This office does not communicate via email. If you do not find the answer to your question in the FH Divisional Instructions below, please call Judicial Assistant Johnna Hochella at (561) 694-7420.
Please DO NOT call the JA for assistance with Online Scheduling (OLS). If you have questions or issues regarding OLS, please refer to the 15th Judicial Circuit's YouTube page CourtHelp4You for assistance.
The following hearings will be held via ZOOM video conference: UMC hearings, Lack of Prosecution hearings, Case Management Conferences, and Uncontested Pro Se Dissolution hearings. ALL OTHER HEARINGS SHALL BE HELD IN PERSON IN COURTROOM 3, NORTH COUNTY COURTHOUSE, 3188 PGA Boulevard, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410.
Please be aware that hearings conducted via Zoom are court hearings and must be treated as such. You must have both audio and video to appear at a Zoom hearing. Please dress appropriately, as you would for all court hearings. Minors may not be present during the hearing without prior court approval.
In addition, all attorneys, parties, and witnesses shall be in a quiet and stationary place or you will be removed from the Zoom hearing.
This court will not conduct Zoom hearings with anyone in a moving vehicle. Zoom hearings demand full attention of the court and the litigants, just like all hearings.
Persons who are interested in listening to court events may contact the Court's Public Information Office, Debra Oats, at 561-355-4495 or 561-644-0054 to obtain an access line.
Uniform Motion Calendar (UMC)
All documents, including proposed orders, must be uploaded and submitted via OLS (Online Scheduling) prior to the hearing. Otherwise, your hearing may not be heard. Please be sure all documents are uploaded properly in OLS and are attached to the EVENT so your hearing can move forward. (If you do not submit the documents and then chose your hearing date, the documents will not be attached to the EVENT). The proposed Final Judgment or proposed Order must be uploaded first, followed by exhibits, etc. If you submitted the required documents in a different manner, they do not comply with Division requirements and will not be accepted or processed by the court. This Division does not use e-portal for accepting documents.
All UMC Hearings Will Be Held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9AM.
UMC hearings are non-evidentiary ONLY (allowing no more than two motions and five minutes per side) and must be scheduled through Online Services (OLS) with appearances via ZOOM. All testifying parties must be in Zoom via BOTH audio and video connections or they will not be heard by the Court.
Please upload your Motion or Petition and proposed Order at least five (5) business days prior to the hearing OR YOUR MATTER MAY NOT BE HEARD (SEE ABOVE FOR HOW TO UPLOAD THESE DOCUMENTS). PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL THESE DOCUMENTS VIA THE CAD EMAIL AND PLEASE DO NOT SEND VIA U.S. MAIL.
Uncontested Final Hearings for Dissolution of Marriage
Uncontested Final Hearings for Dissolution of Marriage are the only evidentiary hearings that may be heard during UMC. At least three (3) business days prior to the hearing, you must upload and submit a proposed Final Judgment in Word format; all Exhibits/Attachments to the Final Judgment (if any), including Marital Settlement Agreement, Parenting Plan, etc.; and a legible scanned copy of the Petitioner's Florida Driver's License (and the Respondent's if a Simplified Dissolution Petition was filed) demonstrating proof of Florida residency for at least six months immediately prior to the filing of the Petition, in compliance with Florida law through e-courtesy attached to the date of your hearing.
To Attend Uniform Motion Calendar (UMC) Hearings via ZOOM:
This link is for UMC Hearings only. All Special Set Hearings under 30 minutes will be given a Zoom link when the hearing date is given. The link must be included in the Notice of Hearing.
Zoom Meeting Information for UMC ONLY
Meeting Link
Meeting ID: 945 4598 4958
Password: 883288
877 853 5257 US Toll-free
888 475 4499 US Toll-free
Requests for Special Set Hearing of up to 30 Minutes (30 minute hearings will be held in person; hearings under 30 minutes may be held via Zoom):
Call the Judicial Assistant at 561-694-7420 for available dates and times, to be cleared with all interested parties. DO NOT USE THE UMC LINK FOR SPECIAL SET HEARINGS. Judge Keever-Agrama reviews all requests for a special set hearing. After calling the J.A., your motion and request for hearing will be forwarded to the Judge for review. This procedure usually takes 24-48 hours; however, it may take a few days in the event the Judge is on vacation for at a conference. Please wait until the day before the special set hearing to upload your proposed order to OLS.
Uncontested Paternity Matters:
If you have an uncontested paternity matter, no UMC hearing is necessary. Simply upload the proposed Final Judgment, Parenting Plan and Child Support Guidelines to the OLS system.
MOTIONS FOR DEFAULT AND DEFAULT FINAL HEARINGS:
Motions for Default may be set on the Court's UMC docket. However, when requesting a Default Final Hearing, please call the J.A. in order to obtain a special set hearing which will be set by Court Order. The Judge will not hear a Default Final Hearing on the UMC docket, only the Motion for Default.
MOTION TO WITHDRAW AS COUNSEL:
If you have your client's written consent, you should upload a proposed order along with your client's written consent. If you do not have written consent, the matter must be set on the Court's UMC docket with notice to all parties and your client.
