SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA COVID-19 BEST PRACTICES MEMORANDUM
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AOSC20-14 – IN RE: PERSONAL TRAVEL BY STATE COURTS SYSTEM JUDGES, OFFICERS, AND EMPLOYEES
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ADMIN ORDER 12.512 -5/2020 CARES ACT INFORMATION SHEET FOR RESIDENTIAL EVICTION CASES
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15TH CIRCUIT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION NOTICE OF INTERVIEW SCHEDULE
15TH CIRCUIT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION
NOTICE OF INTERVIEW SCHEDULE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2020
CONTACT: Robert J. Harvey, Esq.
Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission
TELEPHONE: (561) 303-2918
The Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (“JNC”) received 26 applications for nomination to fill the vacancy for a Circuit Court Judge position created by the resignation of Judge Jessica Ticktin. On May 22, 2020, the JNC will interview the following applicants:
9:15 a.m. Sarah Cortvriend
9:30 a.m. Jonathan Giddens
9:45 a.m. Judge Paige Gillman
10:00 a.m. Judge Bradley Harper
10:15 a.m. Nicole Hunt Jackson
10:30 a. m Break
10:45 a.m. Robert Ostrov
11:00 a.m. John Parnofiello
11:15 a.m. Jorge Perez
11:30 a.m. Jeremy Zubkoff
11:45 a.m. JNC Deliberations
The above interviews will be conducted in person at the Palm Beach County Bar Association (“PBCBA”), 1507 Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach, Florida, 33406. Each applicant will be allowed a two minute opening statement. All persons entering the PBCBA are required to wear face coverings and social distancing measures will be strictly enforced. The interviews will be transcribed by Phipps Reporting pro bono.
JNC proceedings are open to the public, except for deliberations. However, senior citizens and individuals with a significant underlying medical condition (such as chronic lung disease, moderate-to-severe asthma, serious heart conditions, immunocompromised status, cancer, diabetes, severe obesity, renal failure and liver disease) are strongly encouraged to stay at home and take all measures to limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19. See, Governor’s Executive Order Number 20-112 https://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/orders/2020/EO_20-112.pdf .
The JNC has not eliminated any applicant from consideration. The following applicants interviewed by the JNC on November 13, 2019, may submit a written statement updating the JNC on anything they wish to share about themselves and their work experience since their last interview. Such statements are limited to 1,000 words and must be received at rharvey@jenksharveylaw.com by 5:00 p.m. (EDT) on Monday, May 18, to be considered. Those applicants are:
- Peter Bassaline
- Elizabeth Berkowitz
- Marsha Bunn
- Melanie Casper
- George Lagos
- Abigail Langweiler
- Laura Laurie
- Judith Levine
- Ilana Marcus
- Jean Marie Middleton
- Angela Prudenti
- Ori Silver
- Joseph Small
- Alcoyla St. Juste
- Stephanie Tew
- Schnelle Tonge
- Kevin Walsh
A list of members of the Fifteenth Circuit JNC is available at https://www.flgov.com/judicial-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information/.Members of the bench, the Bar and the public are urged to contact the members of the Commission concerning applicants for judicial positions. If you have any questions, please call Mr. Harvey at (561) 303-2918, or email at rharvey@jenksharveylaw.com
FLORIDA’S CHIEF JUSTICE EXPANDS LIST OF COURT PROCEEDINGS TO BE HELD REMOTELY DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND EXTENDS JURY TRIAL SUSPENSION TO EARLY JULY
Florida’s Chief Justice expands list of court proceedings to be held remotely during the coronavirus pandemic and extends jury trial suspension to early July
TALLAHASSEE – Acting on the recommendations of a statewide Court Continuity Workgroup, Florida’s Chief Justice Charles Canady issued a new emergency order May 4 increasing the list of proceedings state courts will accomplish by remote technology during the coronavirus pandemic.
It also extends the current suspension of jury trials in Florida until July 2. It makes corresponding changes to some legal deadlines by pushing them back until the Monday after the July 4 holiday weekend. In-person jury trials pose a special hazard because they can expose jurors and other courtroom participants to a risk of infection. Future extensions will be considered if needed.
For first-degree murder cases, the new order suspends until July 2 some requirements for in-person preliminary hearings and a requirement that defendants be automatically released from custody if prosecutors are unable to file charges within 40 days.
