IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, SIXTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
IN AND FOR
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2009-008 PI-CTY
RE: CIVIL
In order to
reinstate the civil traffic infraction hearing officer program, establish
evening calendars, and address calendaring issues for civil traffic infraction
cases in
ORDERED:
1.
The Pinellas Clerk of the Circuit Court shall assign
non-criminal traffic infraction cases to calendars to be heard at the
2. Cases shall be set on calendars on the following schedule which will begin the week of March 2, 2009:
Court Day |
Court Time |
Courtroom Assignment |
Maximum Number of Infractions / Parking Tickets |
Monday |
1:00 p.m. & 2:30 p.m. |
Courtroom 15 |
40 infractions per calendar |
|
4:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m. |
Courtroom 15 |
40 infractions per calendar |
|
4:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m. |
Courtroom 19 |
40 infractions per calendar |
|
|
|
|
Wednesday |
4:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.
|
Courtroom 15 |
40 infractions (4:00 p.m.) 100 Parking Tickets and Motions (5:30 p.m.) |
|
4:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m. |
Courtroom 19 |
40 infractions per calendar |
|
|
|
|
Thursday |
4:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m. |
Courtroom 15 |
40 infractions per calendar |
|
4:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m. |
Courtroom 19 |
40 infractions per calendar |
3. Cases shall be scheduled so that citations from each law enforcement agency are calendared to minimize the time officers are in court.
4. Additional calendars or modifications to this schedule may be made by the Pinellas County Administrative Judge without modification to this administrative order.
5. The Pinellas Clerk of the Circuit Court shall notify the Pinellas County Administrative Judge when cases cannot be scheduled within thirty (30) days of the defendant’s election for a hearing.
6. Requests for continuances of civil traffic
infraction cases scheduled at the
a. The Clerk of the Circuit Court shall grant the first continuance requested by a defendant or issuing officer, up until 5:00 p.m. the business day prior to the assigned court date, without prior approval by presiding Judge.
b. Except
as provided herein if a second or subsequent continuance is requested, a
written motion or request for continuance shall be timely filed with the Clerk
of the Circuit Court. The motion or
request must state with particularity the reasons for the request for
continuance. The motion shall be
considered timely if it is filed three (3) days prior to the scheduled
hearing. The Clerk shall direct the
motion to the judge at
c. In case of an emergency and the person is unable to file a written motion in accordance with paragraph (b) above, the Clerk of the Circuit Court shall refer any verbal request to the Pinellas County Administrative Judge.
d. The attached form Motion for Continuance (Attachment A) may be used to seek a second or subsequent continuance of a civil traffic infraction hearing.
e. This
procedure only applies to civil traffic infraction hearings scheduled for the
Criminal Justice Center and does not apply to hearings scheduled at
7. If a defendant requests that his or her case be heard by a county judge in accordance with the Florida Rules of Traffic Court 6.630(n), the Pinellas Clerk of the Circuit Court shall calendar the case at a traffic facility in accordance with instructions from the judge at the traffic facility.
8. Motions for disposition may be set on a “heard in chambers” calendar to be heard by a county judge at a traffic facility.
This Administrative Order takes effect March 2, 2009, at which time Administrative Orders No. 2008-054 PI-CTY and 2009-003 PI-CTY are hereby rescinded.
DONE AND
ORDERED in Chambers at
this ______ day of February 2009.
_____________________________
Robert J. Morris, Jr., Chief Judge
cc: All Judges
The Honorable
The Honorable
The Honorable Jim Coats, Sheriff,
The Honorable
Gay Inskeep, Trial Courts Administrator
Suzanne M. Mucklow, Executive Director, Pinellas County Clerk’s Office
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