ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS MEMO …

1 ADMINISTRATIVEOFFICEOFTHECOURTSINTER-OFF ICEMEMO2007-55 , ,TrialCourtAdministratorDATE:November20, 2007RE:AmendedAdministrativeOrder#2007-1 3,UnifiedFamilyCourtThisOrderSupercedesa ndReplacesAdministrativeOrder05-11byamen dingParagraphsVI(D)(6)and1(1)toCorrectSc rivener'sErrorin ParagraphIV(A)(1) youhaveanyquestionsregardingtheabove, :AllJudgesin theNineteenthJudicialCircuitAllMagistrat esandHearingOfficersin theNineteenthJudicialCircuitMyraZilahy,S eniorStaffAttorneyin theNineteenthJudicialCircuitHonorableBru ceColton,StateAttorney'sOfficeHonorableD iamondLitty,PublicDefender'sOfficeAllCou ntyAttorneysin ] ,FL34986.(772) (772)807-4377 INTHECIRCUITCOURTOFTHENINETEENTHJUDICIAL CIRCUITINANDFORINDIANRIVER,MARTIN, ,FLORIDAAMENDEDADMINISTRATIVEORDER07-13 ThisOrderSupercedesandReplacesAdministra tiveOrder05-11bvamendingParagraphsVI(D)( 6)and1(1)ToCorrectScrivner'sErrorinParaq raphIV(A)(1)RE:UnifiedFamilyCourt(UFC)WH EREAS,themissionoftheUFCoftheNineteenthJ udicialCircuitisacommitmenttodevelopinga fullyintegrated,comprehensiveapproachtoh andlingallcasesinvolvingchildrenandfamil iesin a promptandefficientmanner;WHEREAS,theFlor idaSupremeCourthasadoptedthefollowinggui dingprinciplesasa foundationfordefiningandimplementinga modelfamilycourt:Childrenshouldlivein safeandpermanenthomes.

2 Theneedsandbestinterestsofchildrenshould betheprimaryconsiderationofanyfamilycour t;Allpersons,whetherchildrenoradults,sho uldbetreatedwithobjectivity,sensitivity, dignityandrespect;Casesinvolvinginterrel atedfamilylawissuesshouldbeconsolidatedo rcoordinatedtomaximizeuseofcourtresource stoavoidconflictingdecisionsandtominimiz einconveniencetothefamilies;Familycourtp rocessesshouldattempttoaddressthefamily' sinterrelatedlegalandnonlegalproblems,em powerfamiliesthroughskillsdevelopment,as sistthemtoresolvetheirowndisputes,provid eaccesstoappropriateservices,andoffera varietyofdisputeresolutionforumswherefam iliescanresolveproblemswithoutadditional emotionaltrauma;Wheneverpossible,parties andtheirattorneysshouldbeempoweredtosele ctprocessesforaddressingissuesintheircas esthatarecompatiblewiththefamily'sneeds, financialcircumstances,andlegalrequireme nts;TheCourtis responsibleformanagingcaseswithdueconsid erationof theneedsofthefamily,thelitigants,andthei ssuespresentedbythecase;Page1 of14 Thereshouldbeameansofdifferentiatingamon gcasessothatjudicialresourcesareconserve dandcasesaredivertedtonon-judicialandqua si-judicialpersonnelforresolution,whenap propriateandconsistentwiththeendsof justice;Trialcourtsmustcoordinateandmaxi mizecourtresourcesandestablishlinkageswi thcommunityresources.

3 Thecourt'sroleinfamilyrestructuringis toidentifyservicesandcraftsolutionsthata reappropriateforlong-termstabilityandtha tminimizetheneedforsubsequentcourtaction ;Courtservicesshouldbeavailabletolitigan tsatareasonablecostandaccessiblewithoute conomicdiscrimination; ,THEREFORE,pursuanttotheauthorityvestedi nmeastheChiefJudgeoftheNineteenthJudicia lCircuit,inordertomeettherequirementsoft heFloridaSupremeCourt,articulatedinInreR eportof theFamilyCourtSteerinqCommittee, ( ),andtobetterservetheneedsofthecitizenso ftheStateofFlorida,it is , ;Annulment;Supportunconnectedwithdissolu tionofmarriage;Paternity;Childsupport;UR ESA/UIFSA;Custodialcareofandaccesstochil dren;Adoption;Namechangeofadultsandminor s;Declaratoryjudgmentactionsrelatedtopre marital,marital,orpost-maritalagreements ;Civildomesticandrepeat,datingandsexualv iolenceinjunctions;Juveniledependency;Te rminationofparentalrights;Juveniledelinq uency;Emancipationofa minor;CINS/FINS;Page2 ;Modificationandenforcementofordersenter edintheseabove-listedcases.

