Judge Cheryl K. Thomas
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Courtesy copies
- Email • After Filing
Hearing Binder
Chambers Copy
Court-wideExtraordinary Writ Petition
Court-wide- Immediately Upon Filing
Adjournments
Court-wideRequest must include
Communication
Chambers
Clerk
Clerk
Clerk
Phone
Court-wideChambers
Document Format Requirements4 rules
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
Word versions of competing, unagreed orders must be provided to the court.
In the case of orders NOT agreed to, please submit via email to the JA at gencivdiva@fljud13.org copying opposing counsel, along with a cover letter which describes the differences in the Orders, a reminder of the hearing date, and WORD versions of the competing orders for the Court’s review and editing; the Court will upload and sign an order on the hearing.
DOCX
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
Proposed orders must be uploaded to the e-portal as PDFs, associated with the JAWS case, and configured to send rejection notices; Word uploads are rejected.
Proposed Orders must be uploaded in pdf. Proposed Orders uploaded in WORD are rejected by the e-portal. Parties must ensure they are associated to the case in JAWS and have selected recipients for rejection notices.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Important
Hearing binders should be supplied as bookmarked PDFs rather than share-file links, and are unnecessary for documents already in the court file.
Hearing binders should be provided as bookmarked pdfs. Documents cannot be accepted via share file links. Hearing binders are not required for documents that are viewable in the court file.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
Only Proposed orders that are agreed upon by the parties are to be uploaded through the portal in PDF format. Please include a reminder of the date of the hearing in the cover letter, and if the Order is agreed to by the parties.
Summary: Only party-agreed proposed orders may be uploaded through the electronic-signature portal, and they must be in PDF format.
Document Filing Requirements3 rules
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
Every notice of hearing must include the required Zoom information.
INCLUDE ZOOM INFORMATION ON NOTICES OF HEARING.
Document Type
Notice Of Hearing
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
Every notice of hearing must include the filing date and docket number of the matter called for hearing.
In all notices of hearing, please include the date filed and docket number of the Matter being called up for hearing.
Document Type
Notice Of Hearing
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Important?
Parties should submit proposed orders in accordance with the “Submitting Proposed Orders” instruction.
Summary: Parties seeking rulings on agreed pleadings should submit proposed orders under the court’s proposed-order instructions.
Document Type
Proposed Order
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
Parties must upload Proposed Orders in PDF, not WORD, and ensure they are associated with the case in JAWS and have selected recipients for rejection notices.
Proposed Orders must be uploaded in pdf. Proposed Orders uploaded in WORD are rejected by the e-portal. Parties must ensure they are associated to the case in JAWS and have selected recipients for rejection notices.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Circuit Civil Division A Preferences - The Top Ten
Parties must upload the agreed-upon trial-setting and pretrial order by the Wednesday before the DCM hearing.
Cases will be reviewed prior to the DCM hearing. Parties will be responsible for uploading the agreed upon Circuit Civil Uniform Order Setting Case for Trial and Pre-Trial (revised Apr. 30, 2021) by the Wednesday before the DCM hearing.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Additional Procedures
When the parties agree, the specified motions and responses must be e-filed and their titles emailed to the judicial assistant for resolution without a hearing.
The parties may agree that the Court may rule on the pleadings for particular motions. If the parties agree, e-file motions and responses and advise the judicial assistant via email to gencivdiva@fljud13.org of the title(s) of the specific motions you want the Judge to resolve without a hearing.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Additional Procedures
Party-agreed proposed orders must be submitted through the electronic-signature portal.
Only Proposed orders that are agreed upon by the parties are to be uploaded through the portal in PDF format. Please include a reminder of the date of the hearing in the cover letter, and if the Order is agreed to by the parties.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Circuit Civil Division A Preferences - The Top Ten
Courtesy Copy Requirements
Courtesy copies must be emailed to the judicial assistant with the case number and hearing date and time, except for documents already viewable in the court file.
Please email courtesy copies to the JA at gencivdiva@fljud13.org. Please ensure the email includes the case number and hearing date and time. Documents that are viewable in the court file do not need to be provided.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Circuit Civil Division A Preferences - The Top Ten
A properly filed and emergency-flagged motion must be emailed to the judicial assistant with a courtesy copy, and an improperly filed motion will not receive emergency treatment.
