Family Law Division F 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.

Zoom Meeting ID: 852 528 7490
Zoom link: https://fljud13-org.zoom.us/j/8525287490
Dial: +13052241968, 8525287490# US

The court is able to swear in witnesses and parties over Zoom.  Please have a picture identification with you to show the Court.  Review the tips below for your video hearings.

COURT HEARING VIDEO CONFERENCING TIPS

• No hats Dress and look like you are going to court.
• Check Internet Connection Do your best to have a stable internet connection. Ask others in your house or office to avoid large data use (game streaming; video streaming; etc.) while on a videoconference call.
• Use your full real name Avoid using nicknames or the device's default name setting.
• Avoid movement during call Be as still as possible while speaking and waiting to speak. Do your best to ensure privacy during the conference; everyone understands children, pets, and other members of the household might wander in.
• Have a presentable background Do your best to have a solid or non-distracting background, or utilize a virtual background.
• Have the camera face you straight on Avoid leaning in or away from camera.
• Be aware of your microphone and audio set up Mute your microphone unless you are speaking.

Wireless earbuds are less distracting than large headphones and exclude outside noise. Wired earbuds can be distracting and the built-in microphone often rubs on your clothes.  Speak slowly and clearly. Avoid speaking over others.

• No typing, eating or drinking during the conference.

TELEPHONIC APPEARANCES
Telephonic Appearances are on a case-by-case basis. You will need to file a motion and order through E-Portal. In the motion, it needs to state that either all parties agree or object to the telephonic appearance. The individual requesting to appear by phone will need to add their contact number into the proposed order.

If you are representing yourself, you will need to have a Notary present at the time of the hearing.    

Please make sure that you will be readily available to be on the phone at the time of the hearing as the Court will be handling telephonic appearances first.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A LAWYER:
The judicial assistant CANNOT answer your legal questions, and will not explain your situation to the Judge.  Your opportunity to speak to the Judge happens in Court only. 

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 (2d DCA April 7, 2006). 

All emergency motions need to be filed with the Clerk of Court.

Located: Edgecomb Courthouse
800 East Twiggs Street
1st Floor
Tampa, FL 33602.

DO NOT deliver a copy to the judge.  The Clerk of Court will be responsible for handling the motion.  If the motion is filed during a holiday or after hours, the Clerk will be forwarding your motion to the duty judge for review.  Once an order has been entered on the pending emergency, the judicial assistant will email/mail a copy of the signed order to the parties.

The preferred form of communication for voicing any concerns, setting and canceling hearings is by e-mail at FAMLAWDIVF@fljud13.org. The following should be included in the email: case number, case name, what you are asking to be set, and how long you will need 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 e-mail address at FAMLAWDIVF@fijud13.org.

SCHEDULING
Before scheduling a hearing... please make sure that all parties have a copy of the motion(s) to be heard.  A hearing is not to be scheduled until all parties have a copy of the motion(s). You may e-file and electronically serve the said motion to all parties. As long as the motion that is set for a hearing is e-filed, it is NOT necessary to email the said motion to the judicial assistant.

To schedule a hearing... the party filing the motion shall e-mail the Judicial Assistant for hearing time(s) and copy the opposing party.  The Judicial Assistant shall provide a minimum of two available dates/times to the requesting party, also with a copy to opposing party by "replying to all."
If the requesting party sends the dates to the opposing party by e-mail, that responding party or the attorney's office is responsible for responding with their availability within two business days of receiving the request. If the responding party fails to respond within two business days of the request, the requesting party may pick the hearing date and time of their 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:
-There has been no response from the responding party within two business days of the request
or
-The requesting party is not attempting to clear the date with the other party by telephone, as there will not be a paper trail of the scheduling attempts

Only after the court confirms date via e-mail, file and serve Notice of Hearing.

If the parties cannot agree on any of the offered dates, ask (once) for new set of dates. If the parties cannot choose from the second set of dates, notify the court of the scheduling impasse. When the parties impasse, the court sets the hearing without regard to the schedules of either party.

FIRST CASE MANAGEMENT
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 parties and counsel shall appear in person at the first case management conference.  All post-judgment matters, whether referred to the general magistrate or objected to, shall be removed from the first case management docket, and parties and counsel shall schedule case management conferences as appropriate.

UMC
This Docket is 5-minutes motions only and status conference (ie: Motion to Withdrawal, Motion for Continuance, Uncontested Motions or for an Uncontested Final Hearing).  Each side has 3 minutes to argue the motion/issues.  

