Judge Michael J. Hooi
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Extraordinary Writ Petition
Court-wide- Immediately Upon Filing
Financial Affidavit, Exhibits
Court-wideGuardian Ad Litem Report
Court-wide- At Least 48 Hours Before Hearing
Motion
Court-wide
Adjournments
Court-wideRequest must include
Communication
Chambers
Clerk
Clerk
Clerk
Phone
Court-wideChambers
Document Format Requirements3 rules
Appearing virtually means keeping your camera on during your hearing and displaying both your first and last names.
Formatting
- •Keep the camera on during the virtual hearing
- •Display both first and last names
Unless the court orders otherwise, you should upload a proposed order or judgment as a PDF through the E-Portal to the division’s queue.
- File type
- Proposed order
- Judgment
Please do not deliver any binders that you may use with witnesses or at counsel’s table in advance without the judge’s or judicial assistant’s prior permission. Instead, have them with you on the date of your hearing or trial.
Formatting
- •Bring the binder on the hearing or trial date
Document Filing Requirements16 rules
The scheduling party must prepare a hearing notice that is labeled “unilateral”
- Document
- Notice of hearing
Must include
- •Unilateral
The date the motion to be heard was filed and docket number if available;
The hearing location or the link to the Zoom meeting, including the Zoom ID number.
The motion should further certify that the moving party has not filed it for any improper purpose, such as to harass, delay, or increase the cost of litigation.
It should further explain why the matter is an emergency and describe the harm that would occur if the matter is not heard as an emergency.
Please include the Zoom link in any notice of virtual hearing you prepare.
and describes the efforts made—including all means, dates, and times of contact—to reach an agreed hearing date.
if you can’t secure the services of an interpreter described in paragraph (1) above, you must complete a written declaration under rule 2.565(d), a copy of which you file with the clerk, serve on all other parties or, if represented, their counsel, and email a copy to the Office of the State Courts Administrator at 565Declarations@flcourts.org.
Please include a cover letter with your proposed order, stating whether all parties agree to its form and content and copying all who should receive service.
In seeking emergency relief, the moving party should certify that the emergency has not been caused by a lack of due diligence but by circumstances beyond the movant’s control.
The amount of time reserved for the hearing;
The title of the motion to be heard;
When you submit a proposed final order or judgment, please also submit a final disposition form to close your case.
Be prepared, if asked to do so, to file a motion explaining why your hearing will require the amount of time you have requested.
A party objecting to a proposed order should immediately submit a competing order with a cover letter identifying the objections.
Court's wording
If a party thinks that the proposed order does not accurately state the court’s ruling or otherwise objects to the order, that party should submit a competing order immediately with a cover letter identifying the objections to the proposed order.
Each exhibit should be labeled for access and real-time submission, with numbered labels preferred over letters.
Court's wording
Another important tip: remember to label each exhibit for easy access and submission to the clerk in real time. Some suggested labels are “Petitioner’s Exhibit 1” or “Respondent’s Exhibit 2.” Prefer numbers to letters.
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
A party may cancel a hearing scheduled by another party only with consent from all affected parties or permission from the court.
You may cancel a hearing that another party set only with the consent of all affected or the court’s permission.
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Unified Family Court, Division E
A filed and served hearing notice may be amended only with the court’s permission.
A party may amend a filed-and-served hearing notice only with the court’s permission.
Page 1 | Amending a Hearing Notice
Relief must be requested by filing an appropriate document; emailing the division does not substitute for filing.
If you are seeking relief, you must file an appropriate document with the clerk. Emailing the division is not a substitute for filing.
Page 1 | All parties and counsel
A party may unilaterally notice a hearing only if the other side fails to cooperate with scheduling.
A party may unilaterally notice a hearing only if the other side fails to cooperate with scheduling.
Page 1 | Unilateral Hearing Notice
Trial exhibits must not be docketed as pleadings, motions, or other filings and do not enter the record until admitted at trial.
Please do not upload your trial exhibits to the docket as if you were filing a pleading, motion, or other document with the clerk. They are not supposed to be part of the record until the court admits them at trial.
