FX Divisional Instructions

E-mail address is CAD-DivisionFX@pbcgov.org

Judge Rowe is available to provide the attorney's and the public with continuous access to the Family Court. The Court is conducting hearings in person. Please check back frequently as this is subject to change.

Meet and Confer Required Before Filing of Motions

In an effort to eliminate unnecessary hearings, mandatory compliance with Local Rule No. 4 is strictly enforced. Before filing a non-dispositive motion, movants must confer with opposing parties in a good faith effort to resolve the motion.

All contested motions scheduled for 30 minutes or more shall be held in person.

Evidentiary hearings held via Zoom will require the consent of the Court. If a hearing is being held by Zoom, it is the responsibility of each lawyer to make sure their witnesses know how to access both video and audio on Zoom. Witnesses may testify only in strict compliance with Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.530. No witness will be allowed to testify unless they have both video and audio.

Parties should appear via Zoom at Uniform Motion Calendar (UMC). If both parties want to appear in person they may but the Court will no longer conduct hybrid UMC hearings. In addition, a case may be noticed for the UMC docket for purposes similar to the old ex parte docket.

Certificate of Service

Certificates of Service with the language "ALL PARTIES" Is NO LONGER accepted in this Division. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE SHALL LIST EACH PARTY SERVED.

Zoom Meeting Information.

Meeting Link: Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 882 6883 4109

Dial by your location: • US Toll-free 877-853-5257 • US Toll-free 888-475-4499

Online Scheduling

Online Scheduling through Online Services is available for Uniform Motion Calendar (UMC) and SPECIAL SET HEARINGS (for thirty (30) minutes or less) in Division "FX". The motions and all hearing materials must be uploaded or the hearing will be cancelled. 

Online Services

Prior to first use, users must create an account in the Court's Online Services (current users can use their existing account.)

You must upload your Notice of Hearing, Order Specially Setting Hearing, Motions, and Additional Attachments for the Court's review prior to the scheduled hearing through the online scheduling. Parties may e-mail documents ten (10) pages or less for the Courts review three (3) business days prior to the scheduled hearing to CAD-DivisionFX@pbcgov.org. Any documents over the ten (10) page limit will have to be mailed to the court for review three (3) business days prior to the scheduled hearing. You may use the drop off box on the first floor at the South County Courthouse as long as the documents fit in the drop off box.

  • All orders must be submitted in "Word format" via OLS for the court to electronically sign. If multiple orders are being submitted for a case, they must be uploaded separately and not as an attachment to another order.
  • All orders must state a mailing address and e-mail address for each party being served and that have registered e-mail addresses with the Clerk of Court.
  • IF THE OPPOSING SIDE IS AN E-MAIL EXCUSED ATTORNEY OR A PRO SE party (unless pro se party has agreed to e-mail service) DO NOT SEND YOUR ORDER BY E-MAIL. A hard copy of the proposed order must be provided to the Court with sufficient self-addressed stamped envelopes provided to the Court for service.

Requesting a Special Set Hearing MORE THAN THIRTY (30) MINUTES.

Special Set Hearings more than thirty (30) minutes will continue to be requested through the Judicial Assistant.

To Request a Special Set hearing More than Thirty (30) Minutes:

  1. Send an e-mail to CAD-DivisionFX@pbcgov.org
  2. SUBJECT LINE: Request special set hearing, case number and case style
  3. Advise the court of the special set request and how much time is required for the special set.
  4. Please attached a courtesy copy of the motion to be heard.
  5. INCLUDE ALL INVOLVED PARTIES ON THE E-MAIL when requesting a special set hearing.
  6. The judicial assistant will send out three (3) dates for the parties to coordinate.
  7. Once the parties have agree upon a date, the moving party will e-mail the court with the date that has been agreed upon by all parties. THE COURT WILL NOT HOLD THESE DATES INDEFINITELY SO THE PARTIES MUST EXPEDITIOUSLY CONFIRM.
  8. Once you receive an e-mail from the court "CONFIRMING" the date, the moving party will prepare/send an Order Specially Setting Hearing for the court to sign and e-file.
  9. Do not prepare/or send an order setting the hearing until the court has "confirm" the date for a special set hearing. Please include in the order: "Hearing cannot be cancelled without court order, agreed order, or notice of withdrawing the motion."
  10. Special set hearings cannot be cancelled without court order unless the motion is withdrawn or if the parties submit an agreed order prior to the date of the hearing. 

Uncontested Dissolutions of Marriage

Uncontested Dissolutions of Marriage are being conducted in person or hybrid. Parties can upload the Final Judgment through OLS without the need for a hearing. The proposed final judgment must be submitted via OLS only in WORD format. Documents listed below must be attached to the proposed final judgment in PDF format:

  • Testimony at Final Hearing
  • The Final Disposition Form
  • Mediated Settlement Agreement
  • Parenting Plan
  • A copy of your client's driver's license - The driver's license issue date must be 6 months prior to the filing of the petition.

