Mary P. Hatcher

The information in this section is for Summary Administration and Disposition of Personal Property Without Administration CASES ONLY.

Original Wills and/or original Death Certificates SHALL be provided directly to the Clerk of Court for processing.

The fully completed Checklist, along with proposed Order(s), shall be mailed/delivered directly to Judge Hatcher’s office.  Please make sure all Orders provided have a proper signature block and not the coding used for e-filing through the Portal.  Orders sent via email or submitted through the e-Portal will not be accepted.

Once Orders are entered, they will be e-filed and e-served through the Portal to the attorney filing the estate at the email addresses listed therein.  Pro se filers shall provide stamped and addressed service envelopes for all parties listed in the Order(s) who have not provided an email address.

PLEASE NOTE:  The Clerk’s Office has 3 business days to process E-filings from the Portal (either to accept and docket to the court file or reject for correction).

While the Court recognizes certain emergencies may arise, frequent inquiries for status updates on proposed Orders are not necessary. IF all required filings are in the court file and a fully completed Checklist is provided, the Court should be able to process your Order(s) in a timely fashion.

Notice to pro se filers:  The Court cannot provide legal advice or guidance, so please do not contact the Court’s Judicial Assistant to help you with your case. If you need assistance with your case, please contact a Florida Bar licensed probate attorney.

Click here for Checklist for Summary Administration

The information in this section, and the following sections, is for the Felony Docket only.

Our office DOES NOT accept documents by e-service; therefore, any filing requiring the Court’s attention (i.e., motions, emergency motions, etc.) must be brought to the Court’s attention by email to the Court’s Judicial Assistant at sshaw@circuit5.org, after they have been e-filed, processed and docketed to the court file.  Please DO NOT add the Court/Judicial Assistant to e-service lists in the E-Portal.

PLEASE NOTE:  The Clerk’s Office has 3 business days to process E-filings from the Portal (either to accept and docket to the court file or reject for correction).

If COURT INTERPRETING SERVICES will be needed for any hearing, a request must be submitted by defense counsel, at least 4 business days prior to a court date, using the form provided at Fifth Circuit website.

If an Order to Transport has been entered for a Defendant, that must be addressed in any continuance being requested.

Please DO NOT submit proposed Orders through the E-Portal.  The Court prepares Orders of Continuances and various other routine Orders.  Proposed Orders after hearings should be emailed to the Court’s Judicial Assistant at sshaw@circuit5.org in Word format, as directed by the Court at the conclusion of the hearing.

Motion and Change of Plea docket dates are designated by * on the attached calendar for reference only.  Availability on a specific date must be confirmed prior to filing a Notice of Hearing. (see “Hearing Requests” section below).

Click here for 2025 court schedule

PLEASE NOTE:  a CHANGE OF PLEA can be taken at any already set hearing for that Defendant, so long as there is a fully executed Plea Agreement.  Open Pleas will be special set.

Motions must be e-filed, processed and docketed to the court file, with opposing counsel having time to receive and review, before a hearing request is sent.  Hearing requests should be sent to sshaw@circuit5.org and include the case name and number, the type of hearing/motion to be heard, the date of filing, and the amount of time requested. Available dates and times will be provided to the party requesting the hearing, and that party shall coordinate with opposing counsel.

Once a date and time is confirmed by the Court’s Judicial Assistant, the Notice of Hearing should be filed as soon as possible, but no later than two weeks prior to the hearing date, in order for the hearing to be placed on that docket.

Continuances are granted at the discretion of the Court. Either party may file a Motion to continue a hearing set by the Court for good cause.  All Motions to Continue must be e-filed at least 5 business days prior to a hearing.  The Motion must contain the specific reason for the continuance and must state whether the opposing party agrees or objects to the continuance.  (Continuances for Pre-Trial Conference and Trial Priority/Jury Trial are addressed further under “Court Procedures”.)

ARRAIGNMENT:  Upon the filing of a notice of appearance, plea of not guilty, waiver of arraignment, an Order setting the next court date will be entered. Counsel is responsible for informing the Defendant of all future court dates.

PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE:  All new cases will go from Arraignment to a Pre-Trial Conference (“PTC”), set out approximately 60 days from Arraignment, depending on when Speedy Trial runs or if it has been waived. An Order Setting Pre-Trial Conference will be entered.

The purpose of the Pre-Trial Conference is to either resolve the case or set the case for trial.  If a case is not resolved by a Change of Plea prior to or at the PTC, then attorneys must be prepared to set a realistic trial date.  An Order Setting Mandatory Trial Priority and Order Setting Jury Trial (Trial Order) will then be entered.

TRIAL PRIORITY:  The purpose of Trial Priority is to determine the order in which cases will be set on the upcoming trial calendar.  Trial priority starts at 9:00 a.m. on the designated day.  The Court will hear change of pleas at Trial Priority.

The Defendant must be personally present for the Pre-Trial Conference and Trial Priority.  An attorney seeking to waive the appearance of a Defendant for extreme good cause must seek permission of the Court by proper Motion at least 5 business days prior to the hearing date.

CONTINUANCES OF PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE and TRIAL PRIORITY AND TRIAL:

See ORDER SETTING PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE or ORDER SETTING MANDATORY TRIAL PRIORITY AND ORDER SETTING JURY TRIAL previously entered in the case for deadlines and requirements of a Motion to Continue.

All cases not continued prior to TRIAL PRIORITY shall remain on the trial docket and will not be continued from the trial docket without a showing of exceptional good cause. No negotiated plea agreements will be taken after the conclusion of Trial Priority.

TIME BETWEEN TRIAL PRIORITY AND TRIAL TERM:  One week will be left between Trial Priority and Trial for trial preparation and specific matters; however, that week will NOT be used to address those cases that have completed Trial Priority the week before and are scheduled for Trial the following week.  All Change of Pleas and Motions to Continue a Trial Term must be addressed according to the Trial Order and will not be addressed during this time.

VOP CASES:  All VOP cases will be given a hearing date at Arraignment, if the case is not resolved at Arraignment.  If a Change of Plea is negotiated after the Arraignment, but prior to the hearing date, then it can be set on a Change of Plea Docket. VOP Arraignment cannot be waived and can only be continued by a Motion to Continue for good cause filed at least 5 business days prior to the Arraignment.

Pro se motions (when not represented by an attorney) must be filed with the Clerk of Circuit Court, Criminal Division, with copies provided to the State Attorney and to Judge Hatcher’s office.  Pro se motions will not be accepted via e-mail.  This includes motions to modify or early terminate probation, a copy of which must also be provided to the probation officer.