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Unified Family Court, Division E
A party canceling an unneeded hearing must e-file a cancellation notice and immediately email a timestamped copy to the judicial assistant.
If you no longer need a scheduled hearing, e-file a cancelation notice and email a timestamped copy to the judicial assistant right away so that the judicial assistant can give the time to someone else.
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Unified Family Court, Division E
Exhibits intended for an evidentiary hearing or trial must be uploaded through the E-Portal before the hearing or trial.
If you have any evidence to present at an evidentiary hearing or trial, please upload your exhibits through the E-Portal before the hearing or trial.
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Unified Family Court, Division E
A party may not cancel a trial or a hearing or conference scheduled by the clerk or court.
You may not cancel a trial or a clerk- or court-scheduled hearing or conference.
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Unified Family Court, Division E
An unrepresented litigant may submit a proposed order to the judicial assistant by email.
If you are an unrepresented litigant in need of submitting a proposed order, you may do so by emailing it to the judicial assistant.
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Unified Family Court, Division E
If you are scheduling an uncontested matter for hearing, please book it in JAWS under “CMC/UMC” (case-management conference or uniform-motion calendar).
If you are scheduling an uncontested matter for hearing, please book it in JAWS under “CMC/UMC” (case-management conference or uniform-motion calendar).
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Unified Family Court, Division E
Unless the court directs otherwise, a proposed order or judgment should be uploaded as a PDF through the E-Portal to the division’s queue.
Unless the court orders otherwise, you should upload a proposed order or judgment as a PDF through the E-Portal to the division’s queue.
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Unified Family Court, Division E
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
The moving party or counsel may file and serve the hearing notice only after the judicial assistant confirms the hearing date by email.
Only after the judicial assistant confirms the hearing date by email may the moving party or counsel file and serve the hearing notice.
Page 1 | Scheduling
Service and Proof of Service Rules
After permission is granted, the requesting party must file an amended hearing notice and serve a copy on every other party or attorney.
If the court grants permission, file an amended notice of hearing and serve a copy on all other parties or attorneys.
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Unified Family Court, Division E
An unrepresented litigant must designate an email address with the clerk for document service unless excused under Rule 2.516(b)(1)(D).
Unless you are excused under rule 2.516(b)(1)(D), you must designate your email address with the clerk for service of documents.
Page 1 | If you are representing yourself
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
When uncertain about hearing format, parties should confer, file a motion, and submit a proposed order in advance.
When in doubt, confer with the other side, file a motion, and submit a proposed order in advance.
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Unified Family Court, Division E
Chambers Communication Rules
After filing the notice, please email a timestamped copy to the judicial assistant.
After filing the notice, please email a timestamped copy to the judicial assistant.
Page 1 | Hearing Notice
Communications to the division must copy all parties and any applicable third party and must use the division’s email address.
If you contact the division, you must include all parties, including any applicable third party, on any communication you send. Please use only the division email address: famlawdive@fljud13.org.
Page 1 | All parties and counsel
A request for permission to cross-notice must be emailed to the judicial assistant, copied to all parties, and state the matters to be heard.
To request permission, email the judicial assistant, copying all parties and stating what you would like to have heard.
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Unified Family Court, Division E
A request for more than 30 minutes of hearing time must be communicated by email to the judicial assistant with the other side copied.
If you need more than 30 minutes, please email the judicial assistant and copy the other side.
Page 1 | Scheduling
A self-represented litigant should email the judicial assistant and copy the other side when requesting scheduling assistance.
If you are representing yourself without counsel, please email the judicial assistant, copying the other side, for help with scheduling.
Page 1 | Scheduling
If you have registered your email address with the clerk but have not received the handling order within 48 hours after you file your emergency motion, please email division and attach a copy of your timestamped motion.
If you have registered your email address with the clerk but have not received the handling order within 48 hours after you file your emergency motion, please email division and attach a copy of your timestamped motion.
Page 1 | Emergency Motions
The division strongly prefers email for communications.
All parties and counsel: The division strongly prefers email for communication.
Page 1 | All parties and counsel