Judge Mark A. Skipper
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Limits & Logistics
Courtesy Copies
Rehearing Motion
Memoranda, Case Law, Other Hearing Materials
Court-wide- Before Hearing
Memoranda, Case Law, Other Materials
Court-wide- At Least 5 Court Days Before Scheduled Hearing
Communication
Chambers
Phone
Court-wideClerk
Phone
Court-wideClerk
Clerk
Phone
Court-wideChambers
Document Format Requirements5 rules
(2) All exhibits must be pre-labeled.
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •All exhibits must be pre-labeled
Each exhibit should be sent as an individual PDF file, unless the file is a video or other file that cannot be provided in PDF format. The name of the file must state the Party offering the exhibit, the word “Exhibit”, the exhibit letter for identification, and a short description of the exhibit, such as the following example: “Petitioner’s Exhibit 1 – Car Title”.
- File type
- Exhibits
The Written Final Hearing checklist must be submitted to the Court by email along with all applicable agreements and the proposed Final Judgment in Word format.
- File type
- Word
- Final judgment
The proposed Final Judgment should be emailed to the Court in Microsoft Word format.
- File type
- Word
- Final judgment
Each case or document should be provided as a separate file.
- Case law
- Other non-exhibit document
Formatting
- •Each case or document must be provided as a separate file
Document Filing Requirements17 rules
Every hearing request must include the motion and nine specified pieces of case and hearing information.
Court's wording
All requests for hearings must include a copy of the motion to be heard and the following information: (1) the Case Number; (2) Petitioner’s name and attorney; (3) Respondent’s name and attorney; (4) Hearing date and time requested; (5) Length of hearing; (6) Title of the Motion to be heard & date filed; (7) whether the hearing is evidentiary; (8) Date of the mandatory mediation conducted per Administrative Order No. 2004-14-02; (9)Date the mandatory meet and confer was conducted per Administrative Order No. 2014-19.
The motion must state whether the opposing party agrees or objects to the requested remote appearance.
A Certificate of Compliance must be attached to the Notice of Hearing.
- Document
- Notice of hearing
- Placement
- Certificate section
Must include
- •Local rule certificate
If the hearing will be conducted via Webex, the Notice of Hearing must also include the following language:
Notice of Hearing: Notice of Hearing should include the full name of the motion and filing date, the length of the hearing, and a Certificate of Compliance per Administrative Order No. 2014-19.
- Document
- Notice of hearing
- Placement
- Certificate section
A party requesting emergency action must include the words “Emergency Motion” in the title of the motion
- Document
- Motion
Must include
- •Emergency Motion
When the case is at issue (the pleadings are closed), the parties are instructed to expeditiously file a notice for trial. The notice for trial must be emailed to the Court’s judicial assistant after filing.
An expedited motion must include the words “Expedited Motion” in the title and must set forth in detail the date by which an expedited ruling is needed and the reason the ruling is needed by the stated date.
If you wish to have your case heard by the General Magistrate, file a Motion for Referral to the General Magistrate and provide the Court an email copy, including the motion/issues you wish to have referred to the General Magistrate.
An expedited motion must be titled “Expedited Motion” and explain in detail both the date by which a ruling is needed and why the ruling is needed by that date.
Court's wording
A party whose time-sensitive motion does not qualify as an emergency motion but who nonetheless requires an expedited ruling by a date certain may file an expedited motion. An expedited motion must include the words “Expedited Motion” in the title and must set forth in detail the date by which an expedited ruling is needed and the reason the ruling is needed by the stated date. As a general matter, an expedited motion is one that will become moot if not ruled upon by a date certain.
All Orders should be titled with the name of the Motion and include a complete certificate of service.
- Document
- Order
Should include
- •Certificate of service
**PLEASE NOTE: ANY/ALL PROPOSED ORDERS SUBMITTED TO THE COURT MUST CLEARLY STATE THE OPPOSING PARTY’S POSITION WITHIN THAT ORDER OR WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED**
A party or self-represented party using AI in a complaint, answer, motion, brief, or other paper assigned to Judge Skipper or Division 43 must disclose the AI use and certify that every legal and record citation was independently verified.
