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In the Circuit Court of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit
in and for DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties, Florida

Administrative Order No: 2024–21.2

(Amends and supersedes 2018–20.2)

In Re:

Administrative Plan

Rule 2.215, Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration, requires that the Chief Judge develop an administrative plan for the efficient and effective administration of the courts and judicial resources within the circuit.

This administrative plan provides for the general operational policies of the court including the assignment of judges to divisions, the prompt disposition of cases, control of the dockets, mandatory periodic review of the status of the inmates of the county jail, and regulation of the use of court facilities, including courtrooms and hearing rooms, and other administrative matters as detailed below.

This court entered Administrative Order 2018-20.2, the most recent Administrative Plan, but it is necessary to update the Administrative Plan to reflect current circumstances.

Therefore, pursuant to the power vested in the chief judge under Article V, section 2(d), Florida Constitution, and Rule 2.215, Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration, it is ordered:

  1. Description of the Circuit

    The Twelfth Judicial Circuit is composed of three counties: DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota. Sarasota County is divided into North County and South County for administrative purposes, with all South County court functions occurring at the South County Courthouse in Venice.

    There are thirty-two judges in the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, twenty-two circuit judges and ten county court judges. DeSoto County has one county court judge; Manatee County has four county court judges, and Sarasota County has five county court judges; two assigned to South County and three to North County.

  2. Equitable Delivery of Circuit Court Services

    The Twelfth Judicial Circuit is comprised of three diverse and distinctively unique counties with different needs and political environments. The Court is committed to the equitable delivery of circuit court services and programs to all citizens in each county of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit.

    The Court is committed to providing sufficient circuit judges for DeSoto County and Sarasota’s South County with one circuit judge permanently assigned to each location. Additionally, Sarasota’s North County has nine circuit court judges and Manatee County has eleven circuit court judges.

  3. Divisions and Assignments

    The circuit court is divided into the Criminal, Unified Family Court, Civil, and Probate and Guardianship divisions. Various subdivisions and specialty courts are grouped under these general headings and assignments are made as needed pursuant to Administrative Order. The county courts are divided into Criminal and Civil divisions.

  4. Rotation of Judge Assignments

    Judges are generalists and their assignments are rotated. Generally, the division assignments are for two to three years and are staggered. The length of the assignment and the division of Court may vary depending upon special circumstances of the Court and the specific needs of a judge.

  5. New Judges

    Judges who are new to the circuit court bench are generally given a circuit court assignment in Manatee County or Sarasota’s North County to provide the judge with mentoring and support from his or her colleagues. New county court judges are also mentored and supported by their colleagues.

  6. Circuit Appeals

    All circuit appeals and extraordinary writs are assigned to individual circuit court judges. A staff attorney is available to assist circuit court judges with appellate issues.

  7. Judges’ Meetings

    Judges’ meetings are held at least once a year, more often if needed, and include all circuit and county court judges. In addition, the chief judge holds bi-monthly meetings with the acting-chief judge and other administrative judges to keep them apprised of on-going matters.

  8. Administrative Judges

    Administrative Judges are assigned by Administrative Order and are responsible for the organization and delivery of court services on behalf of the Chief Judge. In this capacity, the Administrative Judges are responsible for the oversight and case management of their divisions. Administrative Judges meet with the Chief Judge as needed. The Chief Judge and Senior Administrative Judges meet monthly to address circuit-wide issues to promote uniformity.

    There are Administrative Judges for the following divisions:

    1. Civil Division
    2. Unified Family Court
    3. Family Division
    4. Hague Convention Cases
    5. Criminal Division
    6. Problem Solving Court Division
    7. Probate/Guardianship Division
    8. DeSoto County Court
    9. Manatee County Court
    10. Sarasota County Court

    There are also Administrative Judges assigned to each court location – DeSoto County, Manatee County, Sarasota County (North County) and Sarasota County (South County). These judges are responsible for handling judicial issues that are not related to the judges’ assigned divisions.

  9. County Court Judges Acting as Temporary Circuit Judges

    County court judges are temporarily appointed as Acting Circuit Judges and may be asked to cover circuit cases throughout the three counties as back-up trial judges as needed.

  10. Senior Judges

    The use of senior judges is a resource that must be approved by the Chief Judge or Trial Court Administrator to cover assignments as needed. A senior judge coordinator is designated and secures coverage as needed.

  11. General Magistrates/ Hearing Officers

    General magistrates and hearing officers support the family, juvenile dependency, circuit civil, mental health, and county civil traffic divisions. General magistrates and hearing officers are managed by the Trial Court Administrator with judicial oversight by the Chief Judge and presiding division judges.

  12. Staff Attorneys

    Staff attorneys support the workload of all the circuit’s judges. Staff attorneys are supervised by General Counsel who reports to the Trial Court Administrator with judicial oversight by the Chief Judge. Staff attorneys are assigned to assist judges with cases in all divisions, with emphasis on felony capital cases and post-conviction motions.

  13. First Appearances and Duty Judge Assignment

    First appearance hearings are held during normal business hours every day in DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties. First appearances are assigned to judges by rotation. The judge assigned to first appearance coverage in that county is also the duty judge.

    All weekends and holiday first appearances are also assigned to judges by rotation. On weekends and holidays the duty judge also presides over detention and shelter hearings and reviews emergency cases, including injunctions for protection.

