Judge Diana Moreland
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Limits & Logistics
Courtesy Copies
Notice of Hearing, Motion, Proposed Order
- At Least 5 Days Before Hearing
Opposition, Proposed Order
- At Least 5 Days Before Hearing
Proposed Order, Cover Letter
- Upon Submission
Communication
Chambers
Document Format Requirements5 rules
Further, any proposed attachment to a proposed order must simultaneously be submitted through the Portal in PDF/A format.
- File type
- PDF/A
- Proposed order attachment
Pre- & Post-Hearing (Physical Submission): Proposed orders may be sent via hand delivery, U.S. Mail or overnight and must include an original and adequate number of copies for conforming and stamped, addressed envelopes for mailing.
Proposed orders must be submitted through the Portal: All proposed orders must be submitted through the Portal and submitted in Word format only.
- File type
- Word
- Proposed order
All proposed orders must be accompanied by a cover letter in PDF/A format.
- File type
- PDF/A
- Cover letter
If the document is to be recorded (e.g., judgment), there must be a blank space measuring 3 inches by 3 inches at the top right for Clerk’s recording stamp.
Document Filing Requirements13 rules
An order compensating an examining committee for an indigent ward must include the specified indigence and payment language.
Court's wording
Ward Indigent: Your order must include the following language: “By the submission of this Order, the attorney confirms that the clerk has made a determination, based on known income/assets, that the ward is indigent. The attorney and guardian are proceeding at no expense to the ward. Based on indigence, the fees shall be paid by the Court Administration budget for the Twelfth Judicial Circuit.”
All proposed orders must be accompanied by a cover letter in PDF/A format.
If the proposed Order is submitted pursuant to a hearing, opposing counsel shall review and approve the proposed Order prior to submitting it to the Court (the cover letter shall reflect that opposing counsel has reviewed and approved).
A hearing notice must state how the parties will appear and include the corresponding Zoom credentials, courtroom, address, and hybrid-appearance language when applicable.
Court's wording
When drafting a notice of hearing, you must be clear as to how the parties are appearing. If via zoom, you must include Judge Moreland’s Zoom credentials. If “in-person”, you must include the courtroom assignment and the physical address of the Manatee County Judicial Center or Silvertooth Judicial Center as applicable. If “in-person” and via Zoom, you must include that this is a “hybrid appearance” and must include both Judge Moreland’s Zoom credentials and courtroom assignment and the physical address of the Manatee County Judicial Center or Silvertooth Judicial Center as applicable.
A Notice of Hearing is required for all hearings scheduled before the court regardless of duration or nature.
For an Ex Parte hearing, email the Probate Coordinator the petition, hearing notice, proposed orders, and relevant documents, with the specified case and hearing information in the subject line.
Court's wording
Ex Parte matters are strictly limited to uncontested, non-evidentiary matters lasting less than 5 minutes. These hearings are not scheduled through the Judicial Assistant or through JACS. The attorney desiring an Ex Parte hearing shall email to the Probate Coordinator, the Petition, Notice of Hearing, proposed Order(s) and all other relevant documents. The email subject line shall include the case style, petition and date of hearing.
Ward Non-Indigent: Your order must include the following language: “The fees shall be paid from the assets of the guardianship estate.”
5-Day Letters: The Court requires all proposed post hearing Orders be submitted with a “5-day letter” allowing opposing counsel or pro se litigant 5 days within which to object or a letter representing to the Court that if this letter will be filed by the Court.
File an original stipulation with the Clerk before submitting it to the Court, and submit the proposed order with a signed copy or the specified approval letter.
Court's wording
Original Stipulations should be filed with the Clerk prior to submitting them to the Court. The proposed order must be submitted with a copy of the signed stipulation or a letter representing to the Court that it has been reviewed and approved by opposing counsel, and it is an Agreed Order.
If there is no unresolved clerk determination of indigence, the petitioning attorney should bring the original and copies of the Order Compensating to the adjudicatory hearing.
Include the docket’s DIN when referring to a filing, especially in a hearing notice.
Court's wording
Important The Clerk’s Office on the progress docket identifies a unique, sequential Document Identification Number [DIN] for each docket entry. Once assigned by the Clerk, the DIN does not change. Please include the DIN when referencing any filing, especially on hearing notices.
