Judge Ari Abraham Porth
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Courtesy copies
Court-wide- 1 copy
Motion
Court-wide- 1 copy • Email
Motion for Rehearing
Court-wide- 1 copy • Email • Upon Filing
Notice of Change of Plea
Court-wide
Communication
Chambers3 contacts
Other Contacts1 contacts
Document Format Requirements1 rule
IF A HEARING TAKES PLACE AND THE JUDGE RENDERS AN ORAL RULING, HE WILL DESIGNATE A PARTY TO PREPARE THE ORDER. THE ORDER SHALL BE EMAILED TO THE JUDGE'S OFFICE IN BOTH WORD AND PDF FORMATS.
Document Filing Requirements14 rules
If the parties agree, an agreed order must be submitted before the hearing, otherwise all parties are expected to attend.
Court's wording
If the parties have reached an agreement, an agreed order resolving the matter shall be submitted to the office prior to the hearing. If an agreed order is not submitted prior to the hearing or has not been signed by the judge, parties are expected to attend.
Motions for ROR or for Modification of Pretrial Release Conditions: You MUST first file your written motion with the Clerk of Court. This office does not accept ex-parte communication.
Hearings WILL NOT be set without a Notice of Hearing from the parties.
The Notice shall include the date and time of the hearing and the length of time set aside for the hearing.
** UNOPPOSED Motions must contain the language "UNOPPOSED Motion" in the title of the motion.
All unopposed motions must contain a certification at the end of the motion. The movant must: (i) certify that the movant has conferred with the opposing party AND (ii) state whether the parties agree on the resolution of all or part of the motion.
- Document
- Unopposed motion
- Placement
- Certificate section
Must include
- •Certificate of conference
The Court expects that ALL terms of the negotiation will be complete prior to the setting of a change of plea or the entry of a negotiated plea. These terms include, but are not limited to, credit for time served, fines, restitution, costs and condition of probation.
If permitted to take place on Zoom, the Defendant must upload a fully executed and notarized plea form and an acceptable fingerprint card. These documents must be uploaded prior to the Zoom hearing on the change of plea.
A notice of appearance alone is insufficient where counsel is already designated; new counsel must verify existing counsel of record via Odyssey or the Clerk's Office.
Court's wording
A Notice of Appearance filed by new counsel is NOT sufficient to request a hearing if another attorney is already designated of record. Accordingly, new counsel must verify via Odyssey/through the Clerk's Office that neither the PD or ORCC's offices, nor a private attorney, has been previously appointed/designated as counsel of record.
Motions to Withdraw: must include a certificate of service to all other parties and the Notice of Hearing must include the same.
- Document
- Motion to withdraw
Must include
- •Certificate of service
The court will not grant substitution of counsel without a hearing unless the defendant's written consent is obtained and reflected on the stipulation.
Court's wording
New counsel substituting in shall have first secured a stipulation for substitution of counsel. The Court will not grant a substitution of counsel without a hearing unless the defendant's/client's written consent is obtained and reflected on the stipulation for substitution of counsel.
If not occurring ore tenus in open court with the defendant present, either counsel may submit the signed Stipulation, signed consent of defendant/client, and proposed order with the below referenced wording to the Division email address.
- Document
- Stipulation for substitution of counsel
May include
- •Proposed order
Proposed Agreed Orders shall be submitted with Agreed Motions and must contain the title "Agreed Order on…".
New counsel's substitution stipulation must include the specified certification about reviewing the docket and speaking with all counsel of record.
Court's wording
New counsel shall include in the Stipulation a certification stating, "I have reviewed the Court docket in this file and have spoken with all counsel of record. I am aware of all pending hearings, depositions, and other deadlines that are set in this case."
Filing & Service rules
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Requests for next-day add-on hearings must be submitted by the 3:00 p.m. cutoff.
Next day add-on hearing cut off is 3:00 p.m.
Criminal cases
Page 6 | Hearing Requests
Service and Proof of Service Rules
Once a hearing date is confirmed, the moving party must complete a Notice of Hearing, file it with the Clerk's office, and provide it to the non-moving party.
Once a date is confirmed, a Notice of Hearing shall be completed, filed with the Clerk's office, and provided to the non-moving party by the moving party.
Criminal cases
Page 6 | Hearing Requests
The written motion emailed to the Judicial Assistant for a special set hearing must be properly served on all parties.
Please email the Judge's Judicial Assistant a copy of the written motion setting forth the requested relief, with proper service of copies to all parties.
Criminal cases
Page 6 | Special Set Hearings (15 minutes or longer)
Hearing request emails to the Judicial Assistant must include a courtesy copy to the opposing party.
In order to obtain a hearing date, an email shall be sent to the Judicial Assistant with courtesy copy to the opposing party.
Criminal cases
Page 6 | Hearing Requests
Copies of ROR or pretrial release modification motions must be properly served on all parties.
Please email the Judge's Judicial Assistant with a copy of the written motion setting forth the requested relief, with proper service of copies to all parties.
Criminal cases
Page 7 | Unopposed Motions
The moving party must serve the notice of hearing on the non-moving party, and the Judicial Assistant is not responsible for confirming the non-moving party received notice.
Upon confirming the availability of the non-moving party, the moving party shall prepare and serve the non-moving party, and email the Division/Judicial Assistant a copy of the notice of hearing on your motion. It is NOT the Judicial Assistant's responsibility to ensure or confirm that the non-moving party has received notice.