    The duty judge is not responsible for search warrants, arrest warrants or risk protection orders. Law enforcement uses an internet-based system called eWarrants to submit these to the court and the judges assigned to the criminal and probate/guardianship divisions can review the submissions online, 24 hours per day, seven days per week.[1] Additionally, all three counties have processes in place for judges to review domestic violence injunction petitions 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

  14. Specialty Courts

    The court is committed to the support of its specialty courts. The Twelfth Judicial Circuit has the following specialty courts:

    1. Community Care Court – Sarasota County
    2. Comprehensive Case Management Court – DeSoto County
    3. Comprehensive Treatment Courts –Manatee and Sarasota Counties
    4. Drug Court – Manatee and Sarasota Counties
    5. DUI Court – Sarasota County
    6. Early Childhood Courts – Manatee and Sarasota Counties
    7. Mental Health Courts – Manatee and Sarasota Counties
    8. Options Court – Sarasota County
    9. Truancy Courts – Manatee and Sarasota Counties
    10. Turn Your Life Around (TYLA) Courts – Manatee and Sarasota Counties
    11. Veterans Treatment Courts - Manatee and Sarasota Counties

  15. Unified Family Court

    The Twelfth Judicial Circuit has implemented a Unified Family Court.[2] The goal is to provide one judge for parties with specific overlapping family and dependency cases within the same county, and to have juvenile delinquency and dependency cases heard by the same judge.

  16. Case Management

    It is the responsibility of every judge to ensure that cases assigned to them are resolved timely and that effective case management principles are utilized. The Chief Judge and Trial Court Administrator are committed to providing the technology, case management, and other necessary resources to assist in accomplishing this requirement.

  17. Periodic Review of Status of Inmates in Custody

    In cooperation with the sheriffs, the Chief Judge or the Chief Judge’s designee regularly receives reports regarding the status of inmates in the county jails in the Twelfth Judicial Circuit.

  18. Chief Judge, Court Administrator, Clerks of Court, Sheriffs

    The court maintains positive working relationships with its local sheriffs and clerks of court, and most issues brought to the court’s attention are usually resolved with an email, a phone call or an impromptu meeting. There are six committees or councils with regularly scheduled meetings:

    1. Circuit Security Committee Meetings – meet yearly with representatives from each sheriff’s office.
    2. County Security Committee Meetings – meet two or three times per year with representatives from each sheriff’s office and clerk of court office and other stakeholders to discuss local security issues.
    3. Public Safety Coordinating Councils – Manatee County meets bimonthly; DeSoto County meets quarterly.
    4. Criminal Justice Commission - meets quarterly in Sarasota County.
    5. Family Safety Alliance – this is a circuit workgroup that meets quarterly to address family safety issues.
    6. Probation Advisory Board – meets quarterly in Sarasota County.
    7. Juvenile Justice Circuit Advisory Board – meets quarterly in Manatee County.

  19. Trial Court Administrator

    The Trial Court Administrator works closely with the Chief Judge to oversee all administrative responsibilities of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit. It is the Trial Court Administrator’s role to facilitate administrative functions within the circuit and to develop and carry out policies that enhance court system performance. The Trial Court Administrator reviews pertinent case management reports and statistics to ensure timely disposition of cases and oversees the following departments within the Court:

    1. General Magistrates and Hearing Officers
    2. Administrative Services (including Finance and Accounting, Purchasing and Budgeting)
    3. Human Resources
    4. Case Management
    5. Court Interpreting
    6. Problem Solving Court Programs
    7. General Counsel and Staff Attorneys
    8. Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation
    9. Court Reporting
    10. Court Technology
    11. Public Information Officer

    The Trial Court Administrator also serves as liaison with city, county, and state agencies and the general public.

  20. Court Facilities

    The Chief Judge, together with the Trial Court Administrator, ensures space for safe and efficient Court operations, including the regulation and use of courtrooms, hearing rooms, and other court offices, by an Administrative Order.[3] It is the policy of the Circuit to ensure that courthouse facilities are utilized in adherence with the Code of Judicial Conduct to include a general prohibition on political and commercial activity.

  21. Security

    The Court is committed to keeping the public, attorneys, litigants, staff, jurors, and judges safe and secure in all courthouses. In coordination with each county commission, sheriff’s department, and other appropriate stakeholders, the Chief Judge established procedures and practices for court security throughout the circuit in an Administrative Order. The Court also has an active Circuit Security Committee and regular subcommittee meetings in each county.

  22. Administrative Orders

    In furtherance of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit’s Administrative Plan, all referenced Administrative Orders are herein incorporated into this plan. Full copies of all Administrative Orders and any future amendments can be found on the Circuit’s website: www.jud12.flcourts.org.

  23. Effective Date

    Administrative Order 2018-20.2 is rescinded, and this order is effective immediately.

Done and ordered in Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida this 18 day of August 2024.

Diana L. Moreland, Chief Judge
12th Judicial Circuit Court

  1. See Administrative Orders 2015-10A.3 (Search and Arrest Warrants) and 2023-13.5 (Amended Procedures for Risk Protection Orders).
  2. See Administrative Order 2013-09.12 (Unified Family Court).
  3. See Administrative Order 2022-10.2

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