Do not direct the Court or its staff to hold a proposed order for an objection period; the Court will reject such orders.
Court's wording
Please do not include a directive such as “hold this proposed order for x days for an objection to be lodged.” The Court will reject proposed orders seeking to put this burden on the Court or the Court’s staff.
Submit an agreed-form proposed order when possible; if there is disagreement or no timely response, identify the disagreement and steps taken, and the opposing attorney may submit an alternate order simultaneously.
Court's wording
Judge Moreland expects that you will only submit a proposed order when all attorneys or parties agree on its form. If there is a disagreement on the form, or an attorney does not respond within a reasonable time, you may then send the proposed order with a concise statement identifying the disagreement and the specific steps you took. The opposing attorney may submit at the same time an alternate proposed order through the Portal.
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
E-filing proposed orders with the Clerk of Circuit Court in Probate cases is prohibited, subject to the separately identified Clerk-audit procedures.
Pursuant to Administrative Order 2022-1.2, effective January 24, 2022, the e-filing of proposed orders with the Clerk of Circuit Court in Probate cases is prohibited.
Most self-represented litigants and attorneys must register with the statewide E-filing Portal to send and receive court documents.
The Florida Courts E-Filing Authority maintains a single, statewide access point to file court documents known as the E-filing Portal. Most self-represented litigants (pro se litigants) as well as attorneys must register with the Portal to send and receive court documents as required by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.516.
For a proposed order requiring a Clerk audit, e-file it as a pleading rather than submitting it through the Judge’s proposed-order option.
For Clerk’s audit (See Matters Requiring Clerk’s Audit Must be E-Filed) For Judge: Select Manatee County; Select Division (Probate/Guardianship); Select Judge Moreland. For Probate and Guardianship cases, do not click on proposed orders for any order that requires an audit by the Clerk’s office. (See the section titled Matters Requiring Clerk’s Audit Must be E-Filed) E-file the proposed order as you would any other pleading.
The proposed orders identified for Clerk audit must be e-filed to notify the Clerk to conduct its review.
Matters Requiring Clerk’s Audit Must be E-Filed: However, the following is a list of proposed orders that shall be E-filed in order for the Clerk of Circuit Court to be put on notice to conduct their review/audit.
Submit all proposed orders through the Portal in Word format only.
Proposed orders must be submitted through the Portal: All proposed orders must be submitted through the Portal and submitted in Word format only.
Complete and e-file the applicable checklist for all cases and for all Ex Parte and JACS hearings.
The checklists shall be done and E-Filed for all cases and for all ex parte and JACS hearings.
Submit any proposed order attachment through the Portal at the same time as the proposed order, in PDF/A format.
Further, any proposed attachment to a proposed order must simultaneously be submitted through the Portal in PDF/A format.
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
File Ex Parte pleadings and documents with the Clerk and ensure they are viewable on the docket before requesting the hearing.
All pleadings/documents shall be filed with the Clerk’s office and viewable on the docket prior to requesting an Ex Parte hearing.
An attorney who removes an original document from the courtroom after a hearing must deliver it to the Clerk’s Office that same business day.
Removal of Original Documents from Courtroom: If an attorney makes a request to take an original document from the courtroom following any hearing, the original shall be delivered by the Attorney to the Clerk’s Office on the same business day. no exceptions.
Ex Parte hearing documents must reach the Probate Coordinator by noon on the business day immediately preceding the hearing.
All documents shall be emailed in one .pdf attachment to the Probate Coordinator no later than noon, on the business day immediately preceding the hearing, no exceptions.
File the original stipulation with the Clerk before submitting it to the Court.
Original Stipulations should be filed with the Clerk prior to submitting them to the Court.
Service and Proof of Service Rules
A party seeking relief must provide the motion to the Judge and all attorneys or parties when it is filed with the Clerk.
Filing something with the Clerk of Court does not automatically bring it to the attention of the Court. If you wish to bring a motion requesting relief to the attention of the Court, you must provide a copy to the Judge and all the attorneys or parties at the same time.
