Requirements & Information
Standards of Professionalism
All attorneys are expected to abide by the Twelfth Judicial Circuit’s Standards of Professionalism.
All parties shall adhere to the Twelfth Judicial Circuit’s Family Division Rules of Courtroom Etiquette and Standing Order for Family Law Cases, be punctual and prepared for any court appearance, and remain respectful and courteous in their communication.
Children are strictly prohibited from attending any family law proceeding, whether inside the courtroom or during any remote proceeding (e.g., Zoom or telephonic hearings), without prior Court Order. See Family Law Rule
12.407(a).
A. Remote Appearance
Log-in Credentials: In the event your hearing is being held via Zoom, the Magistrate’s log-in page and credentials are on Magistrate Giura’s Zoom Video Conference Access Information page. Please ensure you are logged in to Zoom at least ten (10) minutes before the hearing is scheduled to begin.
Setting a Zoom Hearing: All trials, evidentiary hearings, and non-evidentiary hearings lasting longer than thirty (30) minutes shall be in person hearings in Hearing Room 2 on the Third Floor of the Manatee County Judicial Center. If one or more of the parties seek an exception to this rule, they are required to file a motion requesting the same or submit a stipulated agreement. If approved, the Court will enter an Order. If any party objects to a request to have the hearing conducted via Zoom, they must file a written objection setting forth the basis for the objection. The Magistrate’s office will address all requests for remote appearances on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the Administrative Orders and F.R.J.A. 2.530.
Noticing a Zoom Hearing: Any party preparing the Notice of Hearing for a remote appearance shall include Magistrate Giura’s Zoom credentials, the filing date for each matter to be heard, JACS Confirmation Numbers, when the matter was coordinated and in which manner, ADA and Interpreter notices (as specified below), language required by Fla. Fam. L. R. P. 12.490 or 12.491, and sufficient information within the certificate of service to determine proper notice.
Submission of Proposed Exhibits for Zoom Hearing: No later than five (5) business days prior to the hearing, each party must provide to the Magistrate via email and to the opposing side, copies of any documents, exhibits, or case law that will be referred to during the hearing and/or offered into evidence.
- All exhibits shall be submitted as a PDF file, with each exhibit provided as a separate PDF.
- The exhibits shall be pre-marked with the Petitioner using numbers and the Respondent using letters.
- Your submission of any documents/exhibits to the General Magistrate’s Office does not guarantee the admissibility of the documents. Each party is required to comply with the rules of evidence during the hearing or trial.
- Any and all confidential information shall be redacted by the individual submitting the proposed exhibit (including, but not limited to: account numbers, Social Security numbers and dates of birth).
The Remote Courtroom is still a Courtroom: The Court expects you to attend the hearing with your camera on, prepared to present your case and any evidence, situated in a quiet environment, while remaining professional/courteous throughout the proceeding. All parties shall be in appropriate courtroom attire and conduct themselves as they would in the courtroom.
B. Hearing Procedures
Judicial Automated Calendaring System: Unless otherwise noted below, all hearings less than sixty (60) minutes shall be scheduled through JACS.
Hearing Time: Hearings are limited to the amount of time reserved, so please schedule accordingly. The scheduling party shall confer with the opposing counsel/party to agree on the total time required for the hearing. If the scheduling party is unable to confer or agree with the opposing counsel/party, the scheduling party should schedule the hearing to provide the opposing counsel/party an equal amount of time to present to the Court. If the parties are unable to present all their evidence and argument(s) within the allotted hearing time, the Magistrate may either:
- Continue the matter to another date and time to afford the parties further opportunity to present additional evidence and argument, or
- Conclude the hearing and render the Recommended Order to the Court based on the evidence and argument presented by the parties within the hearing time allotment.
Please do not reserve back-to-back hearings in order to acquire a longer block of hearing time without prior consent of the Court. Any hearing scheduled in this manner will be cancelled.
