Judge Mitchell D. Bishop

Current Assignment

County Court Judge: January 2019 – Present

Union: All County Court Matters
Union: Circuit Criminal
Union: Juvenile Delinquency
Union: Mental Health
Union: Shelter Hearings

Previous Assignments

Judicial Assistant

Hannah Seay
seayh@circuit8.org

Office

Union County Courthouse
55 West Main Street
Lake Butler, FL 32054
Phone: (386) 496-2621
Fax: (386) 496-4920

County Court Civil and Small Claims Divisions

UNREPRESENTED OR PRO-SE PARTIES

• Parties not represented by counsel should provide proposed orders and final judgments either directly to the Clerk of Court or to Judicial Assistant Hannah Seay
• Unrepresented or pro se (self-represented) litigants may email proposed orders and final judgments to Judicial Assistant Hannah Seay at seayh@circuit8.org.
• Please note that the Florida Courts Electronic Filing Portal (E-Portal) permits self-represented litigants to register with and file pleadings with the Court electronically through the E-Portal.  The E-Portal is accessible at the following link: https://www.myflcourtaccess.com/default.aspx.
• All parties who do not have access to email to provide documents electronically or have not consented to use of email service must provide self-addressed, stamped envelopes without a return address hand delivered or mailed directly to the Clerk of Court or to the Court at (Please include a note or letter with the case name and case number):

Honorable Mitchell D. Bishop
Union County Courthouse
55 West Main Street, Suite 207
Lake Butler, FL 32054

• Orders will not be entered until the motion has been docketed and imaged by the Clerk and all envelopes have been received for parties who have not consented to use of email service.
• All orders or final judgments shall include a certificate of service at the bottom of the order.  Please include the name of the party who is to receive the order, as well as that party’s e-mail/e-service address OR mailing address, if a hard copy is required.

ATTORNEYS

• Motions shall be e-filed through the E-Portal.
• Proposed Orders and Final Judgments shall be emailed to seayh@circuit8.orgin Microsoft Word.docx format along with a courtesy copy of the Motion.
• Please do not provide the Court with hard copies of filings. The Court will review the case online.
• All parties who have not consented to use of email service must provide self-addressed, stamped envelopes without a return address hand delivered or mailed to the Court at (Please include a note or letter with the case name and case number):

Honorable Mitchell D. Bishop
Union County Courthouse
55 West Main Street, Suite 207
Lake Butler, FL 32054

• Orders will not be entered until the motion has been docketed and imaged by the Clerk and all envelopes have been received for parties who have not consented to use of email service.
• All orders or final judgments shall include a certificate of service at the bottom of the order.  Please include the name of the party who is to receive the order, as well as that party’s e-mail/e-service address OR mailing address, if a hard copy is required.
• Proposed orders entitled only “Order” will not be accepted. All orders must contain a title which accurately describes the actions taken by the Court.

ATTORNEYS:  for attorneys with cases in the County Civil and Small Claims Divisions.  There is no longer a need to submit “final judgment packets” in hard copy form to the Court.  Motions, affidavits, and other supporting documents should be e-filed with copies sent to seayh@circuit8.org.  ALL PROPOSED ORDERS should be sent in word.docx format to seayh@circuit8.org.  Do no e-file proposed orders.  The only hard copy documents that should be sent to the Court would be self-addressed and stamped envelopes for service of parties who have not consented to e-service. 

HEARING REQUESTS
Please email all hearing requests to seayh@circuit8.org.

REMOTE APPEARANCES (Video-teleconference)

County Civil and Small Claims Pretrial hearings are now conducted routinely by Zoom.  If a party needs the Zoom login information, please refer to the notice of hearing or contact Judicial Assistant Hannah Seay at seayh@circuit8.org.  Parties do not need to request permission to appear remotely for the regularly scheduled pretrial hearing.  If your notice of hearing has Zoom information on it, you may appear remotely.

Non-jury trials, eviction hearings, and other matters that require evidentiary presentation will be conducted in-person at the courthouse.  Pursuant to Florida Small Claims Rule 7.140(f), the Court will entertain motions for remote testimony of a witness.  The Court will consider whether delay of the trial/hearing for the witness’s personal appearance will place an undue burden or expense on the parties and/or the administration of justice, and any other relevant factors raised in the motion.  Attorneys should be present in person for a trial or evidentiary hearing.

For records custodians, parties are invited to review chapters 90.803 and 90.902, Florida Statutes (Florida Evidence Code) for any relevant exceptions that may apply and file a motion no less than 15 days before trial so the matter may be set for a hearing (if needed) and an order entered before trial.

Motions for remote appearance must be filed with the Clerk of Court at least 10 BUSINESS DAYS before the hearing (or as soon as possible if it is an emergency arising within the 10-day period).  A copy of the motion along with a proposed order should be e-mailed to seayh@circuit8.org.

EMERGENCY MOTIONS

A copy of any “Emergency” motion e-filed with the Clerk of Court and served upon opposing counsel/party should be provided to the Judge’s office for review by emailing seayh@circuit8.org according to the procedures above.  If the Court determines that a hearing should be granted, the Court will advise the parties of an expedited date and time for the hearing.

