Requirements & Information
Standards of Professionalism
Attorneys appearing in Civil Division A must adhere to the Twelfth Judicial Circuit’s Standards of Professionalism, also available at Manatee County Bar Association and the Sarasota County Bar Association websites.
A. Remote Appearance
Division A permits in-person and Zoom appearances for Docket Sounding, Pretrial Conferences, and Case Management. The Court reserves the right to require in-person appearances for good cause.
Civil and Foreclosure motion hearings 60 minutes or less may be scheduled via Zoom without court permission. The Notice of Hearing must list Division A’s Zoom credentials.
Standing Zoom Credentials:
- Meeting ID: 465 693 0098;
- Password: 568290;
- Telephone/audio only: 1-786-635-1003.
Download the Zoom app on your chosen device or launch the Zoom app and click “Join”. Visit the Public Court Hearings on Zoom page for additional Zoom procedures and etiquette.
All users must active a camera and microphone when participating via Zoom. Court via Zoom is an official, public proceeding requiring appropriate attire and professional conduct at all times.
Witnesses Testifying by Zoom must present valid government issued photo ID.
The following hearings will be conducted in person, unless ordered otherwise:
- Jury and Non-jury Trials
- Foreclosure Trials
- Evidentiary matters greater than 60 minutes
B. Hearing Procedures
Hearing Time
Motions must be filed prior to requesting hearing time. The Clerk of Court does not forward pleadings to the judges. So, the filing party must bring the motion to the Court’s attention and request the appropriate amount of hearing time. Emailed requests for hearing time must include all parties. Once hearing time is scheduled, subsequent motions shall not be “cross noticed” without approval of opposing counsel and the Court.
Parties should utilize the Magistrate for all appropriate matters. Please review the Civil Magistrate section before requesting hearing time.
Notice of Hearings
Notice of Hearings must include the date, time, purpose of the hearing referencing the Document Identification Number [DIN], the duration, whether the hearing is in person [list the courtroom] and/or via Zoom [list the Zoom credentials] with a complete certificate of service that includes the following Americans with Disabilities Act compliance notice:
ADA Notice
If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact the Sarasota County Clerk of Court’s Jury Office, P.O. Box 3079, Sarasota, FL 34230-3079; (941) 861–8000 at least seven (7) days before your scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving this notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than seven (7) days; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call 711.
Additional ADA information can be found on the Americans with Disabilities Act page.
Unilaterally Scheduled Hearings
Parties must cooperate with each other and follow the Standards of Professionalism when scheduling hearing time. If parties cannot agree on hearing time, the movant may schedule a properly noticed status conference to seek permission from the judge to unilaterally set the hearing.
Cancelled Hearings
Please notify the Judicial Assistant of a cancellation and include the Court in the certificate of service of the notice of cancellation.
Conferral Prior to Filing Motion
New Rule 1.202 requires parties to meet and confer in good faith to resolve issues prior to filing a motion, except for Injunctive Relief, Judgment on the pleadings, and Summary Judgment.
Court Reporters and Digital Recording
The Court does not provide a court reporter. Parties must arrange for a court reporter’s attendance prior to the hearing. Parties are prohibited from making their own audio and/or visual recordings of court proceedings. Parties will be held in contempt of court if they violate this rule.
Recording/Broadcasting/Photography
Recording, Broadcasting, and Photography are prohibited in the courtrooms except as provided for in Rule 2.450, Florida Rules of Judicial Administration, and Administrative Orders 2020-23.2; 2023-10a.2; and 2025-03.2. Members of the media should contact the Court’s Public Information Officer for further information, (941) 749‐3600, ext. 7105.
Civil Magistrate
The following matters shall be scheduled before the Civil Magistrate, unless either side files a written objection: all motions directed to the pleadings, discovery, service of process, jurisdiction, and arbitration. Hearings may be scheduled through JACS under Magistrate Turner. Please submit an Order of Referral found in the Division Documents & Preferred Forms section. The parties may also utilize the Magistrate for matters to which the parties consent, including Injunctions and Summary Judgment. Injunctions must be specially set by stipulation by contacting the Magistrate's assistant. For questions about scheduling with the Magistrate, email Magistrate Turner’s assistant or call (941) 861‐4866.
