WHEREAS, Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.215(a) vests in the Chief Judge

authority and responsibility to develop an administrative plan for all courts within this circuit that promotes the development of the capabilities of the judges such that each judge will be qualified to serve in any division; and

WHEREAS, the geographical expansiveness of this circuit requires temporary assignments
of county judges in circuit court to provide timely disposition of cases and to efficiently
administer the courts, see, Art. Y, § 11(b), Fla. Const., it is therefore,

ORDERED:

 The assignments set forth in this General Assignment Order are reflected on the annual master calendar which is hereby incorporated. The master calendar may be revised as needed by order of the Chief Judge and it includes schedule changes due to holidays and conferences which may affect the assignments in this order. Therefore, the master calendar should be referred to when holidays and judicial conferences arise.

Family court assignments include unified family court (Division “UFC”), and all family law matters within Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Rule: 12.010. Cases involving Petitions for Judicial Waiver of Parental Notice of Termination of Pregnancy in the Third Judicial Circuit will be referred immediately to Chief Judge Gregory S. Parker, who has discretion to assign to the family division judges on a rotating basis.

Unified family court procedures pursuant to Administrative Order 2002-007 A shall take precedence over assignments contained in this plan. In addition, all county court judges when acting as circuit judges of the Third Judicial Circuit are designated as juvenile court judges for the purpose of Chapters 39 and 985, Florida Statutes, and may conduct detention or shelter hearings as appropriate. A review pursuant to section 39.402(12), Florida Statutes, shall not be required when the shelter hearing was conducted by a juvenile court judge.

The judicial assignments for the Third Judicial Circuit for the period stated above are as follows, with the exception of any standing assignment order entered due to conflicts or recusals:

CIRCUIT COURT COLUMBIA COUNTY

Paul S. Bryan Criminal: Adult Drug Treatment Court.

Family: Domestic relations and DOR cases L-Z; injunction for protection hearings if companion to domestic relations cases presided over by Judge Bryan; and disqualifications and recusals from Judge Douglas and Judge Feagle.

Civil: One-third of all civil cases filed, except foreclosure cases which shall be assigned to Judge Douglas and Judge Johnson on a rotating basis; and disqualifications and recusals of Judge Johnson. One-third of disqualifications from Judge Douglas in cases involving the Douglas & Carter law firm (assigned on a rotating basis with Judge Feagle and Judge Johnson)
Wesley R. Douglas Criminal: Division A – All cases with defendants’ last name beginning with the letters AK; and disqualifications and recusals of Judge Johnson.

Family: Domestic relations and DOR cases A-K: injunction for protection hearings if companion to domestic relations cases Presided over by Judge Douglas. one-third of disqualifications of Judge Bryan pursuant to Standing Orders of Dis1ualification (assigned on a rotating basis with Judge Feagle and Judge Johnson).

Civil: One-third of all civil cases filed; and disqualifications and recusals of Judge Bryan; I and one-third of disqualifications of Judge Bryan pursuant to Standing Orders of Disqualification (assigned on a rotating basis with Judge Feagle and Judge Johnson). I Mark E. Feagle Family: Family drug treatment court; juvenile dependency-; all injunction for protection hearings, unless case is companion to a domestic relations case presided over by Judge Bryan or Judge Douglas; probate and guardianship; mental health; Marchman and Baker Acts; and truancy cases. One-third of disqualifications of Judge Bryan pursuant to Standing Orders of Disqualification (assigned on a rotating basis with Judge Douglas and Judge Johnson).

Civil: Forfeiture cases; one-third of disqualifications of Judge Bryan pursuant to Standing Orders of Disqualification (assigned on a rotating basis with Judge Douglas and Judge Johnson); one-third of disqualifications from Judge Douglas in cases involving the Douglas & Carter law firm (assigned on a rotating basis with Judge Bryan and Judge Johnson).

Leandra G. Johnson Criminal: Division B – All cases with defendants’ last name beginning with the letters LZ; and disqualifications and recusals of Judge Douglas.

Family: Juvenile delinquency and Juvenile Drug Treatment Court; and one-third of disqualifications of Judge Bryan pursuant to Standing Orders of Disqualification (assigned on a rotating basis with Judge Douglas and Judge Feagle)

Civil: One-third of all civil cases (including half of all foreclosures filed); general disqualifications and recusals of Judge Douglas; one-third of disqualifications from Judge Douglas in cases involving the Douglas Carter law firm (assigned on a rotating basis with Judge Bryan and Judge Feagle); one-third of disqualifications of Judge Bryan pursuant to Standing Orders of Disqualification (assigned on a rotating basis with Judge Feagle and Judge Douglas)

 

DIXIE COUNTY

Mark E. Feagle Criminal: All criminal cases.