- Document
- Papers
Must include
- •AI disclosure
Court's wording
The Court does not prohibit the use of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) in its division. However, if any party or self-represented party has used AI in the preparation of any complaint, answer, motion, brief, or other paper filed with the Court, and assigned to Judge Skipper or Division 43, the party MUST, in a clear and plain factual statement, disclose that AI has been used in the filing, and CERTIFY, that each and every citation to the law or the record in the paper, has been independently verified as accurate.
Subject Line: NOH, Date of Hearing, And Case Number
Counsel should provide the proposed order to opposing counsel/pro se litigant for approval before submitting it to the Court via an email that advises the Court that the Order is agreed upon.
Unless the proposed order is being provided in person at a hearing, do not submit a hard copy of the proposed order.
If the Court requests counsel to prepare an order at a hearing, counsel will prepare and submit the order to the Court via email within 7 days unless a different deadline is set by the Court at the hearing.
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
The court does not accept document submissions through Dropbox or through links or files requiring downloading.
(6) The Court does not accept anything via Dropbox or that requires downloading of any kind.
Page 8 | Exhibits and Case Law
Evidence must not be filed with the clerk’s office.
Note: Evidence is NOT to be filed with the Clerk’s office
Page 8 | Exhibits and Case Law
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
A motion requesting a remote appearance at an in-person hearing must be filed at least seven days before the hearing.
If a party requests that an individual party, attorney, or witness be permitted to appear remotely at an in-person hearing, a motion for the individual to appear remotely must be submitted at least 7 days prior to the hearing.
Page 3 | 1. Courtroom
The Notice of Cancellation must be emailed to the judicial assistant when it is filed with the clerk.
A Notice of Cancellation should be emailed to the Judicial Assistant at the time the Notice of Cancellation is filed with the Clerk.
Page 4 | Cancellations
The court must be notified of a hearing cancellation at least 24 hours in advance.
Please notify the Court at least 24 hours in advance of any cancellations so that the hearing time can be offered to other parties.
Page 4 | Cancellations
When the other party is pro se, the Notice of Hearing must be provided immediately; when both sides are represented, it must be provided no later than two weeks before the hearing, or the matter will not be heard.
Parties Must Provide Notice of Hearing to The J.A. Immediately If Other Party Is Pro se, If Both Sides Are Represented Than No Later Than 2 Weeks Prior To The Hearing Date To Allow It To Appear On The Docket; Otherwise The Matter Will Not Be Heard
Page 4 | 2. Hearings
For a short-matter hearing, the Notice of Hearing, motion, and proposed order must be emailed to chambers at least three business days before the hearing.
Any party who notices a case for short matters MUST provide an email copy of the Notice of Hearing, the Motion and a proposed order to chambers at least three business days before the hearing date.
Page 5 | Short Matters
Counsel and pro se litigants must scrupulously follow all deadlines and requirements in the Case Management Order.
Following the CMC/PTC, the Court will issue a Case Management Order and/or Order Setting Trial. This process should be done early in each case so that all parties and counsel have dates and deadlines that they are working towards. The deadlines and requirements contained in the Case Management Order are to be scrupulously followed by counsel and pro se litigants.
Page 7 | Case Management/Pretrial
Service and Proof of Service Rules
Case law and other non-exhibit documents must be emailed to the court and opposing party at least three business days before the hearing or trial.
(4) All case law and other non-exhibit documents that a party wishes the Court to review must be provided to the Court and the opposing party by email at least three business days prior to the hearing or trial.
Page 8 | Exhibits and Case Law
At least four business days before the hearing, counsel and pro se parties must exchange all exhibits and conduct a substantive, good-faith telephone conference about stipulations and admissibility objections.