Extended Hearings: As JACS only provides hearing time less than sixty (60) minutes, please email the Magistrate Assistant to schedule hearing time in excess of sixty (60) minutes. This email shall ensure all parties are copied and contain the:
- case number,
- title of the motion/pleading, and
- amount of time being requested for both parties to fully present their case.
Cross Noticing: Once a matter is scheduled, subsequent motions/issues may not be added or cross-noticed without prior approval of the scheduling party and the Magistrate. The scheduling party should be contacted for consent before seeking the Magistrate’s approval to add additional motions/issues.
Cancellation of Hearings: The moving party should cancel the hearing time in JACS and file a Notice of Cancellation as soon as the parties are aware the need for the hearing time no longer exists. If a party is unable to cancel a hearing through JACS, please contact the Magistrate Assistant so the time may be made promptly available for other cases. When a hearing is canceled, opposing parties and/or counsel must be notified.
Notice of Hearing Requirements
ADA Notice
All Notices of Hearing shall include the following in bold type, 14-point Times New Roman or Courier font:
If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in a proceeding, you are entitled (at no cost to you) to the provision of certain assistance, including, but not limited to: assistive listening devices, sign language interpreters, language interpreters, and reader services. Please contact the Manatee County Jury Office via U.S. mail at P.O. Box 25400, Bradenton, Florida 34206 or via telephone at (941) 741-4062, within two working days of receipt of a notice to appear at a court proceeding. If you are hearing or voice impaired, please call 711.”
Please visit the Americans with Disabilities Act page for more information.
Interpreters
All Notices of Hearing shall include the following language:
“The Twelfth Judicial Circuit provides spoken language court interpreters to limited-English-proficient persons in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 90.606, Florida Statutes (2023), and Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.560. If you require the assistance of an interpreter, please submit your request using the Interpreter Request Form or call (941) 749-3659. Please ensure you submit your request as early as possible, as requests made within less than five (5) business days’ notice may not be accommodated.”
El Duodécimo Circuito Judicial provee intérpretes judiciales de la lengua hablada a personas con dominio limitado del inglés de acuerdo con el Título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, la sección 90.606, los Estatutos de la Florida y la Regla 2.560 de las Reglas de Administración Judicial de la Florida. Si requiere la ayuda de un intérprete, por favor utilice la Solicitud de Interprete o llame al (941) 749-3659. Por favor, envíe su solicitud lo antes posible, las solicitudes hechas con menos de 5 días hábiles no pueden ser garantizadas.”
General Magistrate
If the matter is referred to the General Magistrate, the notice setting the cause for hearing must be in substantial conformity with Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure 12.920 (b) and (c) and must contain the following language in bold type:
“Should you wish to seek review of the recommended order made by the general magistrate, you must file a Motion to Vacate in accordance with Rule 12.490(e), Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure. You will be required to provide the court with a record sufficient to support your Motion to Vacate or your motion will be denied. A record ordinarily includes a written transcript of all relevant proceedings unless waived by order of the court prior to any hearing on the Motion to Vacate. The person seeking review must have the transcript prepared for the court’s review.”
Child Support Hearing Officer
If the matter is automatically referred to the Child Support Hearing Officer, the notice setting the cause for hearing must contain the following language in bold type:
“Should you wish to seek review of the Order upon the recommendations of the child support enforcement hearing officer, you must file a Motion to Vacate within 15 days from the date of entry of the order in accordance with Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.491(f). You will be required to provide the court with a record sufficient to support your position or your motion will be denied. A record ordinarily includes a written transcript of all relevant proceedings. The person seeking review must have the transcript prepared for the court’s review.”
Orders of Referral to the General Magistrate
Magistrate Giura is assigned to hear referred cases within Family Division 4. Please ensure an Order of Referral has been entered prior to your hearing, otherwise the matter may be cancelled. As indicated below, an Order of Referral is not required for hearings related solely to child support issues.
Please refer to Judge Sniffen’s requirements for a detailed explanation of appropriate issues that must be referred to the Magistrate, while other issues are specifically excluded.
