|
ELEVENTH
JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF FLORIDA
UNIFIED
FAMILY COURT COMPLEX LITIGATION DIVISION
Honorable Joseph P. Farina, Chief Judge
Ruben O. Carrerou,
Court Administrator
WHAT IS UNIFIED FAMILY COURT?
Unified
Family Court is the name of a model family court
with an integrated, comprehensive approach to handling
and resolving all cases involving children and families
within the judicial system, in a fair, timely, efficient,
and cost-effective manner.
This Court uses methods of resolving disputes that minimizes emotional harm to
the children and families who are required to interact
with the judicial system and it enhances judicial
productivity and conserves judicial resources.
HISTORY OF UFC
In 1991, the Legislature’s Commission of Family Courts issued its report pursuant to a legislative directive to: develop specific guidelines for the implementation of a family law division within each judicial circuit; provide recommendations for statutory, rule and organizational changes; and recommend necessary support services.
Between 1991 and 2001, three Supreme Court opinions were issued emphasizing the need for a family court system which would provide better protection for children in court and an improved method for resolution of family matters.
In May 2001 the Supreme Court issued a fourth and unanimous opinion citing twelve guiding principles of a family court as a foundation for defining and implementing a model family court:
 Children should live in safe and permanent homes.
The needs and best interests of children should be the primary consideration of any family court.
All persons should be treated with objectivity, sensitivity, dignity, and respect.
Cases with inter-related family issues should be consolidated or coordinated.
The court is responsible for managing its cases.
A means of differentiating cases should be available.
Parties should be empowered to select ways in which to address their individual cases.
The court is responsible for managing its cases with due consideration of the needs of the family.
There should be a means of differentiating among cases in order to conserve judicial resources.
Trial courts should coordinate and maximize court resources, and establish linkages with community resources.
The
court’s role in family restructuring is to identify
services, craft solutions that are appropriate for long-term
stability, and minimize the need for subsequent court
action.
Court services should be available to litigants at a reasonable cost, and accessible without economic discrimination.
Courts should have well trained and highly motivated judicial and non-judicial personnel.
WHY UFC?
UFC is better for families because it:
Eliminates duplicate hearings.
Decreases the potential for conflicting orders.
Creates opportunity for alternative dispute resolution.
Provides prompt linkages to services.
Promotes more informed judicial decision-making.
The Essential Components Include:
Court case management to monitor case progress and evaluate each case at the outset to determine the appropriate resources and the appropriate way to handle the case.
Coordination of multiple cases involving one family.
Collaboration between the judiciary, stakeholders, and the community to provide
access to an array of services for families.
Less adversarial approach to handling family cases that focuses on the best interests of the child, while balancing process concerns.
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
How can I, as a litigant or an attorney, refer a case to the Unified Family Court?
Administrative Order #03-15 establishes procedures for the Unified Family Court/Complex Litigation Division (Division 48) within the Eleventh Judicial Circuit.
A potential UFC case may be referred to the UFC/Complex Litigation Division Staff using the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida Related Case Information Sheet, or through some other form of communication. The UFC Division Staff researches the cases in the circuit wide database system to determine if any additional Domestic Relations, Dependency, Delinquency, Domestic Violence, and/or related Criminal cases exist.
If a matter qualifies for transfer to Unified Family Court, a Transfer Order will be prepared for signature by the appropriate Complex Litigation Division Judge, and the parties will be noticed to appear before the designated Complex Litigation Division Judge.
The Director of the UFC/Complex Litigation Division, Lauren Lazarus, Esq. may be contacted at (305) 349-5555 for purposes of transfer, case coordination, or any other questions regarding the Unified Family Court.
Administrative Order No. 03-15
Related
Case Information Sheet (Download)
What types of matters qualify for transfer into Unified Family Court?
A matter may qualify for transfer into the UFC when two or more open “cross over” cases among family members with issues concerning the same children are pending simultaneously in the Family, Juvenile and/or Domestic Violence Divisions.
What
cases fall under the jurisdiction of the UFC?
The jurisdiction of the UFC is extensive. It includes the following types of Family, Juvenile, and Domestic Violence cases:
FAMILY
•
Dissolution of marriage
•
Division & distribution of property arising out of dissolution of marriage
•
Annulment
•
Custodial care /access to children
•
Adoption
•
Support unconnected with dissolution of marriage
• Child support
•
Paternity
•
URESA/UIFSA
•
Declaratory judgment actions related to premarital, marital or post-marital
agreements
• Name change
JUVENILE
• Juvenile delinquency
•
Emancipation of a minor
•
CINS/FINS
• Truancy
•
Juvenile dependency
•
Termination of parental rights
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
•
Civil domestic & repeat violence
•
Modifications and enforcement of orders
Does
the Administrative Order provide for coordination of cases that are not transferred
into UFC? Yes. The Administrative
Order provides for coordination of matters where there is an open cross-over
case pending with a related closed case in multiple jurisdictions of the court.
In this instance, the assigned judges may share case information to avoid the
entry of conflicting orders and duplication of resources and services.
RELATED
LINKS & RESOURCES
2004-2005 Compendium of Family Court Practices
http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/family/bin/04-05compendium.pdf
2005 Self-Assessment Results
http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/family/selfassessment.shtml
Unified Family Court Brochure
http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/family/bin/ufcbrochure.pdf
2003 Compendium of Family Court Practices
http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/family/bin/compendium.pdf
Florida’s Family Toolkit: Volume I
http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/family/bin/toolkit.pdf
Florida’s Family Toolkit: Volume II
http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/family/bin/toolkit2.pdf
Unified Family Court Sample Administrative Order
http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/family/bin/sample_ao
_ufc.pdf
What, Where, Why and How: Unified Family Courts in
Florida.
http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/family/bin/UFChistoricalnarrative.pdf
Getting from “Clobberation” to “Collaboration” – the
Importance of collaboration in unified family court
http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/family/bin/clobberation2.pdf
Report of the 2000-02 Family Court Steering
Committee
http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/family/bin/2000-02FamilyCourtSteeringCommitteeReport.pdf
A Model Family Court for Florida: Recommendations of
The Florida Supreme Court’s Family Court Steering
Committee
http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/family/bin/Model2000.pdf.
CONTACTS
IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Administrative Office of the Courts
Lauren Lazarus, Esq. (305) 349-5555
Director, Unified Family Court
Complex Litigation Division
Charlesetta
Redmond
(305) 349-5555
Unified Family Court
Program Coordinator
Family Division Operations (305) 349-5934
Family Self-Help Unit (305) 349-7800
Juvenile Division Operations (305) 638-6102
Domestic Violence Division Operations (305) 349-5554
State Attorney’s Office
Child Support Enforcement (305) 530-2600
Clerk of Courts
Family Division (305) 275-1155
Juvenile Division (305) 638-6227
Domestic Violence Division (305) 349-5640
Child Support Enforcement (305) 275-1155
Complex Litigation Division
Judges
Judge Jeri B. Cohen (305) 638-6879
Judge Sandy Karlan (305) 349-5753
General Magistrate (305) 349-5712
Margaret Rosenbaum
Mediation Unit
Vivian Perez Pollo (305) 349-7344
ADA Assistance 1-800-955-8771
TDD: (305) 349-7174
Voice: (305) 349-7175
Upon request by a person with a disability, this document
will be made available
in an alternate format.
|
