Judge Stephen Walker
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Courtesy Copies
Courtesy copies
- 1 copy
Proposed Order
Adjournments
- Hearings are in person unless the court specially approves a remote appearance at least two days beforehand.
Communication
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Document Format Requirements5 rules
The proposed order must be submitted electronically through the Portal in Word (.docx) format. If not submitted in Word format, it will be rejected.
- File type
- Word
- Proposed order
Please note that the Court is unable to access Dropbox or links for exhibits.
Please submit hard copies of exhibits to the Court properly marked and indexed.
- File type
- Paper
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •Exhibits must be properly marked and indexed
Cover letters must be submitted through the Portal in PDF/A format.
- File type
- PDF/A
- Cover letter
For voluminous submissions, the Court appreciates an index or searchable file.
Document Filing Requirements4 rules
All proposed orders submitted through the Portal to Judges and Magistrates in Sarasota County require a cover letter. If a cover letter is not included, it will be rejected.
Any motion requesting emergency hearing time must explain the emergency, the anticipated time needed, and, where appropriate, good faith efforts to resolve the matter without Court intervention.
Parties shall only submit a proposed order when all parties agree to the form.
Proposed orders should use the stated concluding language, include a judge-signature line and any needed service list, omit the date, and leave room for the electronic signature.
Court's wording
Proposed orders should conclude with the following language: “Done and Ordered in Sarasota, Sarasota County, Florida” and Please include a signature line for the Judge’s signature block and a service list, if needed. Do not include a date; the date is included with the judge’s electronic signature. Please leave adequate room in the document for the judge’s electronic signature.
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
Unless good cause is shown, proposed orders must be submitted electronically through the statewide Portal whenever feasible.
Effective May 2, 2022, unless good cause is shown, proposed orders are required to be submitted electronically through the statewide Portal whenever feasible.
Page 1 | D. Submission of Orders
Emails are not motions; pleadings must be filed in the electronic court file.
The Court will not consider emails as motions. All pleadings must be filed into the electronic court file.
Page 1 | C. Communications with the Court
Do not email proposed orders unless instructed by the Court, and do not mail or email orders already submitted through the Portal.
Please do not Email “Proposed Orders” unless instructed to by the Court. Do not mail or email orders if they have been submitted via the portal as it can result in duplicate orders or errors.
Page 1 | D. Submission of Orders
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
If it is a remote hearing, please submit the evidence five days prior to the hearing/trial.
If it is a remote hearing, please submit the evidence five days prior to the hearing/trial.
Page 1 | G. Exhibits for Evidentiary Proceedings
For an in-person hearing, exhibits may be brought to the courtroom the morning of the hearing.
If the Hearing is In Person, you may bring the exhibits the morning of the hearing to the courtroom.
Page 1 | G. Exhibits for Evidentiary Proceedings
Service and Proof of Service Rules
Provide Zoom witnesses copies of all exhibits before the hearing or trial.
Please provide copies of all exhibits to Zoom witnesses prior to the hearing or trial.
Page 1 | G. Exhibits for Evidentiary Proceedings
Courtesy Copy Requirements
The filer of an emergency-hearing motion must email or hand-deliver a copy of the motion to the Judicial Assistant.
The attorney or party filing the motion must (1) phone the Court’s Judicial Assistant about the motion, and (2) email or hand deliver a copy to the Court’s Judicial Assistant.
Page 1 | F. Emergency & Other Urgent Matters
Do not email courtesy copies of materials already filed in the electronic court file unless the Court requests them.
Please do not email “courtesy copies” of anything previously filed into the electronic court file unless requested to do so by the court.
Page 1 | E. Courtesy Copies
An order submitted through the Portal does not require an emailed courtesy copy.
If an order is submitted via the portal, emailed courtesy copies are not needed.
Page 1 | D. Submission of Orders
Filing Bundling Requirements
Motions and proposed orders must be submitted as separate Portal documents and may not be combined in one document.
Motions and proposed orders must be submitted through the Portal as separate documents. Combined motion/proposed orders in the same document are not permitted.
Page 1 | D. Submission of Orders
After a motion is scheduled, subsequent motions may not be cross-noticed without prior approval from opposing counsel and the Court.
Once a motion is scheduled, subsequent motions shall not be “cross noticed”, absent prior approval of opposing counsel and the Court.
Page 1 | B. Hearing Procedures
Ancillary documents related to a proposed order may be attached to the cover letter in PDF/A format.
Any ancillary documents related to the proposed order (copy of the motion, case law, legal memorandums, etc.) may be attached to the cover letter in PDF/A format.
Page 1 | D. Submission of Orders
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
Hearings are in person unless the court specially approves a remote appearance at least two days beforehand.
All matters are In Person unless specially approved by the court at least 2 days prior to the hearing.
Page 1 | A. Remote Appearance
Chambers Communication Rules
The filer of an emergency-hearing motion must call the Judicial Assistant and email or hand-deliver a copy of the motion.
The attorney or party filing the motion must (1) phone the Court’s Judicial Assistant about the motion, and (2) email or hand deliver a copy to the Court’s Judicial Assistant.
Page 1 | F. Emergency & Other Urgent Matters
To cancel a hearing, email or call the Judicial Assistant, immediately notify all parties and the Judicial Assistant, and file the cancellation in the court file.
Please email or call the Judicial Assistant to cancel a hearing. You must immediately send notice of cancellation to all parties including the Judicial Assistant and file into the court file.
Page 1 | B. Hearing Procedures
Email communications to the Court must be copied to opposing parties or the Court will not consider them.
Ex-parte The Court will not consider ex-parte communication, therefore all communication sent to the Court by email must be copied to the opposing parties before the matter will be considered.
Page 1 | C. Communications with the Court
Submit all case law and supporting documents not filed in the court file to the Judicial Assistant at least 48 hours prior.
Please continue to submit all case law and any supporting documents that are not filed in the court file at least 48 hours prior to the Judicial Assistant.
Page 1 | E. Courtesy Copies
Request available plea hearing times by emailing the Judicial Assistant; plea hearings are set on Wednesday afternoons.
Please email the Judicial Assistant to request available hearing times for Pleas. They will be set on Wednesday afternoons.
Page 1 | B. Hearing Procedures
When sending case law and supporting documents, please state in your email or letter which party you represent.
When sending case law and supporting documents, please state in your email or letter which party you represent.
Page 1 | E. Courtesy Copies
All emails to the Judicial Assistant must include the case number in the subject line.
Please include the case number in the subject line of all emails.
Page 1 | Contact Information
If hard copies were sent, please email the Judicial Assistant prior to the hearing confirming receipt.
If hard copies were sent, please email the Judicial Assistant prior to the hearing confirming receipt.
Page 1 | G. Exhibits for Evidentiary Proceedings
Counsel should not use email for general correspondence or copy the Judicial Assistant on extraneous documents or counsel-to-counsel email correspondence.
Counsel should not use email for general correspondence or copy the Judicial Assistant any extraneous documentation or email correspondence between counsels.
Page 1 | C. Communications with the Court
Exhibits fewer than 25 pages may be emailed to the Judicial Assistant for printing.
If the exhibits are under 25 pages, they may be emailed to the Judicial Assistant to print.
Page 1 | G. Exhibits for Evidentiary Proceedings