Judge Rosemarie Scher
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Brief, Legal Authority
- Before Hearing or Trial
Courtesy copies
- Within 3 Days Before Hearing or Trial
Filings < 10 pages
- Email • Within 3 Business Days Before Hearing
Filings > 10 pages
- Mail • Before Hearing
Adjournments
- Continuances are disfavored and granted only when good cause is shown.
- A continuance motion must state whether prior continuances have been requested.
- Court-ordered trials and evidentiary hearings may be cancelled only by court order.
- +1 more
Request must include
Communication
Chambers
Clerk
Phone
Court-widePhone
Court-wideClerk
Phone
Court-wideDuty Judge
Phone
Court-wideChambers
Page & Word Limits2 rules
Memorandums must not exceed ten (10) pages without good cause.
- Page limit
- Up to 10 pages
Memorandums may not exceed ten (10) pages without Court approval.
- Memorandum
- Up to 10 pages
Exception
More pages with leave of court
Document Format Requirements5 rules
Courtesy copies must be printed on 8.5 x 11-inch paper and submitted in three-hole punched binders when greater that 20 pages.
- More than 20 pages
- Paper size
- Letter
- Binding
- Binder
Courtesy copies must be submitted in PDF/a format.
- File type
- PDF/A
- Chambers copy
If the event is in person and more than one hour, you must provide hard copies of all exhibits two (2) days prior to hearing to opposing party/counsel and bring pre-marked exhibits to the event.
All exhibits must be clearly marked before the hearing is set to begin.
All cases and legal authorities submitted to the court must be tabbed, with pertinent sections highlighted. No more than three (3) cases per issue. Memorandums may not exceed ten (10) pages without Court approval.
Document Filing Requirements13 rules
UMC hearings only may be cancelled by a Notice of Cancellation and removal of the event from the OnLine System.
All proposed orders must be submitted via the Online System on the 15th Circuit website in Word format and provided to opposing counsel and any self-represented litigant.
Attorneys and self-represented litigants must disclose generative-AI use on the face of any court filing prepared with such a tool.
- Document
- Court filing
Must include
- •AI disclosure
Court's wording
Any attorney or self-represented litigant who uses any generative artificial intelligence tool in the preparation of a pleading, motion, memorandum, response, proposed order or other court document, must disclose such use on the face of the filing.
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 notices of cancellation are to be filed with the Clerk of Court.
All attorneys and self-represented litigants must bring sufficient copies of each exhibit for the court and each party to review during the hearing or trial.
Attorneys and self-represented litigants must disclose generative-AI use on the face of any court filing prepared with such a tool.
- Document
- Court filing
Must include
- •AI disclosure
Court's wording
An attorney or self-represented litigant who uses any generative artificial intelligence tool in the preparation of a pleading, motion, memorandum, response, proposed order or other court document, must disclose such use on the face of the filing.
Certificates of Service with the language "All Parties", "e-portal", or other general language are NOT accepted in this Division.
- Document
- Certificate of service
- Placement
- Certificate section
The Court will only allow a maximum of two (2) motions to be set on one case.
Every Notice of Hearing must contain the required ADA notification language.
Court's wording
All Notices of Hearing must contain ADA notification language required by Florida Rule of General Practice & Judicial Administration 2.540 and Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Administrative Order 2.207 (as amended).
In order for the Court to consider any UMC motion, all notices and motions must contain a proper certificate of service listing the party and method of service.
- Document
- Notice of motion
- Placement
- Certificate section
Must include
- •Certificate of service
If the court grants the request for a CMC or status conference, the moving party must schedule the CMC or status conference pursuant to the procedures noted under the above Scheduling Procedures.
Any request for a CMC or status conference must articulate the reasons for the necessity of the conference.
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
All proposed orders must be submitted through the Online System.
All proposed orders must be submitted through the OnLine System.
Page 1 | Submission of Orders and Judgments
Division FI temporarily does not use the online system to set 30-minute hearings.
Use of Online System for setting 30 minute hearings is temporarily suspended for Division FI.
Page 1 | Setting Case for Trial
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
The scheduling system has a 24-hour cutoff before the event.
There is a cut off on the scheduling program of 24 hours prior to the event.
