The Miami-Dade Courts continue to work to provide the public with access to justice while keeping the community and our judges and staff safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under Administrative Order (AO) 20-11, the courts remain closed to in-person proceedings, with exceptions, in order to reduce person-to-person contact and potential transmission of coronavirus disease COVID-19. Court proceedings that can take place remotely via telephone or video technology continue to take place. More information on AO 20-11 is available here.
Temporary COVID-19 court operations are currently in Phase 2 as established under Administrative Order 20-12, with limited in-person contact as described below.
VIRTUAL COURT
To the extent possible, all court proceedings will continue to take place in “Virtual Courtrooms,” where participants appear remotely via telephone or video technology.
Those with questions about how to access a future virtual court hearing should contact the office of the presiding judge. A judicial directory may be found here.
In some cases, the presiding judge may determine that an individual may appear in person. Only those persons with a scheduled court proceeding or appointment authorized to appear in-person by the presiding judge, or those making court registry deposits, will be allowed entrance to the courthouse.
They should present their Notice of Hearing or other documentation about the court-related appointment to the security staff.
The following COVID-19 safety procedures will be enforced at all Miami-Dade court locations.
COVID-19 SAFETY PROCEDURES
- SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIRED
- Persons must maintain 6 feet of social distancing from each other while waiting to enter the courthouse and during their stay in the courthouse. Markers on the floor throughout the courthouse will assist visitors with maintaining 6 feet of social distancing.
- HEALTH SCREENING REQUIRED, INCLUDING TEMPERATURE CHECK
- Court security staff will conduct a health screening, including questions about symptoms and a required temperature check, to ensure that no one enters the courthouse when there is a likelihood that they have COVID-19. Persons who have a fever of 100.4 degrees or greater or who answer “yes” to two or more of the symptom questions shall not be allowed to enter the courthouse, and the presiding judge will be notified.
- If an individual declines the health screening, they will not be allowed into the courthouse and the presiding judge will be notified.
- Face masks shall be worn at all times, including during court proceedings, while on court premises. If someone does not have a face mask, courthouse security staff will provide one.
- If an individual declines to wear a mask, they will not be allowed into the courthouse and the presiding judge will be notified.
FUTURE UPDATES
Please continue to visit our website www.jud11.flcourts.org and social media @miamidadecourts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for future updates.
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The mission of Florida’s judicial branch is to protect rights and liberties, uphold and interpret the law, and provide for the peaceful resolution of disputes.
Visit us on the Web: www.jud11.flcourts.org
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If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact Aliean Simpkins, the Eleventh Judicial Circuit’s ADA Coordinator at Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse Center, 175 NW 1st Avenue, Suite 2400, Miami, Florida 33128; Telephone (305) 349-7175; TDD (305) 349-7174; Email ADA@jud11.flourts.or; or via Fax at (305) 349-7355, at least seven (7) days before your scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving this notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than seven (7) days; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call 711.