After the motion is filed with the clerk and properly flagged as an emergency pursuant to Administrative Order S-2024-046, Paragraph 19 (B), please email the JA with a courtesy copy so the Court is aware of the need to act on the Motion. Emergency Motions that are not properly filed with the clerk will not be treated as an emergency. gencivdiva@fljud13.org
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Circuit Civil Division A Preferences - The Top Ten
Documents already viewable in the court file are exempt from the hearing-binder requirement.
Hearing binders should be provided as bookmarked pdfs. Documents cannot be accepted via share file links. Hearing binders are not required for documents that are viewable in the court file.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Circuit Civil Division A Preferences - The Top Ten
Filing Bundling Requirements
For non-in-person hearings, counsel must email motions and memoranda instead of submitting briefing notebooks.
Counsel may agree to submit motions and briefs by email for the Court’s review and ruling in lieu of a hearing. If an in-person hearing is requested, please contact Judge Thomas’ assistant, Dorothy Gross, at gencivdiva@fljud13.org to discuss scheduling an in-person hearing. Please do not submit briefing notebooks; submit your motions and memoranda by email if your hearing is not in-person.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Circuit Civil Division A Preferences - The Top Ten
Chambers Communication Rules
A hearing canceled within 24 hours must be reported to the judicial assistant by email with a copy of the cancellation notice.
Canceling hearings within 24 hours of the hearing: Please email the JA a copy of the notice of cancellation; if it is moments before the scheduled time of the hearing, please also phone the JA, Dorothy, at 813-272-6993 so we know not to expect your attendance at the hearing.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Circuit Civil Division A Preferences - The Top Ten
A disputed proposed order must be emailed to the judicial assistant with opposing counsel copied, a cover letter explaining the differences and hearing date, and Word versions of the competing orders.
In the case of orders NOT agreed to, please submit via email to the JA at gencivdiva@fljud13.org copying opposing counsel, along with a cover letter which describes the differences in the Orders, a reminder of the hearing date, and WORD versions of the competing orders for the Court’s review and editing; the Court will upload and sign an order on the hearing.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Circuit Civil Division A Preferences - The Top Ten
The judicial assistant must be emailed the titles of the specific motions the parties want resolved without a hearing.
The parties may agree that the Court may rule on the pleadings for particular motions. If the parties agree, e-file motions and responses and advise the judicial assistant via email to gencivdiva@fljud13.org of the title(s) of the specific motions you want the Judge to resolve without a hearing.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Additional Procedures
When a hearing was scheduled by email, a cancellation more than 24 hours in advance must be communicated to the judicial assistant by email.
If you are cancelling more than 24 hours in advance and the hearing was scheduled through JAWS, you may cancel it also through JAWS. If you scheduled it by emailing the JA, please email a notice of cancellation to her at gencivdiva@fljud13.org.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Circuit Civil Division A Preferences - The Top Ten
A pretrial or trial may be canceled only after complete settlement, and the notice of settlement or related paperwork must also be emailed to the judicial assistant.
You may not cancel a pretrial or trial unless the matter has been completely settled. If so, please file the voluntary dismissal, and also email the notice of settlement, NVD or other paperwork to the JA to confirm the cancellation.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Circuit Civil Division A Preferences - The Top Ten
Requests and messages sent to the judicial assistant must be copied to all other parties.
Please email the JA at gencivdiva@fljud13.org and copy all other parties with your request or message. The JA will respond as efficiently as possible.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Circuit Civil Division A Preferences - The Top Ten
Pro se litigants may email the judicial assistant for hearing availability, and requests exceeding 30 minutes require contacting the assistant.
10 and 30 minute hearings are to be set by attorneys through JAWS. Pro Se litigants may email the JA for hearing availability. Anyone requesting a hearing of longer than 30 minutes must contact the JA for availability. gencivdiva@fljud13.org
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Circuit Civil Division A Preferences - The Top Ten
Email inquiries about unlisted trial dates will be deleted without response.
Email or voice mail inquiries regarding trial dates not listed on the court’s website will be deleted without a response.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Schedule
Parties may email the judicial assistant to request an in-person non-jury trial or lengthy evidentiary hearing.
Parties who want an in-person hearing may contact the JA at gencivdiva@fljud13.org to request the same for non-jury trials or lengthy evidentiary matters.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Circuit Civil Division A Preferences - The Top Ten