If an Order of Referral is needed, it is the responsibility of the attorney to submit an Order of Referral that identifies the General Magistrate by name, sets forth the issue(s) to be resolved, and provides the date of filing for the pleading(s).
Child Support
Neither an Order of Referral nor consent are required for hearings related to the establishment, enforcement, or modification of child support. See Family Law Rule 12.491; Heilman v. Heilman, 596 So. 2d 1046 (Fla. 1992).
C. Communications with the Court
The Magistrate must apply the same rules to all parties, regardless of whether you have an attorney, and cannot discuss your case with you outside of the courtroom. The Magistrate Assistant cannot provide legal advice and will ensure all parties are copied on any communication.
Email: Email is a limited method of communicating basic information and sending documents/exhibits. Email should be devoid of information or statements that are adversarial and cannot be used as an attempt to persuade the Court on a substantive/procedural matter. Arguments should be confined to letters, motions, memoranda, and legal documents. All email shall comply with the rules and requirements governing contact with the Court, including ex parte communication. All parties shall be copied on every email communication. The Magistrate Assistant’s email is AWelch@jud12.flcourts.org and the Magistrate’s division email is MagGiura@jud12.flcourts.org.
- Telephone
- (941) 749–3656
- Office Hours
- 8:30 am-5 pm; closed for lunch Noon-1 pm
- Courtroom
- Hearing Room 2, Third Floor, Manatee County Judicial Center
- Mailing Address
- P.O. Box 3000, Bradenton, FL 34206
- Physical Address
- 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, FL 34205
Inquiries Regarding Recommended Orders & Hearings: Before contacting the Magistrate Assistant about the status of a case or recommended order under advisement, attorneys and pro se parties are requested to first review the Manatee Clerk’s online docket.
Court Interpreter’s Office: You may either call (941) 749–3659, email, or submit a request online using the Interpreter Request Form.
D. Submission of Orders
Please do not submit a proposed order until all parties have had a meaningful opportunity to review the proposed order. When submitting a proposed order, please indicate whether any party has objected to the proposed order. The Court encourages all proposed orders (and relevant documents) be sent electronically to the ePortal system. Recommended Final Judgments shall be sent in Word format to the Magistrate’s Division email.
All parties must be cc’d for the proposed document to be reviewed. The subject line should contain the case number, name, and document (e.g., 2022 DR 1234 – Doe v. Doe – Recommended Order).
All email communication shall comply with the rules regarding ex parte communication and any email sent for communication purposes to this e-mail address will not be read, responded to, or considered. The sole purpose of this email account is for the submission of documents under these requirements or for the submission of a proposed recommended order.
Proposed Orders Through the Portal
Unless good cause is shown, proposed orders are required to be submitted electronically through the statewide Portal whenever feasible. See AO: 2022-1.2.
Proposed Orders submitted through the “Proposed Documents” feature of the Portal are electronically transmitted to Magistrate Giura. Proposed orders will not be filed in the court file. The proposed order must be submitted electronically through the Portal in Word (.docx) format. If not submitted in Word format, it will be rejected.
Cover letters must be submitted through the Portal in PDF format. All proposed orders submitted through the Portal in Manatee County require a cover letter. If a cover letter is not included, it will be rejected. Any ancillary documents related to the proposed order (copy of the motion, case law, legal memorandums, etc.) may be attached to the cover letter in PDF format.
Motions and proposed orders must be submitted through the Portal as separate documents. Combined motion/proposed orders in the same document are not permitted. Parties shall only submit a proposed order when all parties agree to the form. If there is a disagreement on the form, or an attorney does not respond within a reasonable period of time, you may then file the proposed order through the Portal with a cover letter concisely stating the disagreement or steps taken to confer with the opposing attorney. The opposing attorney may submit a competing order, also indicating in the cover letter that the attorneys are not in agreement.
Pro se litigants are encouraged, but not required, to submit proposed orders through the Portal. Pro se litigants are required to provide an email address pursuant to Rule 2.516, Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration, to receive signed orders electronically.
