RE: ASSIGNMENT OF CASES - CIRCUIT CIVIL

In order to provide for the orderly assignment of circuit civil cases in Pasco County, it is

ORDERED:

1.Circuit civil cases filed in Pasco County shall be assigned by the Clerk of the Court for Pasco County to Sections of the Pasco County Division as follows:

a.Any circuit civil case in which the defendant resides or the cause of action accrues or the property in litigation is located west of Range 18 East, in Pasco County shall be designated a West Pasco case and shall be assigned to the appropriate section and judge at the West Pasco Judicial Center, New Port Richey, Florida.

b.Any circuit civil case in which the defendant resides or the cause of action accrues or the property in litigation is located east of Range 17 East, in Pasco County shall be designated an East Pasco case and shall be assigned to the appropriate section and judge at the Pasco County Courthouse, Dade City, Florida.

2.In any circuit civil case in which there are two or more defendants residing east and west of the range lines described above, or in which the case could be assigned to either New Port Richey or Dade City, pursuant to paragraph 1 above, the case shall be assigned:

a. to the appropriate section and courthouse facility located nearest the principal office of the plaintiff's attorney; or

b.when the section or courthouse facility is not readily discernable, to the appropriate courthouse facility on an alternating east - west basis.

3.This order shall not prohibit the chief judge or the Pasco Administrative Judge from assigning or reassigning cases when it is deemed necessary for the prompt and efficient administration of justice; or prohibit an unassigned judge from presiding over, hearing, and disposing of cases by agreement of the affected circuit judges.

Pasco Administrative Order 81-19 is hereby rescinded.

DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers in St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, this 6th day of October, 1997.

/s/SUSAN F. SCHAEFFER
Susan F. Schaeffer, Chief Judge