Judge Profile

Linda S. Goodwin

Judicial Experience:

  • 15th Judicial Circuit of Florida

Part Rule:


  • Discovery
    1. Do you require counsel to certify that a good faith effort has been made to resolve discovery disputes before motions are brought before you? Yes

  • Domestic
    What is the procedure for emergency hearings on custody/support? Heard by Circuit Court Judge

  • Motion Practice
    1. Do you allow hearings by conference call? Yes If so, what is the procedure? Requesting counsel must make arragements. 2. Do you have a standard order for scheduling and conducting specially set hearings? No 3. Do you allow specially set hearings to be canceled by agreement of counsel? Yes, If there is an Agreed Order or the Motion is withdrawn. Is an order required? Yes Are there time restrictions? No 4. What is the maximum amount of time you allow for a specially set hearing without requiring the hearing to be placed on a non-jury docket? Generally, four hours. 5. What is the procedure for allowing matters to be set? For trial, Send Notice to Set Cause for trial. For hearing, call my assistant. For commitment hearing file motion for commitment with clerk and deliver date-stamped copy to my office. 6. Do you prefer to receive memoranda in support/opposition to motions in advance of a hearing or at the hearing? In advance. How far in advance? One day. With a courtesy copy of the Notice/order Setting Hearing?Yes 7. Do you have any preference regarding the presentation of proposed orders for specially set hearings? No 8. What is the procedure for scheduling emergency motions?It must be scheduled with Circuit Court Judge. 9. What is the procedure for scheduling hearings on motions for temporary injunctions? See Judge. 10.What is the procedure for scheduling hearings on motions for rehearing or new trials? File the Motion and if hearing is granted, it will be set by the Commissioner's office.

  • Trial Arguments -- Opening/Closing
    1. What time constraints do you impose on: Opening Arguments Jury Trial Non-Jury Trial None Closing Arguments Jury Trial Non-Jury Trial Announced at conclusion of trial.

  • Trial-Related Matters
    1. Continuance of trials When should motions for continuance be heard? Call office to obtain date and time for hearing or set on UMC. Which of the following factors are important to determining whether to continue a trial? a. Parties Stipulate? No b. Counsel's conflict with other trials? Yes c. Unavailability of a party? Depends on reason for unavailability. d. Unavailability of key expert witness? Depends on reason for unavailability. e. Unavailability of key fact witness? Depends on reason for unavailability. f. Incomplete discovery? Maybe. g. Discovery violation by party opposing continuance? Maybe h. Vacations of counsel? Rarely. i. Others? 2. When a case on the calendar is not reached: What is the procedure to get back on calendar? If it is not set on the trial docket at calendar call, it will be specially set or rolled over ot next month's trial docket. Are pretrial deadlines automatically extended? No. Does the case need to be renoticed? No 3. How much notice do you give to counsel to begin trial after docket has commenced? Generally, one week. 4. Do you specially set cases for trial and if so, under what circumstances? Yes, if it is not possible to set case during the trial week. 5. Do you generally try the oldest case first? No. 6.Do you use the uniform Order Setting Trial and pretrial instructions? Magistrates have uniform pretrial order. 7. What witnesses must be disclosed pursuant to you Pretrial Orders? Impeachment? Yes Rebuttal? Yes 8. Do you have any special rules and procedures for marking evidence prior to trial? No 9. Do you utilize a written trial conflict form for docket call? No

Staff:

  • Kayleigh Koyama, Judicial Assistant