4 , rescinded,effectiveNovember1, provisionofanyprioradministrativeorderof thiscircuitisinconflictwitha provisionofthisorder,theprovisionsof ,theFamilyDivisionshallreceivecasemanage mentservicesandsupportservicestoenableth efamilycourtjudgestoassess,differentiate ,andmonitorresourcesneededforhandlingcas es,tobeabletoidentifyallcollateralcasesa ffectingthepartiesinvolved, ,includingassignmentofcasestocourtdivisi onsordockets; ,trackingandcoordination; ,coordination,monitoring, sectionVI(K)of ,aswellasthejudgesandtheClerksofCourtthr oughoutthecircuittoidentifycasesinvolvin gdomesticviolence,repeatviolenceandcompa nioncases,andcontinuetodeveloptechniques toensurethatsaidcasesaremanagedin a thecourtdeterminesthatmediationis notappropriateasa resultofdomesticviolence,oranyotherreaso n,asdeterminedbythecourt, ,whereappropriate,theservicesoftheGuardi anadLitemProgramtoensurerepresentationof thebestinterestsofchildreninvolvedin caseswithallegationsofabuse, is determinedthatreferralofa casetoa magistrate/hearingofficeris currentlistofsupervisedvisitationcenters andhavesaidlistavailablein theClerk'soffice,aspartof (4)

5 ,FloridaStatutes,allpartiestoa dissolutionofmarriageproceedingwithminor childrenora paternityactionthatinvolvesissuesofparen talresponsibilityshallberequiredtoPage4 of14completetheParentEducationandFamilyS tabilizationCoursepriortotheentrybytheco urtofa ,orfromcompletingthecoursewithintherequi redtime, modificationofa finaljudgmentinvolvingsharedparentalresp onsibilities,custodyorvisitationmaybereq uiredtocompletea (5),FloridaStatutes, ,unlessexcusedbythecourtpursuanttosubsec tion(4)ofFloridaStatutes ,thepetitionermustcompletethecoursewithi nforty-five(45)daysafterfilingofthepetit ion,andallotherpartiesmustcompletethecou rsewithinforty-five(45) ,unlessexcusedbythecourtpursuanttosubsec tion(4)ofFloridaStatutes ,thepetitionermustcompletethecoursewithi nforty-five(45)daysafterfilingthepetitio n,andanyotherpartymustcompletethecoursew ithinforty-five(45)

6 Daysafteranacknowledgmentofpaternitybyth atparty,anadjudicationofpaternityofthatp arty, currentlistofprovidersapprovedbytheDepar tmentofChildrenandFamiliesandhavesaidlis tavailableintheClerk'soffice, ,theClerkofCourtshallattacha copyofthisCourt' ,orpaternityactionsinvolvingissuesofpare ntalresponsibility,shallenrollminorchild renofthepartiesinanyschoolprogramdesigne dtoassistchildrenwithPage5 of14issuesinvolvedin separatedfamilies,if saidprogramis availableattheschoolin ,substanceabuse,anddomesticviolenceservi ceproviders, ,andanyotherfamilyhearingwithspecialsafe tyconcerns,shallbeheldinthecourtroom, ,toprintformsandnoticesasquicklyaspossib le,togeneratestatisticalreports,toprovid epublicaccessandinter-agencyaccesstoreco rdsandtoallowteleconferencingand/ortheap pearanceof witnessesbyelectronicmeans, ,avoidinconsistentcourtorders,andelimina temultipleappearancesonthesameissues,the followingpoliciesandprocedureswillbefoll owed, familycaseshallfilea (d),FloridaRulesof ,ortheirchildren,in whichoneormorejudgeshasbeenassigned,unle ssotherwisemutuallyagreedPage6 of14uponbythepresidingjudges,dependency.

