Chad J. Monty

1. At this time, Judge Monty is assigned to the Small Claims and Civil Traffic Divisions.
2. To schedule hearings: please EMAIL the Judicial Assistant, Heather Grinnell at hgrinnell@circuit5.org.
3. If you file a motion or request, asking the Judge to take action on your case, it is YOUR responsibility to contact the Judicial Assistant to set a hearing.
4. All hearings require a minimum of 10 calendar days’ notice, unless all parties agree otherwise. Self-represented parties must file the Notice of Hearing with the Clerk of Courts and furnish a copy to all parties involved in the case at least 10 calendar days prior to the hearing by U.S.P.S., Certified Mail, or some other means with proof of service.  It is not necessary to send a copy to the Judge’s office.
5. Claim of Exemption hearings are usually scheduled within 10 to 15 business days, if there is time available on the Judge’s calendar.
6. Please do not submit proposed Final Judgment packages or Orders prior to a hearing. They can be submitted afterwards.
7. All documents (Motions, Letters, Notices, etc.) must be filed with the Clerk’s office, not sent to the Judge’s office- the ONLY exception to this is evidence for Zoom Non-Jury Trials (see “SUBMITTING PROSPECTIVE EVIDENCE” below).
8. You are encouraged to be familiar with Zoom prior to your hearing date. Lack of familiarity with zoom will not be a reason to postpone your hearing.
9. If you have a question regarding a Small Claims case, you can also contact the Small Claims Division of the Clerk’s Office by calling (352) 742-4343 or (352) 742-4145.
10. Once the Judge has signed a Final Judgment in your case, the jurisdiction of the Judge has ended – we can’t help you collect on the judgment or provide ANY advice.
11. You can consult with an attorney. If you cannot afford to hire an attorney, there is a website, run by the American Bar Association that might be able to provide you with some assistance. The website is: www.abafreelegalanswers.org

We do not accept proposed orders via email at this time.

Please MAIL in your proposed order along with a cover letter, copies to conform for EACH person listed on your Certificate of Service and self-addressed stamped envelopes.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND COPIES OF:  MOTIONS/STIPULATIONS/AFFIDAVITS, ETC.
THESE SHOULD BE FILED INTO THE COURT FILE, PRIOR TO YOUR SUBMISSION.

The Judge does require a proper cover letter on all proposed orders. The letter should indicate if everyone agrees to the Order and/or if you have provided same to opposing side/counsel for their review prior to submission to the Court.

Thanks and I’m sorry for any inconvenience.

1. ALL parties are required to appear in person for the PTC/Mediation hearings.
2. The Judge does NOT allow Zoom participation at the PTC/Mediation hearings.
3. IF the Plaintiff does not attend the PTC, your case may be subject to dismissal.
4. IF a return of NON-SERVICE has been filed into the Court File, at least 5 days prior to the hearing date, the Clerk will automatically reschedule the PTC date, up to 2 times (see ADMIN ORDER L-2022-30).
5. IF your case does not settle at PTC, this is your opportunity to attend in-person Mediation, at no cost, with the Court Mediators.

COVERAGE ATTORNEY INFORMATION:

At this time, Judge Monty does not impose limits on the number of cases an attorney can cover during PTC/Mediation Conferences, however, please keep in mind the following:

1. Sessions are only 1 hour long,
2. Coverage Attorneys need to be able to perform all duties required, both in the Courtroom and Mediation, within the same hour, for ALL cases covered,
3. Please use common sense!
4. Compile a list of ALL cases you’ll be covering. The list should include the following information:

1. 1. 1. 1. Time the case is noticed for
         2. Style of the case
         3. Case Number
         4. Please email your list by noon, the day before Court, to: countycourt@lakecountyclerk.org

TO SUBMIT PROSPECTIVE EVIDENCE FOR A TRIAL YOU MUST: 

1. Submit all prospective evidence by hard copy (paper copy) to the Judge’s office, even if you have already filed it into the Court file.
2. It is EACH parties responsibility to send an EXACT copy of the Evidence provided to the Judge, to the other party, prior to trial – the COURT WILL NOT MAKE OR SEND COPIES OF YOUR EVIDENCE TO ANYONE!
3. Please be sure to clearly mark the case number on all submissions.
4. EVIDENCE MUST BE SUBMITTED BY THE DUE DATE SHOWN ON THE TRIAL ORDER (usually 10 days prior to trial).
5. You must mail or hand deliver your documents to the Judge’s Office:

HAND DELIVERY: Judge Monty’s Office is located on the 2^ND Floor, of the North Wing, in Suite #1, of the Lake County Courthouse at 550 W. Main Street, Tavares, FL 32778.

MAIL: Lake County Courthouse:  550 W. Main Street, PO BOX 7800, Tavares, FL 32778

MAIL RECEIVING CENTER: Records Storage Facility at 313 South Bloxham Avenue in Tavares.  Our in-house mailman will then be sure to deliver your documents to our office!

Judge Chad J. Monty is a highly accomplished legal professional with a diverse background in both business and law.

Born and raised in New York his father, a U.S. Marine, instilled in him the values of honor, courage, and commitment and his mother, a stay-at-home mom, taught him kindness, assertiveness, and independence. Judge Monty attended St. Mary’s High School before pursuing his passion for finance at Hofstra University, where he earned his Finance degree in 1998.

After moving to Florida after graduation in 1998 and working in the telecommunications field for several years, Judge Monty made the bold decision, at age 35, to follow his dream and attend law school. He was accepted into Stetson University School of Law, where he graduated in 2010.

Judge Monty’s legal career began as an Assistant State Attorney in Lake County, Florida, where he quickly proved himself a talented prosecutor. He started in county court, handling misdemeanor cases before progressing to the circuit court, where he successfully prosecuted felonies. ​His dedication and expertise as a prosecutor led to his promotion to docket manager. In all, he prosecuted over 7,000 cases, including over 4,400 felony cases including drug trafficking, home invasion, robbery, and murder and over 2,500 misdemeanor cases.

Also, during this time, it was his honor to run the Veterans Court program for the State of Florida. This program recognizes the unique challenges facing veterans and helps link these veterans to services.

Recognizing his exceptional skills and leadership abilities, Judge Monty was appointed as the Division Chief of the Lake County State Attorney’s Office. In this role, he supervised a team of over 70 employees, including staff and attorneys, overseeing all aspects of legal and personnel issues within the office.

Subsequently, he was one of the qualified candidates selected for the gubernatorial consideration by the Fifth Judicial Circuit’s Judicial Nominating Committee and was ultimately appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to the County Court bench. Currently, he presides over Small Claims and Civil Traffic matters with fairness, integrity, and a deep understanding of the law.

With his extensive experience and commitment to justice, Judge Chad Monty is dedicated to upholding the principles of fairness and equity in every case that comes before him.

Aside from his professional accomplishments, Judge Monty’s personal life is equally fulfilling. He is happily married to Angela, his rock and biggest supporter. Together, they have built a blended family of love and laughter, with four incredible stepdaughters. Chad and Angela are also proud grandparents to three rambunctious grandsons who bring endless happiness to their lives.