The order especially focuses on increasing the resolution of cases by shifting as many of them as possible into a virtual environment with remote technology. In addition to work already required under an April 6 order, the amended list now adds the following:
- Non-jury trials, except that all parties must agree to remote non-jury proceedings in criminal, juvenile delinquency, and termination of parental rights cases;
- Alternate dispute resolution cases;
- Status, case management, and pretrial conferences in all case types;
- Non-evidentiary and evidentiary motion hearings in all case types;
- Arraignments and pleas in absentia in county court misdemeanor cases;
- Hearings in juvenile delinquency cases;
- Hearings in noncriminal traffic infraction cases; and
- Problem-solving court staffings, hearings, and wellness checks.
Case types on this list will be held by telephone or other electronic means unless prohibited by the constitution or other law, or where one of the participants is unable to take part because of a lack of required technology or staffing problems caused by the pandemic.
Canady’s order embodies the first set of recommendations from the Workgroup on the Continuity of Court Operations, created by an April 21 order. The Continuity Workgroup was asked to submit recommendations as they are developed to guide a phased return to full court operations.
The expanded list of essential proceedings adds to earlier efforts to mitigate the impact of coronavirus while letting courts operate in a way consistent with public safety. Florida’s courts have followed emergency guidelines since a March 13 order, when Canady suspended jury trials and took other actions restricting in-person proceedings to enforce social distancing. Subsequent orders extended these limits through the end of May, subject to future orders made necessary by the pandemic.
Chaired by Orlando-area Circuit Judge Lisa Taylor Munyon, the 17-member Continuity Workgroup’s mission includes examining the current status of all court proceedings statewide that have been delayed by the pandemic. Where warranted, the Workgroup will propose methods for resolving cases with remote technology and other new procedures. Information about the Workgroup and its meeting minutes are available on its web page.
The move toward more virtual proceedings is a major historical shift in state court operations, which have relied heavily on in-person hearings in the 175 years Florida has been a state. Canady also has asked the Continuity Workgroup to make suggestions for remote procedures that can continue even after the pandemic is over.
All state-court coronavirus emergency orders and advisories are linked on the Florida Supreme Court’s website: https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/Emergency
15TH CIRCUIT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION NOTICE OF APPLICANTS TO BE INTERVIEWED
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2020
CONTACT: Robert J. Harvey, Esq.
Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission
TELEPHONE: (561) 303-2918
15TH CIRCUIT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION NOTICE OF APPLICANTS TO BE INTERVIEWED
The Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (“JNC”) received 26 applications for nomination to fill the vacancy for a Circuit Court Judge position created by the resignation of Judge Jessica Ticktin. On May 22, 2020, the JNC will interview the following applicants, whom the JNC did not previously interview on November 13, 2019.
- Sarah Cortvriend
- Jonathan Giddens
- Judge Paige Gillman
- Judge Bradley Harper
- Nicole Hunt Jackson
- Robert Ostrov
- John Parnofiello
- Jorge Perez
- Jeremy Zubkoff
The JNC will publish on the Palm Beach County Bar Association’s website www.palmbeachbar.org and Governor Ron DeSantis’ judicial webpage https://www.flgov.com/judicial-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information/ the interview schedule for the above applicants in a future press release.
The above interviews may be conducted virtually via ZOOM. The information to attend via ZOOM will be provided for both the applicants and the public in a future press release. JNC proceedings are open to the public, except for deliberations.
The JNC has not eliminated any applicant from consideration. Given the recent interviews of the other seventeen applicants and the challenges Florida’s legal community faces at this time, the following applicants not being interviewed on May 22nd may submit a written statement updating the JNC on anything they wish to share about themselves and their work experience since their last interview. Such statements are limited to 1,000 words and must be received at rharvey@jenksharveylaw.com by 5:00 p.m. (EDT) on Monday, May 18, to be considered. Those applicants are:
- Peter Bassaline
- Elizabeth Berkowitz
- Marsha Bunn
- Melanie Casper
- George Lagos
- Abigail Langweiler
- Laura Laurie
- Judith Levine
- Ilana Marcus
- Jean Marie Middleton
- Angela Prudenti
- Ori Silver
- Joseph Small
- Alcoyla St. Juste
- Stephanie Tew
- Schnelle Tonge
- Kevin Walsh
A list of members of the Fifteenth Circuit JNC is available at https://www.flgov.com/judicial-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information/.Members of the bench, the Bar and the public are urged to contact the members of the Commission concerning applicants for judicial positions.