EX PARTE EMAILS OR CORRESPONDENCE

Please note that the Code of Judicial Conduct governing behavior by judges forbids the judges of the Eighth Judicial Circuit to discuss pending cases with the public. Please do not call or email the Court expecting to speak with a Judge about any case. If you have a comment to make, please mail it to the Clerk’s Office.  Please keep in mind that the Court is only allowed to consider arguments made in court and documents filed by actual parties to the case.  They cannot ethically read or consider any other opinions or arguments about the case, and they cannot give legal advice.

Circuit Criminal, County Criminal, Criminal Traffic, and Juvenile Delinquency divisions:

NOTICE OF APPEARANCE

Attorneys appointed or retained to represent criminal or delinquency defendants must file a written notice of appearance before the next scheduled hearing in the case.

MOTIONS AND PROPOSED ORDERS

Motions should be e-filed through the portal and proposed orders sent in word.docx format to seayh@circuit8.org.

Do not send Proposed Orders, Motions, or supporting documentation by United States Mail.

All orders shall include a certificate of service at the bottom of the order.  Please indicate the name of the party who is to receive the order and that party’s e-mail/e-service address OR mailing address, if a hard copy is required.

All motions—particularly motions to suppress evidence or statements, motions in limine, notice under chapter 90.404, Florida Statutes (Williams Rule Evidence) and responsive motions thereto, child hearsay motions, and requests for extraordinary or case-dispositive relief—should be filed under the time set according to the applicable chapter of the Florida Statutes or rule of Criminal Procedure, but counsel should make all reasonable efforts to file such motions before the pretrial conference.

HEARING REQUESTS
Please email all hearing requests to seayh@circuit8.org.

REMOTE APPEARANCES (Video-teleconference)

Nearly all matters for felonies, misdemeanors, criminal traffic, and delinquency will be held in person.  The Court will review requests for remote appearance in these divisions on a case-by-case basis where there is a demonstrated need or exceptional circumstance that would warrant a remote appearance.

Motions for remote appearance must be filed with the Clerk of Court at least 10 BUSINESS DAYS before the hearing (or as soon as possible if it is an emergency arising within the 10-day period).  A copy of the motion along with a proposed order should be e-mailed to seayh@circuit8.org.

EMERGENCY MOTIONS

A copy of any “Emergency” motion e-filed with the Clerk of Court and served upon opposing counsel/party should be provided to the Judge’s office for review by emailing seayh@circuit8.org according to the procedures above.  If the Court determines that a hearing should be granted, the Court will advise the parties of an expedited date and time for the hearing.

EX PARTE EMAILS OR CORRESPONDENCE

Please note that the Code of Judicial Conduct governing behavior by judges forbids the judges of the Eighth Judicial Circuit to discuss pending cases with the public. Please do not call or email the Court expecting to speak with a Judge about any case. If you have a comment to make, please mail it to the Clerk’s Office.  Please keep in mind that the Court is only allowed to consider arguments made in court and documents filed by actual parties to the case.  They cannot ethically read or consider any other opinions or arguments about the case, and they cannot give legal advice.

Shelter Hearings

Shelter hearings will be conducted immediately following the regularly scheduled first appearances on the Union County Courtroom Assignment Calendar.

Shelter hearings will generally be conducted in person at the courthouse.  Requests for remote appearance of counsel, a parent, or a witness will be considered on a case-by-case basis with good cause shown.  Request for remote appearance should be emailed to seayh@circuit8.org as soon as possible.

The Department of Children and Families shall file the shelter petition as soon as practicable, but no later than one hour prior to the beginning of First Appearances.  A copy of the petition shall be emailed to the Court at seayh@circuit8.org.

Late filed petitions will likely be delayed until the following day.  The Court will hear good cause why a late filed petition should still be considered on the day filed.

Counsel for the Department of Children and Families shall ensure that the parents that have been given notice for the hearing have also been placed in contact, prior to the hearing, with prospective counsel from the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel and/or the list of Registry Counsel.  Counsel for the Department shall also ensure that the prospective counsel have received a copy of the petition.

EX PARTE EMAILS OR CORRESPONDENCE

Please note that the Code of Judicial Conduct governing behavior by judges forbids the judges of the Eighth Judicial Circuit to discuss pending cases with the public. Please do not call or email the Court expecting to speak with a Judge about any case. If you have a comment to make, please mail it to the Clerk’s Office.  Please keep in mind that the Court is only allowed to consider arguments made in court and documents filed by actual parties to the case.  They cannot ethically read or consider any other opinions or arguments about the case, and they cannot give legal advice.

Board of Directors, Conference of County Court Judges of Florida

Education

Juris Doctor: Florida Coastal School of Law, 2007
Bachelor of Arts: Communication and Classical Civilizations, Florida State University, 2004

Military Service

United States Marine Corps
2007-2012 (Active)
2012-Present (Reserve)