• Post-judgment Domestic Relations
• Mental Health
• Dependency
When requesting a hearing date, please email the Magistrate’s Assistant at watsonr@circuit19.org. All matters must have an order of referral to the magistrate from the judge.
Your email will need to have the following information: your name; the name of the party you are representing; the county in which your motion/petition has been filed, your case number; the title of the motion or supplemental petition you are trying to schedule, as well as the date on which it was filed; an estimate of the time required for the hearing and dates of unavailability. YOU MUST COPY ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO THE OTHER PARTY OR THEIR ATTORNEY IF THEY HAVE ONE.
MOTION HEARINGS/NOTICES FOR HEARING: You must file your motion before setting it for hearing. Hearing dates and times must be cleared with opposing counsel, noting same on your Notice of Hearing. Submit a copy of your motion and notice of hearing to the Magistrate’s Assistant via email. Notices of Hearings and Ex-Parte Motions MUST contain a GOOD FAITH CERTIFICATION (see Good Faith Certificate)
If your motion or supplemental petition does not already have a referral, you may obtain one by requesting an order of referral from the Magistrate’s Assistant by email at watsonr@circuit19.org.
The Magistrate’s Assistant will provide you and the other party with three (3) available dates and times. You must contact the opposing party/attorney and mutually select one of the available dates and times within 48 hours. You should advise the Magistrate’s Assistant of your selection and forward her a Notice of Hearing.
GOOD FAITH CERTIFICATE: All motions must contain a certificate of Good Faith that you have contacted the opposing party and coordinated the hearing date, time and amount of time necessary for the hearing. If after several attempts to coordinate a hearing date and time, but are unable to, you may unilaterally schedule the hearing date and time setting forth in your good faith certificate the attempts that were made to coordinate the hearing date and time.
To provide a proposed order: All proposed orders must be in Word format and submitted to watsonr@circuit19.org with copies to the opposing parties.
Notices for Trial: Submit your notice for trial in pdf or WORD format via email to watsonr@circuit19.org. Your notice for trial must contain a Good Faith estimate of the time required for trial (coordinate with the opposing party). After receipt of the notice for trial, you will receive an email from the Magistrates Assistant to schedule a Pretrial/Case Management Conference.
If you are self-represented and wish to inquire about your case status or are looking to schedule a hearing, you may complete a Form A or B (as applicable) at www.circuit19.org, under Family Court Information and Resources. If you have a working/viable email address that you wish to use for e-service, please fill out a form and file it with the Clerk of Court. You will then be served with copies via your e-service address.
Family law forms may be obtained from the Clerk of Courts (subject to any fee they may charge) or they are available for free at the Florida State Court website at www.flcourts.org. Any forms downloaded from the Florida State Court website have instructions for the use of the form, including information regarding service of the form on the other party and any additional forms that may be required to be filed with the particular form you have selected.
The Magistrate is not permitted to speak with parties outside of courtroom proceedings at a properly noticed proceeding or read letters, emails, or other forms of communication. This type of communication is called ex parte communication and is prohibited by the ethical rules governing judicial behavior.
The Magistrate is not permitted to hear any matters that have not been properly raised by any motion or petition pending before the court and that have not been properly noticed for hearing.
All motions or other papers filed in the case must be provided to the other party or their attorney at the time of filing and proof of service and/or a properly completed certificate of service as is included on the Florida Supreme Court Family Law Forms as applicable must be completed verifying service of a copy of the item being filed to the other party, the date served, how served (U.S. Mail, e-mail, etc.) and the address where the item was sent/served. If service is required by process server or Sheriff’s Deputy, the affidavit of service must be filed with the Clerk of Courts. Failure to properly certify service as required may result in the dismissal of your motion.