If you have any questions, please call Mr. Harvey at (561) 303-2918, or email at rharvey@jenksharveylaw.com
DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APPLY FOR FLORIDA LEGAL SERVICES BOARD OF DIRECTORS VACANCY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2020
CONTACT: Kristen Wilson, kwilson@floridabzr.org
The Florida Bar
TELEPHONE: (850) 561-5757
DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APPLY FOR FLORIDA LEGAL SERVICES BOARD OF DIRECTORS VACANCY
The Board of Directors of Florida Legal Services, Inc., is seeking one lawyer to serve a three-year term beginning July 1. The 15-member board provides judicial advocacy through co-counseling with local program attorneys and volunteer pro bono attorneys and provides legislative and administrative advocacy on policies affecting the legal rights of the poor, as well as providing civil legal assistance to people who are indigent and who would not otherwise have the means to obtain a lawyer.
Attorneys interested in applying for this vacancy may download the Application for Special Appointment or call Florida Bar headquarters (850) 561-5757 to obtain the application form. Completed applications must be received by the Executive Director, The Florida Bar, 651 East Jefferson St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-2300 no later than the close of business on Friday, June 12. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the required application. The Board of Governors will review all applications and may request interviews.
About The Florida Bar
Founded in 1949, The Florida Bar serves the legal profession for the protection and benefit of both the public and all Florida lawyers. As one of the nation’s largest mandatory bars, The Florida Bar fosters and upholds a high standard of integrity and competence within Florida’s legal profession as an official arm of the Florida Supreme Court. To learn more, visit FloridaBar.org.
15TH CIRCUIT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION LIST OF APPLICANTS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2020
CONTACT: Robert J. Harvey, Esq.
Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission
TELEPHONE: (561) 303-2918
The Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Committee (“JNC”) announces that it has received applications from the following persons for nomination to fill the vacancy for a Circuit Court Judge position created by the resignation of Judge Jessica Ticktin:
- Peter Bassaline
- Elizabeth Berkowitz
- Marsha Bunn
- Melanie Casper
- Sarah Cortvriend
- Jonathan Giddens
- Judge Paige Gillman
- Judge Bradley Harper
- Nicole Hunt Jackson
- George Lagos
- Abigail Langweiler
- Laura Laurie
- Judith Levine
- Ilana Marcus
- Jean Marie Middleton
- Robert Ostrov
- John Parnofiello
- Jorge Perez
- Angela Prudenti
- Ori Silver
- Joseph Small
- Alcoyla St. Juste
- Stephanie Tew
- Schnelle Tonge
- Kevin Walsh
- Jeremy Zubkoff
The JNC anticipates conducting applicant interviews on May 22, 2020.
The JNC will publish on the Palm Beach County Bar Association’s website www.palmbeachbar.org and Governor Ron DeSantis’ judicial webpage https://www.flgov.com/judicial-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information/ the time, location, and method of any interviews that the JNC chooses to conduct.
In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic it may not be possible to conduct in person interviews. Any interviews may be conducted virtually via ZOOM. The information to attend via ZOOM will be provided for both the applicants and the public in a future press release. If you expect any issues attending via ZOOM, please contact Mr. Harvey directly. JNC proceedings are open to the public, except for deliberations. Applications are not confidential. If an applicant is nominated, all materials attached to the original application will be submitted to the Governor.
A list of members of the Fifteenth Circuit JNC is available at https://www.flgov.com/judicial-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information/.Members of the bench, the Bar and the public are urged to contact the members of the Commission concerning applicants for judicial positions.
If you have any questions, please call Mr. Harvey at (561) 303-2918, or email at rharvey@jenksharveylaw.com
AMENDED AO NO.: 12.510-04/2020.10* | IN RE: MITIGATING MEASURES IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
DIVISION FC UPDATE
Judge Renatha Francis will be out on leave for an extended period of time. Honorable Bradley Harper will be presiding over the division until further notice. For questions or concerns, contact Tara Kranz, Senior Court Operations Consultant/Family Court Manager” at tkranz@pbacgov.org or 561-355-1764.