ALL HEARINGS WILL BE CONDUCTED VIA ZOOM UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED BY THE COURT

-  ALL Uniform Motion Calendar hearings (via Zoom);
-  ALL Case Management Conferences (via Zoom);
-  All Pre-trial Conferences will be held in person in courtroom #501
-  Non-Jury Trials (in-person);
-  Jury Trials (in-person).

Parties who want an in-person for non-jury trials or lengthy hearing may contact the JA at divisionb@fljud13.org.

Zoom Information:
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/91757641087
Zoom Meeting ID:  917 5764 1087

No Password is Required

If joining the hearing via telephone, call +1 786 635 1003 US (Miami) and +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) then use the same meeting ID number referenced above. Password is required for attendance 973927.

Please enter the case number of the case for which you are appearing, along with your name, so the Court is able to identify participants in each scheduled case.

The Court does not permit hybrid hearings (i.e. some parties or counsel appearing in person while others appear via Zoom), absent a specific Court Order.

PARTIES MUST REVIEW AND CERTIFY ON THE NOTICE OF HEARING THE COMPLETION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER S-2024-046 (11)(A) PRIOR TO THE FILING OF THE MOTION AND OR SETTING THE HEARING.

Parties are to attend Mediation PRIOR to Motion for Summary Judgment hearings

SCHEDULING UMC’S-
Hearings are limited to 10 minutes per case with time to be allocated to the parties by the Judge.
The 10 minutes includes the time necessary for the judge to review documents, memoranda, and cases.
Matters may only be scheduled on the Uniform Motion Calendar if they can be heard within 10 minutes.
All counsel or parties must be present at the commencement of the docket

SCHEDULING HEARINGS- 15 or 30 Minutes
15- or 30-minute hearings are also posted on JAWS and can be booked there.  If no hearings are available

1. Contact the court by email at divisionb@fljud13.org (copying ALL sides).  In the subject line, include an abbreviated style using the last name of the first plaintiff and the first defendant and the case number:  SMITH/JONES  19-CA-012345.  Complete the first three columns of this chart and paste it in the body of the e-mail request:

2. For the document index number, see the Clerk’s Hover System: https://hover.hillsclerk.com/html/home.html.

JAWS hearing description:
Motion to Withdraw Doc# 26

3. The court will offer hearing choices (reply all).
4. When the parties select the most agreeable time, complete the fourth column and re-paste the chart into an e-mail to the Court. 
5. The Court will schedule the matter in JAWS on behalf of the moving party;
6. Upon receipt of the JAWS scheduling e-mail (within 24 hours), e-file and upload the initial motion(s) and notice as sampled below.  IMPORTANT:   Please wait to receive the JAWS scheduling email before uploading, to ensure your hearing time is confirmed by the Court.
7. After securing the hearing time in JAWS, make sure to list the document index number, title of the motion, and any responses with the correlating document number in the hearing description.

SCHEDULING DOCUMENTS.  The titles of all e-filed scheduling documents (notices of hearing, orders setting hearings) must indicate the hearing date, time and document index number, and any responses with the correlating docket number and date of filing in parentheses.

Agreed upon proposed order should be submitted for the Judge’s review via the Florida E-Portal in PDF format.  Every proposed order should be accompanied by a cover letter that indicates (1) the proposed order has been shown to the other side, (2) the other side has either agreed to the order, failed to respond after five days, or indicated that they object to the proposed order and will submit their own competing order.

If the parties cannot agree on a proposed order,  parties shall simultaneously email the competing form of proposed order in word format with an accompanied cover letter to divisionb@fljud13.org with a subject line which includes “Competing Order” and the Case Number.

If a party is pro se and does not have an email address associated with the case, the attorney will be responsible for mailing copies of the order to pro se parties.

Filing a notice of an email address through the Portal does not input the email address into the JAWS for purposes of receiving electronically signed orders and judgments, JAWS notifications or email correspondence from the court. Parties must register email addresses on JAWS for each individual case and for each individual attorney or party entitled to service.”  See Administrative Order S-2024-046, Paragraph 10(b).

If it is thought that the order may have been overlooked or misplaced, please e-mail the Judicial Assistant.

IN LIEU OF A HEARING, counsel/parties may agree to allow the Judge to decide the matter on the filings.  If you choose this option, then 1) e-file your motions and memos and upload them to JAWS 2) advise the judicial assistant via email of the title(s) of the specific motions you want the Judge to resolve and 3) parties shall simultaneously email the competing form of proposed order in word format with an accompanied cover letter to divisionb@fljud13.org with a subject line which includes “Competing Order” and the Case Number. Please do not submit briefing notebooks.   Memos may not exceed 10 pages.  Photographs, charts and diagrams do not count against page limit. Any and all Memos should be submitted at least 72 hours prior to the hearing. Any Response Memos should be submitted at least 24 hours prior to the hearing.

Communication to Chambers should be directed to the division’s e-mail address:  DivisionB@fljud13.org. The Court’s Judicial Assistant is available for questions regarding scheduling and the Court’s preferences and procedure and cannot hear any details of the case or provide legal advice. You must copy all parties when emailing the Court’s Judicial Assistant at divisionb@fljud13.org. The JA will respond as efficiently as possible.

The Court will accept and review hard copies of any hearing materials in three-ring binders received at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to any hearing. Hearing materials may not exceed 50-pages, INCLUDING Case Law.

