In Division C, all proceedings except for Pretrial Conferences, Jury Trials, Non-Jury Trials, and Evidentiary Hearings will be conducted remotely via ZOOM unless otherwise directed by the Court.

EVIDENTIARY HEARINGS, PRETRIAL CONFERENCES, JURY TRIALS, and NON-JURY TRIALS (except certain mortgage foreclosure actions) will be conducted IN PERSON.

Please make sure any testifying witness has a photo ID available to present in-person or over the videoconference.  This requirement will extend until further order of the Court.

The Court’s Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/8901592416

Zoom Meeting ID: 890-159-2416

Password is not required. If joining by phone, dial 1-786-635-1003 Meeting ID # 890-159-2416

SIGN INTO ZOOM USING YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AS WELL AS THE CASE NUMBER.

Parties will be admitted from the Waiting Room once the Judge is ready to call your case.

INCLUDE ZOOM INFORMATION ON NOTICES OF HEARING.

Pro Se litigants may email the JA for hearing availability.

Non-Evidentiary Hearings: UMC, 15-minutes, or 30-minutes

These hearings are scheduled through JAWS.

UMC Dockets

Paragraph 12(A) of Administrative Order S-2024-046 governs the Uniform Motion Calendar. UMCs are reserved for hearings that should take 5 - 7 minutes. As a general rule, any evidentiary matters and dispositive motions (including motions for summary judgment, to dismiss for failure to state a claim, and to strike affirmative defenses) are not appropriate for a UMC docket, unless the issue is exceedingly narrow. If the hearing exceeds 7 minutes, it may be summarily cancelled and rescheduled to accommodate the other parties who are patiently waiting to be called. The Court will not hear contempt matters or testimonial matters during a UMC docket. All UMC Hearings are held by Electronic Zoom Appearance.

Non-Evidentiary Hearings: More than 30 Minutes

These hearings are scheduled by emailing the JA atcircivdivc@fljud13.org and providing the following information:

• Case number
• Case name
• Title, date, and docket number of the Motion or matter for hearing
• Amount of time needed

Evidentiary Hearings

These hearings are scheduled by contacting the JA at circivdivc@fljud13.org and providing the following information:

• Case number
• Case name
• Title, date, and docket number of the Motion or matter for hearing
• State you are requesting an Evidentiary Hearing
• Amount of time needed

Evidentiary Hearing on Fees and Costs

Once entitlement is established, parties may email the JA at circivdivc@fljud13.org for hearing times.

A Notice of Hearing should be filed immediately after hearing time is reserved and an efiled copy with the Clerk’s date and time stamp at the top should be sent to the division as a courtesy. See Section 8 below. 

Communication to Chambers should be directed to the division’s email address: circivdivc@fljud13.org. The Court’s Judicial Assistant is available for questions regarding scheduling and the Court’s preferences and procedures and cannot hear any details of the case or provide any legal advice.

When emailing the division at circivdivc@fljud13.org be sure to include the case number and name in the subject line and you MUST copy all parties.

Litigation by emailing chambers is  absolutely prohibited. All relief must be sought by motion or stipulation. Parties who seek any form of relief by emailing chambers—other than for administrative purposes allowed above—may be sanctioned without further notice.

PLEASE DO NOT CALL OR EMAIL THE J.A. UNTIL YOU HAVE FIRST REVIEWED THIS WEBPAGE IN ITS ENTIRETY, THE RESOURCES PROVIDED ONLINE, AND IN THE PROCEDURAL/LOCAL/ADMINISTRATIVE RULES/ORDERS.  IF AFTER REVIEWING ALL OF THE ABOVE RESOURCES YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU MAY EMAIL THE J.A. AT circivdivc@fljud13.org AND COPY OPPOSING COUNSEL ON YOUR EMAIL.

Documents in the Court File

The only documents in you need to provide to the Court are the Notice of Hearing and the Notice of Cancellation.  All other documents in the Court file do not need to be sent to the Court. No need for Hearing Binders.

Notice of Hearing

After reserving time in JAWS, please send the Court an efiled copy of the Notice of Hearing with the Clerk’s date and time stamp at the top at circivdivc@fljud13.org.

Notice of Cancellation

Immediately after filing, provide the Court an efiled copy of ALL NOTICE OF CANCELLATIONS.

Emergency Motion: After an Emergency Motion is filed with Clerk AND properly flagged as an EMERGENCY, email the JA an efiled courtesy copy at circivdivc@fljud13.org.       

