County & Court GPS
Palm Beach County family court
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit. Procedure notes below come from BenchPath verified sources — every card carries its citation, confidence level, and last-verified date.
Before you file here
- Confirm venue — this county is the right place for the case
- Confirm the current official forms at flcourts.gov
- Check signature / notary requirements per form
- Pick the correct e-filing case category on the portal
- Handle confidential information (SSNs, minors) per rule
- Note the filing fee — or the fee-waiver application
Before you appear here
- Confirm date, time, location — and Zoom vs. in person
- Check the assigned judge/division instructions below
- Confirm how evidence must be submitted for hearings
- Ask whether a proposed order is expected, and in what format
- Confirm courtesy-copy requirements
- Build the exhibit and witness lists in Hearing Prep
Uncontested in Palm Beach
Agreed on the terms? The path runs through this courthouse.
The qualifier reads your answers, the Assembly Line organizes the agreement, the Packet Composer names the official forms, and the tracker follows the clerk's acceptance loop — all county-aware. Filing fees are verified with the Palm Beachclerk (this platform never types a fee it can't source), and the division's published practice above controls hearing logistics.
Florida law generally bars entry of a final judgment of dissolution until at least 20 days after the petition is filed (§ 61.19, Fla. Stat.); a court may act sooner only on the statute's required showing. Clerk and court processing add county-varying time on top.
Judge & Division Playbook
Who hears family cases here — and their published practice
A playbook is published practice — calendars, conferral, order formats — with its citation and verification date. FamilyLawGPS does not and will not predict judicial outcomes.
Palm Beach County Court
April Bristow
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Palm Beach County Court
Ashley Zuckerman
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Palm Beach County Court
August A. Bonavita
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Bradley Harper
circuit_judge
- No E-Mailed Orders — OLS Only; Set Hearings Through the JA, Not the Clerk — Division JK15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JK Divisional Instructions
- Over 40 Pages Means a Labeled, Tabbed Binder — Division JK15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JK Divisional Instructions
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Carolyn Bell
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Caryn Siperstein
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Charles E. Burton
circuit_judge
- Never Send the Order Setting Hearing Before the Court Confirms the Date — Division IZ15th Jud. Cir., Probate Division IZ Divisional Instructions
- Orders in the ±48-Hour Window With Burton's Exact Notation — Division IZ15th Jud. Cir., Probate Division IZ Divisional Instructions
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Cymonie S. Rowe
circuit_judge
- Every Order Arrives With an Agree-or-Disagree Document — Division FX15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FX Divisional Instructions
- Hearings Over 30 Minutes Go Through Case Management — Division FX15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FX Divisional Instructions
- Substantive Pre-Trial Motions Flagged 10 Days Before Trial — Division FX15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FX Divisional Instructions
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Daliah H. Weiss
circuit_judge
- Case Law AND Exhibit Copies 5 Business Days Ahead — Division FJ15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FJ Divisional Instructions
- Motions to Compel Discovery: In Person Only — No More Zoom — Division FJ15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FJ Divisional Instructions
- Orders and Final Judgments Uploaded TWO Days Before the Hearing — Division FJ15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FJ Divisional Instructions
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Dane Leitner
circuit_judge
- Courtesy Copies Printed and Sent by U.S. Mail — Division FA15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FA Divisional Instructions
- Trial Exhibits & Witnesses Exchanged 45 Days Out; Docket Entries on Everything — Division FA15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FA Divisional Instructions
- UMC Orders Uploaded the Day Before; 3-Motion Cap; No Temp Custody on UMC — Division FA15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FA Divisional Instructions
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Danielle Sherriff
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Darren Dunifon Shull
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Debra Moses Stephens
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Dina Keever-Agrama
circuit_judge
- This Chambers Does Not Use E-Mail — Call the JA — Division FH15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FH Divisional Instructions
- Upload the Order FIRST, Then Exhibits; Mail the Trial Notice — Division FH15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FH Divisional Instructions
- Zoom Testimony Requires Litigant and Attorney Side by Side — Division FH15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FH Divisional Instructions
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Donald W. Hafele
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Palm Beach County Court
Edward A. Garrison
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Palm Beach County Court
Frank S. Castor
county_judge
- PDF Courtesy Copies by E-Mail; Agreed Orders Need a Both-Parties E-Mail — Division P15th Jud. Cir. / PBC County Court, Division P Divisional Instructions
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
G. Joseph Curley
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Glenn Kelley
chief_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Gregory M. Keyser
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Howard Coates, Jr.
