY MOTIONS

1. No party or attorney should file an emergency motion without first studying
2. Smith v. Crider, 31 F.L.W. D1018 (2d DCA April 7, 2006).
3. File the original motion with the Clerk of Circuit Court, Edgecomb Courthouse, First Floor, 800 East Twiggs Street, Tampa, FL 33602. DO NOT deliver a copy to the judge.
4. The Clerk will bring the court file and the docketed motion to the Judge’s chambers for review.
5. The judicial assistant will fax, e-mail or mail a copy of the Judge’s decision regarding the emergency status of the motion to both parties.

 

SCHEDULING HEARINGS ON JAWS

Hearing times of 60 minutes or less are available through JAWS.  Options are:  Uniform Motion Calendar (UMC) - 7 to 10 minutes per case;  15 minute hearing; 30 minute hearing and 60 minute hearing.

 

If more than 90 minutes is needed, please email JA at FamLawDivB@fljud13.org and copy opposing party or attorney.

 

All contested evidentiary matters of 30 minutes or more will be conducted in person at 800 E. Twiggs Street, Courtroom 400, Tampa, FL 33602.  CMCs and uncontested matters of 15 minutes or less may be conducted via Zoom.  Adoptions may be conducted either in person or by Zoom.

 

For hearings taking place electronically, Division B is using the Zoom videoconference platform.  You do not need an account to use Zoom and the service is free.  You may use a cellphone, tablet or computer.  The Zoom link for Judge Tompkins y is https://zoom.us/j/6066682029 and the Zoom Meeting ID is 606-668-2029.  No password is required.  Please include the Court’s Zoom log-in information on Notice of Hearing.  The Court is able to swear in witnesses and parties over Zoom; please have a picture identification with you to show to the Court.

 

HEARING/TRIAL EXHIBITS

All exhibits and/or case law for any evidentiary hearing or trial should be sent to Judge Tompkins at 800 E. Twiggs Street, Room 420, Tampa, FL 33602five (5) days prior to the hearing.

 

Five (5) days prior to family law trials in which alimony, child support and/or attorney’s fees are an issue, each party is required to provide to the court a copy of their respective final financial affidavit highlighting only the entries that are contested.  Attorneys are required to confer to narrow the scope of contested entries prior to submission.

 

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 submission and create one document for the court’s consideration.

 

COMMUNICATION WITH THIS OFFICE

The preferred form of communication for setting and cancelling hearings is by email at FamLawDivB@fljud13.org with copy to all parties.  The following should be included in the email: case number, case name, matter to be scheduled for hearing, and length of time needed for the hearing.

 

CANCELLATION OF HEARING

DO NOT CANCEL A HEARING WITHOUT NOTIFICATION AND AGREEMENT OF ALL PARTIES. When the parties agree that a hearing or other court appearance needs to be cancelled or that the parties have reached a settlement in the case, a Notice of Cancellation MUST be immediately e-filed with the Clerk of Court AND a courtesy copy of said Notice of Cancellation emailed to the division at FamLawDivB@fljud13.org.

 

CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCES

May be set at any time through JAWS on a UMC.  Either party may move the Court for entry of an Order continuing the first Case Management Conference. The moving party shall submit his/her motion for continuance to the Judge through his Judicial Assistant by email no later than two (2) business days before the scheduled Case Management Conference. The motion shall include the reason(s) for the continuance and a statement jointly signed by the parties agreeing to the continuance as well as a proposed Order ratifying same. The signed agreement and proposed Order shall confirm the following: (1) service of process has been effectuated and an answer or responsive pleading has been filed; (2) both parties have exchanged financial affidavits and complied with mandatory disclosure requirements; (3) if there are minor children, both parties have completed the parenting course and filed their certificates of completion with the Clerk of the Court; (4) mediation has been completed or is scheduled and will not be canceled except by Order of the Court; and (5) the date/time of the new Case Management Conference. 

 

Please Note: The new Case Management Conference date/time will be provided by the Judicial Assistant and must be cleared by both parties. The new Case Management Conference shall occur within sixty (60) days of the originally-scheduled Case Management Conference. 

 

POST JUDGMENT HEARINGS

All post judgment matters must have an Order of Referral to the General Magistrate uploaded through the ePortal for signature at the same time the motion is filed.  You must email the judicial assistant to schedule post judgment hearings.

 

SUBMITTING PROPOSED ORDERS

Proposed Orders that are agreed upon by the parties can be submitted to the Judge for signature through ePortal as a “PDF” formatted document. It is the responsibility of the attorney to provide copy of electronically signed Order to any pro se parties.  Proposed Orders that are NOT agreed upon by the parties or competing Orders should be submitted to the Judicial Assistant by email and attached as a “WORD” formatted document, which will be forwarded to the Judge upon receipt of both proposed competing Orders. Incoming Withholding Orders may be uploaded to the ePortal. If a party is pro se and does not have an email address associated with the case, the attorney will be responsible for mailing copy of the Order to pro se party.