(Manatee) Circuit & County Criminal Divisions

Inmate Transport Requests

Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Judicial Security Section

Updated September 10, 2026

Intent

To clarify who is responsible for ordering inmates from the Manatee County Central Jail for Court Appearances and Video.

Background

Historically, it has been an attorney’s responsibility to contact the Judicial Security Section to have inmates transported and dressed for appearance at the Judicial Center/Court. In addition, all inmate clothes are to be delivered by an attorney to the Manatee County Central Jail. No delivery by family members. This practice will remain. However, JSS in effort to provide the best possible inmate appearance percentage, has been checking and re-checking 100 and 250 inmate appearance requests per day. This labor-intensive practice cannot continue.

Definitions

Attorney: Member in good standing with The Florida Bar with an active bar number.
Requesting Attorney: Member in good standing with The Florida Bar with an active bar number and with some legal connection to the case. This role can be filled by an employee of a requesting attorney’s office.
Daily Lists: The Daily Lists are those dockets prepared via the JACS system and/or Judge’s office. Daily Lists include but not limited to: Motions, Sentencing, Uncharged Defendant’s, Status Conferences and Competency Hearings.
JSS: Judicial Security Section formerly known as Bailiff’s Office
ORC: Office of Regional Counsel
PD: Public Defender

Inmate Requests

Inmates whose presence is required in court will be secured as follows:

Felony

Felony Arraignments: Inmates are not required to appear in person or by video for Arraignments. If a Defense Attorney/Public Defender’s Office is requesting an inmate appear by video they must contact the JA for approval.
Felony Case Management: The JSS will secure the presence of all inmates who appear as “in jail” on the Clerk’s Docket. Any changes to the defendant’s jail status shall be provided by a ”Requesting Attorney” in accordance with the General Rules.
Felony Docket Sounding: On “in jail” days JSS will secure the presence of all inmates listed on the clerk’s docket. “On Private Attorney” days the Defense Attorney (Public Defender, ORC, Private Attorney) shall be responsible for providing notice to JSS if a client is needed for court in accordance with the General Rules.
Felony trial scheduling: The Defense Attorney shall be responsible for providing notice if an inmate is needed for court in accordance with the General Rules and Judge’s requirements. (Some judges do not require defendants’ presence.)
Felony Trials: The Judge’s JA will provide a trial list to JSS and indicate which defendants are in jail. It is the attorney’s responsibility to have the inmate dressed for trial and the clothes taken to the jail not brought to court the same day as the trial.
Felony VOP Conferences/VOP hearings (ECR): The JSS will secure the presence of those inmates who appear as “in jail” on the clerk’s docket. Any changes to a defendant’s jail status shall be provided by a “Requesting Attorney” in accordance with the General Rules.
Felony Motions and Hearings (JA Daily Lists): The JSS will secure the presence of all inmates listed who have a “yes” next to jail on the daily list provided by the JA. It shall be the responsibility of the “Requesting Attorney”, when selecting time on JACS, to indicate if the inmate is in jail at the time of scheduling. Any changes to a defendant’s jail status shall be provided by a “Requesting Attorney” in accordance with the General Rules.
Family Hearings/Trials: The JSS will secure the presence of all inmates listed who have a “yes” next to jail on the daily list provided by the JA.
Pre-Trial Detention Review: The JSS will secure the presence of all inmates listed on the Clerk’s docket.
Drug Court: The Public Defender’s office shall provide a list to JSS by 3:00 p.m. the day before the inmates are required to appear in court. If the defendant is represented by a Private Attorney, the attorney shall request the defendant’s presence through the Public Defender’s Office.
Early Childhood Court (ECC): The Public Defender’s office shall provide a list to JSS by 3:00 p.m. the day before the inmates are required to appear in court. If the defendant is represented by a Private Attorney, the attorney shall request the defendant’s presence through the Public Defender’s Office.
Comprehensive Treatment Court (CTC): The Public Defender’s office shall provide a list to JSS by 3:00 p.m. the day before the inmates are required to appear in court. If the defendant is represented by a Private Attorney, the attorney shall request the defendant’s presence through the Public Defender’s Office.
Turn Your Life Around Court (TYLA): The Public Defender’s office shall provide a list to JSS by 3:00 p.m. the day before the inmates are required to appear in court. If the defendant is represented by a Private Attorney, the attorney shall request the defendant’s presence through the Public Defender’s Office.
Community Care Court (CCC): The Public Defender’s office shall provide a list to JSS by 3:00 p.m. the day before the inmates are required to appear in court. If the defendant is represented by a Private Attorney, the attorney shall request the defendant’s presence through the Public Defender’s Office.
Dependency Court: The Defense Attorney shall be responsible for providing notice if an inmate is needed for court in accordance with the General Rules and Judge’s requirements.

