- All orders shall have a 2″ x 3.5″ blank space on the first page of the order in the upper right-hand corner. An example of an order with this space requirement can be found here.
- Proposed orders should not be efiled with the Clerk. When all parties can be e-served copies of orders, the proposed order and cover letter should be emailed to the judicial assistant. If submitted by e-mail, the proposed order should be submitted in Word Format. If there are parties who have not consented to use e-mail service, the proposed order, together with a cover letter, copies for conforming and stamped addressed envelopes should be mailed or hand delivered to the judicial assistant who will provide copies by email to those parties that have consented and by U.S. Mail for those that have not. Orders will not be entered until the motion has been docketed and imaged by the Clerk.
- All proposed orders should include specific e-mail addresses (as opposed to “counsel of record”) at the bottom if copies are to be provided by e-mail service.
- Please provide the Proposed Order or Final Judgment in Word Format through email, including an enclosure letter and a courtesy copy of the Motion. Supporting documentation for the Motion shall be filed via the Florida Courts e-Portal. Please do not provide the Court with the supporting documentation. The Court will review the case filing system and review any supporting documentation electronically.
- Attachments or Exhibits to Proposed Order – We do not accept pdf attachments to proposed orders. They should be filed with the Clerk of Court and referenced in your order by filing date.
- If there are parties who have not consented to use of e-mail service, stamped addressed envelopes should be mailed or hand delivered to the Judicial Assistant, Theresa Hall. Please clip the envelopes together, along with a sticky note that indicates the case name and case number.
- Orders will not be entered until the motion has been docketed and imaged by the Clerk.
- All orders or final judgments 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.
Status Conferences/Non-Evidentiary Hearings:
- Judge Keim does not require a written motion / order for telephonic appearance at status conferences or non-evidentiary hearings. Any party who wishes to appear telephonically must confirm approval to do so with her judicial assistant at least 10 days prior to the hearing and must notify all other parties and offer to include them in a conference call to the Court. If multiple parties will be appearing telephonically the party who first seeks telephone appearance must coordinate the conference call unless otherwise agreed. If your office prepares a notice of hearing, it must include language noting who will appear telephonically and who will arrange the conference call, if applicable.
- Parties appearing by telephone must initiate the call to the Court at the time of the scheduled hearing. If more than one party is appearing by telephone, the Court should be contacted last at the scheduled time after all parties are on the line.
- Judge Keim will only consider written motions for a witness to appear telephonically, and all parties must consent in writing, as per Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.530(d)(1).
Case Management Conferences:
- Requests to appear by phone at case management conferences should only be made after the written compliance statement has been timely e-filed as required by the Case Management Order. The last page of the Case Management Order contains instructions for telephonic appearance.
- All parties must confer prior to the case management conference to try to come to an agreement on a trial date and length. If the parties come to an agreement, they are to email the Judicial Assistant to advise so the case management conference can be canceled.
Emergency Motions:
- A copy of any “Emergency” motion e-filed with the Clerk of Court and served upon opposing counsel should be provided to the Judge’s office for review. If the Court determines that a hearing should be granted, the judicial assistant will advise the moving party of an expedited date and time for the hearing.
Scheduling:
- The judge’s scheduling calendars are not available online. Hearing dates and times are provided by the JA, by e-mail request to hallt@circuit8.org. When scheduling by email, the final email confirming a coordinated hearing date and time should include the case number, style of the case, the motion or motions being set, the attorneys and the amount of time being reserved. Email communications to coordinate hearings should only be between the attorneys’ offices and should not include the judicial assistant. Once a date has been agreed upon, an email should be sent to the judicial assistant confirming the date is still available on the Court’s calendar. Our office does not hold suggested dates for hearings and a hearing is not scheduled on the Court’s calendar unless you receive confirmation from our office/judicial assistant. Do not notice a hearing until it has been cleared by the judicial assistant. A courtesy copy of the notice of hearing should be emailed to the judicial assistant.
Pre-Trial Motions Administrative Order 3.09:
All pre-trial motions must contain a certification of good faith as required by Administrative Order 3.09, appendix A Standing Case Management Order effective 4/30/21.
- PRETRIAL MOTIONS: Objections to pleadings and pretrial motions shall be resolved a minimum of 30 days prior to the trial date set forth above. Prior to filing ANY motion, counsel filing the motion shall confer with opposing counsel by telephone or in person in a good faith attempt to resolve the motion. The motion shall contain a good faith statement reflecting the date and time of the conference with opposing counsel. A statement that counsel attempted to confer with opposing counsel is insufficient unless the good faith statement details the date and time of at least three attempts to confer that occurred within the one-month period immediately prior to the filing of the motion
If you are unable to resolve this issue after you have personally conferred, by telephone, with opposing counsel and filed a certification of good faith, then the Judge’s office would be happy to provide you with hearing dates.
Motions to Continue Trials
- All Motions to Continue Trial shall be filed with a client consent form signed by the client. A hearing will not be set on any Motion to Continue Trial if the Client Consent form has not been filed with the Clerk of Court.
Copies of Motions and Memorandums of Law
- All motions and memorandums of law, trial notebooks, etc should be sent in hard copy to Judge Keim at least 7 business days prior to any hearing along with a copy of the notice of 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. Thank you.
