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Court Rules
Judge Melanie Chase
Judge

Judge Melanie Chase

Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies

Rules last changed:
Eighteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Brevard and Seminole Counties

Limits & Logistics

Courtesy Copies

Amended Notice of Hearing, Cross Notice of Hearing

Court-wide
  • Email

Motion

Court-wide
  • Within 10 Days After Service

Notice of Hearing

Court-wide
  • Email

Objection to Order of Referral to General Magistrate

Court-wide
  • 1 copy • Email

Adjournments

Court-wide

Request must include

Adversary PositionProposed New Dates

Communication

Email

Chambers

jennifer.biron@flcourts18.org
SchedulingEmergencies
Phone
Court-wide

Chambers

+1 386-310-1754
Emergencies
Filters:

Document Format Requirements1 rule

Formatting

All proposed orders must be submitted in Word Format.

Applies to
  • Proposed order

Formatting

  • Word Format
Judge Chases Polices and Procedures · Oct 2025 · p. 2|SectionD. Submission of Orders

Document Filing Requirements3 rules

Filing Requirements

Requests to use communication technology for an appearance must be made by motion.

Judge Chases Polices and Procedures · Oct 2025 · p. 2|SectionC. Remote Appearance
Filing Requirements

All proposed orders must be accompanied by a cover letter either (1) certifying that all parties agree to the order or (2) containing a statement identifying any disagreement of the parties as to the proposed order.

Judge Chases Polices and Procedures · Oct 2025 · p. 2|SectionD. Submission of Orders
Filing Requirements

All notices of hearing must contain the ADA notification required by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.540.

Judge Chases Polices and Procedures · Oct 2025 · p. 2|SectionB. Scheduling Procedures

Filing & Service rules

Electronic Filing Rules

Proposed orders must be submitted through the e-portal.

Please submit all proposed orders through the e-portal

Page 2 | D. Submission of Orders

Filing Timing and Cure Windows

A notice of hearing must be filed and served immediately after hearing time is reserved.

A notice of hearing must be filed and served immediately after reserving hearing time.

Page 2 | B. Scheduling Procedures

Service and Proof of Service Rules

A notice of hearing must be served immediately after hearing time is reserved.

A notice of hearing must be filed and served immediately after reserving hearing time.

Page 2 | B. Scheduling Procedures

A notice of cancellation must be filed and served on opposing counsel and any self-represented litigant.

You must also file and serve a notice of cancellation on opposing counsel and any self-represented litigant.

Page 2 | B. Scheduling Procedures

Attorneys and self-represented litigants must provide an email address for electronic receipt of signed orders and update their contact information on Form 2.603 when the registered email account changes, unless excused.

All attorneys and self-represented litigants must provide an e-mail address to receive signed orders electronically, unless excused. Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.516. It is the responsibility of attorneys and self-represented litigants to update their contact information using Form 2.603 any time there is a change in the e-mail account registered for electronic service.

Page 1 | A. Communications with the Judicial Office

Chambers Communication Rules

Communications to the judicial office must be emailed to the Judicial Assistant, with the case number, case name, and relevant matter in the subject line.

Method of Communication: All communications to the judicial office must be submitted by e-mail to jennifer.biron@flcourts18.org. The subject line must contain the case number, case name, and relevant matter (e.g., 2024-CF-001234-A– State of Florida v. Doe).

Page 1 | A. Communications with the Judicial Office

All parties must be copied on emails to the judicial office unless the ex parte communication is authorized by law.

All parties must be copied on any e-mail directed to the judicial office, unless an ex parte communication is authorized by law.

Page 1 | A. Communications with the Judicial Office

The court will not consider unsolicited communications from non-parties, and parties may contact the judicial office only as permitted by these procedures.

Unsolicited communications from non- parties will not be considered by the court. Parties may only contact the judicial office in accordance with these practices and procedures.

Page 1 | A. Communications with the Judicial Office

If a hearing cannot be canceled through JACS, contact Jennifer Biron by email.

If you are unable to cancel the hearing, please contact Jennifer Biron at jennifer.biron@flcourts18.org.

Page 2 | B. Scheduling Procedures

If the desired docket is not listed in JACs, contact the Judicial Assistant.

If you don’t see the docket you are looking for within the JACs list, please contact the Judicial Assistant.

Page 1 | Scheduling Hearings

Contact the presiding judge’s Judicial Assistant for scheduling needs.

Contact the presiding judge’s Judicial Assistant for your scheduling needs.

Page 1 | Scheduling Hearings

The Judicial Assistant cannot provide legal advice; if out of the office, an email address will be provided for emergencies only.

The Judicial Assistant is not authorized to provide legal advice. If the Judicial Assistant is out of the office, an email will be provided for emergencies only.

Page 2 | A. Communications with the Judicial Office

Court-wide rules

Applies court-wide

These 218 rules apply across Eighteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Brevard and Seminole Counties. Where this judge's own standing orders above address the same topic, the judge's requirement controls.

Filing Requirements

All 90
  • Applies to
    Extradition waiver

    An extradition waiver must be written, executed before a judge, and state that the person consents to return to the demanding state.