Requests for Special Set Hearing over 30 Minutes (hearing will be held in person):
Mail a written request with motion attached indicating how much time you are requesting for hearing. The Judge will review the request in chambers. Once approved, the J.A. will notify all parties via email and will request the moving party to call the J.A. for available dates and times to coordinate.
NOTICES FOR TRIAL: Please mail a copy of the trial notice to the Judge. If you do not mail in the trial notice, the Court is unaware it was filed. The Court will set a CMC to discuss the Notice For Trial. Both counsel and both parties MUST ATTEND the CMC conference.
TEMPORARY CUSTODY PETITIONS: Please see Administrative Order 5.111 concerning procedures and Checklist. If you believe your matter is ready for final hearing, please call the J.A. The Judge must review the record in order to approve a Final Hearing date.
PETITION FOR NAME CHANGE; ADOPTION PETITIONS: If you believe your matter is ready for Final Hearing, please call the J.A. The Judge must review the record in order to approve a Final Hearing date.
Exhibits:
FOR ALL IN-PERSON HEARINGS AND TRIAL: Please bring three copies of all PREMARKED Exhibits with you to the in-person hearing or trial. All Exhibits must include: the Exhibit Number, the Party Offering the Exhibit, the Case Style, the Case Number, the Date of Hearing, the Judge's Name, and Admitted or Not Admitted.
FOR ALL REMOTE HEARINGS AND TRIALS: All proposed Exhibits must be PREMARKED (including Exhibit Number, Case Style and Number, Date of Hearing, Judge's Name, Admitted or Not Admitted) and provided to the Court AT LEAST FIVE BUSINESS DAYS prior to hearing or trial via U.S. mail or the North County courthouse dropbox. If Exhibits are not received by the Court at least FIVE business days prior to the hearing in compliance with the above requirements, they will not be accepted or considered. Emailed exhibits will not be accepted or considered.
Special Set Hearings and trials, once scheduled, may not be canceled without court approval. Please contact the judicial assistant immediately if a matter is settled and a hearing or trial is no longer needed.
Agreed Matters or Matters Not Requiring a Hearing:
All Proposed or Agreed Orders with Motion attached (orders must be in Word format) must be uploaded through OLS (Online Services).
Motions to Vacate General Magistrate Orders:
Please see Rule 12.490 and Rule 12.491. The Moving Party must request a hearing at the time the Motion to Vacate is filed. You are required to provide the Court (hard copy only) with a record sufficient to support your Motion to Vacate or your motion will be denied. Unless waived by order of the Court prior to any hearing on the Motion to Vacate, the transcript of all relevant proceedings, if any, must be delivered to the Judge (hard copy only) and provided to all other parties not less than 48 hours before the hearing.
Motions for Rehearing/Reconsideration/Clarification/New Trial:
These motions may not be set for hearing online. File the original with the Clerk and provide a copy with supporting authority via U.S. mail for review by Judge Keever-Agrama.
EMERGENCY MOTIONS
ALL EMERGENCY MOTIONS MUST BE TRUE EMERGENCIES as defined in A.O. 5.203-5/17. EMERGENCY MOTIONS WILL BE HANDLED BY THE NORTH COUNTY SIGNING DUTY JUDGE ON A ROTATION SCHEDULE.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL VIOLENCE, REPEAT VIOLENCE, and STALKING PETITIONS must be filed through the Clerk of the Court. The North County Signing Duty Judge will review the initial petition and either deny it, issue a temporary injunction and set for final hearing, or set the matter for final hearing without issuance of a temporary injunction.
Judge Keever-Agrama holds Injunction hearings for Division FH on Thursdays at 9:30am IN PERSON.
ANY MOTION TO AMEND, TERMINATE, MODIFY, CLARIFY, OR CORRECT an injunction must be set for hearing on the Injunction docket. Do not send agreed orders on Injunctions through OLS. Any changes to injunctions must be on the record in court where any changes can be made to the injunction and the injunction can be hand-served to the Respondent. This requirement is for the protection of both the Petitioner and the Respondent.
Faxes
Our office DOES NOT accept faxes.
Personal Correspondence
Our office CANNOT and WILL NOT accept any personal correspondence on a case. If you have a matter to bring to the Court's attention, please file the proper Motion with the Clerk of Court.
Interpreters
In the Family Division, interpreters are provided by the Court for Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Repeat Violence hearings ONLY. For all other hearings in the Family Division, it is the responsibility of the party needing an interpreter to bring to Court an interpreter who is certified, language skilled, provisionally approved or who is registered with the Office of State Court Administrator as required by Rule 2.560 and Rule 2.565 of the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration. For further information or for assistance locating an interpreter, please visit our Court Interpreters page.
Child Custody Exchange Locations
Please take note that the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office has designated the neutral safe locations (a.k.a. "purple light" locations) for child custody exchanges pursuant to the Cassie Carli Law which went into effect on July 1, 2024.
The locations are as follows:
District 1 - West Palm Beach - 3228 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33406
District 3 - North County - 8130 Jog Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33412
District 5 - Western Palm Beach County - 38840 State Road 80, Belle Glade, FL 33430-5617
District 7 - Boca Raton - 17901 State Road 7, Boca Raton, FL 33498
District 9 - Village of Royal Palm Beach - 11498 Okeechobee Blvd., Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411