Acting Circuit Judge Criminal: Disqualifications and recusals of Judge Feagle.

Jennifer J. Ellison Family: Domestic relations; DOR cases; injunctions for protection; juvenile delinquency and dependency; truancy cases; mental health, Marchman and Baker Acts; and probate and guardianship.

Civil: All civil cases.

David W. Fina Family: Disqualifications and recusals of Judge Ellison.

Andrew J. Decker, III Civil: Disqualifications and recusals of Judge Ellison.

General Assignment Order Page 3 January 6, 2015 – June 30, 2015

 

HAMILTON COUNTY

Andrew J. Decker, III Criminal: All criminal cases.

Family: Domestic relations; DOR cases; mental health, Marchman and Baker Acts; and disqualifications and recusals of Judge Scaff.

Civil: All civil cases; and disqualifications and recusals of Judge Scaff.

Acting Circuit Judge Criminal: Disqualifications and recusals of Judge Decker.

Sonny Scaff Family: Uncontested family cases; injunctions for protection hearings; juvenile delinquency and dependency; and disqualifications and recusals of Judge Decker.

Civil: Uncontested civil cases; and disqualifications and recusals of Judge Decker.

 

LAFAYETTE COUNTY

Acting Circuit Judge Criminal: All criminal cases.

Darren K. Jackson Family: Domestic relations; injunctions for protection; juvenile dependency and delinquency; mental health, Marchman and Baker Acts; probate and guardianship; and DOR cases.

Civil: All civil cases.

David Fina Criminal: Disqualifications and recusals of Judge Jackson.

Family: Disqualifications and recusals of Judge Jackson.

Andrew J. Decker, III Civil: Disqualifications and recusals of Judge Jackson

 

MADISON COUNTY

Andrew J. Decker, III Criminal: All criminal cases.

Family: Domestic relations; DOR cases; injunctions for protection; mental health, Marchman and Baker Acts; and probate and guardianship.

Civil: All civil cases.

Acting Circuit Judge Criminal: Disqualifications and recusals of Judge Decker.

1. Bailey Browning Family: Juvenile delinquency and dependency; and disqualifications and recusals of Judge Decker.

Civil: Disqualifications and recusals of Judge Decker.

Acting Circuit Judge Family: Disqualifications and recusals of Judge Browning

Sonny Scaff

 

SUWANNEE COUNTY

Paul S. Bryan Criminal: Division A – All cases with defendants’ last names beginning with the letters A-K; and disqualifications and recusals of Judge Fina in Division B.

David W. Fina Criminal: Division B -. All cases with defendants’ last names beginning with the letters L – Z; disqualifications and recusals of Judge Bryan in Division A; and Adult Drug

Treatment Court.

Family: Domestic relations, probate, and guardianship; disqualifications and recusals of Judge Williams; and Juvenile Drug Treatment Court.

Civil: All civil cases

Acting Circuit Judge Family: Juvenile delinquency and dependency; DOR cases; dependency drug treatment William F. “Lin” Williams court; simplified dissolutions; domestic relations agreements; injunction for protection hearings; truancy cases; mental health, Marchman and Baker Acts; and disqualifications and recusals of Judge Fina.

Civil: Disqualifications and recusals of Judge Fina

 

TAYLOR COUNTY

Greg Parker Criminal: All criminal cases.

Family: Domestic relations; injunctions for protection; probate and guardianship; DOR cases; mental health, Marchman and Baker Acts; and disqualifications and recusals of Judge Blue.

Civil: All civil cases.

General Assignment Order

Acting Circuit Judge Bill Blue

Criminal: Disqualifications and recusals of Judge Parker.

Family: Juvenile delinquency; dependency; and disqualifications and recusals of Judge Parker.

Civil: Disqualifications and recusals of Judge Parker.

