Judge Laura E. Ward
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Chambers Copy
Filings <= 10 pages
Motion
- Email • After Submission
Notice Of Cancellation
Adjournments
Court-wideRequest must include
Communication
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Clerk
Clerk
Clerk
Document Format Requirements1 rule
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
The proposed agreed order must be in PDF format.
A proposed agreed Order, along with a cover letter, can be uploaded, only as a PDF
Document Filing Requirements6 rules
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
Every proposed order must have a cover letter stating the motion and hearing information, the date the order was provided, and opposing counsel’s agreement, nonresponse after five days, or objection.
A cover letter must accompany each proposed Order and should state: Title, filing date, and if applicable, hearing date of Motion Date the proposed Order was provided to opposing counsel Opposing counsel agrees to the Order OR opposing counsel failed to respond after 5 days OR opposing counsel indicated they object and will be submitting a competing Order
Document Type
Cover Letter
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
A unilateral hearing notice based on noncooperation must detail the efforts to agree on the hearing date; a single email, letter, or ultimatum is insufficient, and a deficient notice may be canceled without further notice.
A notice of a hearing set unilaterally due to a lack of cooperation must describe, in detail, the efforts made to reach agreement on the hearing date. A single email, letter, or ultimatum is insufficient. Unilaterally set hearings that do not describe efforts to agree on a hearing date may be cancelled without notice.
Document Type
Notice Of Hearing
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
A notice of hearing must identify the matter, reserved time, in-person or remote format, remote-access instructions when applicable, and whether a court reporter was ordered.
The notice of hearing should include the following information: The motion or matter to be heard; The amount of time reserved; Whether the hearing is in person or remote (see answer to Question 1 above);if the hearing is remote, instructions for remote appearances; and Whether a court reporter has been ordered.
Document Type
Notice Of Hearing
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
The scheduling party must timely file a notice of hearing containing all information necessary for access to the hearing.
Parties scheduling hearings must ensure that the notice of hearing is timely filed and contains all information necessary to access the hearing.
Document Type
Notice Of Hearing
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Important
A proposed agreed order may be uploaded through the Florida ePortal only as a PDF, with a cover letter, after selecting Circuit Civil Division O.
A proposed agreed Order, along with a cover letter, can be uploaded, only as a PDF, for Judge Ward’s review and consideration through the Florida ePortal. Be sure Circuit Civil Division O is selected.
Document Type
Proposed Order
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
INCLUDE ZOOM INFORMATION ON NOTICES OF HEARING.
Summary: Every notice of hearing must include Zoom information.
Document Type
Notice Of Hearing
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
A proposed agreed order may be submitted for judicial review through the Florida ePortal only in PDF format.
A proposed agreed Order, along with a cover letter, can be uploaded, only as a PDF, for Judge Ward’s review and consideration through the Florida ePortal.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Proposed Agreed Orders
When parties dispute an order, each may email a Word competing order with a cover letter detailing the conflicts, and the order must be received within three days.
Competing Orders - If parties do not agree with the form of the Order, each party may email the JA a proposed Order as a Word Document, along with a cover letter detailing the conflicting issues. The competing Order must be received within 3 days.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Proposed Orders NOT Agreed Upon by the Parties
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Unless the judge directs otherwise at the hearing, competing orders and cover letters must be sent to the judicial assistant as Word documents within five days after the hearing.
If the parties do not agree with the form of the Order, competing Orders, along with cover letters, must be sent to the JA, as Word Documents, within 5 days of the hearing unless otherwise directed by Judge Ward during the hearing.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Proposed Orders Following a Hearing
A hearing may be noticed unilaterally with at least 60 days’ notice unless the judge gives permission otherwise.
Unilateral notices of hearing. Hearings may be unilaterally noticed with a minimum of 60 days’ notice, or if permission is given by the Judge otherwise.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Notices of Hearing
Unless the judge directs otherwise at the hearing, a proposed agreed order and cover letter must be uploaded as a PDF to the Florida ePortal within five days after the hearing.
A proposed agreed Order, along with a cover letter, should be uploaded, as a PDF, to the Florida ePortal within 5 days of the hearing unless otherwise directed by Judge Ward during the hearing.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Proposed Orders Following a Hearing
A competing order must be received within three days.
The competing Order must be received within 3 days.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Proposed Orders NOT Agreed Upon by the Parties
If opposing counsel does not respond within five days after service, a PDF proposed order and cover letter documenting service and the lack of response may be uploaded to the Florida ePortal.
No Response - If after 5 days of service a response is not received by opposing counsel, a proposed Order, as a PDF, may be uploaded to the Florida ePortal, along with a cover letter detailing the service and no response, for Judge Ward’s consideration.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Proposed Orders NOT Agreed Upon by the Parties
Service and Proof of Service Rules
When a pro se party has no email address associated with the case, the attorney must mail the party copies of the order.