  • Applies to
    Probable cause arrest affidavit

    Probable-cause arrest affidavits for probation or community-control violations must include the specified supervision and case information; unsupported database assertions are insufficient.

  • Applies to
    Probable cause finding

    A probable-cause finding must be written, signed by the first appearance judge, and filed with the evidence supporting it.

Communication

All 37
  • Contact
    Email

    A party canceling a hearing must email the Court a copy of the Notice of Cancellation at the same time it is filed.

  • Contact
    Email to chambers

    Email is the most effective way to communicate with the Court, but emails to a Judicial Assistant must not include legal argument or substantive discussion of case facts.

  • Contact
    Email to chambers

    For additional information or assistance, contact the judicial assistant by email.

Formatting

All 21

  • Exhibits must be pre-marked with stickers identifying the offering party, hearing date, and case number.

  • Each exhibit must be marked in sequence with an identifying letter.

  • DJMCA date and signature codes must be used in pairs, placed alone on a line without spaces or tabs, aligned using Word’s alignment features, written in four uppercase letters, and used only once per line.

Service

All 19
  • Applies to
    Complaint or arrest report and bail documents

    Before first appearance, the clerk must provide the state attorney and the public defender or present private counsel copies of the complaint or arrest report and documents the judge used to set bail.

  • A release for failure to meet specified time periods requires a judge’s order and notice to the state; at daily first appearance hearings, receipt of the docket copy by the state attorney satisfies notice.

  • Applies to
    Complaint related documents and clerk minutes

    Correctional officers must give each defendant scheduled for first appearance copies of the complaint, related documents, and the clerk’s minutes setting the next court date.

More categories

View all Eighteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Brevard and Seminole Counties rules
About Judge Melanie Chase
  • Division A, Chief Judge/Criminal.
  • Admitted to The Florida Bar in 2002.
  • Admitted to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida in 2003.
  • Admitted to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in 2003.
  • Admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States in 2006.
  • J.D., University of Florida College of Law.
  • B.A., Rollins College, summa cum laude.
  • A.A., Seminole State College, with highest honors.
  • Deputy Chief Judge since 2023.
  • Received the Seminole County Bar Association Judge of the Year award in 2019 and 2022.
  • Location: Criminal Justice Center in Seminole County
  • Address: 101 Eslinger Way, Sanford, FL 32773-6707
  • Phone (judicial assistant): (407) 665-4993
  • Email (judicial assistant): Jennifer.Biron@flcourts18.org
  • Judicial assistant: Jennifer Biron
Common questions about Judge Melanie Chase's rules

What formatting rules apply to filings before Judge Melanie Chase?

Judge Melanie Chase's formatting rule includes word format. Proposed orders must be submitted in Word format.

View ruleSource: page 2, section D. Submission of Orders

What must be included with notice of hearing filings before Judge Melanie Chase?

Every notice of hearing must contain the ADA notification required by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.540.

View ruleSource: page 2, section B. Scheduling Procedures

What must be included with remote appearance request filings before Judge Melanie Chase?

A request to use communication technology for an appearance must be made by motion.

View ruleSource: page 2, section C. Remote Appearance

How may parties contact Judge Melanie Chase's chambers?

The rule lists email jennifer.biron@flcourts18.org. If a hearing cannot be canceled through JACS, contact Jennifer Biron by email.

View ruleSource: page 2, section B. Scheduling Procedures

Is electronic filing required before Judge Melanie Chase?

Yes. Electronic filing is required for the covered filings. Proposed orders must be submitted through the e-portal.

View ruleSource: page 2, section D. Submission of Orders

When is a filing treated as filed before Judge Melanie Chase?

A notice of hearing must be filed and served immediately after hearing time is reserved.

View ruleSource: page 2, section B. Scheduling Procedures

What rule applies to service for notice of hearing before Judge Melanie Chase?

A notice of hearing must be served immediately after hearing time is reserved.

View ruleSource: page 2, section B. Scheduling Procedures
Complete rules summary for Judge Melanie Chase

Contact the presiding judge’s Judicial Assistant for scheduling needs.

If the desired docket is not listed in JACs, contact the Judicial Assistant.

If a hearing cannot be canceled through JACS, contact Jennifer Biron by email.

Attorneys and self-represented litigants must provide an email address for electronic receipt of signed orders and update their contact information on Form 2.603 when the registered email account changes, unless excused.

The court will not consider unsolicited communications from non-parties, and parties may contact the judicial office only as permitted by these procedures.

All parties must be copied on emails to the judicial office unless the ex parte communication is authorized by law.

The Judicial Assistant cannot provide legal advice; if out of the office, an email address will be provided for emergencies only.

A notice of hearing must be filed and served immediately after hearing time is reserved.

A notice of hearing must be served immediately after hearing time is reserved.

Every notice of hearing must contain the ADA notification required by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.540.

A notice of cancellation must be filed and served on opposing counsel and any self-represented litigant.

A request to use communication technology for an appearance must be made by motion.

Proposed orders must be submitted in Word format.

Each proposed order must include a cover letter certifying the parties’ agreement or identifying any disagreement about the proposed order.

Proposed orders must be submitted through the e-portal.

Communications to the judicial office must be emailed to the Judicial Assistant, with the case number, case name, and relevant matter in the subject line.

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