Please provide the Court with a copy of Notices of hearing, Orders setting hearings that indicate the hearing date, time and document index number, and any responses with the correlating docket number and date of filing in parentheses.

After the motion is filed with the clerk and properly flagged as an emergency pursuant to Administrative Order S-2024-046, Paragraph 19 (B), please email the JA at divisionb@fljud13.org with a courtesy copy so the Court is aware of the need to act on the Motion.

If you no longer need your hearing time, please send a notice of cancellation to the Court’s Judicial Assistant within 24 hours by email to divisionb@fljud13.org.  Court ordered hearings may not be canceled absent court order.

Please email a copy of your notice of hearing and the motion(s) scheduled at least three (3) days prior to your hearing.  The Notice of Hearing must include the following: 

(1) Hearing date, time and document index number, and any responses with the correlating docket number and date of filing in parentheses;
(2) the hearing time reserved;
(3) whether the hearing is in person or remote;
(4) instructions for remote appearances;
(5) whether a court reporter has been ordered.

Please refer to the administrative order. Please refer to the Clerk of Courts Trial Exhibits Memorandum for Jury/Non-Jury trial exhibits. https://hillsclerk.com/Court-Services/Circuit-Civil

https://www.fljud13.org/JudicialDirectory/MarkRWolfe/Forms.aspx

ALL PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCES WILL BE HELD IN PERSON IN COURTROOM #501

The attorneys for all parties are directed to meet together by agreement initiated by counsel for the Plaintiff, no later than 10 days before the pretrial conference, to:

a) Mark all exhibits for identification;
b) Prepare an exhibit list for the Clerk and Court (actual exhibits and documentation evidence must be available for inspection at this time);
c) Stipulate to the admission into evidence or list specific objections, if any, to each proposed exhibit;
d) Stipulate as to any matter of fact and law about which there is no issue to avoid unnecessary proof;
e) Review all depositions which are to be offered for any purpose other than impeachment to resolve objections to the portions to be offered in evidence;
f) Discuss the possibility of settlement;
g) Submit an itemized statement of special damages Plaintiff expects to prove;
h) Discuss and complete any other matters which may simplify the issues or aid in the speedy disposition of this action, its pretrial conference and trial;
i) Draft one Pretrial Conference Order (using the form order located in Division B’s Forms) signed by all participating counsel, that must be submitted directly to the Court at least 3 days prior to the pretrial conference. In the event the parties are unable to agree on a matter in the Pretrial Conference Order, the matter will be resolved at the pretrial conference

Please upload and provide the court with an emailed copy of the following at least three (3) days prior to the Pretrial Conference

1. Uniform Order Setting Case for Trial and Pretrial (Jury Trial) https://www.fljud13.org/Portals/0/Forms/pdfs/genciv/UOSCauseforTrialandPre-TrialJury%20Trial_070113.pdf
Parties must email Division B for a pretrial time prior to submitting the Uniform Order Setting Case for Trial and Pretrial.

Parties are responsible for uploading the Uniform Order Setting Case for Trial and Pretrial to the e-portal for the Judge to review and sign.

2. Uniform Pretrial Conference Order (Jury Trial)
https://www.fljud13.org/Portals/0/Forms/pdfs/genciv/UniformPreTrialConferenceOrderJuryTrial.pdf

Order is to be signed by all participating counsel, that must be submitted directly to the Court at least 3 days prior to the pretrial conference. In the event the parties are unable to agree on a matter in the Pretrial Conference Order, the matter will be resolved at the pretrial conference.

3. Order on Procedures Applicable to Jury Trials
4. Conformation that the parties have attended meditation or non-binding arbitration
5. A copy of the defendant’s and plaintiff’s witness and exhibit lists
6. Advise the court if there are any outstanding motions
7. If the parties are requesting a continuance, if the parties agree to the continuance, please upload a proposed order to E-Portal including the new PTC and Trial period.
8. Jury Instructions and Verdict Form: Instructions and verdict forms must be submitted to the Court no later than the pretrial conference.

The attorneys for all parties are directed to meet together by agreement, initiated by counsel for the Plaintiff, no later than 7 days before the Pre-Trial Conference to:
a) Mark all exhibits for identification;
b) Prepare an exhibit list for the Clerk and Court (actual exhibits and documentation evidence shall be available for inspection at this time);
c) Stipulate to the admission into evidence or list specific objections, if any, to each proposed exhibit;
d) Stipulate as to any matter of fact and law about which there is no issue to avoid unnecessary proof;
e) Review all depositions which are to be offered for any purpose other than impeachment to resolve objections to the portions to be offered in evidence;
f) Discuss the possibility of settlement;
g) Submit an itemized statement of special damages Plaintiff expects to prove
h) Discuss and complete any other matters which may simplify the issues or aid in the speedy disposition of this action, its Pre-Trial Conference and Trial.
i) Draft one Pre-Trial Conference Order (using the form order located in Division B’s Forms), signed by all participating counsel, that shall be submitted directly to the Court at least 3 days prior to the Pre-Trial Conference. In the event the parties are unable to agree on any matter in the Pre-Trial Conference Order, the matter will be resolved at the Pretrial Conference.

At least 10 days prior to the first day of Trial, the parties will prepare proposal Findings of fact and Conclusions of Law in word format, to be submitted to divisionb@fljud13.org

Parties are directed to file Notices of Dismissal to JAWS and additionally upload Orders of Dismissal to the E-portal for the Judge’s review so the case may be closed. Notices of Dismissal MUST be accompanied by Orders of Dismissal.