Misdemeanors

Arraignments: The JSS will secure the presence of all inmates by video who appear as “in jail” on the Clerk’s Docket.
Docket Sounding: The JSS will secure the presence of all inmates by video who appear as “in jail” on the Clerk’s Docket.
VOPs: The JSS will secure the presence of all inmates by video who appear as “in jail” on the Clerk’s Docket.
Pre Trial Conferences: The JSS will secure the presence of all inmates by video who appear as “in jail” on the Clerk’s Docket.
Pleas and Motions: The JSS will secure the presence of all inmates listed as being in jail on the daily docket provided by the JA. It shall be the responsibility of the “Requesting Attorney”, when selecting time on JACS, to indicate if the inmate is in jail at the time of scheduling. Any changes to a defendant’s jail status shall be provided by a “Requesting Attorney” to the JA in accordance with the General Rules.
Trial Scheduling: The JSS will secure the presence of all inmates listed as being in jail on the daily docket provided by the JA. It shall be the responsibility of the “Requesting Attorney”, when selecting time on JACS, to indicate if the inmate is in jail at the time of scheduling. Any changes to a defendant’s jail status shall be provided by a “Requesting Attorney” to the JA in accordance with the General Rules.
Trials: The JSS will secure the presence of all inmates listed as being in jail on the daily docket provided by the JA. It shall be the responsibility of the “Requesting Attorney”, when selecting time on JACS, to indicate if the inmate is in jail at the time of scheduling. Any changes to a defendant’s jail status shall be provided by a “Requesting Attorney” to the JA in accordance with the General Rules.

It is the attorney’s responsibility to have the inmate dressed for trial and the clothes taken to the jail not brought to court the same day as the trial. Any changes to the defendant’s jail status shall be provided by a “Requesting Attorney” in accordance with the General Rules. If an attorney is requesting an inmate to appear for court that is not on the JA’s docket, they must contact the JA for approval in accordance with the General Rules. If an inmate needs to appear in person, the JA must note that on the JA’s docket.

General Rules These rules apply at all times

All requests for the court appearance of an inmate shall be made no later than 3:00 p.m. on the regular, business day prior to the court appearance. Attorneys should check the court’s holiday schedule to ensure requests made around holidays are timely.
Requesting an inmate for a court appearance is done through email, at JudicialSecurity@ManateeSheriff.com. If you do not receive a read receipt back from your email request, contact Judicial Security at 941-747-3011, ext. 7963. Telephone calls alone are not acceptable.
No inmate shall be brought to court if they do not appear on a Clerk’s Docket, JA’s Docket and/or has no business before a Judge. There will no no transportation of an inmate for attorney/client conferences.
Any inmate transport request received after 3:00 p.m. on Friday or any time over the weekend/holiday will not be seen until Monday at 8:00 a.m. or the next business day. If you need an inmate on a Monday, the request must be made by the previous Friday (or business day if Friday is a holiday) before 3:00 p.m.
For security reason, MCSO personnel at the judicial center are not permitted to change inmate clothing at the judicial center.

Felony Inmate Request Quick Reference

September 10, 2026

Felony Arraignments: Defense attorney responsible for contacting JA for approval to have defendant appear by video.
Felony Case Management: JSS responsible, unless defendant’s status from clerk’s docket has changed, then defense attorney responsible.
Felony Docket Sounding: On “in jail” dockets JSS is responsible and on “private attorney” dockets Defense attorney responsible.
Felony Trial Scheduling: Defense attorney responsible
Felony Trials: JSS responsible for having inmates transported that are on the JA docket – docket must indicate who needs to be dressed out.
Felony VOP Conf/Hrgs (ECR): JSS responsible for having inmates appear that are on the clerk’s docket. If the status of the inmate has changed, then defense attorney is responsible for updating JSS.
Felony Video Court: JSS is responsible for having defendants listed on JA’s dockets appear via video.
Felony Motions/Pleas: JSS is responsible for having defendants listed on JA’s dockets transported.
Family Hearings/Trials: JSS is responsible for having defendants listed on Clerk’s dockets appear via video. If an inmate is needed to appear in person, approval must be obtained from the Judge’s office for the transport.
Pre-Trial Detention Review: JSS responsible for having inmates that appear on the clerk’s docket.
Drug Court: List provided by Public Defender to be transported to the Judicial Center
Early Childhood Court (ECC): JSS is responsible for having defendants listed on JA’s dockets transported.
Comprehensive Treatment Court (CTC): List provided by Public Defender to be transported to the Judicial Center.
Turn Your Life Around Court (TYLA): List provided by Public Defender to be transported to the Judicial Center.
Community Care Court: List provided by Public Defender to be transported to the Judicial Center
Dependency Court: Defense Attorney responsible

Misdemeanor Quick Reference