X Divisional Instructions

Last updated: 04/27/2026

Judge Scott Suskauer

Judicial Assistant Britt McCarthy

Contact Information

Table of Contents

A. Communications with the Judicial Office

Method of Communication:

• E-mails
  All communications to the judicial office should be submitted via e-mail to CAD-DivisionX@pbcgov.org, the dedicated division e-mail account. The subject line of any e-mail must contain the case number, case name, and relevant matter (e.g., 2024 CF 001234 AMB State v. Smith – 2-Hour Hearing Requested). Opposing counsel must be copied.
• Telephone
  Self-represented litigants and attorneys excused from e-mail service may communicate with the judicial office by telephone call to 561-355-3801. The judicial office does not accept text messages. Please note that long distance calls may not be returned. In compliance with Canon 3 of the Code of Judicial Conduct, messages left via voicemail may be returned via e-mail with all parties to the case copied.

Ex parte Communications:

• All communications with the judicial office must comply with Canon 3 of the Code of Judicial Conduct, which prohibits a judge from initiating, permitting, or considering ex parte communications and from considering other communications outside the presence of the parties concerning a pending or impending proceeding, unless authorized by law. All parties must be copied on any e-mail directed to the judicial office, unless an ex parte communication is authorized by law.
• Parties may only contact the judicial office in accordance with these practices and procedures. Unsolicited communications from non-parties will not be considered by the court.

E-Filing Portal Contact Information:

• All attorneys and self-represented litigants must make and receive service by e-mail, which is generally through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, unless excused. Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.516.
• All attorneys and self-represented litigants must provide an e-mail address to receive signed orders electronically, unless excused. Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.516. It is the responsibility of attorneys and self-represented litigants to update their contact information using Form 2.603, email designation form, any time there is a change in the e-mail account registered for electronic service.

Response to Inquiries:

• Be advised that all inquires are answered in the order received. The Judicial Assistant strives to substantively respond to all inquiries within two business days. If you do not receive a substantively response from the Judicial Assistant within two business days, you may follow-up either by email or telephone.
• When the judicial assistant is out of the office, your message will be acknowledged as received with an indication of when to expect a substantive response and an alternate contact for emergency assistance.
• Neither the Judge nor the Judicial Assistant can give legal advice regarding how to proceed with the case. For assistance, you may contact the Self-Help Center at 561-355-6781 located on the first floor of the Main West Palm Beach Courthouse or visit the self-service center in the Clerk's Office in the Satellite Courthouses. Additionally, the Palm Beach County Bar Association has a lawyer referral and information service at 561-687-3266.

Other Communication Procedures:

• Please be advised, any e-mail sent to or from the judicial office may be a public record subject to disclosure.

B. Scheduling Procedures

Court Schedule:

• Arraignments, Case Dispositions, Plea Conferences, Status Check Hearings, State to File Hearings, and Motions anticipated to take less than fifteen (15) minutes will be heard during the daily 8:30 am docket.
• Any Motion or matter anticipated to take fifteen (15) minutes or more must be specially set and will not be heard during the morning docket.
• At least one week per month will be designated "Motion Week" for the Court to hear Motions of thirty (30) minutes or more.
• This division utilizes Plea Conferences and Calendar Calls as a method to determine which cases will be set on a trial docket. Calendar Calls, Motion Weeks, and Trial Periods dates are all listed in the Division X "Trial Docket" page.
• Per Administrative Order 4.101 no hearing shall be scheduled with less than five (5) days notice unless agreed to by all parties.

Scheduling Hearings:

• All matters shall be set through the Judicial Assistant with date and time coordinated with opposing counsel.
• Hearings must be requested by e-mail to CAD-DivisionX@pbcgov.org. The request must copy opposing counsel and include the case number, Defendant's name, the amount of time both parties need for hearing, an e-filed copy of the Motion, and all supporting documents.
• The Judicial Assistant will not release dates before the moving party submits an e-filed Motion that includes the Clerk's timestamp in the top left corner.
• All parties must comply with Local Rule 4 prior to requesting a hearing.

Notice of Hearing:

• Once a date and time is agreed upon, a notice of hearing must be timely filed with the Clerk of Court and an e-filed copy emailed to the Judicial Assistant.
• If the Defendant is in custody and needs to be transported for the hearing, please indicate "JAIL TO TRANSPORT" on your Notice of Hearing.
• All notices of hearing must contain the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) notification required by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.540 and the language that counsel has complied with Local Rule 4.

