Requirements & Information
Standards of Professionalism
Judge Krug expects all attorneys who appear to know and adhere to the Twelfth Judicial Circuit’s Standards of Professionalism, also available on the websites of the Manatee County Bar Association and the Sarasota County Bar Association.
A. Remote Appearance
This office has returned to pre-pandemic procedures. All proceedings in front of Judge Krug are held in person in Courtroom 3B. (See Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, updated January 1, 2017, amended effective July 1, 2024. This Court permits Zoom expert witness testimony upon agreement of the parties and the submission of an agreed Order. See the Technology Services page to request an Zoom presentation cart.
B. Hearing Procedures
- All motions must be filed prior to requesting or reserving hearing time.
- All hearings one hour or less in length are to be scheduled through Judicial Automated Calendaring System. Attorneys are not permitted to schedule back-to-back hearings in order to acquire a longer block of hearing time.
- All requests for hearing time for one hour or longer must be scheduled with the Judicial Assistant.
- Plea and motion dates are assigned to a specific Assistant State Attorney. The scheduling party must determine which Assistant State Attorney is assigned to a case and schedule his/her plea or motion accordingly. Please consult the judge’s monthly master calendars for assigned days before setting a case for hearing. Any hearing set on a day not assigned to the specific Assistant State Attorney will be canceled.
- The Court is aware it may be necessary to set pleas and motions on dates other than those designated to a specific Assistant State Attorney. However, on such occasions, the scheduling party must contact the assigned Assistant State Attorney for availability to clear the date and time on JACS.
- All hearings are limited to the time reserved. The party opposing the motion is entitled to equal time; therefore, the party reserving and scheduling the hearing must confer with opposing counsel and agree regarding the total amount of time required.
- Once a motion is scheduled, subsequent motions may not ne added or cross-noticed without prior approval by opposing counsel and the Court.
- Once a motion is scheduled, another motion shall not be substituted in the event the original motion is canceled or resolved absent prior approval by opposing counsel and the Court.
- The scheduling attorney mustmust submit a copy of the notice of hearing, the motion to be heard, and any relevant supporting documents to which the parties may refer during the hearing. Both parties shall submit any supporting case law prior to the hearing.
- JACS should be used to cancel hearings whenever possible as soon as the scheduling attorney is aware the need for the time no longer exists. However, JACS will block a cancellation when it results in short notice to the parties, usually less then three days’ notice.
When JACS does not permit a cancellation, the scheduling party must cancel the hearing by contacting the Judicial Assistant. Counsel shall promptly e-file a Notice of Cancellation with the Clerk of Court and notice all parties.
C. Communications with the Court
Judge Krug does not utilize a division email for electronic submissions. Email the Judicial Assistant to submit courtesy copies of motions, hearing documents, case law and proposed orders.
D. Submission of Orders
Email the Judicial Assistant to submit proposed orders.
E. Courtesy Copies
Counsel should email the Judicial Assistant notices of hearings, motions, case law and other supporting documents at least three days prior to the hearing to allow sufficient time for judicial review.
F. Emergency & Other Urgent Matters
The Judicial Assistant is not authorized to offer or schedule emergency or expedited hearing time. The moving attorney is required to confer with opposing counsel in a good faith effort to resolve the issue prior to filing an emergency motion. Any emergency motion must include a certificate of good faith that states the movant has contacted opposing counsel and his/her position on the relief sought. Requests for emergency or expedited hearing time must be made by contacting the JA by phone or email and providing a copy of the contested motion. The judge will review the motion to determine whether an expedited or emergency hearing is warranted.
Bond Hearings
Bond hearings are scheduled on Tuesdays, except on trial weeks. Bond hearings are intended to be scheduled for 5 minutes or less. Bond hearings requiring more than 10 minutes of hearing time shall be scheduled with the Judicial Assistant, which will be set on Tuesdays at 1:30 pm.
