Unified Family Practice Committee

COVID-19 Updates:

In response to COVID-19, the 15^th Judicial Circuit entered the following Administrative Orders:

NEW (as of 3/18/20) Administrative Order 12.510 – 03/2020 – In Re: Mitigating Measures in Response to COVID-19. View the revised Administrative Order 12.510 – 03/2020 here.
15^th Judicial Circuit PRESS RELEASE – March 18, 2020. View the Press Release here.
The Supreme Court of Florida Administrative Order, No. AOSC20-15 – In Re: COVID-19 RE: COVID-19 ESSENTIAL AND CRITICAL TRIAL COURT PROCEEDINGS (3/17/20). View Administrative Order No. AOSC20-15 here.
Administrative Order 12.510 – 03/2020 – In Re: Mitigating Measures in Response to COVID-19. View Administrative Order 12.510 – 03/2020 here.
Administrative Order 12.511 – 03/2020 – In Re: Restricting Certain Visitors to the Courthouses. View Administrative Order 12.511 – 03/2020 here.
Please see each Judge’s divisional instructions (links below) for updates as to each division. If you still have further questions, please contact the Judicial Assistant.
For additional Court updates concerning COVID-19, please visit the 15^th Judicial Circuit’s website: https://www.15thcircuit.com

MISSION

The Unified Family Practice Committee works to initiate and consider suggestions to improve the practice of marital and family law in the 15^th Circuit. Members of the bench and bar, along with key court personnel from Court Operations, the Clerk’s Office and the Court ADR office, meet bi-monthly to address how this can be done as issues are brought to the Committee’s attention. In addition, the Committee maintains this webpage, reviews and assists in the drafting of Administrative Orders, submits occasional articles in the Bar Bulletin, contributes ideas for the annual Bench-Bar Conference, provides substantive and procedural information to our members, and keeps members posted on various matters of interest, running the gamut from legislation to CLEs, on both the State and local levels, as well as other activities in the legal community about which they should be aware. The Committee welcomes new members.

REQUEST TO JOIN COMMITTEE

Chair(s):

Trisha Armstrong | Trish@beebeearmstrong.com
Julia Wyda | Julia.Wyda@brinkleymorgan.com

Committees are a great way to get involved with your local bar association, network with your colleagues and become a leader in your legal community.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS & AGENDAS

The Unified Family Practice Committee meetings are held in the Judicial Dining Room at the Palm Beach County Courthouse. Meetings generally last one hour and include lunch for committee members who RSVP. Dial-in is available for members who cannot attend in person. All interested attorneys, Judges, Magistrates, and court staff are encouraged to attend. If you are not a member and plan on attending an upcoming meeting, please e-mail one of the co-chairs to RSVP.

All meetings are held from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the Judicial Conference Room of the Main Courthouse.

JUDGES & MAGISTRATES

Please refer to each division’s page for suspension dates or call the hotline at (561) 355-6860

MAIN BRANCH	FAMILY DIVISION	JUDGES/MAGISTRATES	UMCs
	FA	Judge Maxine Cheesman Divisional Instructions	Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8:45 a.m. Set through online scheduling HERE
	FC	Judge Renatha S. Francis Divisional Instructions	Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8:45 a.m. Set through online scheduling HERE
	FD	Judge Laura Johnson Divisional Instructions	Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8:45 a.m. Set through online scheduling HERE
	Male party’s last name begins with: A-K	Magistrate Damary Stokes Divisional Instructions	Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Set through online scheduling HERE
	Male party’s last name begins with: L-Z	Magistrate Maxine Williams Divisional Instructions	Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m. Set through online scheduling HERE
	(DOR matters) Male party’s last name begins with A-K	Magistrate Judette N. Fanelli Divisional Instructions	No UMC hearings in this division
	(DOR matters) Male party’s last name begins with L-Z	Magistrate James B. Williams, Jr. Divisional Instructions	No UMC hearings in this division
NORTH COUNTY COURTHOUSE	FAMILY DIVISION	JUDGES/MAGISTRATES	UMCs
	FJ	Judge Sarah Willis Divisional Instructions	Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays at 8:45 a.m.
	FI	Judge Karen Miller Divisional Instructions	Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
	FH	Judge Dina Keever-Agrama Divisional Instructions	Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m
	Male party’s last name begins with A-K	Magistrate Diane Kirigin Divisional Instructions	Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m
	Male party’s last name begins with L-Z	Magistrate Thomas Baker Divisional Instructions	Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
SOUTH COUNTY COURTHOUSE	FAMILY DIVISION	JUDGE/MAGISTRATES	UMCs
	FY	Judge Laura Laurie Divisional Instructions	Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8:45 a.m. Set through online scheduling HERE
	FX	Judge James Martz Divisional Instructions	Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Set through online scheduling HERE
	FZ	Judge Scott Kerner Divisional Instructions	Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Set through online scheduling HERE
	Male party’s last name begins with A-K	Magistrate Peter Bassaline Divisional Instructions	Thursdays at 8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
	Male party’s last name begins with L-Z	Magistrate Temi Zeitenberg Divisional Instructions	Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Set through online scheduling HERE
WEST COUNTY COURTHOUSE	FAMILY DIVISION	JUDGE/MAGISTRATES	UMCs
	FW	Judge Sara Alijewicz Divisional Instructions	Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. Set through online scheduling HERE

2021 COURT HOLIDAYS

Holiday	Date
New Year’s Day	Friday, January 1, 2021
Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday	Monday, January 18, 2021
No Court Events*	Monday, February 15, 2021
Good Friday	Friday, April 2, 2021
Memorial Day	Monday, May 31, 2021
Independence Day (discretionary)	Friday, July 2, 2021
Independence Day (observed)	Monday, July 5, 2021
Labor Day	Monday, September 6, 2021
Rosh Hashanah	Tuesday, September 7, 2021
Yom Kippur	Thursday, September 16, 2021
No Court Events*	Monday, October 11, 2021
Veteran’s Day	Thursday, November 11, 2021
Thanksgiving Day	Thursday, November 25, 2021
Friday after Thanksgiving	Friday, November 26, 2021
Christmas ( observed)	Friday, December 24, 2021
No Court Events*	Monday, December 27, 2021
New Year’s Day (observed)*	Friday, December 31, 2021