E. Courtesy Copies
Courtesy copies of case law that will be referenced during the hearing is requested via email (in PDF format) at least five (5) business days prior to the hearing.
F. Emergency & Other Urgent Matters
Emergency matters cannot be referred to the Magistrate, unless the Judge has determined the issue(s) involved do not require immediate resolution before the exception period would expire.
Motions seeking Emergency/Expedited consideration must be filed with the Clerk and served on the opposing party and any affected non-party. A copy of the motion requesting emergency/expedited hearing time should also be sent directly to the Judge’s office. Please follow Judge Sniffen’s requirements.
G. Exhibits for Evidentiary Proceedings
Exhibits and evidence should be pre-marked before the hearing or trial begins.
In an effort to ensure evidence is filed in the correct case, exhibit labels should have the following information legibly printed on them:
- the designation of the party moving the item into evidence as reflected on the initial pleading in the case (i.e., P = Petitioner, R = Respondent, H = Husband, W = Wife, F = Father, M = Mother, etc.);
- a numbering and lettering system that clearly identifies each individual exhibit or piece of evidence from another (i.e., 1, 2a, 2b, Composite 3, etc.);
- the date the exhibit is entered into evidence, if known ahead of time; and
- the case number (i.e., 22DR2222).
H. Pretrial Procedures & Conferences
Please see Judge Sniffen’s requirements.
I. Setting Case for Trial
Please see Judge Sniffen’s requirements.
J. Preferred Division Forms
Find links to preferred forms on the Manatee County section of the Family Division page.
K. Other Division Procedures
Self-Represented/Pro Se Parties
- Pro Se Parties must always file a Form A when filing a document or seeking hearing time.
- The Court is required to equally apply the same rules to all parties, regardless of whether you are represented by counsel.
- The Pro Se Forms & Instructions page provides access to instructions and forms approved by the Florida Supreme Court for individuals who have chosen to represent themselves. This list is not exhaustive, and it is your responsibility to determine which forms to file.
- When determining the status of your case and/or upcoming hearing details, please reference the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court’s website.
- The Layon F. Robinson, II Law Library is at 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Room 1101, 1st Floor, Bradenton, FL 34205. Please visit the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court’s website for contact information.
- The Judge Lee E. Haworth Self-Help Center and Law Library is at 2002 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34237. Please visit the Self Help Center page for contact information.
- Whenever you file a document with the Clerk or provide the Court a copy, you must send a copy to all the attorneys or parties at the same time to ensure adequate notice.
Twelfth Judicial Circuit Family Mediation Program
If the gross income of the parties meets statutory program eligibility requirements, the Court may refer the parties to the Family Mediation Program, which provides Florida Supreme Court Family Certified Mediators to help parties resolve open cases. Please visit the Family Mediation Program page for detailed information about the program. Parties do not need to submit a motion for referral, but may submit an Order of Referral to Mediation to the Judge using the approved form available on the Circuit’s website. Pursuant to Administrative Order 2024-08.2, both parties must have current financial affidavits on file before submitting an Order of Referral to Mediation so the Court can verify the parties qualify for the Family Mediation Program and to determine the appropriate fee.
Parenting Course
Statutorily required in all dissolutions with minor children and all paternity cases. The Twelfth Judicial Circuit has compiled a list of approved providers. The law mandates timeframes within which parents must complete a DCF-approved Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course. It is the parties’ responsibility to ensure they have completed this course and that a Certificate of Completion is on file within the statutory timeframes. A party may be limited to supervised time-sharing if they have not timely filed this Certificate.
In the event both parties have failed to file this Certificate, the Magistrate may have to cancel the hearing.
Motions to Vacate
Any party affected by the Recommended Order may file a Motion to Vacate within fifteen (15) days from the date of entry. The Motion to Vacate must be filed with the Clerk and copies furnished directly to the assigned Judge and Magistrate, simultaneously via email. An Order for Transcript may then be issued setting forth deadlines to submit the transcript and scheduling the hearing date.