Due to the impacts from Hurricane Ian on court and facilities operations for the 20th Judicial Circuit, jury trials have been suspended in Lee County for 30 days starting October 10, in Collier County for 14 days starting October 10, and in Charlotte County for 30 days starting October 17.
Hurricane Ian caused courthouse closures throughout the 20th Judicial Circuit, which includes Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades Counties.
To ensure the safety of citizens and employees, each courthouse was closed September 27. Courthouses in Hendry County, Collier County, and Glades County re-opened for business October 6, Lee County re-opened for business on Monday and Charlotte County plans to re-open on October 17.
Due to the jury trial suspensions, all time limits involving the speedy trial procedure in criminal and juvenile court proceedings, are suspended until the close of business on October 24 for Collier County, until the close of business on November 10 for Lee County and until the close of business on November 17 for Charlotte County.
The Florida Supreme Court issued Administrative Orders extending all critical time periods and time limits affected by the closures for each county. A copy of the Florida Supreme Court Administrative Orders can be viewed on the Florida Supreme Court website at: https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/Practice-Procedures/Administrative-Orders
1) Administrative Order No. AOSC22-68, In Re: Emergency Request to Extend Time Periods Under All Florida Rules of Procedure for Hendry, and Glades Counties in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit
2) Administrative Order No. AOSC22-72, In Re: Emergency Request to Extend Time Periods Under All Florida Rules of Procedure for Collier and Lee Counties in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit
3) An Administrative Order will be issued for Charlotte County will be issued once the courthouse has re-opened.
Those who missed a hearing, trial, court event, or appointment scheduled on the date the respective court was closed will not be penalized. Judges’ Offices and court staff, in conjunction with the Clerks of Court, are working to ensure that, in appropriate circumstances, hearings, trials, and court events are rescheduled in a timely fashion and that notices of new court dates are mailed or e-mailed to counsel of record and self-represented parties.
Those who have not received notice of a rescheduled hearing, trial, or court event, should first contact their attorney. If you are an attorney or if you are self-represented, and if you previously scheduled a hearing using the Court’s online scheduling system (JACS), reschedule your hearing through that same online scheduling system (JACS).
If you did not previously schedule your hearing using the Court’s online scheduling system (JACS), please contact the appropriate Judge’s Office, Clerk’s Office, or Case Management Office for rescheduling information.
Those on pre-trial supervision or county probation and missed a mandatory appointment with a county pre-trial officer or county probation officer during the dates the court was closed in the respective county and you have not been contacted to reschedule your appointment, please contact your assigned county pre-trial officer or county probation officer.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.