Page 1 | Scheduling Procedures
The motion and Notice of Hearing must be docketed before the hearing.
Please be sure the motion and Notice of Hearing is docketed to the case prior to the hearing so that the Court may review all documents prior to the hearing.
Page 1 | Scheduling Procedures
Submit proposed orders no earlier than 48 hours before your hearing.
Please only submit your proposed orders 48 hours prior to your hearing and no sooner.
Page 1 | Scheduling Procedures
For in-person events longer than one hour, counsel must provide written exhibit-review information two days before the hearing and bring pre-marked exhibits.
If the event is in person and more than one hour, you must provide opposing counsel in writing the opportunity to review exhibits two (2) days prior to hearing and bring pre-marked exhibits to the event.
Page 1 | Exhibits for Evidentiary Proceedings
Proposed orders must be submitted through OLS between 48 hours before and no later than 48 hours after the hearing.
All proposed orders are to be submitted to the court for review no later than 48 hours following the hearing and no earlier than 48 hours prior to the hearing via OLS.
Page 1 | Submission of Orders and Judgments
Counsel must file a written numbered list of all disputed assets and liabilities with proposed values at least two business days before the hearing.
Counsel must provide the Court a written numbered list of every disputed asset and liability with proposed value addressing all of the above no later than 2 business days prior to the hearing.
Page 1 | Other Division Procedures
A pretrial stipulation must be filed at least two business days before the hearing, with an emailed courtesy copy to the Court.
A pre-trial stipulation must be filed no later than 2 business days prior to hearing with a courtesy copy submitted to the Court via email.
Page 1 | Setting Case for Trial
Memoranda and case authority must be submitted to the court and opposing counsel at least three business days before the hearing, and the transmittal document must identify the hearing date and time.
All memoranda and/or case authority must be submitted to the Court and opposing counsel at least three (3) business days before the hearing and the transmittal document must designate the date and time of the hearing for which they are submitted.
Civil cases
Page 1 | ORDER SPECIALLY SETTING EVIDENTIARY HEARING
Service and Proof of Service Rules
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 1 | Scheduling Procedures
The respondent must file a designation of email within ten days of the order and maintain an updated email address for service and current address with the Clerk of Court.
<Petitioner/ Respondent>, <Party Name>, shall file a designation of email within ten (10) days of this order. It is incumbent on <Petitioner/ Respondent> to maintain an updated email for service and <his/her> current address with the Clerk of Court.
Page 1 | Designation of Email for Service
All future correspondence and pleadings should be sent by mail and email directly to the specified party at the listed mailing and email addresses.
All future correspondence and pleadings should be mailed and emailed directly to <Petitioner/ Respondent>, <Party Name>, <Mailing Address>,<email address>
Page 1 | ORDER ON MOTION TO WITHDRAW AS COUNSEL OF RECORD, ORDERING RESPONDENT TO DESIGNATE EMAIL FOR SERVICE, AND DIRECTIONS TO CLERK TO UPDATE COURT FILE
Courtesy Copy Requirements
Case-law courtesy copies must be sent by hard copy and received three business days before the hearing.
Case Law shall be sent by hard copy and received three (3) business days prior to the hearing.
Page 1 | Scheduling Procedures
Courtesy copies of memoranda of law and legal authorities must be submitted before a hearing or trial.
When Required: Courtesy copies of memorandum of law and legal authority must be submitted to the court before any hearing or trial.
Page 1 | Courtesy Copies of Case Law and Other Documents
For special-set hearings, courtesy copies of documents over 10 pages must be mailed or hand-delivered to the judicial drop box.
Courtesy copies of documents more than 10 pages (ex.: motions, memorandum of law and legal authority) for Special Set Hearings must be submitted to the court by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to the judicial drop box in the courthouse.
Page 1 | Courtesy Copies of Case Law and Other Documents
For special-set hearings, courtesy copies of documents under 10 pages must be emailed three business days before the hearing.
Courtesy copies of documents less than 10 pages (ex.: motions, memorandum of law and legal authority) for Special Set Hearings to the Court for review in advance of all hearings 3 business days prior to the scheduled hearing.
Page 1 | Courtesy Copies of Case Law and Other Documents
Courtesy copies must be submitted no later than three days before a hearing or trial.