15 MIN/30 MIN MOTION DOCKET
The Motion Docket is for 15 or 30 minutes hearing, and Default Final Hearings.  If you are unable to clear time on an available Motion Docket, you may e-mail the JA to obtain alternative hearing times, with all parties copied on email. 

MORE THAN 30 MIN HEARINGS
Please email our office for any scheduling request for more than 30 minutes.  

ADOPTIONS
For adoption and termination of right cases, please schedule those matters through JAWS under the coordinating docket.  If you have questions, please email the division email, DO NOT set them on a 15 min/30 min calendar.

DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE

Review the Requirements for dissolution of Marriage.

POST-JUDGMENT MOTIONS
If your Motion is a post-judgment Motion, IT MUST be referred to the General Magistrate, Mediated and not scheduled on this docket.

TEMPORARY RELIEF HEARINGS

IMPORTANT! If the moving party fails to schedule and cooperate in attending mediation prior to the temporary hearing, or the parties fail to follow the A.O. as it pertains to the memos for the hearings, the hearing WILL BE CANCELLED by the Court.

If the non-moving party is the party not cooperating with the mediation requirement, that matter will be addressed by the Court at the temporary hearing and sanctions may be entered.

Please follow the Administrative Order that pertains to Temporary Relief Hearings.

MEDIATION IS MANDATORY PRIOR TO TEMPORARY RELIEF HEARINGS.  Absent prior leave of Court, Division F requires mediation to have been completed before convening any hearing seeking any form of temporary relief in accordance with Administrative Order 2013-075, 5 15. Any party may set or schedule a temporary relief motion for hearing in accordance with the applicable rules and orders governing scheduling of hearings. However, if a mediation conference has not been completed prior to the date and time set for the temporary relief hearing, that hearing will not go forward.

At least 48 hours prior to the temporary relief hearing, the moving party will file an original and serve a copy on all parties, including the Judge, a Temporary Relief Hearing Memorandum. A proposed Parenting Plan is required if the case involves minor children.

CONTESTED FINAL HEARINGS
You should set those on a 15 min. or 30 min. Docket. They must also be set by Court Order per FL Civil Rule 12.440. Additionally, if you are setting a Contested Final Hearing on a 15 min. or 30 min. docket that is NOT a Default Final Hearing, you must also Submit an Order Setting the Final Hearing to Judge’s Workqueue for signature.

All contested final hearings, including default final hearings MUST ONLY be set by an Order of the Court pursuant to Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.440 and Rule of Civil Procedure 1.440. Failure to do so will result in a cancelation of the Final Hearing.

All exhibits for any Evidentiary Hearings or Trials already scheduled, either need to be sent physically to chambers (either by mail or hand delivered) or filed through the Discovery Portal through the E-Portal System (Directions are on the clerk's website or the 13th Judicial Website) No less than 5 business prior to the hearing.

Responses to motions and copies of case law must be delivered to this court Five (5) business days before the hearing to enable a review by the court.  Any material delivered to this court less than five (5) business days before the hearing WILL NOT BE REVIEWED OR CONSIDERED AT THE HEARING.

To schedule a trial, please visit the Judge's website at www.fljud13.org and look under schedule in Judge Kiser to find available Trial weeks and Pre-Trial dates. Coordinate with opposing counsel or pro-se litigant. Once a date is agreed upon, please e-mail the Judicial Assistant with the agreed Trial week.  Email message must include case style, case number and the amount of time that the parties believe the trial will take.  The Judicial Assistant will then give you the pre-trial time and trial day(s) for the trial.  
It is the responsibility of the party setting the trial to prepare the Order Setting Trial and upload it through the E-Portal for the Judge's signature.

Please DO NOT submit orders through E-Portal AND mail.  Orders may only be submitted once, by either way.  An order may be submitted again, only if it was previously rejected by Judge Kiser with instructions to resend with changes. 

-By Mail: If the order will be mailed, please mail it to our office at the below address.  Include a cover letter with copies for each party and a self-addressed stamped envelope.

800 E. Twiggs Street
Room 428
Tampa, Florida 33602

-Via E-Portal: If the order will be uploaded to the E-Portal, please provide a cover letter and make sure is a PDF format.  Word format can only be uploaded if it was previously requested by Judge Kiser.  DO NOT attach the motion to the order when uploading the order into the queue, as it will be rejected.

If there is a self-representing party on the case, please either make sure that all parties are associated in JAWS or mail in the proposed order to the Judge's Chambers.  

Incoming Withholding Orders can be uploaded into JAWS.  If one of the parties are representing themselves, the Order can still be uploaded through the E-Portal.  However, if the individual representing themselves does not have an email address associated with the case, then you will be responsible for mailing them a copy of the order.