Judge Lindsay M. Alvarez
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
All Motions
- Email • Upon Filing
Courtesy copies
- Email • After Filing
- Email • Upon Filing
Chambers Copy
Court-wideExtraordinary Writ Petition
Court-wide- Immediately Upon Filing
Adjournments
- The court will not consider a continuance motion at the pretrial conference absent unforeseen circumstances.
Request must include
Communication
Chambers
Clerk
Clerk
Clerk
Phone
Court-wideChambers
Document Format Requirements1 rule
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Important
The proposed jury instructions must be formatted in Word using Times New Roman 12-point font.
Jury Instructions: The Friday before jury selection, Counsel for State/Defense shall submit all proposed jury instructions, applicable lesser included offenses, any enhancement instructions and proposed verdict form, and any specially requested instructions to the Court and opposing counsel via email in WORD format, Times New Roman, 12 font.
Document Filing Requirements16 rules
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
The law enforcement employee taking the defendant's fingerprints must complete the designated section.
****TO BE COMPLETED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEE TAKING DEFENDANT’S FINGERPRINTS****
Document Type
Fingerprint Record
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
The person verifying must provide a photo ID type or booking number, verified visually by photo.
Verified by: □# or □# (DL/ID/Passport/Other Photo ID Type ) (Booking #; [verified visually by photo])
Document Type
Fingerprint Record
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
The fingerprint record must include the law enforcement employee's certification that the fingerprints belong to the defendant.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the above and foregoing fingerprints are the fingerprints of the Defendant,
Document Type
Fingerprint Record
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
The fingerprint record must identify the employee taking the fingerprints, the agency, the PersID number, and the employee's printed name.
Fingerprints taken by: Agency PersID# Law Enforcement Employee’s Printed Name
Document Type
Fingerprint Record
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
Counsel must file a Notice of Filing with any evidentiary exhibits, and each exhibit must be sequentially numbered without alphabetic identifiers.
At the time Counsel files the motion, Counsel shall file a “Notice of Filing”, attaching any exhibits that are requested to be introduced into evidence during the hearing. All exhibits shall be numbered sequentially without using alphabetic characters to identify an exhibit.
Document Type
Notice Of Filing
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
The jury-instruction submission must include proposed instructions, applicable lesser-included offenses, enhancement instructions, the proposed verdict form, and specially requested instructions.
Jury Instructions: The Friday before jury selection, Counsel for State/Defense shall submit all proposed jury instructions, applicable lesser included offenses, any enhancement instructions and proposed verdict form, and any specially requested instructions to the Court and opposing counsel via email in WORD format, Times New Roman, 12 font.
Document Type
Jury Instructions
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
A hearing-date request email must include a copy of the motion, the case number, and the case name.
You must include a copy of the motion, the case number, and case name in the email sent to the Judicial Assistant when requesting a hearing date.
Document Type
Hearing Date Request
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Mandatory
The Division F Zoom link must appear in the requesting party's Notice of Hearing.
The Division F “ZOOM link” shall be contained in the Notice of Hearing prepared by the party requesting the hearing.
Document Type
Notice Of Hearing
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Important
The State must approve every order before it is submitted to the court for signature.
All Orders shall be approved by the State prior to submitting to the Court for signature.
Document Type
Order
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Important
All proposed jury instructions and verdict forms must comply with the Florida Bar's Standard Jury Instructions and verdict forms.
All jury instructions and verdict forms shall comply with the Standard Jury Instructions and verdict forms located on the Florida Bar website.
Document Type
Jury Instructions
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026Important
A proposed instruction or verdict form that departs from the Florida Bar form must be marked as modified and include an appropriate citation of authority.
To the extent that any proposed instruction or verdict form deviates from the forms contained in the Florida bar website, the proposed instruction or verdict form shall be clearly denoted as a “modified” jury instruction or verdict form, with appropriate citation of authority.
Document Type
Jury Instructions
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
Said forms for ZOOM “changes of pleas” are (1) Waiver of Physical Presence in Court Form, (2) Plea form, (3) DNA Form, and (5) Fingerprint card (if Defendant is out-of-custody):
Summary: A Zoom change of plea requires a waiver of physical presence, plea form, DNA form, and an out-of-custody fingerprint card.
