IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, SIXTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

IN AND FOR PASCO AND PINELLAS COUNTIES, FLORIDA

 

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2006-016 PA/PI-CIR

 

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RE:        NOTICE OF LACK OF PROSECUTION

              NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISMISS

 

               Rule of Civil Procedure 1.420 regarding lack of prosecution was recently amended.  See In re:  Amendments to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure (Two Year Cycle) SC05-179 (Fla. 2005).  In order to comply with the Rule changes and with Rule of Civil Procedure 1.070(j) regarding service of process, and Small Claims Rule 7.110, and in order to timely conclude litigation,

 

IT IS ORDERED:

 

             1.  This Order applies to all cases governed by the Rules of Civil Procedure, Family Law Rules of Procedure, Small Claims Rules, and cases under Chapter 39, Florida Statutes. It does not apply to other cases governed by the Rules of Juvenile Procedure, Rules of Criminal Procedure, Probate Rules, Traffic Court Rules, or Rules of Appellate Procedure.

 

2.  In all matters in which there is no record activity for a period of ten (10) months and no stay has been entered or approved by the Court, the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Pasco County and the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Pinellas County (Clerks of Court) shall automatically prepare a Notice of Lack of Prosecution which shall substantially comply with Rule of Civil Procedure Form 1.989, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 1.  The Clerks of Court shall serve the Notice of Lack of Prosecution on all parties in the case, as required by Rule of Civil Procedure 1.420(e), and shall place a copy of the Notice in the court file. The Notice shall contain a Certificate of Service and as set forth in Rule of Civil Procedure 1.080, such service may be accomplished by mailing a copy of the Notice to the parties' counsel of record, or if not represented by counsel, to the party individually. 

 

3.  The Clerks of Court shall automatically prepare a Notice of Intent to Dismiss under the following circumstances:

 

a.  When a case is filed and the plaintiff or petitioner has failed to provide proof of service on a defendant or respondent within 120 days after filing the initial pleading as required by Rule of Civil Procedure 1.070(j).

 

b.  When there is no record activity in a case for a period of sixty (60) days immediately following the service of a Notice of Lack of Prosecution (as set forth in paragraph 2 above), and if no stay was issued or approved prior to the expiration of the sixty (60) day period, as provided for in Rule of Civil Procedure 1.420.  This includes small claims cases where the Rules of Civil Procedure have been applied pursuant to Small Claims Rule 7.020. 

 

 

c.  When there is no record activity in a small claims case for a period of six (6) months as provided for in Small Claims Rule 7.110, excluding small claims cases where the Rules of Civil Procedure have been applied pursuant to Small Claims Rule 7.020.

            

4.  The Clerks of Court shall send the Notice of Intent to Dismiss to the parties in the case, and place a copy of the Notice in the court file.

 

5.  If a response is received within 30 days of the Notice, the Clerks of Court shall provide the response and the court file to the section judge.

 

6.   If no response is received within 30 days of the Notice, the Clerks of Court shall automatically generate an Order of Dismissal and provide it along with the court file, if such file is requested, to the section judge.

 

7.   The Clerks of Court, the Pasco County Data Processing Department, and the Pinellas County Information Technology Department, as appropriate, shall take immediate action to make changes necessary to implement this Order and take all actions necessary so that the Clerk of Court can perform the functions specified in this Order on or before March 31, 2006. 

 

             Administrative Order 2004-019 PI-CIR is hereby rescinded.

 

             DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers at St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, this

______ day of March 2006.

 

 

            ___________________________

                                                                                                  David A. Demers, Chief Judge

 

cc:       All Judges

            The Honorable Bernie McCabe, State Attorney

            The Honorable Robert Dillinger, Public Defender

            The Honorable Ken Burke, Clerk of Court, Pinellas County

The Honorable Jed Pittman, Clerk of Court, Pasco County

            Carol Heath, Director, Court Services, Pinellas County Clerk’s Office

            Betty Henderson, Assistant Court Services Director, Pasco County Clerk’s Office

            Gay Inskeep, Trial Courts Administrator

            Kerry L. Rice, Senior Deputy Courts Administrator, Pasco County

            Bar Associations, Pasco and Pinellas

            Law Libraries, Pasco and Pinellas


IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE SIXTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

 IN AND FOR ____________ COUNTY, FLORIDA

______________ DIVISION

CASE NO. __________________________

 

 

 

____________________________

 

                        Plaintiff(s),

 

v.                    

 

_____________________________

 

                        Defendant(s).

                                                            /

 

NOTICE OF LACK OF PROSECUTION

 

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that it appears on the face of the record that no activity, filing of pleadings, order of court, or otherwise has occurred for a period of 10 months immediately preceding service of this notice, and no stay has been issued or approved by the court. Pursuant to rule l.420(e), if no such record activity occurs within 60 days following the service of this notice, and if no stay is issued or approved during such 60-day period, this action may be dismissed by the court on its own motion or on the motion of any interested person, whether a party to the action or not, after reasonable notice to the parties, unless a party shows good cause in writing at least 5 days before the hearing on the motion why the action should remain pending.

 

DATED and MAILED to the address shown below by U.S. mail this ________ day of ___________, 20__.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Name and Address of Party

Receiving notice)

                                                                                    ____________________________________

(Embossed COURT Seal)                                         CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 1