Court Rules
Judge Stephen E. Toner
Judge

Judge Stephen E. Toner

Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies

Rules last changed:
Florida 5 Judicial Circuit (Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, Sumter)

Limits & Logistics

Courtesy Copies

Legal Authority

  • Email • No Later Than Three (3) Business Days Prior To The Hearing

Adjournments

  • Routine motions to continue and corresponding proposed orders must be filed and submitted at least five days before the scheduled hearing.

Communication

Email

Chambers

astephens@circuit5.org
SchedulingEmergencies
Filters:AllMandatoryImportantFormattingProposed OrdersCourtesy Copies

Document Format Requirements2 rules

Formatting

Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory

Courtesy copies of legal authority must be submitted in PDF format.

Courtesy copies of legal authority must be clearly labeled and emailed in PDF format to the Judicial Assistant and opposing counsel no later than three (3) business days prior to the hearing.

Required Format

PDF

Circuit5:c705fa90bf8eb1afe23b5900|SecMotion Procedures
Formatting

Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Important

Proposed orders should be submitted in Microsoft Word format.

Proposed orders should be submitted in Microsoft Word format to allow for necessary edits and to ensure timely processing.

Required Format

DOCX

Circuit5:c705fa90bf8eb1afe23b5900|SecProcedures Regarding Continuances and Proposed Orders

Document Filing Requirements1 rule

Filing Requirements

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?

Routine motions to continue and corresponding proposed orders must be filed and submitted to the Court at least five (5) days prior to the scheduled hearing.

Summary: A routine motion to continue must be accompanied by a corresponding proposed order filed and submitted with the motion.

Document Type

Motion To Continue

Content & Formatting
Proposed Order
Circuit5:c705fa90bf8eb1afe23b5900|SecProcedures Regarding Continuances and Proposed Orders

Filing & Service rules

Electronic Filing Rules

Motions requiring an evidentiary hearing must be electronically filed with the Clerk before requesting hearing time.

Motions requiring an evidentiary hearing must first be electronically filed with the Clerk of Court.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.

Page 1 | Motion Procedures

Service and Proof of Service Rules

The certificate of service states that a true copy was furnished by hand delivery and/or U.S. Mail or Courthouse box delivery.

I HEREBY CERTIFY that a true copy of the foregoing has been furnished to the following individuals by hand delivery and/or U.S. Mail/Courthouse box delivery this _____ day of _____________________, 2023:

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Criminal cases

Page 1 | CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

Courtesy Copy Requirements

Courtesy copies of legal authority must be clearly labeled and emailed to the Judicial Assistant and opposing counsel at least three business days before the hearing.

Courtesy copies of legal authority must be clearly labeled and emailed in PDF format to the Judicial Assistant and opposing counsel no later than three (3) business days prior to the hearing.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026

Page 1 | Motion Procedures

Adjournment & Extension Requirements

Routine motions to continue and corresponding proposed orders must be filed and submitted at least five days before the scheduled hearing.

Routine motions to continue and corresponding proposed orders must be filed and submitted to the Court at least five (5) days prior to the scheduled hearing.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026

Page 1 | Procedures Regarding Continuances and Proposed Orders

Parties may not cancel an evidentiary hearing set by the Court without the Court’s permission.

1. Parties may NOT cancel any evidentiary hearing set by the Court without permission of the Court.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026

Page 1 | ORDER AS TO CANCELLATIONS OF EVIDENTIARY HEARINGS

Failure to obtain Court permission before cancelling an evidentiary hearing may result in sanctions.

2. Failure to obtain permission from the Court before cancellation of an evidentiary hearing may result in sanctions.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026

Page 1 | ORDER AS TO CANCELLATIONS OF EVIDENTIARY HEARINGS

Chambers Communication Rules

The Department must email Amy Stephens at astephens@circuit5.org by 11:00 a.m. to request a shelter hearing.

The Department must notify the Judicial Assistant, Amy Stephens, by email at astephens@circuit5.org no later than 11:00 a.m. if a shelter hearing is requested.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.

Page 1 | Dependency Shelter and Emergency Hearing Procedures

Emergency hearing requests must be emailed to the Judicial Assistant and must state the nature of the emergency and the specific relief requested.

Requests for emergency hearing time must be submitted by email to the Judicial Assistant and must clearly identify the nature of the emergency and the specific relief requested.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.

Page 1 | Dependency Shelter and Emergency Hearing Procedures

After filing a motion requiring an evidentiary hearing, the moving party must email the Judicial Assistant to request hearing time and copy opposing counsel.

After filing, the moving party must email the Judicial Assistant to request hearing time and copy opposing counsel.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.

Page 1 | Motion Procedures

Court-wide rules

Applies court-wide

These 77 rules apply across Florida 5 Judicial Circuit (Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, Sumter). Where this judge's own standing orders above address the same topic, the judge's requirement controls.

Formatting

All 34
  • Format
    DOCX

    Proposed orders must be created in the latest version of Microsoft Word in .docx format.

