2025 Admin Order 25-24-b Amended

25-24-B AMENDED, SUPERSEDES 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 OCTOBER 1, 2025 - ORDERED 10/08/2025 BY MELANIE CHASE

A. ESTABLISHMENT OF DIVISIONS:

The County Civil and Small Claims Court of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court, Brevard County, consists of five divisions designated as Divisions 1, 3, 4, 9, and 10. Division 9 is a newly created division within this court to accommodate an additional judge, helping to balance the 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 COURT (EXCLUDING SMALL CLAIMS):

The Clerk of the Court shall assign County Civil cases to the five County Civil and Small Claims Court Divisions as follows:

1. The Clerk of the Court shall establish a system for the assignment of County Civil 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 Court 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: 
   1. NORTH JURISDICTION – Historic Titusville Courthouse Titusville, FL (Division 1 – Judge Baker): 32754, 32775, 32780, 32781, 32782, 32783, 32796, 32923, 32924, 32926, 32927, 32931, 32959
   2. CENTRAL JURISDICTION – Moore Justice Center Viera, FL (Division 3 – Judge Harrell, Division 4 – Judge Silverman, Division 9 – Judge Peacock, Division 10 – Judge Musselman): 32901, 32902, 32903, 32904, 32905, 32906, 32907, 32908, 32909, 32910, 32911, 32912, 32920, 32922, 32925, 32932, 32934, 32935, 32936, 32937, 32940, 32941, 32948, 32949, 32950, 32951, 32952, 32953, 32954, 32955, 32956, 32976
   3. OUT OF COUNTY (All Divisions/Judges): Any case filings with zip codes that do not fall into the North or Central jurisdiction will be considered Out of County. Case filings with Out of County jurisdiction will be programmatically assigned, on a rotation, between all five County Civil and Small Claims Court judges.
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.

D. ASSIGNMENT OF CASES FOR SMALL CLAIMS COURT:

The Clerk of the Court shall assign Small Claims cases as follows: 

1. The Clerk of the Court shall assign all newly filed North Jurisdiction Small Claims cases to Division 1 – Judge Baker.
2. The Clerk of the Court shall assign all newly filed Central Jurisdiction Small Claims cases to Division 9 – Judge Peacock.
3. The objective for assigning all new Central Jurisdiction Small Claims cases in this manner is to establish an initial caseload for the newly created Division 9. Upon Division 9 establishing a reasonable caseload, or upon further order of the court, the clerk will resume assigning Small Claims cases in accordance with the procedure for assigning all other County Civil cases in the programmatic round-robin manner.

E. DUTIES OF ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE:

The Administrative Judge of both the Circuit 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 2.215(b)(5), Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration.

F. The Clerk of the Court is directed to modify its procedures as necessary to implement this Order.

G. This Administrative Order is effective October 1, 2025.

DONE AND ORDERED this 6^th day of October, 2025.

MELANIE CHASE

CHIEF JUDGE