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Jaimie Goodman
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
James Nutt
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
James Sherman
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
John J. Parnofiello
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Karen M. Miller
circuit_judge
- QDRO Channel Split: Attorneys via OLS, Pro Se by Mail — NO EXCEPTIONS — Division FC15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FC Divisional Procedures
- Remote-Hearing Exhibits by U.S. Mail or Drop Box Only — E-Mailed Exhibits Refused — Division FC15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FC Divisional Procedures
- Skip Pre-Trial Mediation and the Case Is Stricken From the Trial Docket — Division FC15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FC Divisional Procedures
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Kathleen J. Kroll
circuit_judge
- The Remote-Appearance Matrix — and Never From a Moving Vehicle — Division JO15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JO Divisional Instructions (updated 06/10/2026)
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Kirk C. Volker
circuit_judge
- Competing Orders Go to the JA in Word, Copied to Everyone — Division JL15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JL Divisional Instructions
- In Person by Default; Zoom Only With E-Mailed Approval — Division JL15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JL Divisional Instructions
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Laura C. Burkhart
circuit_judge
- No Temporary-Relief Hearing Until Mediation on That Relief — Division FY15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FY Divisional Instructions
- UMC Documentation: Driver License, Settlement, Parenting Plan, Guidelines — Division FY15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FY Divisional Instructions
- UMC on the Static Zoom Link; Evidentiary Materials in Hard Copy 3 Days Out — Division FY15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FY Divisional Instructions
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Lauren Burke
circuit_judge
- Case Law and Responses Filed 2 Business Days Ahead — Division DV/TD15th Jud. Cir., Domestic Violence Division DV/TD Divisional Instructions
- Minor-Child No-Contact Modifications: Thursdays 11 AM Only, DCF Recommendation Required — Division DV/TD15th Jud. Cir., Domestic Violence Division DV/TD Divisional Instructions
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Lisa S. Small
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Palm Beach County Court
Lourdes Casanova
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Luis Delgado
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Palm Beach County Court
M. Katherine Mullinax
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Palm Beach County Court
Marci Rex
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Palm Beach County Court
Marni Bryson
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Maxine Cheesman
circuit_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court
Melanie Dale Surber
circuit_judge
- Interpreters Need 5 Working Days; E-Mail Service Is Mandatory for Everyone — Division JS15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JS Divisional Instructions
- Prevailing Party's Order Within 3 Days of the Ruling; Exhibits 5 Days Early — Division JS15th Jud. Cir., Juvenile Division JS Divisional Instructions
Palm Beach County Court
Michael A. Barnett
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Palm Beach County Court
Ori Silver
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Palm Beach County Court
Paul A. Damico
county_judge
No judge-specific procedural notes verified yet — the division instructions on the official circuit site control.
Official roster source ↗Named in procedure notes
Rosemarie Scher
- Generative AI Use Must Be Disclosed on the Face of the Filing — Division FI15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FI Divisional Instructions
- Best Three Cases Per Issue, No String Citations, 10-Page Memos — Division FI15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FI Divisional Instructions
- Equitable Distribution: Numbered Asset List 2 Business Days Out — Division FI15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FI Divisional Instructions
- Orders Land in a ±48-Hour Window Around the Hearing — Division FI15th Jud. Cir., Family Division FI Divisional Instructions
Named in procedure notes
Samantha Schosberg Feuer
- Over 10 Pages? Courtesy Copy Goes Hard-Copy by U.S. Mail Only — Division IA15th Jud. Cir., Probate Division IA Divisional Instructions
- Special Sets Are Set by ORDER, Not Notice of Hearing — Division IA15th Jud. Cir., Probate Division IA Divisional Instructions
Court procedure notes
Verified local intelligence
Court procedure data from BenchPath, compiled from official public court sources.