Hearings will be cancelled if incorrectly set with the Court without approval or a filed objection to the Magistrate.
Specific Motions/Hearings
Summary Judgment Motions
- Parties shall follow the procedures for summary judgment motions as set forth in A.O. 2021-19.1
- Foreclosure motions for Final Summary Judgment shall set on the foreclosure docket and not the civil motion docket.
Attorney's Fees and Costs
Motion for Attorney’s Fees and Costs may proceed on the issue of entitlement. If entitlement is found, the Court will generally require mediation as to amount. If mediation is unsuccessful, the Movant may schedule a hearing.
Rehearing, Reconsideration, or New Trial
Motions for Rehearing, Reconsideration, or New Trial should be submitted directly to the Judge’s office. The judge will first review the motion to determine if hearing is necessary.
Withdrawing/Substituting as Attorney
The certificate of service for a Notice of Hearing on a Motion to Withdraw as Attorney must show service on the client. Please use the appropriate downloadable Order Granting Substitution/Withdrawal of Attorney or track in the title and body of a proposed order the language directing the Clerk to deactivate/update the attorney in the Case Management System. Without this language, the Clerk’s system may continue to reflect the withdrawn attorney as attorney of record. No hearing is needed if the client consents in writing to the withdraw/substitution. These matters may be set with the Magistrate.
Case Management Conference (CMC)
Other than the initial CMC, the Court generally may conduct CMCs: (1) to select a trial date; and (2) actively manage a case as needed. CMCs are mandatory unless excused by the Court in advance. Any party may request a CMC.
Uniform Motion Calendar (UMC)
UMC hearings for Civil and Foreclosure are generally held on Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m. via Zoom. UMC dates and the assigned judge are on the Civil Division page. You must file your notice with the Zoom credentials. UMC motions must be unopposed, non-evidentiary and five (5) minutes or less in length. Do not schedule UMC hearings through JACs. Once you file the notice of hearing for the UMC, please email a copy to the Judicial Assistant. If you do not comply with these requirements, your case may not be heard at UMC. Motions to Continue a Trial will not be heard on a UMC Docket.
Motions for Temporary Injunction
Do not set a hearing. All motions for temporary injunctions must be emailed to the Judicial Assistant upon filing. The Court may set a status conference to determine the date and length of hearing time needed.
Motions for Temporary Injunction
Do not set a hearing. All motions for temporary injunctions must be emailed to the Judicial Assistant upon filing. The Court may set a status conference to determine the date and length of hearing time needed.
Foreclosure Matters
Residential foreclosure cases must be set on the foreclosure docket and not the civil motion docket. Incorrectly set foreclosure matters will be cancelled. Visit the Foreclosure Information page for specific county-by-county information
Foreclosure UMC
Foreclosure UMC motions must be unopposed, non-evidentiary and five (5) minutes or less. Please include the Judicial Assistant in the certificate of service for the notice of hearing. Matters outside of these parameters will not be heard. Please visit the Foreclosure Information page.
Commercial and Real Property Foreclosures
Commercial and real property foreclosures (everything except residential foreclosures) must be set before the assigned judge.
Lack of Prosecution Hearings
Pursuant to Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.420(2) (e), when there has been no activity for ten (10) months and no stay entered, a case may set on a “Lack of Prosecution Docket.” The Motion and Notice of hearing will be sent to parties at the last known address in the court file. The Court will dismiss cases with no record activity within 60 days of the Notice or if good cause has not been shown in writing at least five (5) working days before the hearing. Parties may be excused from attending by submitting a stipulated Trial Order at least three (3) business days prior to the hearing.
C. Communications with the Court
Ex parte communication with the Court is strictly prohibited. Emails to the Court must include all parties. This rule applies regardless of if a party is represented by an attorney.
Please do not copy the Judicial Assistant on extraneous correspondence between counsels/parties. The Judicial Assistant cannot give legal advice.
The Court will not consider emails as motions. Parties shall file their pleadings with the clerk and not impose upon the Judicial Assistant to file for them.
Settlements
Parties shall immediately notify the Court in writing if a case settles. Please submit a proposed Order of Dismissal/Final Judgment, file a Voluntary Dismissal, or take whatever action necessary to close the case.
