1. Detention Review Hearings: The Clerk of Court shall schedule all juvenile detention review hearings to be conducted by a juvenile judge the next business day following a weekend. Juvenile detention review hearings shall begin at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays (with the exception of holidays) in courtroom JJC1, unless otherwise directed by the presiding juvenile judge. 
2. Shelter Review Hearings: The Clerk of Court shall schedule all juvenile shelter review hearings to be conducted by a juvenile judge the next business day following a weekend. Juvenile shelter review hearings shall begin at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays (with the exception of holidays) in courtroom JJC2, unless otherwise directed by the presiding juvenile judge.
3. This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately and remain in effect until modified or rescinded.

DONE AND ORDERED this 9th day of February 2026.
________________________________
MELANIE CHASE
CHIEF JUDGE

I. That qualified circuit judges in Brevard and Seminole Counties are authorized and directed to supplement and aid the county judges of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit by sitting as county judges in the following matters:

A. Initial and second appearances in criminal justice cases;
B. Misdemeanor crimes;
C. All tasks related to violation of probation for misdemeanor crimes;
D. County court civil infraction hearings.

II. For purposes of conducting the aforementioned proceedings, I determine the following circuit judges to be appropriately qualified:

The Honorable Tesha Ballou
The Honorable Scott Blaue
The Honorable Samuel Bookhardt III
The Honorable Melanie Chase
The Honorable Charles G. Crawford
The Honorable Jigisa Dookhoo
The Honorable John D. Galluzzo
The Honorable Donna M. Goerner
The Honorable Steve Henderson
The Honorable Mark Edward Herr
The Honorable Curt Jacobus
The Honorable Kelly J. McKibben
The Honorable Laura Moody
The Honorable Michelle L. Naberhaus
The Honorable William S. Orth
The Honorable George T. Paulk
The Honorable Jessica Recksiedler
The Honorable Michael J. Rudisill
The Honorable Robert Segal
The Honorable Christina Serrano
The Honorable Kristen Smith-Rodriguez
The Honorable Melissa D. Souto
The Honorable Kathryn M. Speicher
The Honorable Christopher Sprysenski
The Honorable Susan Stacy
The Honorable Michelle Studstill

III. When the circuit judges listed above conduct any of the county court matters listed in subsection I of this Order, the services of the circuit judge are to be:

A. Temporary;
B. Directed only to the specific classes of cases listed in subsection I of this Order;
C. Limited to assisting and supplementing the county court judges; and
D. Restricted to only a fraction of the pending cases.

IV. No circuit judge shall be assigned to perform solely county court work absent a special-order authorizing and directing said assignment (not to exceed sixty days in duration). Crusoe v. Rawls, 472 So.2d 1163 (Fla. 1985) (footnotes 2,3).

V. No circuit judge shall be given successive and repetitive assignments to hear all county court matters in any special district within the circuit, absent a special order of assignment (not to exceed sixty days in duration). Payret v. Adams, 500 So.2d 136 (Fla. 1986).

VI. When any of the circuit judges listed above conduct any of the county court matters as described in subsection I of this Order, that circuit judge shall have all powers and authority of a county judge in every respect. This authority includes, but is not limited to, the issuing of orders in the county court so assigned, as deemed necessary and appropriate.

VII. This Order shall be in effect on January 1, 2026, and for a period of six months from the date of its rendition.

DONE and ORDERED this 1st day of January 2026.
MELANIE CHASE
CHIEF JUDGE

CIRCUIT WIDE

Chief Judge Judge Melanie Chase
Deputy Chief Judge Judge Charlie Crawford
Civil Division Judge Scott Blaue
Diversity Liaison Judge Samuel Bookhardt, III
Family Division Judge Christopher Sprysenski
Hague Convention Representative Judge Jigisa Dookhoo
Trial Court Budget Commission (TCBC) Judge Kelly J. McKibben

BREVARD COUNTY

Appeals Division Judge Kathryn M. Speicher
Bar Bench Liaison Judge Tesha Ballou
Canvassing Board Judge Kelly Ingram
Canvassing Board Alternate Judge Clarissa Harrell
Conflict Counsel Fee Review/Registry Judge Steve Henderson
Criminal Division Judge Steve Henderson
Deputy Family Administrative Judge Judge Robert Segal
Drug Court (Adult) Judge Robert Segal
Drug Court (Juvenile) Judge Katie Jacobus
Law Library Board of Trustees Judge Jigisa Dookhoo and Judge Katie Jacobus
Legislative Liaison Judge Kelly Ingram
Professionalism Committee Judge Michelle Studstill
Public Safety Coordinating Council Judge Charlie Crawford and Judge Scott Blaue
Security Committee – Chair Judge Charlie Crawford
Security Committee – Circuit Rep Judge Kathryn M. Speicher
Security Committee – County Rep Judge Thomas J. Brown
Staff Attorneys Judge Michelle L. Naberhaus

BREVARD COUNTY – COUNTY COURT

Administrative Judge Judge Kimberly Musselman
Mental Health Administrative Judge Judge Thomas J. Brown
Veteran’s Treatment Court Judge Kimberly Musselman

SEMINOLE COUNTY

Appeals Division Judge Michael J. Rudisill
Bar Bench Liaison Judge Mark E. Herr
Canvassing Board Judge Carsandra Buie
Canvassing Board Alternate Judge James J. DeKleva
Conflict Counsel Fee Review/Registry Judge Jessica Recksiedler
Court Technology Judge Christopher Sprysenski
Criminal Division Judge Michael J. Rudisill
Drug Court (Adult) Judge Melissa D. Souto
Drug Court (Juvenile) Judge Michael J. Rudisill
Juvenile Division Judge William S. Orth
Jury Management Judge Donna M. Goerner
Legislative Liaison Judge Michael J. Rudisill
Mental Health Judge William S. Orth
Professionalism Committee Judge Christopher Sprysenski
Public Safety Coordinating Council Judge Melissa D. Souto
Seminole County Alliance Judge William S. Orth
Security Committee – Chair Judge John D. Galluzzo
Security Committee – Circuit Rep Judge Donna Goerner
Security Committee – County Rep Judge James J. DeKleva
Staff Attorneys Judge John D. Galluzzo
Veteran’s Treatment Court Judge William S. Orth

SEMINOLE COUNTY – COUNTY COURT

Administrative Judge Judge James J. DeKleva

DONE AND ORDERED this 8th day of April, 2026.

