The Family Division of the Circuit Court hears civil cases involving dissolution of marriage, name changes and injunctions for domestic and repeat violence. Please visit the Family Information & Forms Page for more information related to the family division.
The Family Division also hears all matters relating to juveniles who have been abandoned, abused, or neglected, surrendered for the purpose of adoption, or who are persistent runaways, habitually truant or ungovernable.
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Judge Don T. Hall
Magistrate Matthew Peters
If you wish to observe or attend by remote means please contact the Judge’s office for further instructions.
Judge Kevin Bruning
Magistrate Paul Hudson
Judge Teresa Dees
Magistrate David Caskey
As of June 21, 2021, the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court, Charles Canady, removed all requirements of social distancing and mandatory face coverings as well as eliminating the requirement that most hearings be conducted remotely. On July 29, 2021, however, Chief Justice Charles Canady issued Administrative Order No. AOSC21-17, Amendment 1, which provides, among other things, that “[p]articipants who have the capability of participating by electronic means in remote appellate or trial court proceedings must do so.” (Emphasis added). In addition, the Chief Judge of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, the Honorable Charles Roberts, has encouraged all judges and magistrates of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit to limit the number of in-person proceedings and to conduct as many hearings as possible using remote technology as a result of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, and the State of Florida. Accordingly, Magistrate David Caskey’s judicial requirements are hereby amended as follows:
Effective August 31, 2021, all trials and evidentiary hearings will be conducted remotely via Zoom, in accordance with Magistrate Caskey’s procedures and requirements for Zoom hearings which have been posted on the Twelfth Judicial Circuit’s website since May of 2020. All of those rules, procedures, and requirements shall remain in effect until amended by the Magistrate’s office. The log in credentials for all of Magistrate Caskey’s Zoom dockets are also posted on the Twelfth Judicial Circuit’s website for the parties’ convenience. All notices scheduling hearings to be conducted before the Magistrate on or after August 31, 2021, must include the appropriate Zoom log in credentials. If a hearing has already been noticed to take place before the Magistrate in person on or after August 31, 2021, the party who filed the notice scheduling that hearing must immediately amend the notice of hearing to reflect that the hearing will be conducted via Zoom
Case Management Conferences and other non-evidentiary hearings, such as hearings directed at the pleadings and motions to compel discovery, will continue to be conducted exclusively via Zoom, in the interest of making these hearings more convenient and less costly for the parties.
Magistrate / Hearing Officer Laura M. Hale
Judge Rochelle Curley
Judge Maria Ruhl
Magistrate / Hearing Officer Lawrence A. Jacobs
Judge Danielle Brewer
Natalya S. Evans