EIGHTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
www.circuit8.org
The Florida Constitution provides that a circuit court shall be established in each of the 20 judicial
circuits in Florida. The number of designated judges in each judicial circuit is determined by factors
such as population and caseload of the particular area.
The Eighth Judicial Circuit is comprised of six
counties: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Levy,
Gilchrist, and Union. There are 23 judges in the
Eighth Judicial Circuit. Thirteen of those are
Circuit Judges and ten are County Court Judges.
There are five Alachua County Court Judges and
one County Court Judge in each of the five
regional counties of Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist,
Levy, and Union.
The Eighth Judicial Circuit currently has 86
employees (excluding judges) in positions such
as staff attorney, judicial assistant, court
interpreter, and judicial hearing officer, and in
fields such as technology, court reporting, and
case management.
8
th
Judicial
Circuit
Mission of Florida Judicial Branch
To protect rights and liberties, uphold and interpret the law, and provide for the peaceful resolution of
disputes.
Vision of Florida Judicial Branch
Justice in Florida will be accessible, fair, effective, responsive, and accountable.
Mission of Eighth Judicial Circuit Court Administration
To provide professional and effective management services and programs to the Judges of the Eighth
Judicial Circuit.
Chief Judge
The Chief Judge is responsible to the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court for the
administration and supervision of the courts, judges, and officers of the courts within the judicial
circuit. The Chief Judge is also responsible for developing and implementing an administrative plan
for the efficient operation of the courts. The plan provides for the prompt disposition of cases,
assignment of judges and staff, control of dockets, regulation and use of courtrooms, and review of
the statistics of inmates in local jails. Selected by a majority of the active judges in the Eighth
Judicial Circuit, the Chief Judge serves for a term of two years.
The Honorable James P. Nilon was u n a n i m o u s l y elected Chief Judge in 2018. Chief Judge
Nilon also presides over the Dependency and Unified Family Court assignments and currently
serves on the Criminal Court Steering Committee.
Administrative Judges
Administrative Judges are responsible for the oversight of case management within their division
and report directly to the Chief Judge. The Administrative Judges for 2019 are:
•
Hon. Monica J. Brasington
Circuit Civil
•
Hon. Robert K. Groeb
Family Court
•
Hon. Mark W. Moseley
Circuit Criminal
•
Hon. Thomas M. Jaworski
Alachua County Court
•
Hon. Joseph M. Williams
Regional County Courts
Circuit Judges
Circuit court judges are elected by the voters of the 8th Circuit in non-partisan elections and serve
six-year terms. In order to qualify for the office of circuit judge, a person must be an elector in one
of the six counties within the 8th Circuit and admitted to the practice of law in the state for the
preceding five years. If a vacancy occurs prior to the end of a circuit judge’s term, the Governor
appoints a circuit judge to fill the vacancy. The Circuit Judges are:
• Hon. Monica J. Brasington
• Hon. Susanne Wilson Bullard
• Hon. James M. Colaw
• Hon. William E. Davis
• Hon. Denise R. Ferrero
• Hon. Stanley H. Griffis III
• Hon. Robert K. Groeb
• Hon. Donna M. Keim
• Hon. David P. Kreider
• Hon. Mark W. Moseley
• Hon. James P. Nilon
• Hon. Phillip A. Pena
• Hon. Gloria R. Walker
County Judges
The Florida Constitution establishes a county court in each of Florida’s 67 counties. The number of
judges in each county court varies dependent upon the population and caseload of that county. In
order to qualify for the office of county judge, a person must be an elector of the county and, in
general, a member of The Florida Bar for five years. County judges are elected by the voters and
serve six-year terms. Alachua County has five County Court Judges:
• Hon. Walter M. Green
• Hon. Thomas M. Jaworski
• Hon. Susan Miller-Jones
• Hon. Meshon T. Rawls
• Hon. Kristine Van Vorst
Senior Judges
A senior judge is a retired judge who is eligible to serve on assignment to temporary judicial duty.
The Chief Judge may assign senior judges to temporary service in any court of the Circuit, with the
authority to hear, conduct, try, determine, and dispose of the case.