Judge PreferencesFamily Division FI · Rosemarie Scher · Palm Beach
Generative AI Use Must Be Disclosed on the Face of the Filing — Division FI
[PREEMPTED effective June 15, 2026 by Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.515(d)(2) and AOSC26-12 — the statewide certification standard now controls.] Judge Scher requires any attorney or self-represented litigant who used a generative AI tool to disclose that use on the face of the filing — one of the first standing AI-disclosure mandates on the Palm Beach bench.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
E-Filing
Statewide AI-Era Certification: Every Signer Certifies Cited Authorities Exist — Rule 2.515(d)(2)
Effective June 15, 2026, every signer of a Florida court filing — attorney or self-represented — represents that "the legal authorities identified exist and are accurately cited," with express sanctions (reprimand, contempt, striking, dismissal, costs, fees) for violations. Companion order AOSC26-12 preempts ALL circuit- and judge-level AI disclosure/certification requirements.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Judge PreferencesFamily Division FC · Karen M. Miller · Palm Beach
QDRO Channel Split: Attorneys via OLS, Pro Se by Mail — NO EXCEPTIONS — Division FC
Judge Miller's QDRO rule is absolute: after the motion and plan-administrator pre-approval letter are filed, attorneys upload proposed orders via OLS while pro se litigants mail theirs in — "NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE." The Court also never acts on letters, notes, or e-mails.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Trial ExhibitsFamily Division FC · Karen M. Miller · Palm Beach
Remote-Hearing Exhibits by U.S. Mail or Drop Box Only — E-Mailed Exhibits Refused — Division FC
Judge Miller: exhibits for remote hearings must be premarked and physically delivered (U.S. mail or courthouse drop box) at least three business days out or they are not considered — e-mailed exhibits are refused, and evidentiary hearings are never remote.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
MediationFamily Division FC · Karen M. Miller · Palm Beach
Skip Pre-Trial Mediation and the Case Is Stricken From the Trial Docket — Division FC
Judge Miller mandates pre-trial mediation after every Order Setting Trial — regardless of any earlier mediation — on pain of striking from the trial docket and sanctions up to dismissal without further notice or hearing.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Remote / Zoom HearingsJuvenile Division JO · Kathleen J. Kroll · Palm Beach
The Remote-Appearance Matrix — and Never From a Moving Vehicle — Division JO
Judge Kroll publishes an enumerated list of who may appear remotely (youth from school via the School Liaison, parents from jail or treatment, DJJ liaisons, JPOs, case managers, CPIs, volunteer GALs, out-of-state parties) — everyone else moves for leave 3 days out, and no one appears from a moving vehicle.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Proposed OrdersJuvenile Division JL · Kirk C. Volker · Palm Beach
Competing Orders Go to the JA in Word, Copied to Everyone — Division JL
Judge Volker: routine orders through Online Services, but competing orders are e-mailed to the Judicial Assistant in Word with copies to all parties.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Remote / Zoom HearingsJuvenile Division JL · Kirk C. Volker · Palm Beach
In Person by Default; Zoom Only With E-Mailed Approval — Division JL
Judge Volker holds all hearings in person absent special circumstances; Zoom requires e-mailed Court approval, and any remote-appearance NOH must list the judge's remote platform credentials.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Case ManagementJuvenile Division JS · Melanie Dale Surber · Palm Beach
Interpreters Need 5 Working Days; E-Mail Service Is Mandatory for Everyone — Division JS
Judge Surber: Spanish and Creole interpreters require at least 5 working days' notice, and every attorney AND self-represented litigant must make and receive service by e-mail.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Motion CalendarProbate Division IZ · Charles E. Burton · Palm Beach
Never Send the Order Setting Hearing Before the Court Confirms the Date — Division IZ
Judge Burton: 30-minute-plus special sets are requested by e-mail with case number, time needed, motion copy, and all parties included — and you do not prepare or send the order setting the hearing until the court has confirmed the date.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Proposed OrdersProbate Division IZ · Charles E. Burton · Palm Beach
Orders in the ±48-Hour Window With Burton's Exact Notation — Division IZ
Judge Burton: orders arrive via OLS within 48 hours after (or up to 48 hours before) the hearing, the notes/comments section MUST carry his designated label (AGREED ORDER, ORDER AFTER HEARING, DISPUTED ORDER, FUTURE PROPOSED ORDER, PROBATE EX PARTE ORDER), and the date line reads "DONE and ORDERED in Palm Beach County, Florida."
