THE EIGHTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF FLORIDA

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO.: 4.045

ALACHUA COUNTY

EXPEDITED DISPOSITION DOCKET

            Whereas, pursuant to Canon 3.B (8) of the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct, the Court has a duty to dispose of all judicial matters promptly, efficiently, and fairly; and

            Whereas, the State Attorney and the Public Defender and the private defense bar can often identify cases that can be resolved expeditiously through plea negotiations; and

            Whereas, the Court should provide the judicial resources necessary to dispose of the identified cases in an expedited manner; It is therefore

            ORDERED as follows:

            1.         An Expedited Disposition Docket is hereby established in Alachua County. The docket shall include Circuit and County criminal cases.

            2.         The circuit judges of the Eighth Judicial Circuit are appointed to hear, conduct,

and determine matters of county court jurisdiction which are presented to them on any Expedited Disposition Docket in any county in the circuit.

            3.         The Expedited Disposition Docket will be heard on Fridays beginning at 9:30 a.m. The Administrative Judge of the Felony Division will keep a schedule of the dates and presiding judges and may publish the schedule as needed. A court reporter shall be assigned to this court event docket and produce the official record.

            4.         Once a case has been jointly identified and agreed upon by the state and the defense as a case appropriate for the Expedited Disposition Docket, the state shall send an e-mail to the Alachua County Clerk of Court, felony division, copying the appropriate parties, requesting that the case be placed on the next Expedited Disposition Docket. Requests sent by noon on the Thursday before the next Expedited Disposition Docket, shall be placed on that Friday’s Expedited Disposition Docket by the clerk of court.

            5.         Before noon on the Thursday of a Friday’s Expedited Disposition Docket, the State Attorney’s Office shall notify the appropriate probation departments (Alachua County Court Services or Florida Department of Corrections Probation and Parole) of the terms and conditions of any proposed probation for cases set on that docket. Probation office personnel from each office shall prepare the appropriate probation orders and deliver the orders to the assigned courtroom before 9:00 a.m. on the date of the docket.

            6.         The change of plea forms shall be executed prior to the commencement of court. Each change of plea packet shall include the appropriate change of plea forms and the Notice of Financial Obligations. At the sentencing, the Court will impose all mandatory financial obligations and may impose any discretionary financial obligations of the defendant.

            7.         At the Expedited Disposition Docket, the state and defense shall present the plea agreement to the presiding judge. The presiding judge has the discretion to accept or reject the plea agreement.

            8.          The Florida Department of Corrections Probation and Parole and the Alachua County Court Services shall provide handouts at the hearing, which will instruct the defendant to report to the appropriate probation office with directions to the office, which will be given to the defendant in open court by the defense attorney.

            9.         If a restitution hearing is necessary, it shall be heard in the appropriate division.

            10.       Defense counsel is responsible for notifying the defendant of the court date.

            11.       If a defendant fails to appear the case will be placed on the next appropriate docket of the assigned division. The Disposition Docket judge will not issue a capias.

            ORDERED on November 21, 2003.

                                                                                    ___/s/___________________________

                                                                                    STAN R. MORRIS, CHIEF JUDGE