IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, SIXTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

IN AND FOR PASCO AND PINELLAS COUNTIES, FLORIDA

 

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2004-039 PA/PI-CIR

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RE:     DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT

 

On January 1, 1996, a criminal section was created by Administrative Order 95-123.  This section, known as section R, was created to handle criminal misdemeanor actions relating to domestic violence, including violations of injunctions and indirect criminal contempt proceedings.  When Local Rule 11 was adopted, which provided for a domestic violence court section to hear criminal misdemeanor actions, Administrative Order 95-123 was repealed.  See Administrative Order PA/PI-CIR-99-42. 

 

The judges of this circuit proposed amendments to the Local Rules, which included repeal of Local Rule 11.  The amendments to the Local Rules were approved by the Florida Supreme Court on May 19, 2004.  The repeal of Local Rule 11 was not intended to repeal the criminal domestic violence section in county criminal court.  It is therefore, necessary by Administrative Order to provide for the continued operation of section R.  Accordingly, it is hereby

 

ORDERED:

 

1.  Section R is reaffirmed and shall continue as a section of the Pinellas County criminal division.  All criminal misdemeanor actions relating to domestic violence, including violations of injunctions and indirect criminal contempt proceedings shall be heard by the judge assigned to section R.  Circuit court judges shall continue to hear criminal felony actions relating to domestic violence.

 

2.  The Clerk of Court for Pinellas County shall continue to assign criminal misdemeanor actions relating to domestic violence, violation of injunctions, and indirect criminal contempt proceedings arising from violation of injunctions to section R.

 

Administrative Order PA/PI-CIR-99-42 is hereby rescinded.

 

DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers at St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida this _____ day of July 2004, nunc pro tunc May 19, 2004.

 

 

                                                                                    __________________________________

                                                                        David A. Demers, Chief Judge

 

cc:        All Judges

            The Honorable Bernie McCabe, State Attorney

            The Honorable Robert H. Dillinger, Public Defender

            The Honorable Karleen F. DeBlaker, Clerk of Court, Pinellas County

            The Honorable Jed Pittman, Clerk of Court, Pasco County

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

            Gay Inskeep, Trial Courts Administrator

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

            DeRita Barbary, Criminal Administration

            Bar Associations, Pasco and Pinellas Counties

            Law Libraries, Pasco and Pinellas Counties