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Courtesy CopiesProbate Division IA · Samantha Schosberg Feuer · Palm Beach
Over 10 Pages? Courtesy Copy Goes Hard-Copy by U.S. Mail Only — Division IA
Judge Schosberg Feuer: shorter courtesy copies arrive three business days before the hearing, but documents exceeding 10 pages total must come as a hard copy via U.S. mail only.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Proposed OrdersJuvenile Division JS · Melanie Dale Surber · Palm Beach
Prevailing Party's Order Within 3 Days of the Ruling; Exhibits 5 Days Early — Division JS
Judge Surber: the prevailing party submits proposed orders within 3 days after the Court rules, and exhibits must be in at least five days before the hearing.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Motion CalendarProbate Division IA · Samantha Schosberg Feuer · Palm Beach
Special Sets Are Set by ORDER, Not Notice of Hearing — Division IA
Judge Schosberg Feuer: probate special sets are established by an Order Specially Setting — NOT a notice of hearing; 60 minutes or less schedules online, over an hour goes through the JA.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Proposed OrdersFamily Division FX · Cymonie S. Rowe · Palm Beach
Every Order Arrives With an Agree-or-Disagree Document — Division FX
Judge Rowe: every proposed order must be accompanied by a document either confirming all parties' agreement or identifying the disagreement — due within one week after the hearing.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Motion CalendarFamily Division FX · Cymonie S. Rowe · Palm Beach
Hearings Over 30 Minutes Go Through Case Management — Division FX
Judge Rowe routes hearings longer than 30 minutes through Case Management (not OLS); materials including case law due 3 business days out; remote appearance means camera on, microphone muted.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Proposed OrdersJuvenile Division JK · Bradley Harper · Palm Beach
No E-Mailed Orders — OLS Only; Set Hearings Through the JA, Not the Clerk — Division JK
Judge Harper refuses e-mailed orders (OLS submission only) and requires all hearings set through the Judicial Assistant rather than the Clerk, with defendant name and case number in every e-mail subject line.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
MediationFamily Division FY · Laura C. Burkhart · Palm Beach
No Temporary-Relief Hearing Until Mediation on That Relief — Division FY
Judge Burkhart will not schedule a temporary-relief hearing until mediation has been held ON the temporary relief sought — mediation first, hearing second.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Courtesy CopiesJuvenile Division JK · Bradley Harper · Palm Beach
Over 40 Pages Means a Labeled, Tabbed Binder — Division JK
Judge Harper: documentation over 40 pages arrives as hard copies in a binder, labeled and tabbed; hearings are in person except special circumstances; every party's phone and e-mail on file.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Deadlines & Time ComputationFamily Division FX · Cymonie S. Rowe · Palm Beach
Substantive Pre-Trial Motions Flagged 10 Days Before Trial — Division FX
Judge Rowe wants any pre-trial substantive motion needing more than 10 minutes per side brought to the Court's attention at least 10 days before trial; continuances get no due-diligence excuse.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Case ManagementFamily Division FY · Laura C. Burkhart · Palm Beach
UMC Documentation: Driver License, Settlement, Parenting Plan, Guidelines — Division FY
Judge Burkhart's UMC checklist: provide the testifying party's driver license, the settlement agreement, parenting plan, and child-support guideline worksheet — orders within two days after via OLS.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Courtesy CopiesFamily Division FY · Laura C. Burkhart · Palm Beach
UMC on the Static Zoom Link; Evidentiary Materials in Hard Copy 3 Days Out — Division FY
Judge Burkhart runs all UMC hearings on the Court's static Zoom link, but wants evidentiary-hearing case law, motions, and memoranda in HARD COPY at least three days before — and the Judge must get a courtesy copy of the Notice for Trial.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Courtesy CopiesFamily Division FI · Rosemarie Scher · Palm Beach
Best Three Cases Per Issue, No String Citations, 10-Page Memos — Division FI
Judge Scher enforces brief discipline: memoranda capped at ten pages, legal authority limited to the best three cases per issue absent good cause, and string citations banned.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Deadlines & Time ComputationFamily Division FJ · Daliah H. Weiss · Palm Beach
Case Law AND Exhibit Copies 5 Business Days Ahead — Division FJ
Judge Weiss: case law and memos to chambers five business days before the hearing, and every exhibit a party intends to use listed on a notice of discovery and provided to the other side five business days out.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Case ManagementFamily Division FI · Rosemarie Scher · Palm Beach
