TD Divisional Instructions

Division TD (Trial Division) Information

  • Civil and Criminal Judges (Division Judges) will transfer cases to Division TD for trial.
  • Any pre-trial substantive motions should be set and heard in the referral Division prior to trial.
  • Brief Motions in Limine arising immediately before trial may be heard in Division TD.
  • Absent an emergency, all motions for continuance must be heard by the referring Division Judge prior to the first day of trial.
  • TD will not take a negotiated plea in a criminal case without approval of Division Judge.
  • Unless requested and approved, each side will be afforded a maximum 45 minutes for voir dire for Circuit Court cases and 20 minutes for County Court cases. Pursuant to controlling case law, the Court will grant extra time upon request if the time allotted was used appropriately and there are proper areas of inquiry left to cover with the venire.
  • The parties shall communicate and submit one set of agreed verdict forms, pre-trial stipulations, and jury instructions (Times New Roman, 14 pt. font) mailed to CAD-DivisionTD@pbcgov.org no later than noon on Friday prior to trial week. If the parties are not able to come to agreement on jury instructions, one set should be submitted with objections, modifications or competing instructions juxtaposed with each instruction.
  • Any cases not reached during the trial period will be returned to the referring Division.

Judge Collins will determine the trial order for Civil Cases with priority to cases designated as Elder Status per F.S. § 415.1115, then older cases, or based any other special considerations communicated to the Court.

  • If available, the order of trials will be posted on the TD Division webpage the Thursday preceding the trial period.
  • Trial #1 as designated by the trial list will start 8:45 am on the first day of the trial period or as otherwise directed by the Court. Subsequent trials will begin at 8:45 a.m. the day after the previous trial concludes (or jury deliberations begin). If the prior trial concludes in the morning, the next case on the docket (Trial #2) should be prepared to select a jury the following day at 8:45 a.m. However, if the next case is ready to begin earlier, please contact the TD Judicial Assistant.
  • Settlement
    1. If you are anywhere on the trial list, please immediately notify the trial division Judicial Assistant upon reaching a settlement (CAD-DivisionTD@pbcgov.org).
    2. Notify the attorneys for the next case in the Order of Trials to inform them of the settlement.

Trial order for Criminal Cases will be determined by evaluating speedy trial, defendants in custody, case age, retrials, or any other special considerations communicated to the Court.

  • All parties including the Defendant must be present in person on the first morning of the designated trial period for a Docket Sounding (usually a Monday unless holidays or other conflicts exist) at 8:30 am. in Courtroom 10A.
  • Subsequent trials will begin at 8:30 a.m. the day after the previous trial concludes (or jury deliberations begin). If the prior trial concludes in the morning, the next case (as determined during the Docket Sounding) should be prepared to select a jury the following day at 8:30 a.m. However, if the next case is ready to begin earlier, please contact the TD Judicial Assistant.

Zoom Information

Zoom Link: Meeting Link
Meeting ID: 8784 547 1030

If unable to appear on video in Zoom, call toll free: (877) 835-5257 and enter Meeting ID

See the Zoom Instructions if you have any questions on how to use Zoom.

Phone Calls/Emails

Please note that no long distance calls will be returned.

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 as a WORD attachment by email to CAD-DivisionTD@pbcgov.org. The Court will require all orders to be submitted in WORD format through Online Services.

Questions and 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.