County & Court GPS
Lee County family court
Twentieth Judicial Circuit. Procedure notes below come from BenchPath verified sources — every card carries its citation, confidence level, and last-verified date.
Before you file here
- Confirm venue — this county is the right place for the case
- Confirm the current official forms at flcourts.gov
- Check signature / notary requirements per form
- Pick the correct e-filing case category on the portal
- Handle confidential information (SSNs, minors) per rule
- Note the filing fee — or the fee-waiver application
Before you appear here
- Confirm date, time, location — and Zoom vs. in person
- Check the assigned judge/division instructions below
- Confirm how evidence must be submitted for hearings
- Ask whether a proposed order is expected, and in what format
- Confirm courtesy-copy requirements
- Build the exhibit and witness lists in Hearing Prep
Uncontested in Lee
Agreed on the terms? The path runs through this courthouse.
The qualifier reads your answers, the Assembly Line organizes the agreement, the Packet Composer names the official forms, and the tracker follows the clerk's acceptance loop — all county-aware. Filing fees are verified with the Lee clerk (this platform never types a fee it can't source), and the division's published practice above controls hearing logistics.
Florida law generally bars entry of a final judgment of dissolution until at least 20 days after the petition is filed (§ 61.19, Fla. Stat.); a court may act sooner only on the statute's required showing. Clerk and court processing add county-varying time on top.
Judge & Division Playbook
Who hears family cases here — and their published practice
A playbook is published practice — calendars, conferral, order formats — with its citation and verification date. FamilyLawGPS does not and will not predict judicial outcomes.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Alane Laboda
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Amy Hawthorne
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Andrew Marcus
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Bernard T. King
general_magistrate
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Bruce Kyle
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Carolyn Swift
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Christopher Whitney
general_magistrate
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Collier County Vacant Circuit Judge
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Cynthia Pivacek
senior_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Lee County Court
Devin S. George
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Elisabeth Adams
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
G. Keith Cary
senior_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Gaston J. Fernandez
senior_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Gilberto Perez
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Hendry County Vacant Magistrate Docket
general_magistrate
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Howard Atkin
child_support_hearing_officer
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
J. Frank Porter
chief_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
James D. Sloan
senior_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
James R. Adams
senior_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
James Shenko
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Lee County Court
Javier Pacheco
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Joseph Bernardo
general_magistrate
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Joseph C. Fuller
senior_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Lee County Court
Josephine Gagliardi
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Judith K. Rubenstein
senior_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Keith R. Kyle
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Kyle Cohen
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Lee County Vacant County Docket G9
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Lee County Vacant Domestic Relations-B Docket
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Leigh F. Hayes
senior_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Lee County Court
Lindsay S. Garza
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Margaret O. Steinbeck
senior_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Lee County Court
Maria Gonzalez
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Matthew M. Henry
child_support_hearing_officer
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Michael T. McHugh
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Nicholas Thompson
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Lee County Court
Nicole Lynn Mirra
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Nicole M. Cameron
general_magistrate
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Rachael Loukonen
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Randy Merrill
child_support_hearing_officer
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Robert Branning
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Ryan Dugan
general_magistrate
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Steven Studybaker
general_magistrate
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Lee County Court
Tara P. Paluck
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Theodore R. Walters
child_support_hearing_officer
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Thomas Reese
senior_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Tracey Redd
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
Trent Reichling
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
VACANT — Collier Unified Family Court seat
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
VACANT — Lee County Civil “G9” docket
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
VACANT — Lee Domestic Relations “B” docket
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court
William K. Dorman III
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Lee County Court
Zachary M. Gill
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Court procedure notes
Verified local intelligence
Court procedure data from BenchPath, compiled from official public court sources.
Service
E-Service of Pleadings and Documents — Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.516
Service of pleadings and documents after the initial pleading is made by e-mail — in practice through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal's e-service feature — to the designated service addresses on file.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney. If a specific order in your case says otherwise, that order controls over any county, division, or judge default shown here.
Emergency Motions
Domestic Violence Injunctions: Ex Parte Temporary Relief and Prompt Final Hearing — Fla. Fam. L. R. P. 12.610
A DV injunction petition is reviewed promptly; the court may issue a temporary injunction ex parte, and when it does, a full evidentiary hearing is generally set within 15 days. There is no filing fee.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney. If a specific order in your case says otherwise, that order controls over any county, division, or judge default shown here.
E-Filing
E-Filing Through the Statewide Portal — Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
Florida attorneys must file court documents electronically through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com). Self-represented litigants may e-file through the same portal. Local circuits layer their own formatting and routing quirks on top.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney. If a specific order in your case says otherwise, that order controls over any county, division, or judge default shown here.
Case Management
Mandatory Disclosure in Family Cases — Fla. Fam. L. R. P. 12.285
Parties in dissolution and most family financial cases must exchange a financial affidavit and specified financial documents within 45 days of service of the initial pleading, file a certificate of compliance, and supplement as circumstances change.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney. If a specific order in your case says otherwise, that order controls over any county, division, or judge default shown here.
Administrative OrdersTwentieth Judicial Circuit
20th Cir. Admin. Order — AO 25.9 - Local Rule IX - Establishment of Domestic Violence Court (10/26/94) [Local Rules]
1 verbatim requirement from admin. order AO 25.9 - Local Rule IX - Establishment of Domestic Violence Court (10/26/94) [Local Rules].
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney. If a specific order in your case says otherwise, that order controls over any county, division, or judge default shown here.
Administrative OrdersTwentieth Judicial Circuit
20th Cir. Admin. Order — AO 35.50 - Appointment as General Magistrate & Child Support Enforcement Hearing Officer, Robert Geltner (3/22/12) [Administrative]
1 verbatim requirement from admin. order AO 35.50 - Appointment as General Magistrate & Child Support Enforcement Hearing Officer, Robert Geltner (3/22/12) [Administrative].
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney. If a specific order in your case says otherwise, that order controls over any county, division, or judge default shown here.