26-36, SUPERSEDES 25-23 IN RE: CLERK OF COURT – CONFIDENTIALITY OF JUDGES’ AND JUDICIAL ASSISTANTS’ PERSONAL INFORMATION - ORDERED 10/15/2026 BY MELANIE CHASE
WHEREAS, Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.420(c)(7) deems all records made confidential under Florida law are confidential and exempt from public records disclosure; and
WHEREAS, section 119.071(4)(d)2.e., Florida Statutes, provides, “The home addresses, dates of birth, and telephone numbers of current or former justices of the Supreme Court, district court of appeal judges, circuit court judges, and county court judges and current judicial assistants; the names, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and places of employment of the spouses and children of current or former justices and judges and current judicial assistants; and the names and locations of schools and day care facilities attended by the children of current or former justices and judges and of current judicial assistants are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution;”
It is hereby ORDERED:
- The Eighteenth Circuit’s current or former circuit court judges and county court judges and current judicial assistants will utilize the Notice of Confidential Information Within Court Filing, attached to this Administrative Order as “Attachment A,” to notify the Clerk of Court of the filing of any of their confidential information enumerated in section 119.071(4)(d)2.e. in a court file.
- The Notice of Confidential Information Within Court Filing may be filed in a court file without being served upon the parties to the particular case in which the Notice is filed. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.516(a)(3).
- Upon the filing of such Notice, the information deemed confidential in section 119.071(4)(d)2.e., Florida Statutes, shall be maintained as such by the Clerk of Court, and the Notice itself shall also be maintained as confidential.
- This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.
DONE AND ORDERED this 15th day of October 2026.
MELANIE CHASE
CHIEF JUDGE