(1) No later than four business days before the hearing, counsel and/or pro se parties shall exchange all exhibits and have a substantive, good faith telephone conference to address stipulations and objections to the admissibility of any exhibits.
Page 8 | Exhibits and Case Law
Video and audio recording files must be submitted electronically and also delivered on a flash drive on the hearing day.
(5) In addition to being submitted electronically, video or audio recording files must be provided in the form of a flash drive on the day of the hearing.
Page 8 | Exhibits and Case Law
Parties must email all exhibits to the Judicial Assistant at least three business days before the hearing or trial, rather than delivering hard copies to the judge in advance.
(3) Parties must email 43osceola@ninthcircuit.org copies of all exhibits to the Judicial Assistant at least three business days prior to the hearing or trial. Do not deliver hard copies to the Judge prior to the hearing or trial. (Bring in evidence folder the day of court to courtroom).
Page 8 | Exhibits and Case Law
After an order is signed and e-filed by division 43, the attorney must send a copy to any pro se litigant within five days and file a certificate of compliance or service with the clerk.
Once Orders have been signed and e-filed by division 43 it is the attorney’s responsibility to produce a copy to the Prose litigant if any, within 5 days and file a certificate of compliance/or certificate of service with the clerk of court.
Page 9 | Orders
Courtesy Copy Requirements
Copies of motions for rehearing should be emailed to the court because filing them only in the court file does not notify the court that they have been filed.
Courtesy copies of Motions for Rehearing should be emailed to the Court for review. If they are filed in the court file only, the Court does not know that they have been filed.
Page 8 | Motions for Rehearing
Filing Bundling Requirements
Cross-notices are prohibited unless the opposing party agrees and the court approves them.
**Cross-notices are not allowed without agreement of opposing party and approval from the Court**
Page 4 | 2. Hearings
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
A mandatory meet-and-confer, including in matters involving pro se litigants, must occur before requesting a hearing on unresolved issues.
Before requesting a hearing, the mandatory “meet and confer” must be held per Administrative order 2014-19. This includes matters with pro se litigants. If the issue(s) are still unresolved then a hearing may be requested.
Page 3 | 2. Hearings
Chambers Communication Rules
The judge’s office cannot receive ex parte communications from anyone.
PLEASE NOTE, THE JUDGE’S OFFICE CANNOT RECEIVE EX-PARTE COMMUNICATIONS FROM ANYONE.
Page 1 | DOMESTIC RELATIONS - DIVISION 43-C PROCEDURES
All parties must be copied on every email, correspondence, or communication with the judge’s office.
YOU MUST ALWAYS COPY ALL PARTIES ON ANY AND ALL E-MAILS, CORRESPONDENCES AND/OR COMMUNICATION WITH THIS OFFICE.
Page 1 | DOMESTIC RELATIONS - DIVISION 43-C PROCEDURES
The hearing time must first be coordinated with and confirmed by the opposing counsel or pro se litigant before the division is emailed to secure the hearing.
You must coordinate the hearing time with opposing counsel/pro se litigant PRIOR to emailing the division. Once a date/time has been confirmed by both parties, you must email the division, include opposing counsel or pro-se litigant, in order to secure hearing time.
Page 3 | 2. Hearings
All emails to the judicial assistant must include the opposing counsel or pro se litigant.
WHEN EMAILING THE JUDICIAL ASSISTANT FOR ALL MATTERS, THE OPPOSING COUNSEL OR PRO SE LITIGANT MUST BE INCLUDED.
Page 3 | Courtroom: / Hearings
Hearings cannot be scheduled by telephone.
NO HEARINGS ARE SET VIA PHONE.
Page 3 | 2. Hearings
A Notice of Hearing may not be sent until the judicial assistant confirms the hearing time by email.
Please do not send a Notice of Hearing until you have confirmed the time with the Judicial Assistant and receive an email confirmation from the Judicial Assistant.
Page 4 | 2. Hearings