Judicial Hearing Officers and General Magistrates
Judicial Hearing Officers and General Magistrates are authorized to hear and make
recommendations on the following matters as permitted by statute and rule: family law, mortgage
foreclosures, mental health, medical treatment, guardianship accountings and plans, and valuations
in executions on judgments of money. The Chief Judge determines the assignments of the General
Magistrates and Judicial Hearing Officers.
Trial Court Administrator
The Trial Court Administrator is the Chief Executive Officer of the Eighth Judicial Circuit. The
Administrator directs and manages trial court operations, programs, and services in the six
counties of the 8th Circuit. Specifically, the Trial Court Administrator is responsible for staff
supervision, strategic planning, policy implementation, operations coordination, budget
development, and financial reporting. The Trial Court Administrator also serves as the principal
liaison with the Office of the State Courts Administrator and reports directly to the Chief Judge of
the Eighth Judicial Circuit.
Alachua County Criminal Justice Center
The Alachua County Criminal Justice Center
has been in operation s i n c e
S e p t e m b e r o f 2 0 0 3 and houses the
Circuit and County Criminal Divisions.
Criminal trials are held each week in Alachua
County. Jurors are summonsed to appear for
service on the first day of a trial week. If
selected as a juror, jury service continues
for the duration of the trial.
Circuit Criminal Division
The Circuit Criminal Division is assigned the following case types: felonies, post-conviction relief,
Jimmy Ryce Cases, extraordinary and unusual case compensation, and juror show cause hearings.
County Criminal Division
The County Criminal Division is assigned the following case types: misdemeanors, criminal traffic,
and municipal ordinance violations.
Specialty Courts
The Eighth Judicial Circuit operates several specialty courts. Specialty Courts address particular
case types and are designed to reduce recidivism and provide alternatives to normal sentencing
and/or incarceration. In general, active monitoring and intensive therapy and treatment are key
elements of the program. The Specialty Courts in the Circuit are:
• Felony Adult Drug Court
• Felony Forensic Court
• Mental Health Court
• Veterans Treatment Court
Alachua County Family and Civil Justice Center
The Alachua County Family and Civil Justice Center was built in
1978, and currently houses proceedings related to the Circuit
Civil and Probate Division, County Civil Division, and Family
Court.
Circuit Civil and Probate Division
Judges assigned to the Circuit Civil and Probate Division preside
over private disputes with damages in excess of $15,000, actions
related to estates, determinations of title and boundaries of real
property, extraordinary writs, guardianship and mental health
cases. In addition, the Division has two General Magistrates that
review foreclosure and mental health cases.
Family Court Division
In general, the Family Court Division is assigned cases related to juvenile dependency, juvenile
delinquency, paternity, truancy, adoptions, name changes, domestic violence, and dissolution of
marriage. The Division operates under the Unified Family Court concept, in which all related legal
matters affecting a family are brought to the attention of the UFC judge. This structure benefits
families by keeping court proceedings at a minimum and thereby reducing the potential for
conflicting orders from the Court. The Division also has General Magistrates and Judicial Hearing
Officers to review child support and juvenile dependency cases.
Within the Family Court Division, the Judicial Hearing Officer Program reviews, manages and
processes volume-driven cases, such as the establishment of paternity, the modification of child
support, and the compliance/enforcement of child support and final judgments of divorce.
County Civil Division
The County Civil Division is responsible for the following case types: civil traffic cases, landlord-
tenant cases, small claims with damages up to $5,000, and civil disputes with damages up to
$15,000. The Division also has a Civil Traffic Infraction Hearing Officer who presides over traffic
infraction proceedings, including county and municipal parking ordinance violations.
Appellate Division
The Alachua County Appellate division reviews, through a party’s appeal, orders of the county
courts in the Eighth Judicial Circuit. Four appellate panels, each consisting of three Circuit Judges,
are appointed by the Chief Judge. Each panel meets quarterly to review orders. The Chief Judge
presides as Administrative Judge over the Appellate Division.
Court Administration
Administrative Services Office
The Administrative Services Office serves the six counties of the Eighth Judicial Circuit and is
responsible for state and county human resources, finance and accounting, budget management,
purchasing, state payroll and benefits, county payroll and benefits, asset management, courier
services, and registry of court-appointed attorneys.