D. Submission of Orders
Effective May 2, 2022, unless good cause is shown, proposed orders must be submitted electronically through the statewide Portal when feasible. See AO: 2022-1.2. Refer to the Sarasota Clerk's website for information on how to use the Florida Courts e-Filing Portal.
Proposed order must be submitted through the portal in Word (.docx) format or they will be rejected. Ancillary documents related to the proposed order may be attached to the cover letter in PDF/A format. Combined motion/proposed orders in the same document are not permitted. Parties shall only submit a proposed order when all parties agree to the form. If an order is submitted via the portal, emailed courtesy copies are not needed.
E. Courtesy Copies
Please submit all case law and supporting documents to the Judicial Assistant at least 3 business days prior to the hearing.
F. Emergency & Other Urgent Matters
True emergencies are rare. Requests for emergency hearing time must explain the emergency, the anticipated time needed, and the good faith efforts to resolve the matter without Court intervention. It is the responsibility of the requesting party to bring matters to the Court’s attention.
G. Exhibits for Evidentiary Proceedings
It is the parties’ responsibility to have their exhibits properly marked and in the courtroom for presentation to the clerk at the time of the hearing/trial. Plaintiffs typically mark their exhibits with numbers and Defendants use letters.
For remote proceedings, parties must submit their marked exhibits three business days in advance and confirm receipt with the Court. Parties should provide Zoom witnesses with copies of the exhibits prior to the hearing and have electronic copies available for screen sharing during remote proceedings.
Due to security restrictions, the Court is prohibited from accessing Dropbox or links to retrieve exhibits.
H. Pretrial Procedures & Conferences
Compelling Discovery
The Circuit’s Standards of Professionalism discuss motions to compel discovery. Administrative Order 2010-22.2 § E(1)(d), provides: “Motions to compel discovery shall quote in full each interrogatory, question on deposition, request for admission, or request for production to which the motion is addressed and the objection and grounds given by the opposing parties.”
Failure to Respond to Discovery
If after good faith efforts, a party has not responded to an overdue discovery request, the requesting party may submit a proposed Order through the Portal that states within 10 days the specific discovery shall occur with a response filed, all objections are waived as untimely except those based on privacy, legal privilege, or work-product protections, and warns of sanctions for failure to abide.
Pretrial Conferences
Parties may be excused from the mandatory Pretrial Conference date by submitting a completed, joint Pretrial Conference Order to the Court at least three (3) business days in advance. You may attend Pretrial Conference in person or via Zoom.
Docket Sounding
All trial counsel and unrepresented parties must appear at Docket Sounding. The parties may appear in person or via Zoom for Docket Sounding.
Daubert/Frye and Motions in Limine
Trial motions, including Daubert/Frye and in Limine motions, must be resolved prior to Docket Sounding.
I. Setting Case for Trial
Case Management Orders
Please review AO 2025-1.1, which explains the required use of the uniform Case Management Order setting all civil cases for a future trial date within the specified case management track within 120 days of the action commencing. Trial Calendar and UMC dates can be found on the Civil Divisions page.
Technology Services
Technology service requests must be timely made prior to trial. Please review the technology services page for more information. It is the Attorney’s responsibility to obtain all equipment needed for trial.
Continuances
Requests to continue trial must be in writing and signed by the client/party. See Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.460 and Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.545(e). A hearing is required and should not be set on the UMC calendar. Parties may not continue a case by filing a new Case Management report.
Backup Judges
Civil Division C judge backs up Division A during the trial periods. Please notify the Court by Docket Sounding if there is a recusal issue with Division C.
J. Preferred Division Forms
The Court utilizes standard forms and orders available at Civil Division page. Please frequently check this cite for updated forms and orders.
K. Other Division Procedures
Interpreters
The Twelfth Judicial Circuit provides language interpreters in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, section 90.606, Florida Statutes, and Rule 2.560, Florida Rules of Judicial Administration. If you require language assistance, please submit a request as soon as possible by using the Interpreter Request Form or call (941) 749‐3659. The Court may not be able to accommodate requests made less than 5 business days prior to the scheduled event.
Reassignment of Trust Litigation
With the consent of the Chief Judge, pre-trial and adversary proceedings in Trust Litigation or matters originating in or substantially related to Probate and Guardianship that require a trial, shall be reassigned to the presiding Probate/Guardianship Division Judge, except for matters required to be heard by the Civil Magistrate.