25-24 -B IN RE: JUDGES - CASELOAD ASSIGNMENTS - ASSIGNMENT OF COUNTY CIVIL AND SMALL CLAIMS CASES IN THE COUNTY COURT FOR BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA - EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025 - ORDERED 06/26/2025 BY CHARLES G. CRAWFORD
A. ESTABLISHMENT OF DIVISIONS:
The County Civil and Small Claims Court of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court, Brevard County, consists of four divisions designated as Divisions 1, 3, 4, and 10. Division 10 is a newly created division within this court to accommodate an additional judge to help balance high volumes of case filings. One of the judges serving in the County Court shall be appointed as Administrative Judge by the Chief Judge of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit.
B. RESPONSIBILITIES OF JUDGES:
The judge of each County Civil and Small Claims Court division shall be responsible for the progress and conduct of all cases assigned to that division from inception to conclusion, including, but not limited to pretrial, trial, and post-trial motions, and shall exercise supervision over the preparation of all calendars and dockets of cases assigned to the division.
C. ASSIGNMENT OF CASES FOR COUNTY CIVIL AND SMALL CLAIMS COURT:
(1) The Clerk of the Court shall establish a system for the assignment of County Civil and Small Claims cases based the on the zip code of the defendant for each case. The zip code assignment method will provide for a geographical distribution of cases among the judges in two distinct jurisdictions within the County (North Jurisdiction and Central Jurisdiction).
(2) The objective is for all County Civil and Small Claims division judges to receive an equal, or near equal, number of cases. Upon the filing of a complaint with the Clerk’s Office, the judge assignment shall be made first by determination of an appropriate jurisdiction by breakdown of zip codes as follows:
(a) NORTH JURISDICTION (Division 1 – Judge Baker):
32754, 32775, 32780, 32781, 32782, 32783, 32796, 32899, 32923, 32924, 32926, 32927, 32953
(b) CENTRAL JURISDICTION (Division 3 – Judge Harrell, Division 4 – Judge Silverman, Division 10 – Judge Musselman):
32901, 32902, 32903, 32904, 32905, 32906, 32907, 32908, 32909, 32910, 32911, 32912, 32920, 32922, 32925, 32931, 32932, 32934, 32935, 32936, 32937, 32940, 32941, 32948, 32949, 32950, 32951, 32952, 32954, 32955, 32956, 32976
(3) Upon determination of proper jurisdiction, judge assignment will occur automatically in the Clerk Case Maintenance System (CMS) based on the programmatic round-robin allocation criteria and configuration within the CMS.
(4) In order to establish a proper caseload for the newly created Division 10 in the County Civil and Small Claims Court, the Clerk of the Court in coordination with the Judiciary has developed a methodology for reassignment of active pending cases from an initial assigned judge in the Central Jurisdiction to the new Division 10 judge. The cases for reassignment have clear identification on each case, and the caseload reassignment for those cases shall take place on July 1, 2025.
(5) In further coordination with the Judiciary, the Clerk of Court will continue to monitor and adjust allocation criteria and configuration within the CMS for the North and Central Jurisdictions in an effort to ensure equal, or near equal, distribution of cases to each of the County Civil and Small Claims Court judges.
D. DUTIES OF ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE:
The Administrative Judge of both the Circuit Court and County Court Divisions, in addition to those duties specifically assigned herein, shall be responsible for the general supervision of that department and shall perform those administrative duties necessary to its efficient and effective operation in conformity with the applicable policies, procedures, and rules governing the administration of that department as contemplated by Rule 2.2 l 5(b)(5), Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration.
E. The Clerk of the Court is directed to modify its procedures as necessary to implement this Order.
F. This Administrative Order is effective July 1, 2025.
DONE AND ORDERED this 26th day of June 2025.
CHARLIE CRAWFORD