Judge Laura Shearon Cruz
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Pretrial Order
Communication
Chambers
Page & Word Limits3 rules
ONLY ONE (1) EXPERT, PER SPECIALTY, PER SIDE, is permitted, unless otherwise ordered by the court.
Motion for which hearing is requested-full title (Motion, without exhibits MUST NOT exceed 20 pages)
- Motion
- Up to 20 pages
The Court limits any one case to a total of 15 minutes (3 motions total).
Document Filing Requirements21 rules
A current, fully executed financial statement in accordance with Form 12.901(d) or (e) of the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure shall be attached to the Pre-Trial Catalogue and exchanged with the attorneys/pro se litigants.
After selecting a date, add the case to the calendar and attach the e-file-stamped motion and hearing request as supporting documents; settings without them or any supporting documents will be rejected.
Court's wording
Once the date has been selected, please be sure to add your case to the calendar and attach as supporting documents the filed Motion and Request for Hearing (with an e-file stamp). Any settings that do not include the motion and request for hearing with the e-file stamp will be rejected. Any settings that do not have any supporting documents will be rejected.
In all cases in which there is a disputed question as to division of any debts, concurrently with the Pre-Trial catalogue each party shall file a Schedule of Debts, signed by the party in affidavit form
THE SCHEDULE MUST BE SWORN TO BY THE PARTY.
Attach the motion, response, notice of hearing, and any supporting documents as "supporting documents."
The attorneys/pro se litigants are required to provide a completed CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINE WORKSHEET in support of his or her position regarding child support.
All orders granting a motion to withdraw must contain the complete contact information (phone, address, email) of the client.
Emergency Motions: Must be uploaded via CourtMAP once filed and must contain a statement indicating that opposing counsel has been notified in an attempt to resolve the matter in an amicable manner.
Your motion must contain a certification that the matter is a true Emergency and cannot wait to be heard during a motion calendar.
Pursuant to Florida Family Law Rule 12.285(b)(2), mandatory disclosure must be exchanged within 45 days of serving the initial pleading, accompanied by the filing of a certificate of compliance as required by Rule 12.285(j). This includes a financial affidavit.
- Document
- Mandatory disclosure
Must include
- •Financial affidavit
Notice of Readiness shall include the specific issues to be tried by the court (e.g. timesharing, alimony, child support).
A Notice of Hearing must be filed for the 5-Minute Motion Calendar listing the motion and docket number entry (D.E. #) corresponding to the motion that has been set.
When asset division is disputed, each party must file an affidavit-form, party-signed asset schedule with the pretrial catalogue.
Court's wording
In all cases in which there is a disputed question as to division of any assets, real or personal, concurrently with the Pre-trial catalogue each party shall file a SCHEDULE OF ASSETS, signed by the party in affidavit form, setting forth each asset to which a disputed question exists or to the division thereof.
A list of Admissions and Stipulation is to be included in the Pre-trial Catalogue.
The pretrial catalogue must list trial witnesses, including foreseeable rebuttal and impeachment witnesses, with names, addresses, and brief testimony summaries; unlisted witnesses are excluded absent good cause.
Court's wording
The Pre-trial Catalogue shall contain a list of witnesses to be called at trial. This includes rebuttal and impeachment witnesses who, in the exercise of diligent pre-trial preparation, you should know might be called. Expert witnesses shall be so specified. Such list shall contain names, addresses and a brief statement of testimony to be offered. Witnesses not listed will not be called at trial except for good cause shown.
If they are agreed, it must say Agreed on the orders, otherwise they will be rejected.
_____ I have conferred with the opposing Counsel or Pro Se party in a good faith effort to resolve the matter (s) without a hearing and to determine the amount of time requested for the hearing OR _____ I have been unable to confer with opposing counsel or pro se party because (state circumstances)
____ I certify that a copy of this Motion(s) has been received by the opposing Counsel or Party.
Motions to Withdraw as Attorney of Record: Do not require a hearing provided there is consent. Simply submit proposed order via CourtMap.
- Document
- Motion to withdraw
Include
- •Proposed order
If a 5-Minute Motion is cancelled, a Notice of Cancellation must be filed and provided to the Judicial Assistant.
Order Granting Motion to Withdraw do not need a hearing if the client's written consent is attached to the Motion.
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
A Notice of Readiness for Trial must be filed through the e-filing portal or with the Clerk’s office.
Notice of Readiness for Trial must be filed through the e-filing portal or with the Clerk’s office.
