Hon. Steve Berlin — 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
UMC / Motion Calendar
Motions must be e-filed and served before requesting a hearing; hearings must be coordinated with opposing counsel; motions requiring at least one hour require a short case management conference.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
The moving party must ensure all counsel and associated parties, including pro se parties, are in the JAWS database; failure may result in cancellation.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Before requesting Court assistance in selecting a hearing date, a party must call and email an unresponsive opposing party at least three times.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
A hearing or cross-noticed hearing may not be added without approval from moving counsel and the Court; an unapproved motion will not be heard.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
A case management conference is generally necessary to set a pretrial conference or trial; no motions will be heard at the conference without prior Court approval, and all parties must attend the pretrial conference.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
To reset a pretrial conference without a hearing, both parties must agree; otherwise, a motion to continue the pretrial conference must be filed and set for hearing.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Courtesy Copies
For hearings involving testimony or physical evidence, deliver evidence and the witness list to the St. Petersburg Judicial Building three days before the hearing; documentary evidence must be in binders unless the Court permits digital format, and emailed items are not accepted.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Email all case law anticipated to be argued three days before the hearing.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Provide a courtesy copy of every notice of hearing by email to the judicial assistant.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Evidence must be copied and exchanged three working days before trial or an evidentiary hearing unless otherwise specified or stipulated, and exhibits must be pre-marked.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Sensitive information must be redacted before the hearing and submission to the Clerk; specified trial materials must be provided to the judge in hardcopy at least five business days before trial.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Zoom Hearings
Attorneys will receive Zoom login information, and notices of hearing must include the Zoom login information.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Proposed Orders
Proposed orders uploaded to JAWS require an explanatory cover letter and two PDF uploads: supporting material in the Cover Letter location and only the order or judgment in the second upload location.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
The JAWS proposed-order submission must consist of two uploads, separating the supporting materials from the proposed order or judgment.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Except for a proposed Final Judgment in an uncontested dissolution final hearing, proposed orders should not be submitted through JAWS before a scheduled hearing unless specifically requested by the judge.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
The cover letter should confirm that the proposed order was shared with all other parties and that they have no objection as to its form; if there is an objection, submit the order by mail with an explanatory cover letter.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
If proposed-order disagreements cannot be resolved, each side should submit an order in Word format with track changes, or both sides may submit proposed orders with highlighted disagreements and a cover letter.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Proposed orders or judgments must not contain blanks for the judge to fill in other than the signing date.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Special Set Hearings
Initial hearings on temporary relief in original petitions and all post-judgment matters are automatically referred to mediation before a hearing; a hearing may be set after mediation is scheduled.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Temporary motions must be mediated before a hearing, and hearing time will not be reserved until mediation has been scheduled.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Temporary-motion hearings should not exceed one hour except under extraordinary circumstances; proffers are strongly encouraged.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
If one party unilaterally cancels mediation, the non-cancelling party may keep the temporary-motion hearing date.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Emergency Motions
For hearings involving testimony or physical evidence, exchange all evidence and witness lists five days before the hearing.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Cancellations
A Notice of Cancellation does not cancel a hearing; JAWS hearings may be cancelled in JAWS up to 24 hours before the hearing, while hearings less than 24 hours away require emailing the judicial assistant.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Other
Witness lists must include telephone numbers for telephonic hearings or email addresses for Zoom hearings, be exchanged five days before the hearing, and be emailed to the Court the day before; parties must provide Zoom login information to witnesses.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Parties seeking a court reporter for a telephonic or Zoom hearing must request one; the Court provides a digital court reporter only for specified injunction hearings.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Persons required to take a statutory parenting course may attend online or by distance learning without filing a motion or obtaining an order for permission.
Verified Aug 10, 2026
Contact Information
Judicial Assistant
Jennifer Johnson
Phone
(727)582-7200Official 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
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