If a party is pro se and does not have an email address associated with the case, the attorney will be responsible for mailing copies of the Order to pro se parties.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Cover Letters
Courtesy Copy Requirements
After reserving hearing time in JAWS, the party must email the court an e-filed copy of the notice of hearing and scheduled motion, without attaching all exhibits.
After reserving time in JAWS, please send the Court (circivdivo@fljud13.org) an efiled copy of the Notice of Hearing and Motion scheduled to be heard (Do not attach all exhibits.).
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Cover Letters
After filing and properly flagging an emergency motion, the filer must email the judicial assistant an e-filed courtesy copy.
Emergency Motion: After an Emergency Motion is filed with Clerk AND properly flagged as an EMERGENCY, email JA an efiled courtesy copy.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Cover Letters
Every notice of cancellation must be provided to the court as an e-filed copy.
Provide the Court an efiled copy of ALL NOTICE OF CANCELLATIONS.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Cover Letters
Documents for a hearing exceeding 30 minutes must be provided to the judge as a hard copy by mail or hand delivery at least three business days before the hearing.
Deliver hard copy at least three business days prior to hearing via mail or hand delivery.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | At A Glance Preferences
Documents of ten pages or fewer may be emailed to the judge, while documents exceeding ten pages must be mailed or hand-delivered at least three business days before the hearing.
Documents 10 pages or less may be e-mailed, documents more than 10 pages must be received at least three business days prior to hearing via mail or hand delivery.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | At A Glance Preferences
Filing Bundling Requirements
Hearing binders are encouraged to be indexed, tabbed, and provided to the court three days before the hearing.
Hearing binders are most useful if they are indexed, tabbed, and provide three days in advance of the hearing.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Cover Letters
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
Parties must confer in good faith before setting these matters; a motion without that conference will have its hearing automatically canceled.
*Please make sure that parties have conferred PRIOR to setting these matters. A good faith conference is essential for scheduling these matters. If the motion does not contain a good faith conference, the hearing will be automatically canceled.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Non-Evidentiary Pretrial Matters
Chambers Communication Rules
A hearing canceled more than 24 hours in advance requires the scheduling party to cancel it in JAWS and email the judicial assistant an e-filed notice of cancellation.
Cancelling Hearings Prior to 24 Hours of Hearing: Scheduling party must cancel on JAWS and email efiled Notice of Cancellation to the JA.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Cover Letters
A hearing canceled within 24 hours requires both an emailed filed notice of cancellation and a telephone call to the judicial assistant.
Cancelling Hearings within 24 Hours of Hearing: Email JA a copy of the FILED Notice of Cancellation AND call the JA to advise of cancellation.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Cover Letters
A hearing canceled within 24 hours requires the party to email the judicial assistant a filed notice of cancellation and call the judicial assistant to advise of the cancellation.
Cancelling Hearings within 24 Hours of Hearing: Email JA a copy of the FILED Notice of Cancellation AND call the JA to advise of cancellation. Leave a message if necessary and then follow up with a Notice of Cancellation.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Cover Letters
An evidentiary hearing must be requested by emailing the judicial assistant with the specified case, motion, hearing-type, and duration information.
These hearings are scheduled by contacting the JA at circivdivo@fljud13.org and providing the following information: Case number Case name Title, date, and docket number of the Motion or matter for hearing State you are requesting an Evidentiary Hearing Amount of time needed
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Evidentiary Hearings
The judicial assistant may address scheduling and preference questions only, and parties should review the preferences before calling.
The judicial assistant is not authorized to answer questions about anything other than scheduling and preferences. You are always welcome to call the office, but kindly review the preferences before calling the office.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026
Page 1 | Cover Letters
Emailing settlement documentation does not cancel a pretrial conference or trial; a dismissal is required to cancel either event.
Cancelling Trial and Pre-Trial: If case has settled, one of the parties must email the JA an efiled documentation; however, this does not cancel the Pre-trial or the Trial. A dismissal is needed to cancel the Pre-Trial Conference or the Trial.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Cover Letters
A non-evidentiary hearing exceeding 30 minutes must be requested by emailing the judicial assistant with the case number, case name, motion or matter details, and requested duration.
These hearings are scheduled by emailing the JA at circivdivo@fljud13.org and providing the following information: Case number Case name Title, date, and docket number of the Motion or matter for hearing Amount of time needed
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Non-Evidentiary Hearings More than 30 Minutes
Emails to the division must identify the case number and case name in the subject line.
When emailing the division at circivdivo@fljud13.org please include the case number and name in the subject line.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Cover Letters
Parties may request that non-evidentiary pretrial matters be decided without a hearing.
Parties may also request that these matters be ruled on without a hearing.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 1 | Non-Evidentiary Pretrial Matters