Hon. Julie L. Sercus — Judicial Procedures
Circuit Civil
Quick operational summary based on publicly available court procedure materials. Always verify with the official court source before relying on this information.
Quick Rules
Courtesy Copies
A courtesy copy must be provided for any motion filed through the E-Portal, by fax, email, or in open court.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Zoom Hearings
Attorneys must be present with their clients for the first pretrial conference and whenever speedy trial is not waived and will not be waived; otherwise, Zoom appearance is permitted with prior notice to the Court.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Proposed Orders
Proposed orders uploaded to the JAWS Section C queue require a cover letter stating that opposing counsel reviewed the order and does not object; the same statement is required in emails to the Judicial Assistant.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Special Set Hearings
In-custody changes of plea for non-VOP cases are heard Tuesday through Thursday; in-custody VOP changes of plea are heard Monday and Friday mornings.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Discovery Disputes
Counsel must confer and make a good-faith effort to resolve discovery matters without a hearing; any discovery hearing must be scheduled in one of the stated ways.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Other
Amended charging documents, witness lists, or evidence lists filed within seven days of trial require prior court authorization.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Attorneys not assigned to the division may sign up in court before the court session; emailed sign-up requests are not accepted.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
A first pretrial conference may not be waived without court approval, and the defendant must attend whenever required by the Court.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Written motions and orders to continue a pretrial conference must be filed by noon on the Friday of the preceding week, include specified grounds and a speedy-trial waiver, and have opposing counsel’s consent.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Absent good cause, pretrial motions must be filed at least two days before calendar call; motions filed on or after calendar call are not timely.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
A motion to suppress hearing will not be scheduled unless a written motion is filed and copies are provided to the Court and the State.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Absent prior court approval and good cause, the defendant must attend all motion hearings.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Absent good cause, a written motion to continue trial must be filed at least two days before calendar call.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
The calendar call is held on the Wednesday before trial week, and the defendant must appear unless the Court specifically waives the requirement in advance.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
A defendant’s failure to appear at calendar call without good cause results in a capias and removal from the trial calendar.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Motions in limine should be scheduled for the Friday before trial week; they must be filed no later than two days before the hearing, with copies emailed to opposing counsel and the Judicial Assistant.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Exhibits to be introduced at trial must be pre-marked by the clerk, and attorneys must show exhibits to opposing counsel before approaching a witness.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Contact Information
Judicial Assistant
Jess Rayburn
Phone
(727)464-6441Courtroom
Ch. 4
Official Page
Court WebsiteLast Verified
August 9, 2026
Official Sources
Source: Official court page or published division procedure material.
Official court pageDivision procedures pageOther Pinellas County judges
- Hon. Aaron HubbardCircuit Civil
- Hon. Amy M. WilliamsCircuit Civil
- Hon. Benjamin S. ThomasCircuit Civil
- Hon. Brett SzematowiczCounty Civil
- Hon. Brian GnageCircuit Civil
- Hon. Cathy McKytonCounty Civil
