Judge Phillip A. Pena

Judge Phillip A. Pena

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 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 in the appropriate county. 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. Thank you.

Current Assignment

Circuit Judge, January 2015 – Present

Alachua: Circuit Criminal Division II (F-K)
Alachua: Division VIII Veterans Treatment Court

Baker: Circuit Criminal

Circuit-wide: Extraordinary and Unusual Case Compensation (F.S. 27.5304(12)(a))

Previous Assignments

County Court Judge, April 2012 – December 2014

Alachua: Division VII Felony Adult Drug Court

Gilchrist: Circuit Criminal

Union: Circuit Criminal

Circuit-wide: Jimmy Ryce (including Alachua County Division R)

Judicial Assistant

Kelsey Wable
wablekc@circuit8.org

Office

Alachua County Criminal Justice Center
220 South Main Street, Room A303
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 548-3775 (phone)

Baker County Courthouse
339 East Macclenny Avenue
Macclenny, FL 32063
(904) 259-0216 (Phone) (904) 259-0218 (Fax)

Substitution of Counsel: Stipulation must be signed by the defendant, current and new counsel. New counsel shall file the signed stipulation and motion and submit a proposed order to the Court in Word format.

Changes of Plea should be set on the Criminal General docket unless specially set with the JA. Any plea expected to last more than 15 minutes should be specially set on the judge’s calendar. Changes of Plea will not be accepted at Case Management and should be set on the appropriate docket. Parties should have a completed plea petition with the applicable attachments at the time of the scheduled court event. Links to these documents are included below.

Pre-Trial Motions: The Court encourages parties to file and schedule all substantive pre-trial motions prior to the Pre-Trial Conference.

Proposed Orders:

Proposed Orders shall be emailed to wablekc@circuit8.orgin Word format. Please 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, as well as that party’s e-mail/e-service address OR mailing address, if a hard copy is required.
Proposed Orders are not accepted via e-filing. Motions should continue to be e-filed with the Clerk’s Office.

Zoom appearances: The Court requires in person appearances for all Court events. Zoom appearances may be permitted at the discretion of the Court, please email your request to wablekc@circuit8.org.

Court Interpreting

Master Calendar for Alachua

Master Calendar for Baker

Circuit Criminal Forms

Administrative Order No. 4.01 – Circuit Court Criminal Division: Organization and Procedures