MELANIE CHASE
CHIEF JUDGE

a. Initial and second appearances in criminal justice cases;
b. Misdemeanor crimes;
c. All tasks related to violation of probation for misdemeanor crimes;
d. County court civil infraction hearings.

2. For purposes of conducting the aforementioned proceedings, I determine the following circuit judges to be appropriately qualified: (Open AO for more information.)”

Additional Information:

• Crusoe v. Rawls, 472 So.2d 1163 (Fla. 1985) (footnotes 2,3)
• Payret v. Adams, 500 So.2d 136 (Fla. 1986)

14-13-B SUPERSEDES 96-2-B: IN RE: Judges – Caseload Assignment – Reassignment of Cases Assigned to Judge Tonya Rainwater
17-34-B: IN RE: Cancellation of Foreclosure Sale – Hurricane Irma
17-35-B: IN RE: Clerk of Court – Rescheduling of September 11, 2017, Infraction Hearings Before Traffic Hearing Officers – Hurricane Irma
17-36-B: IN RE: Clerk of Court – Rescheduling of September 8, 2017, Infraction Hearings Before Traffic Hearing Officer – Hurricane Irma
18-20-B: IN RE: Judges – Caseload Assignment – Reassignment of Cases Assigned to Judge Tonya Rainwater
18-31-B AMENDED, SUPERSEDES 18-31-B: IN RE: Judges – Caseload Assignment – Reassignment of Cases Assigned to Judge David Dugan
18-41-S: IN RE: Judges – Caseload Assignment – Reassignment of Cases Assigned to Judge John D. Galluzzo
18-43-S: IN RE: Magistrate – Temporary Appointment of General Magistrate and Support Enforcement Hearing Officer Brian DeSanto
18-45-S: IN RE: Magistrate – Temporary Appointment of General Magistrate and Support Enforcement Hearing Officer Tesha Ballou
18-49-S: IN RE: Magistrate – Temporary Appointment of General Magistrate and Support Enforcement Hearing Officer Leigh Kniskern

DONE AND ORDERED this 18th day of July 2019.

DONE and ORDERED this 29th day of January 2018.

This Court has been informed of an agreement submitted by the Public Defender and the State Attorney to eliminate the necessity of filing a written demand for discovery in each juvenile case.
Upon filing a Notice of Discovery with the Chief Judge of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, requesting compliance in all juvenile cases in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, this agreement allows the Public Defender, when appointed, to participate in all discovery authorized by Rule 8.060, Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure, except when electing not to participate. When choosing not to participate the Public Defender shall file a “Notice of Intent Not to Participate in Discovery” with the Court and the State.

The State Attorney has informed this Court of its concurrence in this working agreement.

It is therefore ORDERED: (Open AO for more information.)”

Additional Information:

• Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure Rule 8.060 and 8.245
• Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963)

98-32-B: In Re: Judges – Caseload Assignment – Reassignment of Cases Assigned to Judge Cathleen B. Clarke
11-44-B: In Re: Judges – Caseload Assignment – Reassignment of Cases Assigned to Judge George W. Maxwell III
15-37-B: In Re: Judges – Caseload Assignment – Reassignment of Cases Assigned to Judge George W. Maxwell III
16-10-B: In Re: Judges – Caseload Assignment – Reassignment of Cases Assigned to Judge George W. Maxwell III

DONE AND ORDERED this 21st day of June 2017.

DONE and ORDERED this 2nd day of May 2017.

WHEREAS, Florida Rules of Civil Procedure provide for the telephonic appearance of witnesses at hearing only “(1) by agreement of the parties or (2) for good cause shown upon written request of a party upon reasonable notice to all other parties.” Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.451; Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.530; and

WHEREAS, electronic testimony may be taken “only if a notary public or other person authorized to administer oaths in the witness’s jurisdiction is present with the witness and administers the oath consistent with the laws of the jurisdiction.” Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.451; Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.530; and

WHEREAS, Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.530 further requires that the “[t]he cost for the use of the communication equipment is the responsibility of the requesting party unless otherwise directed by the court.” Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.530; and

WHEREAS it would impose a hardship and undue expense for the treating professionals in Marchman Act proceedings to appear in person; and NOW THEREFORE WHEREAS it is in the best interests of the parties to have a qualified professional available to testify, whether in person or through electronic communication, and pursuant to the authority vested in me as Chief Judge of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, under Rule 2.215, of the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration;

It is hereby ORDERED:

1. In Marchman Act hearings for involuntary treatment, treating professionals may appear by telephone without the prior written request or notice to the parties required under Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.451; Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.530.
2. Such testimony will be authorized only if a notary public or other person authorized to administer oaths in the witness’s jurisdiction is present with the witness and administers the oath consistent with the law of the jurisdiction.

DONE AND ORDERED this 24th day of April 2017.