Judicial Section Details

Photo of George A. Sarduy

George A. Sarduy

  • Division: Circuit Family
  • Section: FC 16
  • Court Location: Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse
  • Phone: (305) 349-5680
  • Room: CHC 2015
  • Judicial Assistant: Venessa Alicea

                      ALL ATTORNEYS AND SELF REPRESENTED LITIGANTS
                                    MUST SIGN UP FOR AN ACCOUNT AT
                                   FLORIDA COURTS E-FILING PORTAL at
                                         https://www.myflcourtaccess.com/
                                for filing pleadings or motions with the clerk

                                                                and

                                                       COURTMAP at
            https://www.jud11.flcourts.org/Programs-and-Services/Online-Services/
                         for submitting proposed orders to your assigned Judge.

The judges will be using the Zoom platform for some hearings.  It is FREE.  If you are unfamiliar with the Zoom platform, please go to the Zoom training page website to learn how to access the platform for use.   

Zoom training page: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206618765-Zoom-Video-Tutorials
Zoom Live Training page: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/36002952791

 

Please refer to the drop-down boxes to the right of the screen for clear instructions on how to proceed for specific types of calendars.


Additional Instructions

EMERGENCIES:

Emergency Motions must be filed and then uploaded VIA THE EMERGENCY OPTION on courtMAP and must contain a statement indicating that opposing counsel has been notified in an attempt to resolve the matter in an amicable manner.

If you are submitting an Emergency Motion:

1. Your filed motion must contain a certification that the matter is a true Emergency and cannot wait to be heard at the next available setting. 
2. You must be prepared to appear before the Court within one (1) hour of submission of the filed Emergency Motion to the Court. 
3. Call chambers to confirm receipt.

Once the filed Emergency Motion has been reviewed by the Court, the parties will receive: an email from courtMAP with instructions, a notification from courtMAP that a hearing has been set or a Court Order.

See VERIFIED EMERGENCY MOTION FORM located under the Documents Tab.

See VERIFIED EMERGENCY MOTION AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT FORM located under the Documents Tab.

Motions for Judicial Disqualification must be uploaded via the emergency option on courtMAP. 

Motion Calendar Information

Type: Open

Notice Before Hearing: 7 Business Days

Files at Hearing: None

DayTimeCapFromTo
Thursday 1:30 PM 12 10/31/2012 Ongoing
Tuesday 9:30 AM 6 01/10/2023 Ongoing

Additional Instructions

REMOTE 5 MINUTE MOTION CALENDAR (Held via ZOOM):

Motion Calendar will be held for NON-EVIDENTIARY matters every Tuesday at 9:30 AM and every Thursday at 1:30 PM. 


Instructions for setting:


1. On the E-FILING PORTAL, file the Motion with any exhibits. Include 11thFC16@jud11.flcourts.org in all filings.

2. On the E-FILING PORTAL, E-SERVE the opposing side with your filing.

3. On COURTMAP, coordinate with opposing party and select the date to have the motion heard. Once a date is agreed upon you may set the hearing using in the Motion Calendar slot. As supporting documents, attach the motion and any response. E-file stamp from Clerk of Court must be on all submissions.

4. On COURTMAP also include as supporting documents a Notice of Hearing. The notice of hearing must be filed with the Clerk at least 7 business days prior to the hearing, not including the day of the hearing.

5. Once your case is calendared and a Notice of Hearing is filed, Courtmap will generate an email with the Zoom login credentials for your scheduled hearing.  Only the parties listed on the e-service list will receive the email containing the Zoom information. The email will be sent up to a week in advance of your scheduled hearing but no later than two days prior to your scheduled hearing date. 

All hearings are limited to 5 minutes and there should only be one motion scheduled per case

Go to courtMAP
Additional Instructions

ALL CASES MUST ATTEND MEDIATION PRIOR TO TRIAL.

- Please file a request for referral to mediation with the clerk's office and submit a copy to chambers. Financial Affidavits MUST be filed prior to any referrals to mediation being entered.
- Once the Mediator’s report has been filed, you must file a Notice for Trial through the e-portal or with the clerk’s office.
- Once the Notice has been accepted into the e-portal or filed with the clerk, please contact the JA along with opposing counsel, to coordinate a trial date.

- All courtesy copies of pre-trial catalogues must be submitted to chambers via mail or hand delivery. 

- Should the case completely resolve prior to the scheduled trial date, parties should notify chambers of settlement.  A Final Judgment must be submitted to the court via Courtmap before the trial is taken off the docket. 

 


Hearing Documents

Additional Instructions

All PROPOSED ORDERS SHALL BE SUBMITTED VIA COURTMAP

YOU MUST INCLUDE THE OPPOSING COUNSEL OR PRO SE PARTY(IES) IN ALL SUBMISSIONS

Once an order is submitted the judge will review and sign it electronically, if appropriate.  The orders will then be uploaded to the Clerk of Court and emailed to counsel/pro se parties.