7 If thereis anopendependencycaseatanytimeduringthepe ndencyofa dissolutionofmarriageorotherrelatedfamil ylawmatter,thepresidingfamilyjudgeshalld eferallmattersinvolvingcustody, , thedependencycaseis closedwithoutanyadjudicationofdependency ,thecaseshallbereturnedtothefamilycourtj udgewhoheardtheothermattersin thereis anadjudicationof dependencyastoeitheroftheparents,thenthe caseshallremainwiththedependencyjudgewho shallthendetermineprimaryresidence,times haring,andchildsupportandentera FinalJudgmentontheseissuesin :If thereisanactivedependencycaseanda domesticviolenceorrepeatviolencecaseis subsequentlyfiled,allmatters,otherthanen tryoftheex-parteorder, :If thereis anactivefamilycaseanda domesticviolenceorrepeatviolencecasesubs equentlyarisesinvolvingthesamepartiesand /orchildren,thedomesticviolenceorrepeatv iolencemattershallbeassignedtothejudgepr esidingoverthefamilymatter,forallproceed ingsafterentryoftheex- thepresidingjudges,othertypesofcompanion caseslistedin sectionI (A-S) is unnecessaryorimpracticaltoassignallofthe casestothesamejudge,thejudgeswillexchang einformationsothateachjudgeinvolvedwitht hefamilyis theNineteenthJudicialCircuitshallestabli sha FamilyLawAdvisoryGroup(FLAG).

8 ,otherthanSimplifiedPetition,theClerkofC ourtshallattacha copyof theCourt'sStandinqTemporaryDomesticRelat ionsOrder(Attachment& ,encumbrances,transfersordamageofassetsC oncealmentordestructionof familyrecordsInsurancepoliciesAdditional debtApplicationof theStandingOrderThetermof theStandingOrder,whichshallbesixty(60) a "familycase" ,RulesofJudicialAdministration,shallfile a NoticeofRelatedCasesandcomplywiththerequ irementsofthisRulein In alloriginalactionsinvolvingissuesofparen talresponsibilityofminorchildren,exceptf orTitleIV-DandChapter751 Page8 ,theClerkshallattacha copyof thisCourtsGuidelinesforParenting(Attachm entB)to whichtheprimaryresidenceofminorchildreni s anissueata temporaryreliefhearing, eitherpartytakesanyactiontohindertheprom ptmediationof ,withgoodcauseshown, waivemediationshallbesignedbythelitigant requestingthewaiveraswellasthelitigant's attorney, copyof theemergencymotionmustbeprovidedtothejud ge/magistrate' determinedtobeanemergencythejudge/magist rate'sofficewillnotifythemovingpartyof copyofthestipulatedmotion,originalorderw ithsufficientcopiesforallparties,pre-add ressedstampedenvelopesforallattorneysorp roseparties,anda thecourthousefifteen(15))

9 , ,themotionmustincludea certificationthatthemovant,in goodfaith,hasconferredorattemptedtoconfe rwiththepersonorpartyPage9 TitleIV-Dactions,allnoticesofhearingmust includeacertificatesignedbytheattorneyor proselitigantthattheyhavemadea goodfaithattempttoresolvethematterwithou tthenecessityofa , ,anypartywhoseekstoschedulea trialorhearingonanycontestedissue,othert hancontempt,enforcement,injunctionsagain stdomesticorrepeatviolence,orTitleIV-Dac tions,whichwilltakemorethanone(1)hour,sh allfirstparticipatein ,FloridaRulesofFamilyProcedureandFlorida RulesofMediation,aswellastherequirements listedin NineteenthCircuitadministrativeorderrega rdingmediationof eitherpartyfailstoappearat themediationsession,orif aftermediatingin goodfaith,anagreementcannotbereached,the mediatorshallfiletheoriginalmediationrep ortwiththeClerkofCourt,withcopiestotheju dge/magistrate,andallparties,ortheircoun selofrecord,withinfive(5) anagreementis reached,themediatorshallsubmita StipulatedOrderApprovingMediationAgreeme ntora whichchildsupportis atissuemustincludea ,withgoodcauseshown, ,or jointmotion,shallbesignedbythelitigant(s )

10 Requestingthewaiverandtheirattorney,if ,byagreementof theparties,whichhastakenplacewithinthree (3)monthspriortothefilingof theoriginalactionormodification,willsati sfytherequirementsofthissection,if themediatorcertifiedthatthemediationresu ltedin (UMC) UMCshallbeprovidedbyeachFamilyLawDivisio njudge(exceptJudgesin J)