NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JUVENILE AND FAMILY COURT JUDGES’ SELECTS 15TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF FLORIDA TO PARTICIPATE IN SITE IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT
(SEPTEMBER 12, 2023) – The Fifteenth Circuit’s Juvenile Division has been selected to participate in the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges’ (NCJFCJ) Implementation Sites Project. The NCJFCJ’s Implementation Sites Project, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, provides child abuse and neglect courts with training, technical assistance, and tailored support from a site manager to improve the handling of dependency cases and improve the lives of families and children.
The project, which spans over a two-year period, will begin on September 15. Each site selected will use a judicially led collaborative stakeholder team to assess current practices, identify goals, and implement change to improve their court practices and the delivery of services to families and children.
As a selected site, the Fifteenth Circuit is tasked with prioritizing the NCJFCJ’s Key Principles of Permanency Planning, some of which include ensuring access to justice, cultivating cultural responsiveness, providing judicial oversight and keeping families together.
Here in the Fifteenth Circuit, Judge Kathleen Kroll, Administrative Judge in Juvenile, will be the judicial lead and the collaborative team will focus on improving court hearings, procedures, and services for the youth who are aging out of foster care. Judge Kroll stated she was “impressed with the enthusiasm the juvenile division court partners have shown for this project and the desire of everyone to improve the lives of our youth who either enter independent living situations or extended foster care. The goal is to institutionalize best practices in this area and identify any service gaps.”
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 3.108 IN RE: ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RETROACTIVE CIVIL DIFFERENTIATED CASE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR CASES FILED ON OR BEFORE APRIL 29, 2021
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ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 3.107 IN RE: ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CIVIL DIFFERENTIATED CASE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR CASES FILED ON OR AFTER APRIL 30, 2021
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SOUTH COUNTY COURTHOUSE NOVEMBER CLOSURE DATES
The South County Courthouse will be closed Monday, November 20 through Friday, November 24. The County must close the building for the fumigation of termites (Thursday, November 23, and Friday, November 24, are court holidays).
Please note that if you have a court event scheduled on Monday, November 20, Tuesday, November 21, and/or Wednesday, November 22, please check with the clerk to see if your event is postponed or moved to another courthouse location.
Court will resume on Monday, November 27.
15TH CIRCUIT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR
The Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (“JNC”) held its Annual Meeting on August 14, 2023. In accordance with the Uniform Rules, Gordon Dieterle was elected Chairperson for the 2023-2024 term. Eric Levine was elected Vice Chairperson for the 2023-2024 term.
If you have any questions, please contact Robert Harvey by telephone or email at robert@flbiznow.com.
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 5.115-8/23 IN RE: ASSIGNMENT OF CASES INVOLVING THE HAGUE CONVENTION ON THE CIVIL ASPECTS OF INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION
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ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2.309-8/2023* IN RE: EXEMPLIFICATION CERTIFICATES
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ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 5.910- 8/2023* IN RE: ALTERNATIVE CONSEQUENCES PROGRAM FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS
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15TH CIRCUIT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION NOTICE OF CERTIFICATION OF NOMINEES
The Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (“JNC”) takes pleasure in certifying the following nominees to fill the vacancy for a Circuit Court Judge position created by the retirement of Judge Laura Johnson:
- Alex Braunstein
- Jeremy Franker
- James Sherman
- Schnelle Tonge
- Lawonda Warren
If you have any questions, please contact Robert Harvey at (561) 303-2918, or by email at robert@flbiznow.com.
THE FIFTEENTH CIRCUIT MOURNS DEATH OF RETIRED CIRCUIT JUDGE RONALD V. ALVAREZ / CONDOLENCES DETAILS
WEST PALM BEACH – It is with great sadness that the Circuit announces the passing of the Honorable Ronald V. Alvarez on Tuesday, August 8, 2023. A native from Gary, Indiana, Judge Alvarez graduated from Indiana University in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, and in 1969, graduated from the Indiana University School of Law with his Juris Doctor degree. Upon completion of law school, Judge Alvarez went on to serve in the United States Army until 1971.
Judge Alvarez operated his own firm until his appointment to the Circuit Court Bench in 1993, by then-Governor Lawton Chiles. During his time with the Fifteenth Circuit, Judge Alvarez held assignments in the Civil, Family and most notably, the Juvenile Divisions, and was responsible for establishing the Juvenile Drug Court. He was also instrumental in implementing the Circuit’s Caring Canines Therapy Dog program. Judge Alvarez retired from the bench on September 30, 2014.
Judge Alvarez will be remembered for his work on and off the bench and for his compassion for those he interacted with. He will be greatly missed by his former colleagues as well as the staff of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit.
He is survived by his immediate family, Elaine, and their two sons Mark and Chad. There will be a small private service in the near future.
If you wish to send a condolence/sympathy card, the address is 127 West Lake Drive West Palm Beach, FL 33406.