DV/TD Divisional Instructions

Please Take Notice

Please refer to the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Website for the latest updates and Administrative Orders regarding COVID-19.

Based on the volume of cases and individuals present in the Courtroom, zoom hearings are disfavored. Please expect your hearing to be in person, unless good cause exists to have a hearing via Zoom.

In emergency situations, such as exposure and/or illness from Covid-19, please notify the Court as soon as possible. You can do this by emailing the Court's Judicial Assistant, CAD-divisionDVTD@pbcgov.org.

Morning / Afternoon Court

8:30 AM: At this time, the Court will hear Plea Conferences, Status Checks, and Case Dispositions. In-Custody Defendants will not be transported for Status Checks and Case Dispositions, unless the Court is advised that the case will be resolving. In such cases, please submit the appropriate transport orders to the Court and also email IMDCourtOrders@pbso.org.
10:00 AM: Bond Motions for defendants (not on the Medical Isolation List), Motions to Modify Conditions of Pretrial Release, Motions to Modify No Contact Orders with Adult Victims and/or Adult Witnesses, and all other short motions (unless another time is approved by the Judicial Assistant).
Motions to Modify No Contact with Minor Children, which require a DCF recommendation, are ONLY heard on Thursdays at 1:30 PM pursuant to the instructions below.
If an attorney is waiving a client's presence for any hearing, a written waiver, in compliance with the rules, must be filed with the clerk.

Motion Hearings

All motions must be filed with the Clerk of Court PRIOR to seeking hearing time from the Court.
Parties SHALL schedule ALL motion hearings by contacting the Judicial Assistant to the Judge, at CAD-divisionDVTD@pbcgov.org.
The Moving party SHALL properly file the Notice of Hearing.
In keeping with professional courtesy, any party scheduling a hearing shall make reasonable efforts to contact the opposing party/counsel for availability or scheduling conflicts. The Court does not need to and should not be included on these emails between the parties regarding scheduling. Please submit a courtesy copy of the Motion as a "PDF" to the court by email.
All parties shall abide by Local Rule 4 to try to resolve the matter and certify the good faith attempt to resolve on the Notice of Hearing.
All case law and written responses upon which the parties intend to rely for their scheduled hearings must be filed and/or provided to the Court, as well as opposing counsel, at least two (2) business days in advance of the hearing by hand or via email to CAD-divisionDVTD@pbcgov.org.
If an attorney is waiving a client's presence for any hearing, a written waiver, in compliance with the rules, must be filed with the clerk.

Motions to Modify No Contact Orders Involving Minor Children

Parties SHALL schedule ALL motions to modify no contact involving minor children, by contacting the Judicial Assistant to the Judge, at CAD-divisionDVTD@pbcgov.org. Hearings regarding motions to modify no contact with the minor child/children are ONLY heard on Thursdays at 1:30 PM.
A DCF recommendation is required.
To request a DCF recommendation please email Neela.Dass@myflfamilies.com and send a courtesy copy to her supervisor, Lindsey Guzman at lindsey.guzman@myflfamilies.com. The request for a DCF recommendation should include the DVTD Case #, the full names and date of births for the Defendant, the victim, and all minor children. This is to ensure accuracy in locating the family on the DCF DATA base. Hearings will only be set once the parties have requested the recommendation.
The Party setting the hearing is responsible for providing a notice of hearing to Ms. Dass to ensure her attendance at the hearing. The hearing will not proceed without a DCF recommendation. If they are set prior to the Court receiving the DCF recommendation and without notice to DCF, the hearing will be struck from the calendar.

DVTD Calendar Call & Jury Trial Dates

Calendar Calls are held on the first and third Friday of every month with a trial period encompassing the next following two weeks. If a trial is not reached by the end of the docket, the Calendar Call will be rescheduled.

If court is suspended on a day where Calendar Call would normally fall, the Calendar Call will be heard on the Thursday prior.

All cases will be set on the first Tuesday of the trial period. Trials are held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8:30 AM.
The priority order for trying cases is:
1. speedy trial not waived, defendant in custody;
2. speedy trial not waived, defendant not in custody;
3. oldest case, defendant in custody;
4. oldest case, defendant not in custody.

All discovery, including reciprocal discovery, shall be completed 7 days prior to Calendar Call.
If the parties plan to resolve the case by plea negotiation, the parties may contact the Court to convert the Calendar Call to an in-person plea conference. Absent good cause as determined by the Court, a negotiated plea will not be accepted after the Calendar Call.
All pretrial motions must be in writing. Generic motions (including motions which fail to include a factual recitation or which simply provide "facts to be presented or argued at hearing") are not permitted.
As per the Court’s Divisional Instructions, all evidentiary motions and motions in limine requiring more than 5 minutes per side must be filed and brought to the Court's attention at least 7 days prior Calendar Call. Motions should be set to be heard no less than 3 days prior to the beginning of the trial period.
The parties are charged with good faith cooperation to prepare and provide to the Court the day prior to jury selection:
1. A set or sets of proposed jury instructions including any special instructions in WORD format
2. Any stipulations regarding facts and evidence
3. All exhibits shall be pre-marked

Injunction Hearings

Please Note: The injunction docket can be 15 hearings or more. If you believe your final hearing will take more than 20 minutes, please contact Eric Thompson to special set a time to have the hearing heard. Injunction hearings are heard on Mondays at 2 PM in Courtroom 2C. Please Contact Eric Thompson at ejthomps@pbcgov.org for questions and/or information regarding Injunction hearings. This includes questions regarding requesting a continuance or specially setting a hearing regarding a continuance.

Phone Calls/Emails

Pro Se litigants that have access to email are encouraged to fill out and file with the Clerk an email designation form. This will allow the Court to submit orders to the parties via email instead of sending in the U.S. Postal Service which will greatly reduce the time for the parties' communication with each other and the Court.

Proposed Orders

All agreed and proposed orders must be submitted through the Online Scheduling System.

Online Services

Court Provider Information

Please Contact Eric Thompson at ejthomps@pbcgov.org for questions and/or information regarding Court Approved Providers.

View the Court Approved Batterers Intervention Program Providers listing.

To be eligible for the sliding scale, a social security earnings statement must be provided.

This document can be obtained free of charge through the SSA website at www.ssa.gov/myaccount

Questions and Advice

What is the divisional Zoom information?

This division ONLY utilizes Zoom for hearings, in which a significant issue requires remote attendance. Please contact the Judicial Assistant, if you believe you have an issue requiring Zoom appearance.

Can I ask the Judge or Judicial Assistant for advice?

Neither the Judge nor the Judicial Assistant can give legal advice regarding how to proceed with the case. For assistance, you can contact the Self-Help Center at 561-355-6781 located on the first floor of the Main West Palm Beach Courthouse or visit the self-service center in the Clerk's Office in the Satellite Courthouses. Additionally, the Palm Beach County Bar Association has a lawyer referral and information service at 561-687-3266.