Courtesy Copy Requirements
The submitting attorney must provide all parties and attorneys courtesy copies of the proposed order and cover letter.
The submitting attorney must ensure all parties/attorneys receive a courtesy copy of both the proposed Order and cover letter.
The scheduling attorney must provide the Judge’s office the listed hearing documents at least five days before the hearing.
It is required that the scheduling attorney furnish the judge’s office with copies of all hearing documents including: Notice of Hearing, Motion, Rebuttals, Proposed order, all pertinent portions of any documents or pleadings to be referenced, and any supporting case law no later than five (5) days prior to the scheduled hearing.
Responding attorneys must provide the Judge’s office the listed response materials at least five days before the hearing.
It is required that the responding attorneys furnish the judge’s office copies of all hearing documents including: Responses, Proposed order, all pertinent portions of any documents or pleadings to be referenced, and any supporting case law no later than five (5) days prior to the scheduled hearing.
Filing Bundling Requirements
Email all Ex Parte hearing documents together in one PDF attachment by noon on the business day immediately before the hearing.
All documents shall be emailed in one .pdf attachment to the Probate Coordinator no later than noon, on the business day immediately preceding the hearing, no exceptions.
Submit each hearing document as a separate file; do not combine all documents into one PDF or submit ZIP files.
Each document must be a separate document – one .pdf for all documents is unacceptable and no zip files for instance.
Chambers Communication Rules
A party seeking action from Judge Moreland must file a motion; an email will not be treated as one.
Emails are not motions. The Court will not consider an email to be a motion. If any party wants Judge Moreland to act, the party must file a motion.
For a hearing cancelled within five days, contact the Judicial Assistant to cancel it and immediately file and distribute a Notice of Cancellation.
If the hearing to be cancelled within 5 days, you must contact the Judicial Assistant to physically cancel the hearing. You should then immediately file and distribute a Notice of Cancellation.
Schedule hearings estimated to exceed one hour by emailing the Judicial Assistant the listed case, motion, DIN, filing-date, and time information.
Hearings more than one hour:All hearings estimated to last more than one hour must be scheduled by emailing the judicial assistant with the style of the case, the subject of the motion, DIN and date the motion was filed, and total time needed to complete same.
The proposed orders appointing an attorney and elisor or appointing an examining committee must be emailed to the Judicial Assistant.
Appointing Attorney and Elisor and Appointing Examining Committee: These two proposed Orders are the exception to the rule regarding emailed proposed Orders. Due to the time sensitive nature, these must be emailed to the Judicial Assistant.
Beginning April 1, 2026, hearing documents may be emailed to the Judicial Assistant as separate files, with the case number, case name, and hearing date in the email; combined PDFs and ZIP files are not accepted.
Beginning April 1, 2026, Judge Moreland will accept electronic copies of the hearing documents. You can submit the hearing documents by emailing the Judicial Assistant at LFritz@jud12.flcourts.org. You must reference the case number, case name, and date of hearing in the email. Each document must be a separate document – one .pdf for all documents is unacceptable and no zip files for instance.
You must schedule and cancel hearings 60 minutes or less through the Judicial Automated Calendaring System (JACS).
You must schedule and cancel hearings 60 minutes or less through the Judicial Automated Calendaring System (JACS).
Contested issues must be raised by a motion scheduled for hearing, not litigated through letters or phone messages to the Court.
Occasionally attorneys attempt to litigate issues by providing the Court with letters or copies of letters to opposing counsel, and/or attempt to have information relayed to the Court by phone. This is unacceptable. If the parties cannot reach an agreement on an issue after discussion between themselves, then a motion shall be filed and scheduled for hearing. The Court will not read or respond to letters on contested issues.
For a cancellation within 24 hours of the hearing, contact the Judicial Assistant by both email and phone.
For short notice cancellations within 24 hours of the hearing, the scheduling party shall contact the judicial assistant by email and phone to ensure the cancellation has been communicated to the court.
After filing an emergency petition or motion, send a copy and cover letter to the assigned judge’s office by email or direct delivery.
After an emergency petition or motion has been e-filed or filed with the Clerk’s office, a copy of the petition or motion shall be emailed or delivered directly to the assigned judge’s office, along with a cover letter.