One Family One Judge

Florida’s Family Court strives to identify all cases involving one family, and bring them before one judge, unless impractical.

From the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure:

“…to facilitate access to the court and to provide procedural fairness to all parties, to save time and expense through active case management, setting timetables, and the use of alternatives to litigation, and to enable the court to coordinate related cases and proceedings to avoid multiple appearances by the same parties on the same or similar issues and to avoid inconsistent court orders.” 
Rule 12.010(b)

“All related family cases must be handled before one judge unless impractical.” 
Rule 12.003(a)

“The court may order joint hearings or trials of any issues in related family cases.” 
Rule 12.003(b)

“A judge hearing a family case may access and review the files of any related case either pending or closed, to aid in carrying out his or her adjudicative responsibilities.” 
Rule 12.004(a)

Legal Issues Tool Kit. This tool kit provides answers to legal questions that arise when coordinating cases for families involved in multiple court proceedings.