RULE AND PROCEDURES TO ATTEND HEARING BY TELEPHONE

RULE AND PROCEDURES TO ATTEND HEARING BY TELEPHONE

15 minutes or less and non-evidentiary hearings:  Pursuant to Rule 2.530(b) Florida Rules of Judicial Administration, the judge may, upon the court’s own motion or upon written request of a party, direct that the telephone be used for a motion hearing, pretrial conference, or status conference.

  • If agreed by counsel or parties,  counsel may provide a Notice of Hearing which includes a certification that the other parties have been consulted and have no objection AND the hearing will not exceed 15 minutes.    No court order is required with the above procedure.
  • Counsel shall bring the phone number of the participant to the hearing for the judge to place the call during the hearing.   If counsel is appearing by phone, at the time of approval, counsel shall provide the judge’s assistant with the phone number to be called.

 

Evidentiary and Final hearings:   Except for exigent circumstances Judge Gontarek requires personal appearance at all evidentiary and final hearings and follow the  below procedure:

  • A written Motion to Appear by Telephone shall be filed as soon as possible after scheduling of the hearing date on the court’s calendar.   
  • If stipulated by all counsel/parties, moving counsel may provide directly to the Division 4 eserve email address a PDF copy of the motion along with an Order granting telephonic appearance. 
  • If not fully stipulated, counsel for movant shall, immediately upon filing of the motion, schedule a hearing on the motion.   

 

  • The party/attorney attending is required to

 

 

  1. NO LESS THAN  7 days prior to the date of the hearing contact CourrtCall at (888.882.6878 or email: www.courtcall.com 

 

  1. Parties attending by phone must have present with them a Notary Public or other person authorized to provide positive identification and swear in for testimony;   Counsel for the party is responsible for assuring in advance their client has made these arrangements.