  • Do not place spaces before the JJJJ, GGGG, or AAAA codes, and use the Right Alignment button to position signature fields.

  • Proposed orders must not contain page breaks or section breaks.

Filing Requirements

All 30
  • Applies to
    Proposed order
    Must include
    proposed order

    Proposed orders must use the specified signature-field code pairs, including DDDD/JJJJ, MMMM/AAAA, RRRR/GGGG, and CCCC.

  • Applies to
    Proposed order

    Each electronic-signature code must contain all four capital letters and may appear only once per line.

  • Applies to
    Proposed order
    Must include
    case number

    Every proposed order must include the Unified Case Number.

Communication

All 4

  • Non-lawyer personnel may communicate with judges, judicial officers, or other court personnel only about scheduling and other ministerial matters.

  • A lawyer must avoid substantive ex-parte communications with the presiding judge in a pending case.

  • A lawyer must notify opposing counsel of communications with the court or tribunal unless the communication concerns only scheduling or clerical matters.

E-Filing

All 3
  • Applies to
    Cover letter

    A cover letter is optional, but if submitted it must be an Adobe PDF containing relevant details and must be uploaded separately from the proposed order.

  • Applies to
    Proposed order

    When multiple proposed orders are submitted in one filing, each order must be uploaded separately to the E-Portal.

  • Applies to
    Foreclosure packet

    All foreclosure packet documents must be e-filed with the clerk when hearing time is reserved.

More categories

View all Florida 5 Judicial Circuit (Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, Sumter) rules
About Judge Stephen E. Toner

Stephen E. Toner, Circuit Judge, Hernando County Circuit Court. Judicial assistant: Amy Stephens. Office: (352) 754-5802.

- Hernando County Courthouse 4th Floor, Room 432 20 N. Main Street Brooksville, FL 34601

Common questions about Judge Stephen E. Toner's rules

Are courtesy copies required for Judge Stephen E. Toner?

Courtesy-copy rule applies for legal authoritys. Details: delivery no later than three (3) business days prior to the hearing, by email. Courtesy copies of legal authority must be clearly labeled and emailed to the Judicial Assistant and opposing counsel at least three business days before the hearing.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Motion Procedures

What formatting rules apply to filings before Judge Stephen E. Toner?

Judge Stephen E. Toner's formatting rule includes file format PDF. Courtesy copies of legal authority must be submitted in PDF format.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Motion Procedures

What must be included with motion to continue filings before Judge Stephen E. Toner?

The rule requires proposed order. A routine motion to continue must be accompanied by a corresponding proposed order filed and submitted with the motion.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Procedures Regarding Continuances and Proposed Orders

How may parties contact Judge Stephen E. Toner's chambers?

The rule addresses email communications with Judge Stephen E. Toner's chambers. The rule lists email astephens@circuit5.org. After filing a motion requiring an evidentiary hearing, the moving party must email the Judicial Assistant to request hearing time and copy opposing counsel.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Motion Procedures

How do I request an adjournment or extension before Judge Stephen E. Toner?

Advance notice is not fully stated in the structured details. Routine motions to continue and corresponding proposed orders must be filed and submitted at least five days before the scheduled hearing.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Procedures Regarding Continuances and Proposed Orders

Is electronic filing required before Judge Stephen E. Toner?

Yes. Electronic filing is required for the covered filings. Motions requiring an evidentiary hearing must be electronically filed with the Clerk before requesting hearing time.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Motion Procedures

What service or proof of service rules apply before Judge Stephen E. Toner?

The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. The certificate of service states that a true copy was furnished by hand delivery and/or U.S. Mail or Courthouse box delivery.

View ruleSource: page 1, section CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
Complete rules summary for Judge Stephen E. Toner

Motions requiring an evidentiary hearing must be electronically filed with the Clerk before requesting hearing time.

After filing a motion requiring an evidentiary hearing, the moving party must email the Judicial Assistant to request hearing time and copy opposing counsel.

Courtesy copies of legal authority must be clearly labeled and emailed to the Judicial Assistant and opposing counsel at least three business days before the hearing.

Courtesy copies of legal authority must be submitted in PDF format.

The Department must email Amy Stephens at astephens@circuit5.org by 11:00 a.m. to request a shelter hearing.

Emergency hearing requests must be emailed to the Judicial Assistant and must state the nature of the emergency and the specific relief requested.

Routine motions to continue and corresponding proposed orders must be filed and submitted at least five days before the scheduled hearing.

A routine motion to continue must be accompanied by a corresponding proposed order filed and submitted with the motion.

Proposed orders should be submitted in Microsoft Word format.

Parties may not cancel an evidentiary hearing set by the Court without the Court’s permission.

Failure to obtain Court permission before cancelling an evidentiary hearing may result in sanctions.

The certificate of service states that a true copy was furnished by hand delivery and/or U.S. Mail or Courthouse box delivery.

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