Document Type
Change Of Plea
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
VOP cases do not need the Felony Plea Form nor the DNA form, but DO require a Waiver of Physical Appearance
Summary: For VOP cases, the felony plea form and DNA form are unnecessary, but a waiver of physical appearance is required.
Document Type
Change Of Plea
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
Defense counsel shall then prepare an Order reflecting the Court’s ruling and upload said Order to E-Portal for the Court’s signature.
Summary: Defense counsel must prepare an order reflecting the court's bond ruling and upload it to E-Portal for signature.
Document Type
Bond Motion Order
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Mandatory?
Once the attorney has fully discussed ALL forms with the Defendant and obtained the Defendant’s permission for the attorney to sign those forms FOR him/her (or, s/he has chance to sign them) the attorney shall file the forms with the Clerk of Circuit Court.
Summary: After discussing every form with the defendant and obtaining permission to sign when necessary, defense counsel must file the forms with the Circuit Court Clerk.
Document Type
Change Of Plea
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.Important?
This shall include all relent case law the non-moving party intends to rely on.
Summary: The written opposition must identify all lenient case law the non-moving party intends to rely upon.
Document Type
Motion Response
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
After the defendant and defense counsel sign a PTI contract, the State must upload it to the court's work queue for signature.
Once the Defendant and Defense Counsel have signed the PTI Contract, the State has the responsibility of uploading said contract to the Court’s work queue for signature.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
Each required form must be uploaded as a separate E-Portal document, and each case number requires its own separate filing of every required form.
Each form must be uploaded as a separate document via the E-Portal. Each individual case number requires each of these forms be filed separately (i.e. for 2 felony cases, you would have 6 separate forms uploaded.)
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
Counsel requesting a competency evaluation must upload the resulting order to the court's work queue for signature.
Counsel requesting the evaluation shall be responsible for uploading the Order to the Court’s work queue for signature.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
Defense counsel must electronically upload the proposed bond-motion order to E-Portal for the court's signature.
Defense counsel shall then prepare an Order reflecting the Court’s ruling and upload said Order to E-Portal for the Court’s signature.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
The court may decide a written bond-reduction motion without a hearing or supporting evidence, and the motion may be filed with the clerk and emailed to opposing counsel.
The Court will consider a bond motion without evidence or hearing. A written Motion for Bond Reduction may be filed with the Clerk of Court, and emailed to opposing counsel.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Every motion must be filed and heard before the pretrial conference; an unheard motion will be deemed waived and will not support a continuance.
All motions shall be filed and heard prior to the Pre-Trial Conference. All motions not heard prior to the Pre-Trial Conference shall be deemed waived and shall not be grounds for a continuance.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
A motion must be filed with the court before counsel asks the Judicial Assistant for a hearing date.
All motions must be filed with the Clerk of Court prior to obtaining a hearing date from the Judicial Assistant.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
On the Friday before jury selection, counsel must email the proposed jury instructions, lesser-included offenses, enhancement instructions, verdict form, and special instructions to the court and opposing counsel in Word format using 12-point Times New Roman.
Jury Instructions: The Friday before jury selection, Counsel for State/Defense shall submit all proposed jury instructions, applicable lesser included offenses, any enhancement instructions and proposed verdict form, and any specially requested instructions to the Court and opposing counsel via email in WORD format, Times New Roman, 12 font.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
The non-moving party must file a written response to every contested motion at least seven days before the hearing.
The non-moving party shall file a written response to all contested motions at least seven days before the hearing.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
A motion for substitution of counsel must be filed and heard at least seven days before the pretrial conference if counsel wishes to withdraw or substitute.
PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT A MOTION FOR SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL MUST BE FILED AND HEARD AT LEAST 7 DAYS BEFORE THE PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE IF COUNSEL DESIRES TO WITHDRAW OR SUBSTITUTE IN ON A CASE.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
All required change-of-plea forms must be filed with the clerk before counsel obtains a hearing date from the Judicial Assistant.