DO NOT use Courtmap to file motions, pleadings or anything else.  Use the EPORTAL or visit the Clerk's office for any filings to the court file.

All submissions MUST include a cover letter (PDF format), motion (with attachments, if any, all in PDF format), and proposed order (in WORD format...Please DO NOT use preset templates or fillable forms as some do not allow for electronic signature. Any order which cannot be electronically signed will be rejected).

The cover letter MUST address the following:

    -     Title of motion, with date of hearing (if previously heard);

    -     That order was sent to opposing counsel/pro se party;

    -     Whether opposing counsel/pro se party AGREES to order or not.

 

The following proposed orders for matters that HAVE NOT been previously heard will be accepted via courtmap:

     -     Motions to Compel Mandatory Disclosure;

     -     Exparte Motions to Compel Discovery;

     -     Motions for Default;

     -     Motions to Withdraw (a written consent must be attached to the motion. The order MUST include a current address, phone number and email for client);

     -     Motions for Substitution of Counsel;

     -     Emergency Exparte Motions for Injunctive Relief;

     -     Final Judgments of Paternity (with MSA, Parenting Plan and Child Support Guidelines);

     -     Agreed orders on all issues except as described below.

The court will NOT accept the following matters via courtmap:

     -     Motions for Continuance

Additional Instructions

Instructions for setting hearings for SPECIAL SET MOTIONS:

On the E-FILING EPORTAL, file the Motion and a Request for Hearing, with the Clerk's Office. Add 11thFC16@jud11.flcourts.org to the courtesy copy email list.

The Request for Hearing should include how many witnesses/exhibits each side plans to introduce at the hearing and whether any of the parties will need the services of an interpreter.  With this information listed on the request, please then indicate the amount of time you realistically expect the hearing to take. 

Once these documents are filed, you may contact our office via phone or email to schedule your hearing. Please make sure opposing counsel is on the line when you call or copied on the email.  

Once the date has been coordinated with both sides, the court will calendar your hearing on Courtmap.  The party that filed the motion is responsible for filing the Notice of Hearing.


PLEASE DO NOT NOTICE YOUR HEARINGS UNLESS YOU HAVE RECEIEVED CONFIRMATION THAT THE HEARING IS SET. IF THE OPPOSING PARTY IS NOT REGISTERED FOR COURTMAP YOU MUST GENERATE YOUR OWN NOTICE WITH AN APPROPRAITE CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE AND MAIL IT TO THE OPPOSING PARTY.

Please DO NOT MAIL COPIES OF THE MOTION TO CHAMBERS.

IMPORTANT:
Special set hearings can only be cancelled if a resolution has been reached and an Agreed Order has been submitted to the Court before the hearing is scheduled to start.  Simply filing a Notice of Cancellation does NOT cancel your special set hearing. You must notify chambers that a resolution to the issue has been reached. Absent this procedure, the attorneys/parties are required to appear in court for the scheduled date/time.

UCD Calendar Information

Type: Open

Notice Before Hearing: 7 Business Days

Files at Hearing: None

DayTimeCapFromTo
Thursday 10:00 AM 99 10/31/2012 Ongoing

Additional Instructions

REMOTE UCD CALENDAR:

THERE ARE NO HEARINGS FOR ANY UCD CASES. NO ZOOM LINK WILL BE PROVIDED. 

Once your case is resolved, you may set your case on the Uncontested Calendar on COURTMAP.  Judge Sarduy's UCD calendar can be found under the "Special Set" section on COURTMAP and are available every Thursday at 10:00 AM.

Although a Notice of Hearing will be generated, this is only the deadline for the final paperwork to be properly submitted via Courtmap.  THERE IS NO HEARING FOR UCD CASES.

Once your case has been properly calendared on a UCD slot, please be sure to submit a Final Judgement as a "proposed order" through Courtmap.  Please upload the following and attach as supporting documents to the Final Judgement:

1.Cover Letter                                                                                                                    

2. Special Affidavit for Remote UCD/No Hearing

3. Answer or Answer/Waiver

4. Marital Settlement Agreement and/or Parenting Plan.

5. If the Respondent has been defaulted, please attach the Order of Default.

6. A copy of the Petitioner's and/or Counter Petitioner’s Valid Driver's License, Florida State ID or Voter’s Registration card.

7. Affidavit that MSA and/or PP in best interest of child, signed by both parties.

8. Financial Affidavits

9. UCCJEA Affidavit

All supporting documents MUST have the e-file stamp on them from the Clerk of Court.

All requests for Uncontested hearings without these supporting documents with an e-file stamp will be rejected.

Self-Represented Litigants: Please make sure you have an email address registered through Courtmap.

 

Go to courtMAP