Courtesy copies must be submitted to the court no later than three (3) days before any hearing or trial.
Page 1 | Courtesy Copies of Case Law and Other Documents
Sealing & Redaction Procedures
All but the last four digits of a driver's license or identification number must be redacted before filing.
YOU MUST redact (whiteout or blackout) all but the last four digits of your driver license /identification number. Fla. Rule Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin 2.425(a)(4)(C).
Civil cases
Page 1 | PROOF OF RESIDENCY FORM FOR DISSOLUTION PETITIONS
All but the last four digits of a driver license or identification number must be redacted using whiteout or blackout.
YOU MUST redact (whiteout or blackout) all but the last four digits of your driver license /identification number. Fla. Rule Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin 2.425(a)(4)(C).
Page 1 | PROOF OF RESIDENCY FORM FOR NAME CHANGE PETITIONS
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
Before setting a matter on the motion calendar, the noticing party must attempt to resolve it and certify the good-faith attempt.
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.
Page 1 | Other Division Procedures
Parties must hold a remote conference before an evidentiary hearing to discuss evidentiary and witness stipulations.
Parties must have had a remote conference prior to the evidentiary hearing to discuss evidentiary and witness stipulations.
Page 1 | Setting Case for Trial
Before requesting a CMC or pretrial conference, the requesting party must confer with opposing counsel and file a joint statement addressing the required pretrial matters.
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 and file a joint statement addressing all of the above.
Page 1 | Pretrial Procedures and Conferences
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
A continuance motion must be written unless made at trial and, absent good cause, signed by the requesting party.
All motions for continuance shall be in writing unless made at a trial and, except for good cause shown, shall be signed by the party requesting the continuance.
Page 1 | Scheduling Procedures
A continuance motion must state whether prior continuances have been requested.
The motion shall indicate whether the party has sought any prior continuances.
Page 1 | Scheduling Procedures
Continuances are disfavored and granted only when good cause is shown.
Continuances are disfavored and will be granted only upon good cause shown.
Page 1 | Scheduling Procedures
Court-ordered trials and evidentiary hearings may be cancelled only by court order.
Matters set by order of the Court (trials and evidentiary hearings) can only be cancelled by order of the court.
Page 1 | Scheduling Procedures
Chambers Communication Rules
Special set hearings must be requested by email to the Division FI judicial office.
Special Set Hearings must be requested by e-mail to: CAD-DivisionFI@pbcgov.org.
Page 1 | Scheduling Procedures
Requests for a special-set hearing time must be emailed to the Division FI address with the other parties copied.
Please send request for time to CAD-DivisionFI@pbcgov.org, copying the other parties.
Page 1 | Setting Case for Trial
All parties must be copied on emails to the judicial office unless an 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 | Communications with the Judicial Office
Parties should not call the Court expecting to discuss a case with the judge.
Please do not call the Court expecting to speak with a Judge about any case.
Page 1 | Communications with the Judicial Office
Do not use email to communicate substantive court matters to the judicial assistant, judge, or divisional email.
Do not e-mail the Judicial Assistant, Judge or CAD divisional email about substantive court matters.
Page 1 | Communications with the Judicial Office
An email to the judicial office must identify the case number, case name, and relevant matter in the subject line.
The subject line of any e-mail to the judicial office must contain the case number, case name, and relevant matter (e.g., 2024DR001234 SC – Doe v. Doe – 2-Hour Hearing Requested).
Page 1 | Communications with the Judicial Office
The Court does not act on informal letters, notes, or emails from parties.
The Court does not act on letters, notes or emails sent by either party.
Page 1 | Communications with the Judicial Office
Division FI emails must concern only procedural or scheduling matters.
Emails to Division FI must only relate to procedural or scheduling matters.
Page 1 | Communications with the Judicial Office
The judicial assistant cannot provide legal advice.
The judicial assistant is not authorized to provide legal advice.
Page 1 | Communications with the Judicial Office
Email is the preferred method of communicating with the Division FI judicial office.
The preferred method of communication with the judicial office for Division FI is email at CAD-DivisionFI@pbcgov.org.
Page 1 | Communications with the Judicial Office