Cancelling Hearings within 24 Hours of Hearing : Email JA a copy of the FILED Notice of Cancellation AND call the JA to advise of cancellation. Leave a message if necessary and then follow up with a Notice of Cancellation.

Cancelling Hearings Prior to 24 Hours of Hearing : Scheduling party must cancel on JAWS and email efiled Notice of Cancellation to the JA.

Cancelling Trial and Pre-Trial: If case has settled, one of the parties must email the JA efiled documentation; however, this does not cancel the Pre-trial or the Trial. A dismissal is needed to cancel the Pre-Trial Conference or the Trial.

Court Ordered Evidentiary Hearings may not be cancelled absent a Court Order.

Notice of Hearing

A Notice of Hearing should be filed immediately after hearing time is reserved and an efiled copy with the Clerk’s date and time stamp at the top should be sent to the division as a courtesy at circivdivc@fljud13.org. The NOH must include:

• Date, time, and length of the hearing
• Motion to be heard
• Date the motion was filed
• Document number of the motion
• Location of the hearing (Zoom or Courtroom 504)
• Whether or not the hearing has been cleared with opposing counsel and if not, the reason the hearing was not cleared – see the Administrative Order, Section 12.D.

Cross-Noticing and Piggy-Back Hearings

Please follow the procedures in AO S-2024-046 Paragraph 12(E) before Cross-Noticing a hearing or adding an additional motion to be heard at the already scheduled hearing. Motions unilaterally cross-noticed will not be heard and may be denied without prejudices. All counsel must agree and then seek permission from the Judicial Assistant. If permission is granted, parties must include, “If time allows…” on the Notice of Hearing.

Unilateral notices of hearing. Hearings may be unilaterally noticed with a minimum of 60 days’ notice, and only due to a lack of cooperation. A notice of a hearing set unilaterally due to a lack of cooperation must describe, in detail, the efforts made to reach agreement on the hearing date. A single email, letter, or ultimatum is insufficient. Unilaterally set hearings that do not describe efforts to agree on a hearing date may be cancelled without notice.

Refer to the Administrative Order S-2024-046 Paragraph 16.

Refer to the Clerk of Courts Trial Exhibits Memorandum for Jury/Non-Jury trial exhibits. https://hillsclerk.com/Court-Services/Circuit-Civil Once your evidentiary hearing is scheduled, the Clerk will provide you with instructions for the numbering and marking of exhibits.

A multitude of forms may be found under the FORMS tab. Additional forms may be found on the 13 Judicial Circuit Home Page; however, please be sure to look for forms related to Circuit Civil.

Please be sure you are using the most current form. Revisions are made frequently.

For any case assigned to Judge Polo, if any attorney or pro se party has used Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) in the preparation of any complaint, answer, motion, brief, or other paper filed with the Court, the party MUST, in a clear and plain factual statement, disclosure that AI has been used in any way in the filing, and CERTIFY, that each and every citation to the law or the record in the paper has been verified as accurate. Failure to comply may result in sanctions, including dismissal.

All Pre-Trial Conferences are held in-person. At least one trial counsel per party must appear at the Pre-Trial Conference.

Parties may submit proposed Orders on Motions to Compel Discovery, without a hearing.

Motions for rehearing, reconsideration, clarification, or new trial require the Court’s review before scheduling.  E-mail the Judicial Assistant and attach an efiled copy of the motion.  If approved for hearing, dates will be extended through the usual scheduling process for lengthy hearings.

ALL mediations MUST be IN-PERSON. No Zoom mediation without leave of Court.

Except in extraordinary circumstances, or with approval from the Court, mediation will be required prior to trial.

Movants must comply with paragraph 11(A) of Administrative Order S-2024-046, which requires the movant to “confer with the opposing party or opposing counsel in a good faith effort to resolve the issues raised by the motion.”   Failure to confer and certify the appropriate statement with the motion—with the detail required by the Administrative Order—will result in the motion being denied without prejudice and any hearing cancelled.

Judge Polo expects the highest standards of professionalism, candor, and preparation in her courtroom. Any attorney or party displaying conduct unbecoming of the proceeding may be subject to sanctions without notice.

A keystone of professionalism is active cooperation. In that spirit, Judge Polo expects parties to actively discuss disputes before presenting them to the Court for a ruling. She also expects attorneys to expeditiously respond to inquiries and communications from opposing counsel and other parties. Not responding is not acceptable.