 

TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT OF COUNTY COURT JUDGES AS CIRCUIT JUDGES

Each county court judge in the Third Judicial Circuit is hereby temporarily appointed circuit judge for the Third Judicial Circuit, pursuant to Florida Statute 26.57. They are hereby vested with the respective powers and prerogatives conferred by the Constitution and laws of the State of Florida as a circuit judge on a temporary basis to hear, conduct and determine all matters consistent with Florida Statute 26.012, which are presented to them. Additionally, the county court judges are temporarily appointed as circuit court judges to adjudicate any issue pending in any circuit court case in the Third Judicial Circuit that will provide prompt disposition of cases and efficiently administer the courts.

 

COUNTY COURT

Judge County Assignments

Tom Coleman’ Columbia Misdemeanor: traffic; county civil; and small claims.

Jennifer J. Ellison Dixie Misdemeanor: traffic; county civil; small claims; and county court recusals and disqualifications from Lafayette County.

Sonny Scaff Hamilton Misdemeanor: traffic; county civil; small claims; and county court recusals and disqualifications from Madison County.

Darren K. Jackson Lafayette Misdemeanor; traffic; county civil; small claims; and county court recusals and disqualifications from Taylor County.

1. Bailey Browning Madison Misdemeanor; traffic; county civil; small claims; and county court recusals and disqualifications from Hamilton County.

William F. “Lin” Williams Suwannee Misdemeanor; traffic; county civil; and small claims.

Bill Blue Taylor Misdemeanor; traffic; county civil; small claims; and county court recusals and disqualifications from Dixie County.

 

COUNTY COURT RECUSALS OR DISQUALIFICATIONS

Unless otherwise indicated in this Order or designated by the Chief Judge, all county court recusals or disqualifications shall be assigned to the resident circuit judge of that county.

Emergency after-hours injunction hearings and weekend first appearance is assigned monthly to a resident Columbia County judge on a rotational basis.

In Columbia County, Judge Bryan is assigned all recusals or disqualifications of County Judge

Tom Coleman.

 

JUDICIAL ROTATIONS

The entire case load, including recusals, transfers to an incoming judge. If there are specific complex cases or cases close to resolution, in the interest of judicial economy and after consultation with the effected judges, the case may remain with the previously assigned judge.

 

ASSIGNMENT OF COUNTY COURT JUDGES OF THE THIRD JUDICIAL CIRCUIT TO OTHER COUNTIES WITHIN THE CIRCUIT

When necessary for the orderly administration of the county courts of the Third Judicial Circuit, the county court judges of the circuit are appointed to hear, conduct, and determine matters of county court jurisdiction which are presented to them in all counties of the circuit.

 

TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT OF CIRCUIT JUDGES AS COUNTY COURT JUDGES

All circuit court judges of the Third Judicial Circuit are temporarily appointed to adjudicate any pending issue in any county court case in the Third Judicial Circuit.

JURISDICTION OF CHILD SUPPORT HEARING OFFICER AND GENERAL MAGISTRATE

The child support hearing officer shall hear all IV -D child support cases in the counties of the circuit as assigned. The civil traffic infraction hearing officer shall hear all civil traffic infractions in the counties of the circuit as assigned. The general magistrate shall perform duties as directed by the Chief Judge.

Name of Officer Title Duties and/or Venue

Jennifer Kuyrkendall Child Support Hearing Officer DOR/Title IV-D child support hearings in Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor Counties.

Christina Seifert Civil Traffic Hearing Officer Columbia County civil traffic infraction hearings.

Debbie DeNike General Magistrate Mortgage foreclosure; probate and guardianship; and pro se domestic relations cases in Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison Suwannee, and Taylor Counties as specifically assigned.

 

CONTROL OF DOCKETS

The control of the dockets for the various divisions of court shall rest with the presiding judge at the discretion of the Chief Judge.

 

REGULATION AND USE OF COURTROOMS

Management and use of the courtrooms and associated court space in each of the seven counties of the circuit shall be determined by the Chief Judge in consultation with the local county and circuit judges. Criminal matters will take precedence over civil matters.

 

PROCEDURE FOR CALENDARING CIRCUIT COURT CASES

All cases under circuit court jurisdiction shall be calendared before the judge assigned to the division in which the case has been filed. When a rule, statute or procedure mandates expedited judicial action on a matter and the judge assigned to the division is unavailable, the Chief Judge shall assign a judge to hear the case or cases pursuant to this order. This judge will be the next available circuit judge or a county judge in the county of jurisdiction.

This order replaces all prior orders of General Assignment of Judges.

DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers in Perry, Taylor County, Florida, this 6^th day of January 2015.