A cover letter needs to specify that all parties, pro se or opposing counsel, have reviewed the Final Judgment and have no objection. Also, if there are children involved, the Final Judgment needs to incorporate specifics on child support (i.e. how much, how it is to be paid, & how often.)**

Missing Documents will not permit the hearing to go forward.

Email communications with the Judicial Assistant are limited to scheduling matters only. Ex-parte communications will not be considered.

Case management conferences:

Parties frequently request a case management conference. Prior to setting a request for case management conference on uniform motion calendar via Online System, the requesting party shall file a motion with all of the following identified by docket number when appropriate, and date of filing:

  1. Indicate the docket numbers of the controlling pleadings;
  2. Indicate the docket numbers of the responsive pleadings including any counter-petitions and answers;
  3. If post judgment, identify the docket numbers of the referral to the Magistrate, timely Objection, and Order regarding the Objection;
  4. Indicate the date mediation was attended AND what issues, if any, were resolved;
  5. Indicate the docket numbers of both parties' Financial Affidavits and dates filed;
  6. Indicate the docket numbers of both parties' social security numbers filed;
  7. Indicate the docket numbers of both parties Notice of compliance with Mandatory Disclosure;
  8. If children: indicate the docket numbers of each parties' certificate of completion of Parenting Course (NOTE: the person requesting case management MUST have completed course)
  9. The requesting party must have a telephone or zoom conference with the other party's counsel to discuss and include in the motion any outstanding motions that have been filed and requests to be heard prior to trial and all matters set forth in Family Rule of Procedure 12.200.
  10. Upon compliance of the above, counsel may coordinate a UMC via the OLS system and the Court will decide if additional case management conferences / pretrial conferences are required.

Trials/Evidentiary Hearings

Most evidentiary hearings cannot be handled remotely unless the parties can reach agreement on some of the procedural or evidentiary rules. Witnesses and Court reporters would also have to appear remotely. Please contact Judge Rowe's office if you desire to schedule an evidentiary hearing. If you believe that your case requires emergency action pursuant to Family Admin. Order 5.203-1/17, you should file the appropriate motion in writing.

The Court will no longer accept proposed Orders for events, except in the following circumstances: (1) agreed-upon matters, (2) uncontested final hearings, and (3) hearings on Motions to Withdraw with client consent attached.

Providing Documents to the Court for All Trials and Evidentiary Hearings

  1. Exhibits must be clearly marked. All documents I.E. Case Law, Exhibits, Etc. shall be sent by hard copy and received five (5) days prior to the hearing.
  2. Any witness appearing via video with be sworn-in by the court.
  3. Email communications with the Judicial Assistant are limited to scheduling matters only. Ex-parte communications will not be considered.

Instructions for Special Set Hearings - Family Division "FX"

Family Division "FX" is now participating in Online Scheduling for Special Set Hearings for hearings thirty (30) minutes.

Email communications with the Judicial Assistant are limited to scheduling matters only. Ex-parte communications will not be considered.

All proposed orders must be submitted through the OLS system. In the notes/comments section you MUST indicate whether it is one of the following utilizing one of the formats and exact language below:

  1. AGREED ORDER WITHOUT HEARING: [Name of Order / attached motion / agreement].
  2. ORDER AFTER HEARING: Parties agree to the order [Name of Order] accurately reflects the Court's ruling after the hearing on [DATE AND TIME OF HEARING].
  3. DISPUTED ORDER AFTER HEARING: Parties dispute the Court's ruling after hearing on [DATE AND TIME OF HEARING]. Attached is the transcript. The parties (attorneys and clients) understand the parties have a duty to attempt to resolve any conflicts and accurately set for the ruling made by the Court.

Formatting Documents

All recorded documents (including final judgments) must provide a 3x3 space in the upper right hand corner. The Clerk of Court will no longer accept documents for recording without this space. Please see Rule 2.520, and MyPalmBeachClerk.com. You may also contact the Clerk of Court for further information as to the specific documents required.

Local Rule 4

Strict compliance with amended Local Rule 4. Prior to setting a matter on the motion calendar, the party or counsel noticing the motion shall attempt to resolve the matter and shall certify the good faith attempt to resolve. See amended Local Rule 4.

Self-Represented Parties (Pro Se)

If you are a self-represented pro se party (with no attorney), you may contact the Family Court Case Manager, Ms. Erika Ireland at 561-330-1733 for questions regarding your case.

Do Not Send Letters, Emails or Notes to the Court

The Court does not act on letters, notes or emails sent by either party. The Court acts on petitions or motions properly filed with the Clerk of the Court. File the appropriate petition or motion with the Clerk of the Court, send a copy to the opposing side and a courtesy copy to the Court in order for requests to be addressed by the Court. All documents emailed to the Court must state that they were emailed to the opposing side in the same email or they will be returned as ex parte communication. Email communications with the Judicial Assistant are limited to scheduling matters only. Ex-parte communications will not be considered.

For additional information please see the Court's Divisional Instructions.