Page 1 | NON-JURY TRIALS
File the motion and hearing request with the clerk through the E-Filing Portal and add the division email to the courtesy-copy email list.
On the E-FILING EPORTAL, file the Motion and the Request for Hearing, with the Clerk's Office. Add 11thFC12@jud11.flcourts.org to the courtesy copy email list.
Page 1 | Special Set Hearings
File the motion and exhibits on the E-Filing Portal and include the division email address on all filings.
On the E-FILING PORTAL, file the Motion with any exhibits. Include 11thFC12@jud11.flcourts.org on all filings.
Page 1 | Motion Calendar Information
Motions for judicial disqualification must be uploaded through CourtMAP’s emergency option.
Motions for Judicial Disqualification must be uploaded via the emergency option on CourtMAP.
Page 1 | Emergency Motions
Self-represented litigants must first register the case with the State E-Filing Portal before creating a CourtMAP account.
Important: In order to create a CourtMAP account, you must first register with the State of Florida’s E-Filing Portal for the case in which you are a self-represented litigant.
Page 1 | IMPORTANT INFORMATION
All parties must register for the Florida Court E-Filing Portal, the exclusive method for filing and receiving pleadings and court notices.
All parties, including attorneys, the parties themselves, and pro se litigants must register at the Florida Court E-Filing Portal at https://www.myflcourtaccess.com/authority/ .This is the only method for filing and receiving pleadings and court notices.
Page 1 | IMPORTANT INFORMATION
All parties must register with CourtMAP to view their case and submit required evidence or additional documents.
All parties must also register with the CourtMAP system to view their case and submit required evidence or additional documents.
Page 1 | IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Submit proposed orders and final judgments through CourtMAP unless the Court requests otherwise.
The Court may request that proposed orders or final judgments be submitted. Please submit all proposed orders or final judgments via CourtMAP unless otherwise requested.
Page 1 | ORDERS AND FINAL JUDGMENTS
Agreed motions and orders to continue trial may be submitted through CourtMAP’s Agreed Orders feature.
The parties may file agreed motions to continue and agreed orders to continue trial and submit them through "Agreed Orders" on CourtMAP.
Page 1 | NON-JURY TRIALS
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Attorneys and self-represented litigants must meet and discuss settlement and trial matters at least 20 days before trial.
No less than twenty (20) days prior to the trial, the attorneys/pro se litigants shall meet and communicate concerning settlement and all aspects of the trial.
Page 1 | NON-JURY TRIALS
Upon resolution after scheduling, the requesting party must immediately file a cancellation notice and email chambers; cancellation requires at least 24 hours’ advance notice.
IMPORTANT: If you reach a resolution after a hearing has been scheduled, the party that requested the hearing must, IMMEDIATELY UPON REACHING A RESOLUTION, file a Notice of Cancellation with the Clerk or thru E-Portal AND EMAIL CHAMBERS to remove the matter from calendar. Please note that the Court requires at least 24 hours advance notice of cancellation.
Page 1 | Special Set Hearings
After special-set approval, responses and replies must be submitted through CourtMAP at least three business days before the hearing.
ONCE A SPECIAL SET HEARING IS APPROVED: All responses, replies, etc. must be submitted via courtMAP at least three (3) business days prior to the hearing date.
Page 1 | Special Set Hearings
Exhibits must be separately filed and listed one week before the hearing or the Court will not accept or view them.
All exhibits must be filed separately and listed ONE week prior to hearing. If not filed properly or as instructed the court will not accept or view the exhibits.
Page 1 | NON-JURY TRIALS
A special-set hearing is not scheduled until Court approval; after rejection, the moving party must correct the identified issues and resubmit the entire submission.
Special set hearings are not scheduled until they are approved by the Court. If the submission is rejected, the moving party will receive a rejection notice from courtMAP which will detail the reason for the rejection (this rejection will also appear in the submitter's workbench/rejected folder). The moving party must proceed to resubmit the entire submission to correct the issues detailed in the rejection.
Page 1 | Special Set Hearings
The moving party must be prepared to appear within one hour after submitting an emergency motion.
You must be prepared to appear before the Court within one (1) hour of submission of the Emergency Motion to the Court.
Page 1 | Emergency Motions
Discovery must be completed ten days before trial; later discovery requires the parties’ agreement or good cause.
DISCOVERY: All discovery shall be completed ten (10) days prior to the date set for TRIAL and shall be allowed thereafter only upon agreement of the attorneys/pro se litigants or on a showing of good cause.