Equitable Distribution: Numbered Asset List 2 Business Days Out — Division FI
Judge Scher requires a written numbered list of every disputed asset and liability with proposed values two business days before the hearing — and pre-trial stipulations that NAME the witnesses, not just attach lists.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Remote / Zoom HearingsFamily Division FJ · Daliah H. Weiss · Palm Beach
Motions to Compel Discovery: In Person Only — No More Zoom — Division FJ
Judge Weiss pulled discovery-compel motions off Zoom entirely: all Motions to Compel Discovery are set for in-person hearings; special sets are requested by e-mail (not OLS) with the motion attached.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Proposed OrdersFamily Division FJ · Daliah H. Weiss · Palm Beach
Orders and Final Judgments Uploaded TWO Days Before the Hearing — Division FJ
Judge Weiss requires all proposed orders and final judgments on OLS in Word at least two days BEFORE the hearing — and the Judge must receive an e-mailed courtesy copy of any Notice for Trial.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Proposed OrdersFamily Division FI · Rosemarie Scher · Palm Beach
Orders Land in a ±48-Hour Window Around the Hearing — Division FI
Judge Scher: proposed orders no earlier than 48 hours before and no later than 48 hours after the hearing, with the required designation typed in the notes/comments using her exact language.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Judge PreferencesFamily Division FH · Dina Keever-Agrama · Palm Beach
This Chambers Does Not Use E-Mail — Call the JA — Division FH
Judge Keever-Agrama's office is the courthouse outlier: it does not communicate via e-mail at all — call the Judicial Assistant, including for special-set dates.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Proposed OrdersFamily Division FH · Dina Keever-Agrama · Palm Beach
Upload the Order FIRST, Then Exhibits; Mail the Trial Notice — Division FH
Judge Keever-Agrama: proposed order uploads first with exhibits following, motion and order 48 hours before the hearing (UMC materials 3 business days via OLS), no date needed in "Done and Ordered" — and MAIL a courtesy trial notice "or the Judge will not be aware."
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Remote / Zoom HearingsFamily Division FH · Dina Keever-Agrama · Palm Beach
Zoom Testimony Requires Litigant and Attorney Side by Side — Division FH
Judge Keever-Agrama: any litigant testifying at a Zoom UMC or evidentiary hearing must be physically present with their attorney at the same location, in a quiet and stationary place.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Deadlines & Time ComputationDomestic Violence Division DV/TD · Lauren Burke · Palm Beach
Case Law and Responses Filed 2 Business Days Ahead — Division DV/TD
Judge Burke requires all case law and written responses the parties rely on filed at least two business days before the hearing, with a PDF courtesy copy of the motion e-mailed to the court.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Courtesy CopiesFamily Division FA · Dane Leitner · Palm Beach
Courtesy Copies Printed and Sent by U.S. Mail — Division FA
Judge Leitner is the family lane's paper judge: courtesy copies of UMC and special-set motions, memoranda, and case authority are PRINTED and sent via U.S. Mail.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Case ManagementDomestic Violence Division DV/TD · Lauren Burke · Palm Beach
Minor-Child No-Contact Modifications: Thursdays 11 AM Only, DCF Recommendation Required — Division DV/TD
Judge Burke hears motions to modify no-contact with minor children ONLY on Thursdays at 11:00 AM — and a DCF recommendation is required before the modification is heard.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Courtesy CopiesCounty Criminal Division P · Frank S. Castor · Palm Beach
PDF Courtesy Copies by E-Mail; Agreed Orders Need a Both-Parties E-Mail — Division P
Judge Castor: courtesy copies of motions go to the court by e-mail as PDF, case law and responses 3 business days ahead, and agreed orders require an e-mail showing both parties agree — orders in Word via Online Services.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Case ManagementFamily Division FA · Dane Leitner · Palm Beach
Trial Exhibits & Witnesses Exchanged 45 Days Out; Docket Entries on Everything — Division FA
Judge Leitner requires trial exhibit and witness lists exchanged within 45 days before trial, and every notice, motion, referral, and Magistrate objection must state its docket entry number.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.
Motion CalendarFamily Division FA · Dane Leitner · Palm Beach
UMC Orders Uploaded the Day Before; 3-Motion Cap; No Temp Custody on UMC — Division FA
Judge Leitner: proposed orders upload the DAY BEFORE the UMC hearing, a maximum of three motions per case may be set, and temporary custody matters are NEVER UMC — they are special set.
Court procedures change without notice. Verify urgent deadlines or unusual requirements with the court, the clerk, or a Florida attorney.