Hearing Prep Mode
Walk in organized. Walk out with a plan.
Hearing preparation is organization, not argument coaching: know the procedure, bring the proof, respect the format. Pick your county to pull its actual hearing procedures from BenchPath.
The universal prep list
01
Confirm the hearing
Date, time, length, judge/magistrate, and whether it's Zoom or in person. The notice of hearing controls.
02
Know what the hearing decides
A motion calendar hearing is short and narrow; a special set or evidentiary hearing takes testimony. Prepare for the one you actually have.
03
Organize exhibits
Number them, bring the required copies, and know your county's submission procedure — many divisions require pre-submission for Zoom hearings.
04
Line up witnesses
Who, why, and whether they need subpoenas. Confirm remote-appearance rules if any witness is remote.
05
Draft the timeline
One page: the key dates and facts you need the judge to absorb quickly.
06
Check the proposed-order procedure
Some divisions want proposed orders before the hearing, in editable format, through a specific channel.
07
Plan court day
Parking, security lines, childcare (children generally should not come), documents in a binder, phone silenced.
08
Plan the after
Who prepares the order, when it's due, and what you must start doing the moment it's signed.
Orange hearing & division procedures
Proposed OrdersDoug Walker · Orange
Ninth Cir. — Judge Doug Walker: Proposed orders
59 verbatim courtroom requirements from Judge Doug Walker's published division procedures.
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.
Special Set HearingsAdam McGinnis · Orange
Ninth Cir. — Judge Adam McGinnis: Hearing & argument time
24 verbatim courtroom requirements from Judge Adam McGinnis's published division procedures.
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.
Administrative OrdersNinth Judicial Circuit
9th Cir. Admin. Order — 07-95-44-07 - Amended Administrative Order Governing the Child Support Hearing Officers' General Powers and Duties Pursuant to Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.491
15 verbatim requirements from administrative order 07-95-44-07 - Amended Administrative Order Governing the Child Support Hearing Officers' General Powers and Duties Pursuant to Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.491.
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.