Submission Deadlines:

The Court must receive all materials for the hearing, including case law, no later than two (2) business days before the hearing.

Order of Proceedings:

• Matters involving parties in-person will generally be heard before parties on Zoom.
• Matters involving in-custody defendants will generally be heard before other matters.
• Matters involving parties represented by counsel will generally be heard before other matters.

Continuance Procedure:

• Motions for Continuance must be made in writing and filed with the Clerk's Office prior to requesting a hearing or submitting a proposed agreed order.
• Your Motion must specificity: (1) the basis of the need for the continuance, including when the basis became known to the movant; (2) whether the motion is opposed; (3) the action and specific dates for the action that will enable the movant to be ready, including, but not limited to, confirming the specific date any required participants are available; and (4) the proposed date by which the case will be ready to proceed and whether that date is agreed by all parties.
• Except for good cause shown, the motion must be signed by the party requesting the continuance, as required by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.545(e).
• Motions for continuance are disfavored and will be granted only upon good cause shown. Successive continuances are highly disfavored. Lack of due diligence is not grounds for granting a continuance.
• All Motions to Continue Calendar Call should be timely filed and heard well in advanced. No Motions to Continue will be heard on the day of Calendar Call.

Cancelling Hearings:

Please do not file a Notice of Cancellation without requesting prior leave of this Court. Hearings may only be cancelled or rescheduled with permission of the Court.

Other Scheduling Procedures:

The Judicial Assistant strives to notify affected parties in writing of urgent schedule changes as soon as practical. The divisional Suspension Calendar and Trial Docket are subject to change without notice at the Court's discretion.

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C. Remote Appearance

Remote Appearance Procedure:

• Parties may appear remotely for: Case Dispositions, Initial Case Conferences, Status Checks, or State to File Hearings. The Court maintains a hybrid virtual courtroom for non-evidentiary hearings, allowing parties to appear either in person or remotely, as provided by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.530.
• The Court prefers that all parties appear in person for Arraignments, Plea Conferences, Bond Hearings, and all Evidentiary Hearings where evidence is presented by way of testimony.
• All parties (State, Defense, and Defendant) are required to appear in person for Calendar Call. 
• Requests to use Zoom for a witness appearance in any evidentiary hearing or for trial must be made by motion in writing and ruled upon prior to the date of scheduled appearance.

Platform & Meeting ID#:

• The Court uses Zoom remote platform for remote appearances.

  Meeting Link: Zoom Link.
  Meeting ID: 890 4412 8953

• The following information is provided to assist litigants in the use of Zoom, the remote video software used by the Fifteenth Circuit for remote judicial events.
• Before joining a Zoom meeting on a computer or mobile device, you can download the Zoom app from the Zoom Download Center. Otherwise, you will be prompted to download and install Zoom when you click a join link.
• If you are unable to download the app, you may select the option to "start from your browser."

Requirements:

For any person attending Court via Zoom:

• Please label yourself with your first and last name. Attorneys should designate themselves with 'Esq.'
• Please be patient and remain on MUTE until you are called upon by Judge Suskauer.
• Please refrain from walking around, smoking, or laying in bed while on Zoom. You must be stationary and in a private location that is quiet and free from distractions. Under no circumstances will a participant be permitted to appear remotely from a moving vehicle.
• Please dress appropriately and conduct yourself on Zoom as though you were in-person for your Court hearing.
• Your camera must be turned when addressing the Court.

Technology Needs:

All participants in a remote hearing must have a camera, microphone, and speaker to allow them to be seen and heard during a video conference.

Other Remote Appearance Procedures

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D. Submission of Orders and Judgments

Format and Submission Method:

• The Court prefers all proposed orders to be submitted in WORD format through Online Services with service to opposing counsel and any self-represented litigant.
• All proposed agreed orders must be accompanied by written proof of agreement, either by attachment to the proposed order in OLS as a PDF or forwarded via email to CAD-DivisionX@pbcgov.org.
• All proposed orders on Motions that require inquiry with a 3rd party (JAC or Police Department) must submit written proof of no objection, either by attachment to the proposed order in OLS as a PDF or forwarded via email to CAD-DivisionX@pbcgov.org.
• For proposed orders on Petitions to Expunge or Seal:
  • A courtesy copy of the e-filed Petition, Affidavit, FDLE Certification, MUST be provided either by email to CAD-DivisionX@pbcgov.org or attached to the proposed order in OLS.