Criminal cases
Page 7 | Special Set Hearings (15 minutes or longer)
The court will refuse to hear a motion to withdraw unless the defendant and other parties are properly noticed.
The Court will not hear any motion to withdraw where the Defendant/other parties are not properly noticed.
Criminal cases
Page 8 | Motions to Withdraw
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
For special set hearings (15 minutes or longer), the motion must first be filed with the Clerk of Court, and chambers does not accept ex parte communication.
You MUST first file your motion with the Clerk of Court. This office does not accept ex-parte communication.
Criminal cases
Page 6 | Special Set Hearings (15 minutes or longer)
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
Should an evidentiary hearing be cancelled, please provide all parties adequate notice so that the time slot can be used for another case and not wasted.
Should an evidentiary hearing be cancelled, please provide all parties adequate notice so that the time slot can be used for another case and not wasted.
Criminal cases
Page 10 | ZOOM (procedures and decorum)
Chambers Communication Rules
Interpreter requests for languages other than Spanish or French/Creole must be received at least 7 days before the scheduled proceeding.
Requests for spoken language court interpreters, other than Spanish or French/Creole, must be received at least 7 days in advance of the scheduled proceeding.
Criminal cases
Page 3 | Interpreters
The Court cannot accept ex-parte communications or provide legal advice, and all parties must be included in any communication with the Court.
The Court cannot accept ex-parte communications or provide you with legal advice. An ex-parte communication occurs when a party to a case, or someone involved with a party, talks or writes to or otherwise communicates directly with the judge about the issues in the case without the other parties' knowledge. You must include all parties involved when communicating with the Court.
Criminal cases
Page 4 | Emailing or Calling the Court
For special set hearings, a copy of the written motion setting forth the requested relief must be emailed to the Judge's Judicial Assistant.
Please email the Judge's Judicial Assistant a copy of the written motion setting forth the requested relief, with proper service of copies to all parties.
Criminal cases
Page 6 | Special Set Hearings (15 minutes or longer)
Hearing requests must be made by email to divfz@17th.flcourts.org, sent to the Judicial Assistant, and must advise how long the hearing will take.
Hearing requests shall be made via email to: divfz@17th.flcourts.org. In order to obtain a hearing date, an email shall be sent to the Judicial Assistant with courtesy copy to the opposing party. Please advise how long you will need for the hearing.
Criminal cases
Page 6 | Hearing Requests
The moving party must notify the Judicial Assistant of the estimated hearing time and the number of witnesses for each side.
The moving party shall also notify the Judicial Assistant as to the estimated amount of time expected to be needed to complete the hearing and the number of witnesses for each side.
Criminal cases
Page 6 | Special Set Hearings (15 minutes or longer)
For ROR or pretrial release modification motions, a copy of the written motion must be emailed to the Judge's Judicial Assistant.
Please email the Judge's Judicial Assistant with a copy of the written motion setting forth the requested relief, with proper service of copies to all parties.
Criminal cases
Page 7 | Unopposed Motions
Hearings cannot be canceled without first contacting the Judicial Assistant at divfz@17th.flcourts.org.
Attorneys and/or parties cannot cancel hearings without contacting the Judicial Assistant (divfz@17th.flcourts.org).
Criminal cases
Page 7 | Cancellations
The moving party must email the Division/Judicial Assistant a copy of the notice of hearing after serving the non-moving party.
Upon confirming the availability of the non-moving party, the moving party shall prepare and serve the non-moving party, and email the Division/Judicial Assistant a copy of the notice of hearing on your motion.
Criminal cases
Page 7 | Special Set Hearings (15 minutes or longer)
Interpreter requests for all other spoken languages must be emailed to InterpreterRequest@17th.flcourts.org or faxed to (954) 831-7279.
For all other spoken language interpreters, email the Court Interpreter's Office at: InterpreterRequest@17th.flcourts.org or via fax to: (954) 831-7279.
Criminal cases
Page 3 | Interpreters
Spanish or Haitian Creole interpreter requests are made by phone to the Court Interpreter's Office at (954) 831-7290.
To request a spoken language Spanish or Haitian Creole court interpreter, contact the Court Interpreter's Office at: (954) 831-7290.
Criminal cases
Page 3 | Interpreters
If an agreed order has been entered, please remember to contact the Judicial Assistant to cancel any hearing dates previously set. This courtesy may then allow other matters to be scheduled.
If an agreed order has been entered, please remember to contact the Judicial Assistant to cancel any hearing dates previously set. This courtesy may then allow other matters to be scheduled.
Criminal cases
Page 7 | Cancellations
Division FZ provides email contacts for the judge (JPorth@17th.FLCOURTS.org), judicial assistant Makila Holmes (MHolmes@17th.FLCOURTS.org), and the division inbox (DIVFZ@17th.FLCOURTS.org).
Judge's email: JPorth@17th.FLCOURTS.org Judicial Assistant (JA): Makila Holmes JA's email: MHolmes@17th.FLCOURTS.org Division email: DIVFZ@17th.FLCOURTS.org
Criminal cases
Page 1 | Division FZ Policies & Procedures (Contact Information)
Division FZ chambers can be reached by phone at 954-831-6905.
Chambers phone: 954-831-6905
Criminal cases
Page 1 | Division FZ Policies & Procedures (Contact Information)
General Magistrate chambers may be contacted by phone at 954-831-0697, with Zoom meeting ID 595-222-547 for proceedings.
GM's chambers: 954-831-0697 Zoom meeting ID: 595-222-547
Criminal cases
Page 3 | General Magistrate Chambers