Page 1 | NON-JURY TRIALS
The requesting party must request a hearing within 30 days after filing a motion or risk denial without prejudice.
Upon the filing of a motion with the Court, the party requesting the motion shall file a request for hearing within 30 days of the filing of the motion. Failure to request a hearing within 30 days after a filed motion may result in the motion being denied without prejudice.
Page 1 | IMPORTANT INFORMATION
All motions and memoranda must be submitted at least 5 business days before the scheduled special set hearing date.
** All Motions and Memoranda MUST be submitted 5 BUSINESS DAYS in ADVANCE of Scheduled Special Set Hearing date. **
Page 1 | REQUEST FOR SPECIAL SET HEARING BEFORE JUDGE LAURA SHEARON CRUZ
Service and Proof of Service Rules
Do not notice a hearing before confirmation; if the opposing party is not registered for CourtMAP, generate and mail a notice with a certificate of service.
PLEASE DO NOT NOTICE YOUR HEARINGS UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED CONFIRMATION THAT THE HEARING IS SET. IF THE OPPOSING PARTY IS NOT REGISTERED FOR COURTMAP YOU MUST GENERATE YOUR OWN NOTICE WITH AN APPROPRIATE CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE AND MAIL IT TO THE OPPOSING PARTY.
Page 1 | Special Set Hearings
Parties seeking temporary financial relief must exchange disclosure under Rule 12.285(b)(1).
Parties seeking temporary financial relief must exchange disclosure pursuant to rule 12.285(b)(1).
Page 1 | IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Each exhibit must be provided to the opposing party at least seven days before trial, and unlisted exhibits may not be used absent good cause.
Each exhibit must be shown to the opposing attorney/pro se litigant at least seven (7) days before trial. Exhibits not specifically listed may not be used at trial except for good cause shown.
Page 1 | NON-JURY TRIALS
Witness lists and exhibits must be exchanged at least seven calendar days before an evidentiary hearing, or within 24 hours for an emergency hearing.
Prior to any evidentiary hearing, the parties shall exchange witness lists and exhibits within 7 calendar days of the hearing. In the event of an emergency hearing, the parties shall exchange witness lists and exhibits within 24 hours.
Page 1 | IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The opposing side must be electronically served with the filing through the E-Filing Portal.
On the E-FILING PORTAL, E-SERVE the opposing side with your filing.
Page 1 | Motion Calendar Information
The certificate of service must certify that a true and correct copy of the motions was sent via mail to all opposing parties pursuant to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure.
I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing and accompanying motions has been sent via mail this ___ day of ___________________,________, pursuant to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure to the following:
Page 2 | CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
Courtesy Copy Requirements
Each party must file a pretrial catalogue with the clerk and send the Court a courtesy copy at least 15 days before trial.
NO LESS THAN FIFTEEN (15) DAYS PRIOR TO THE TRIAL, EACH PARTY SHALL FILE A PRE-TRIAL CATALOGUE WITH THE CLERK AND FORWARD A COURTESY COPY TO THE COURT.
Page 1 | NON-JURY TRIALS
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
A case management conference is required before trial can be set; attorneys may schedule it on CourtMAP, while self-represented litigants should call chambers.
All notices of Trial will need a Case Management Conference before trial can be set. If you are an attorney you may set the case management on CourtMap. If you are a prose litigant, please call chambers to set the case management.
Page 1 | NON-JURY TRIALS
All cases must attend mediation before filing a Notice of Readiness for Trial.
All cases must attend mediation prior to filing a Notice of Readiness for Trial.
Page 1 | NON-JURY TRIALS
Non-jury trials must be set through the judicial assistant after coordinating with the opposing party, and the motion and notice of hearing must be attached as supporting documents.
All Non-Jury Trials shall be set through the Judicial Assistant. Please coordinate with the opposing party prior to setting the motion. Once the date is agreed, set the hearing through chambers. Be sure to include the motion and notice of hearing as supporting documents when setting the hearing.
Page 1 | NON-JURY TRIALS
Parties must meet and confer before filing a motion, and the filing party must report the outcome or due-diligence inability to contact the other party.
Parties shall meet and confer prior to the filing of motions. In the event that a motion is required, the party filing the motions shall indicate that the parties met and conferred, and no resolution was reached or that the other party was unable to be contacted after due diligence.
