Clay County family court

Judge Derke: courtesy copies of motions and memoranda three days out — but any BINDER containing case law must reach the Court at least five days before the hearing; civil hearings run on Zoom unless parties opt in-person.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Nelson conducts all civil hearings via Zoom unless a party requests in person, and requires the unrepresented party's mailing address on every proposed order's service list, with conformed copies provided.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Michelle Kalil (civil/small claims, FSC template, mod. Jan. 20, 2026): courtesy copies of motions and memoranda three business days out, binders with case law by physical delivery, and continuance motions signed by the requesting party per Rule 2.545(e).

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Brady doubles the courtesy window: motions, memoranda, and any case-law binders must reach the Court at least five days before the hearing.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Sadler grants Zoom appearance to out-of-county parties only on a filed Motion with a proposed order (Rule 3.116 on the criminal side), and case-law binders arrive five days early.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Nelson may request proposed orders from one or more parties per the Court's verbal rulings at hearing; orders without a hearing require the motion attached and all parties copied.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Flower: Zoom/telephonic appearance happens only upon request and approval, with the Zoom or phone number issued IN THE WRITTEN ORDER approving the remote appearance — plus the standard no-reschedule rule for failed connections and an absolute cross-noticing ban.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Lanigan holds Zoom participants responsible for their own connection (failure may count as absence, with no reschedule for inadequate connections) and refuses unilaterally cross-noticed motions; late-delivered authority may not be considered.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Hudson: her standing Zoom room is 262-722-9756, participants must display their full name in their Zoom ID or may not be admitted, and Zoom requests are handled case-by-case — possibly moving your hearing time; the morning criminal calendar runs 9:30, afternoons 1:30.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Floyd permits Zoom for routine appearances by out-of-county counsel, but not for disposition hearings involving an adjudication of guilt or for evidentiary hearings.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Lee (roster: Shayla Lee; her PDF prints "Shaya E. Lee" — spelling under review) publishes 2026 procedures on the Florida Supreme Court template: 9:30 a.m. start, E-Portal orders with courtesy copies to the JA, and the defendant present IN PERSON at the Final Pre-Trial Conference.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Nealis puts Zoom risk on the parties: anyone whose connection fails may be deemed absent from the hearing, and the division warns in capitals — DO NOT EXPECT THE COURT TO RESCHEDULE because you or a witness lacked an adequate connection.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Bateh holds civil hearings via Zoom unless BOTH parties request in-person (or the Court requires it), with courtesy copies three days out and voluminous pleadings by physical delivery.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Ferguson's civil side: proposed orders with agree-or-disagree cover letters within ten days of hearing, remote-appearance requests at least five days before, and all hearing materials three business days out.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Nealis bans cross-noticing outright — unilaterally cross-noticed motions will not be heard and may be denied without prejudice — and criminal pass requests must reach the JA a full 72 hours before the requested date.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Moran conducts civil hearings both in person and by Zoom, takes post-hearing orders on the Court's verbal recitation of rulings, and requires e-portal submission when all parties use it — with conformed copies to unrepresented parties.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Mitchell permits Zoom for routine appearances but never for disposition hearings involving an adjudication of guilt; morning calendar 9:00 a.m., afternoon calendar 2:00 p.m., FPT is the plea deadline with the defendant physically present.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Peoples-Waters publishes a standing division Zoom room (Meeting ID 822-372-8969) used for civil hearings and most criminal arraignments and pretrial conferences — with courtroom-grade dress required on camera.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Eckley-Moulder: when an unrepresented party is in the case, the lawyer presenting a post-hearing order must give the JA stamped, addressed envelopes for service; civil hearings default to Zoom, and cancellations MUST be confirmed by the JA.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.

Judge Salvador: agreed add/remove/pass requests by e-mail to the JA (cc opposing) no later than 3:30 p.m. the day before — the most generous pass window in the felony wing — and Zoom appearance is allowed for pretrial conferences under Rule 3.116.

Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.