JO Divisional Instructions

COVID-19 Juvenile Division Instructions

Delinquency Hearings

Effective September 1, 2024 all hearings will be held IN PERSON. Parties and Counsel must personally appear in Courtroom 3A – Juvenile wing.

Zoom appearance is permitted for the following:

• Youth may appear from school, with prior arrangements being made with School Liaison;
• Youth or Parent may appear from treatment program;
• Parent(s) may appear from jail/correction facility.

Zoom appearance is permitted for the following individuals:

• DJJ Court liaisons;
• Juvenile Probation Officer;
• Treatment Programs;
• Educational Representatives (Court Education Liaisons, Truancy Staff);
• Out of State Parents / Youth;
• Out of County Parents / Youth;
• Incarcerated Youth / Parent.

The Court may also grant Zoom appearance for other extreme circumstances.

Dependency Hearings

Effective September 1, 2024 all hearings will be held IN PERSON. Parties and Counsel must personally appear in Courtroom 3A – Juvenile wing.

Zoom appearance is permitted for the following individuals:

• Case Manager;
• CPI;
• Incarcerated Parents;
• Out of State Parents; 
• Out of County Parents;
• Treatment Programs;
• Volunteer Guardian Ad Litem;
• Educational Representatives (Court Education Liaisons, Truancy Staff).

The Court may also grant Zoom appearance for other extreme circumstances.

Unified Family Court Cases

For dually involved youth, the Court will permit the Delinquency Parties to attend via Zoom for all Dependency Hearings and vice versa, the Dependency Parties may appear via Zoom for all Delinquency Hearings.

Remote Appearance Procedure

Effective September 1, 2024, all hearings will be IN PERSON. Any party requesting to appear remotely MUST file a written Motion to Appear Remotely, no less than three (3) days prior to the hearing with a courtesy copy of the Motion being provided to the Judicial Assistant via email (CAD-DivionsJO@pbcgov.org), as well as all parties. Parties must confer and advise the court in the motion if any party objects to the motion. The Court will issue a ruling based upon the motion. It is the Moving party's responsibility to submit a proposed order (via OLS) with the Court Zoom information in the proposed order.

Division JO Zoom Meeting Information

The static zoom link for Division JO is as follows:

This link will be the same for all hearings (with the exception of TPR and adoptions). The static zoom information above should be included in all Notices of Hearing and Orders Setting Hearing filed with the Court.

Evidence Portal

View videos on using the Evidence Portal on our CourtHelp4U YouTube channel.

Hearings

There is no Uniform Motion Calendar in the Juvenile Division.

All Hearings must be specially set with the Judicial Assistant.

Once your Motion is docketed in the court file you may request a hearing time by contacting the Judicial Assistant via e-mail at CAD-DivisionJO@pbcgov.org or by calling (561) 355-4378, with the following information being noted in the email request:

• Case Number;
• Case Style;
• Completion caption of the motion;
• Docket number of the motion;
• Amount of time requesting for hearing.

Please copy opposing counsel / parties on all email transmissions to the Judicial Assistant.

The Judicial Assistant will provide available hearing dates / times.  After coordinating with all parties, please confirm the selected date / time with the Judicial Assistant.   Please note that hearing dates / times are not held.

A copy of the motion and notice of hearing should be provided to the Court via U.S. Mail.

All hearing materials must be mailed / delivered to the courthouse for the Judge to review prior to a special set hearing at least five (5) days prior to the scheduled hearing.

Emergency Hearings

Please refer to Administrative order 3.206

For any true emergency matter, you must file a motion for emergency hearing pursuant to Administrative Order.  Submit the original motion directly to the Clerk and e-mail a copy of the Emergency Motion to the Judicial Assistant (CAD-DivisionJO@pbcgov.org) for the Judge's review and determination. 

Memoranda of Law

Amy memoranda of law of special case law should be submitted directly to the Judge's office via U.S Mail at least five (5) business days prior to the hearing.  Please indicate the date and time of the hearing on the cover sheet.

Proposed Orders

All Orders should be submitted through OLS (Online Services).

Additionally, if you have multiple case numbers, the order must be uploaded for each case number.

All email communication to the Judicial Assistant should also include all parties.

All Orders must include a complete service list in the "copies furnished section" including the name and e-mail address of all parties.