Page 1 | IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Contempt and enforcement motions may not be set on the five-minute calendar and must be specially set with the judicial assistant.
Please note: DO NOT SET MOTIONS FOR CONTEMPT/ENFORCEMENT ON THE 5-MINUTE MOTION CALENDAR. ALL MOTIONS FOR CONTEMPT/ENFORCEMENT SHALL BE SPECIAL SET WITH THE JUDICIAL ASSISTANT.
Page 1 | Motion Calendar Information
Coordinate with the opposing party on CourtMAP and, once a date is agreed, set the hearing using the Motion Calendar slot.
On COURTMAP, coordinate with opposing party and select the date to have the motion heard. Once a date is agreed upon, you may set the hearing using the Motion Calendar slot.
Page 1 | Motion Calendar Information
Uncoordinated unilateral hearing settings will be removed unless approved; a unilateral-setting request must be written and explain why it is necessary.
Unilaterally set hearings, without coordination from the opposing party, will be removed from the calendar unless approved by the Court. If you are seeking to schedule a hearing unilaterally, the request must be in writing to the Court with reasons as to why a unilateral setting is necessary.
Page 1 | Motion Calendar Information
The five-minute motion calendar is limited to non-evidentiary matters.
This calendar is for NON-EVIDENTIARY matters only.
Page 1 | Motion Calendar Information
Add-on motions to special-set hearings are prohibited.
ADD-ON motions to special set hearings are not permitted.
Page 1 | Special Set Hearings
The filer must contact all other parties before submitting a hearing request to confirm the issue is contested and the appropriate amount of hearing time is set.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You must contact the other side prior to requesting a hearing so that we may assure the issue is in fact contested and that the appropriate amount of time is being set aside. Please contact all sides and only then submit your package.
Page 2 | CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
An opposed motion to continue must be set on the five-minute motion calendar.
Opposed Motion to Continue shall be set on the 5 Minute Motion Calendar.
Page 1 | NON-JURY TRIALS
A motion to continue trial must include the client’s signature agreeing to the continuance and must be made 14 days before trial.
Motions to continue the trial must include a signature from the client agreeing to the continuance. All motions to continue must be made 14 days prior to the trial date.
Page 1 | NON-JURY TRIALS
Chambers Communication Rules
After filing the motion with the clerk, email the motion and hearing request to the judicial assistant; the assistant sets all hearings.
For Special Settings -Please submit a request for hearing with the motion via email to the Judicial Assistant at alraven@jud11.flcourts.org, after filing with the Clerk's office. All hearings should be set by the Judicial Assistant.
Page 1 | Special Set Hearings
For a matter typically held in person, parties who both agree to Zoom must request it in writing to the judicial assistant, and the Court decides whether to grant the request.
If parties are seeking a Zoom hearing for matters that are typically held in-person, and both parties agree to a Zoom hearing, the parties shall request a Zoom hearing in writing to the Court’s judicial assistant. The Court will then determine whether to grant the request.
Page 1 | Court Procedures
A matter deemed non-emergency is set in the normal course; urgent matters may receive earlier dates, and emergency hearings are by Zoom unless otherwise requested and approved.
If the Judge deems the matter no to be an emergency, it will be set in the normal course. Some matters may be considered urgent, or time-sensitive, and receive hearing dates sooner than later. Emergency hearings will be held via ZOOM, unless otherwise requested and approved
Page 1 | Additional Instructions — Emergency Motions
Do not email motions directly to the judicial assistant or judge.
Please do not email your Motion directly to the Judicial Assistant or Judge.
Page 1 | Additional Instructions — Emergency Motions
Parties may not argue through the Court’s or judicial assistant’s inbox; hearing-setting conflicts may be placed on the five-minute calendar, and violations may be sanctioned.
The parties shall not argue with one another through the Court’s or judicial assistant’s inbox. In the event the parties have a conflict regarding the setting of a hearing or scheduling a matter, they may place the issue on the Court’s five-minute motion calendar. The Court will not tolerate parties arguing to the judicial assistant over substantive matters or scheduling matters through email communication. The Court reserves the right to sanction any party who violates this provision.
Page 1 | IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Hearings requesting more than one hour must be scheduled by emailing the Judge's Judicial Assistant.
(TO SCHEDULE A HEARING FOR MORE THAN ONE (1) HOUR, EMAIL THE J.A.)
Page 1 | REQUEST FOR SPECIAL SET HEARING BEFORE JUDGE LAURA SHEARON CRUZ