Prior to obtaining a hearing date from the Division F Judicial Assistant, all required forms mustbe filed with the Clerk of Court.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
The court reviews motions in chambers, and no hearing date needs to be obtained when such a motion is filed.
The Court will review these motions in Chambers; therefore, a hearing date does not need to be secured when the motion is filed.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
Service and Proof of Service Rules
The proposed jury-instruction package must be emailed to the court and opposing counsel.
Jury Instructions: The Friday before jury selection, Counsel for State/Defense shall submit all proposed jury instructions, applicable lesser included offenses, any enhancement instructions and proposed verdict form, and any specially requested instructions to the Court and opposing counsel via email in WORD format, Times New Roman, 12 font.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
The requesting party must file a Notice of Hearing and send copies to opposing counsel and the court.
The party requesting the hearing shall file a Notice of Hearing with the Clerk of Court, sending a copy to opposing counsel as well to the Court via the felonydivf@fljud13.org email address.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
After a bond-reduction motion reaches the Judicial Assistant, the State must file its written response and email copies to the court and opposing counsel within 24 hours.
Once said motion has been filed and received by the Judicial Assistant, the Court will direct the State to file a written response with the Clerk of Court. A copy of said response by the State shall be filed, and emailed to the Court and opposing counsel within 24 hours.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
Courtesy Copy Requirements
A motion requesting appointment of a forensic competency evaluator must be filed with the clerk and then emailed with a copy to the Judicial Assistant.
All motions in which a party is requesting the Court to appoint a doctor for a Court Ordered Forensic Competency Evaluation shall be filed with the Clerk of Court. Once the motion has been filed, please email the Judicial Assistant at felonydivf@fljud13.org including a copy of the motion in the email.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
One copy of a bond-reduction motion must be emailed to the Division F Judicial Assistant for the court.
A copy of the Motion for Bond Reduction shall be forwarded to the Court via the Division F Judicial Assistant at felonydivf@fljud13.org.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
The original motion must be filed with the clerk, and a copy may be mailed or emailed to the Division F Judicial Assistant.
A copy of the motion shall be mailed or forwarded via email to the Division F Judicial Assistant at felonydivf@fljud13.org, while the original motion is filed with the Clerk’s Office.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
The court will not consider a continuance motion at the pretrial conference absent unforeseen circumstances.
A MOTION TO CONTINUE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED BY THE COURT AT THE PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE, ABSENT UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
Chambers Communication Rules
Counsel seeking an in-court bond-motion hearing must first file the motion and then email the Division F Judicial Assistant to request a hearing date.
If Counsel desires to have an “In Court” Hearing on a Bond Motion, Counsel shall contact the Division F Judicial Assistant at felonydivf@fljud13.org. The Motion must be filed prior to requesting a hearing date.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
After the parties agree on a hearing date, counsel must notify the Judicial Assistant by email.
After a hearing date has been agreed upon by the parties, counsel shall notify the Judicial Assistant via email at felonydivf@fljud13.org.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
Self-represented parties may email the Judicial Assistant for assistance appearing by videoconference or for questions about the judge's procedures.
If you are representing yourself and need assistance in appearing at a videoconferencing hearing or have questions concerning any of the procedures outlined above, you may contact the Judicial Assistant at felonydivf@fljud13.org.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 1, 2026 · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
After filing a motion, counsel must email the Judicial Assistant with a copy of the motion, case number, and case name to request potential hearing dates.
You may contact the Judicial Assistant at felonydivf@fljud13.org to obtain potential hearing dates for the motion after the motion has been filed with the Clerk of Court. You must include a copy of the motion, the case number, and case name in the email sent to the Judicial Assistant when requesting a hearing date. The email address for the Judicial Assistant is felonydivf@fljud13.org.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F
The court will communicate its ruling on a bond motion by email to all parties.
The Court will then rule on the bond motion by sending an email to all parties.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Criminal cases
Page 1 | Procedures & Preferences Circuit Criminal, Division F