Deadline for Submissions:

• Proposed orders must be submitted no later than one week after any hearing unless otherwise stated by the Court.
• Proposed agreed orders to continue non-evidentiary hearings must be submitted timely prior to the hearing.

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E. Courtesy Copies of Case Law and Other Documents

Format, Submission Method and Deadlines

• Courtesy copies of Motions, applicable caselaw, and all supporting documents must be provided at least 48 hours prior to hearing, e-mailed to the Judicial Assistant at CAD-DivisionX@pbcgov.org.
• Courtesy The Court greatly appreciates written responses on all specially set matters, with courtesy copies provided at least 48 hours prior to hearing, e-mailed to the Judicial Assistant at CAD-DivisionX@pbcgov.org.
• No later than noon on Friday prior to trial, parties shall communicate and submit one set of agreed verdict form, pre-trial stipulations, and jury instructions (Times New Roman, 16 pt. font or larger) emailed in WORD format to CAD-DivisionX@pbcgov.org.If the parties are not able to come to agreement on jury instructions, one set should be submitted with objections, modifications or competing instructions juxtaposed with each instruction.

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F. Emergency and Other Urgent Matters

Requirements:

• If a party believes there is a factual basis for setting an emergency hearing, a detailed motion setting forth the following must be filed: (1) the issues to be resolved, (2) reasons why an emergency hearing is necessary, and (3) the amount of time needed for each party's presentation.
• The proponent of the emergency matter must file their Motion with the Clerk's Office, and send copy to the Judicial Assistant at CAD-DivisionX@pbcgov.org.
• If the court determines that an emergency exists, a hearing will be scheduled unilaterally by the court. All parties shall make themselves available for the emergency hearing, barring exigent circumstances.

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G. Exhibits for Evidentiary Proceedings

Submission Method:

• Original exhibits should be brought to court for hearing.
• In addition, parties may agree to submit exhibits necessary for the Court to review in anticipation of the hearing along with a courtesy copy of motion to the division email CAD-DivisionX@pbcgov.org. Physical copies of recordings or exhibits in excess of fifteen (15) pages may be dropped off to the black Judge's box on the 1st floor of the Main courthouse just inside security.

Format:

• Exhibits must be labeled with the case number, Defendant's name, and submitting party.
• Exhibits submitted as physical copies must be labeled and tabbed appropriately.
• All attorneys and self-represented litigants must bring sufficient copies of each exhibit for the clerk, the court, and each party to review during the hearing or trial, if necessary.

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H. Pretrial Procedures and Conferences

• Any pre-trial substantive motions of more than 15 minutes should be brought to the attention of the Court immediately upon filing.
• All pre-trial motions shall be heard no later than the prior Motion Week to Calendar Call. Please review the Trial Docket page that lists all Motion Weeks, Calendar Calls, and Trial Periods.
• Brief Motions in Limine of less than ten (10) minutes total may be heard the morning of trial.

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I. Setting Case for Trial

All cases not resolved by negotiated plea or a plea to the Court will be set for Calendar Call on a Trial docket. All parties must appear in person for Calendar Call. All parties should be ready to begin trial during the 3 - 4 week trial period following Calendar Call. Any attorney conflict should be presented at or in advance of the Calendar Call to the Court as required by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.550. Pretrial stipulations, jury instructions, and verdict forms should be provided to Judge Suskauer in advance of the jury selection.

Other Procedures for Setting Case for Trial:

At the Court's discretion, a case ready for trial may be specially set directly on a future date upon request of the parties.

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J. Forms

(Intentionally Blank)

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K. Other Division Procedures

ADA Accommodations:

• If you need an ADA accommodation, please call 561‐355‐4380. If you are hearing or voice impaired, call 1‐800‐955‐8771. You can also fax 561‐656‐7662, or e‐mail ADA@pbcgov.org.
• Information on ADA accommodations can be found on the Circuit ADA web page.

Interpreter Requests:

• It is the responsibility of Defense Counsel to request an interpreter if needed by emailing CAD-ALLCOURTINTERPRETERS@pbcgov.org.
• Per Court Interpreters office, all requests must be received 7 days in advance of the scheduled proceeding.

Other Division Procedures:

Media Requests:

The Code of Judicial Conduct governing Judges prohibits them from discussing any pending cases with the media or the public. Regarding all media requests, please contact the 15th Judicial Circuit Public Information Officer, Richalyn Miller at RLMiller@pbcgov.org or (561) 355-4098.

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