Motions/Orders for Release of Uncharged Defendants
Motions to release uncharged defendants must be emailed to the Court and the assigned Assistant State Attorney. The State will have until 4:30 pm of the day a motion was received to respond regarding the State’s intention to file an Information, a Notice of Case Action or no objection to an ROR Order. If the motion is received in the afternoon, the State shall respond by the following business day by 12:00 pm. If the JA does not receive a response from the State Attorney by the specified deadline, a hearing will be set on the next available hearing date.
G. Exhibits for Evidentiary Proceedings
In document extensive cases, the Court requires the parties to confer with the Clerk of Court prior to trial and present the Clerk with an exhibit list, as well as the exhibits. Additionally, the Court requires the parties to provide courtesy copies of the exhibit list and marked exhibits to opposing counsel, as well as the Court.
H. Pretrial Procedures & Conferences
Case management hearings are held at 8:30 am on Tuesdays (check monthly calendars for judicial conferences/vacation schedule). Attorneys and defendants are expected to appear “in person” in the courtroom. The presence of defendants at Case Management is mandatory unless excused by the Court or Defendant has personally signed a Waiver of Appearance at case management per the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure and case law.
The Court considers CMCs to be significant, meaningful proceedings. The Court expects the State to have provided the Defense with a Discovery Response, the Criminal Punishment Code Scoresheet and plea offer with sufficient time for review prior to the CMC so that Defense counsel may review the Discovery, confer with the client and convey the plea offer.
If the parties stipulate to a trial date, they must use the approved Stipulation for Trial Date. Stipulation forms are also available in the courtroom. The stipulation must be completely filled out and contain the Defendant’s signature. If the parties cannot agree on a trial date, the Court will select one. Stipulations for trial may be completed and submitted to the Court in advance of Case Management.
I. Setting Case for Trial
Docket Sounding
Defendants’ in person appearance at docket sounding is mandatoryunless excused by the Court.
Docket Sounding is held two weeks before the trial period. No motions of any kind (oral or written), including motions to continue, will be heard at docket sounding. The purpose of docket sounding is to enter a plea or announce ready for trial. If a case is ready for trial the attorneys shall be prepared to advise the Court as to how many days the trial will last (including jury selection), whether speedy trial is an issue, and any potential calendar conflicts. Counsel must comply with trial deadlines and have motions heard prior to trial. Contact the JA if hearing time is unavailable on JACS.
Pleas
Counsel are encouraged to discuss and to agree on pleas that may be entered by a defendant. However, ultimate responsibility for sentence determination rests with the trial judge. Negotiated pleas are subject to the court’s approval.
Plea Cut-Off Date
The negotiated plea cut-off date for all cases on a trial docket is the Friday of the docket sounding week. The Court may extend the negotiated plea cut-off date due to extenuating circumstances.
Score Sheets
Score sheets must be completed in full (or to the extent possible on an open plea) so that, at most, only the judge’s signature will be required.
Trial Scheduling
In most cases trial scheduling for all cases on the trial docket will take place the week after Docket Sounding, on Wednesdays at 9:00 am. Defendants may, but are not required, to attend trial scheduling. The purpose of trial scheduling is to set the trial order. Attorneys are encouraged (but not required) to attend.
No motions of any kind (oral or written), including motions to continue, will be heard at trial scheduling.
J. Preferred Division Forms
To access preferred forms, visit the Criminal Division page.
K. Other Division Procedures
Court Interpreter
It is counsel’s responsibility to notify the Court Interpreters Office of the need for a foreign language interpreter for court proceedings. Due to the limited number of on-site and contractual court interpreters, attorneys must request and schedule interpreter services at least five business days in advance. See the Court Interpreters page.
Motions for Rehearing, Reconsideration, Arrest of Judgment, New Trial, and/or Motion to Withdraw Plea
All Motions for Rehearing, Reconsideration, Arrest of Judgment, New Trial and/or Motion to Withdraw Plea must be filed with the Clerk of Court and a copy must be simultaneously provided to the judge’s office. Do not set for hearing on JACS. After review, the judge will determine if a written response or hearing is required.