The Circuit receives legislative appropriations through the State Court System to fund Circuit
operations, administration, and personnel. In addition, federal funds in the form of state grants
from the Department of Revenue and the Department of Children and Families are dedicated to the
Child Support Enforcement Hearing Officer Program and the Juvenile Dependency Mediation
Program, respectively. The court also receives a portion of its funding from Alachua, Baker,
Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy, and Union Counties to provide for state mandated positions, facilities,
security, communications and technology.
Alternative Dispute Resolution/Mediation
Alternative Dispute Resolution Office facilitates the use of mediation and other alternate means to
resolve court cases for litigants in all six counties. Mediation is an informal and non-adversarial
process in which parties involved in a disputed matter meet with a neutral third party, the
mediator, in an attempt to resolve their differences. The Eighth Judicial Circuit also has a volunteer
mediation program for certain types of cases. The Office is divided into three sections: Family,
Dependency, and County Civil/Small Claims.
In In 2018 the 8
th
Circuit Mediators conducted:
43 County Mediations (above small claims)
63 Dependency Mediations
739 Family Mediations
491 Small Claims Mediations
1,336 Total mediations
Alternative Sanctions Coordinator
The Alternative Sanctions Coordinator serves the six counties of the Eighth Judicial Circuit assisting,
creating, and implementing community based alternative sanctions for juvenile offenders.
Court Reporting
The Court Reporting Office is responsible for the Court’s official record through the use of Real-time
Court Reporters and Digital Court Reporters. Real-time Court Reporters provide transcripts of the
court events that they cover and provide real-time access to the judiciary and attorneys via
computer screen and same-day rough-draft transcripts during felony trials. Digital Court Reporters
log each event, play back recorded events, and ensure the quality of the recording by staying in
contact with event participants. The Office also provides Americans with Disabilities (ADA)
assistance for the hearing-impaired.
Court Technology
The Court Technology Office is responsible for all the technology needs in the Eighth Judicial Circuit.
The Office determines specifications for the all equipment, configures it, deploys it, and supports
it, via the telephone support line, remote network access, and in-house-calls throughout the
Circuit.
OpenCourt, an open source based digital court reporting system, was developed in-house by the
Circuit’s Court Technology Officer. The system is now being used in 500 courtrooms in 43 counties
(13 of the 20 Judicial Circuits) in Florida.
ICMS3, the latest version of the Circuit’s Integrated Case Management System, provides case
lookup, search, and case reporting for the six counties from a single web interface. This system was
developed in the Eighth Circuit and is now used by 31 other counties (9 other circuits).
Court Interpreting
Court Interpreting provides services to non-English speaking persons or deaf persons for court
events in all six counties of the Eighth Judicial Circuit. The Office has one full-time certified Spanish
interpreter and maintains a roster of certified and qualified contract interpreters who are
employed on an as-needed basis.
Family/Pro Se Coordinator
The Pro Se Coordinator gives procedural information for certain cases that include contested, non-
contested, and simplified divorce matters, cases to establish paternity, certain custody cases, child
support, visitation, step-parent adoptions, and name changes. The Coordinator does not provide
legal advice or legal representation. Self-help packets and Pro Se procedural workshops are
available through the Clerk’s office and the Family Court Division, respectively.
Self Help Center
The Alachua County Self-Help Center Staff is available to answer procedural questions and to help
pro-se litigants with Supreme Court approved forms. Most pro se litigants utilizing the Self Help
Center seek assistance with family law issues, but the SHC also handles questions on simple
probate, guardianship, mental health, Baker and Marchman Acts, and other civil (including
landlord/tenant). The SHC host “Ask A Lawyer” clinics every 3-4 months. Local Bar members have
been instrumental in assisting the Court in this area.
Jury Management
Court Administration works closely with the Alachua County Clerk of Court to ensure jurors are
available for jury selection and trials. The Office monitors jury selections, jury excusals, and the
progress of trials throughout the Eighth Judicial Circuit.
Staff Attorneys
Staff attorneys are assigned to the Appellate, Civil, Criminal, Family, and Probate Divisions. In
general, staff attorneys assist circuit and county judges with case management, legal research, daily
casework (reviewing petitions and drafting orders) and providing technical expertise in specific
areas of law.
