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Section IV - Services of Other Officials and Agencies
Courts, Office of the Court Administrator
Trial Court Administrator, Carol Lee Ortman
954-831-7740 or 954-831-7335
Broward County Courthouse, Room 880/470
201 S.E. 6th St.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
The Office of the Court Administrator is concerned with all aspects of court management involving the 90 judges of the Circuit and County courts. It directs several administrative support offices including Budget and Fiscal Management, Personnel Management, Purchasing, Research and Statistical Analysis, Space and Facilities Management, and Video Operations. It is also responsible for the operation and supervision of the following court programs:
Court Interpreters Program
www.17th.flcourts.org
954-831-7290
Broward County Courthouse, Room 2807
201 S.E. 6th St.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
The Court Interpreters Program provides translation and interpretation services in Spanish and French/Creole to the Circuit and County Criminal Courts, State Attorney, Public Defender and court programs. Other languages, including sign language, are available upon request through contract interpreters.
Court Mediation and Arbitration Program (CMAP)
954-831-6076
Broward County Courthouse, Room 565
201 S.E. 6th St.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
CMAP operates various programs from the Central Courthouse location, including Small Claims and County Mediation, Family Mediation, Dependency Mediation, Circuit Civil Mediation, Court Arbitration, the Broward Community Justice Alternatives Program, and Teen Court. The administrative offices for all these programs are located in Room 565 of the Broward County Courthouse.
Small Claim and County Court Mediation
This CMAP program provides mediation services as an effective alternative to a court trial. Civil cases such as landlord/tenant, eviction, breach of contract, employment, consumer disputes, and similar issues can be court-ordered to mediation. Mediators who are scheduled to work with these cases hold, at a minimum, a Florida Supreme Court Certification as a County Court Mediator.
Family Mediation
This CMAP program provides mediation as an opportunity to minimize the effects of divorce on families. Full-service mediation (including financial issues) is offered by court order prior to a divorce being finalized or for issues that arise after the divorce has been granted. To use this program, a case must be filed. Mediation scheduled through this program is subject to participant income limitations as specified by the legislature for state subsidized mediation. Fees are based on income. Mediators are certified as Family Court Mediators by the Florida Supreme Court.
Dependency Mediation
This CMAP program handles cases filed in Juvenile Dependency Court with an Order to Mediation signed by a judge, including those with charges of alleged abuse, abandonment, neglect, etc. Multiple agencies are generally involved in these mediation sessions in an effort to place children in the healthiest and safest environment. Mediators are certified as Dependency Mediators by the Florida Supreme Court.
Circuit Civil Mediation
This CMAP program coordinates cases referred to private mediation by Circuit and Family Court Judges. Attorneys or Pro Se litigants may participate in this program if they seek a randomly selected mediator from the rotation list maintained by the program. Statistics for all private mediation sessions held outside of CMAP programs are compiled monthly.
Court Arbitration
This CMPA program evaluates applications for court arbitrators and maintains an updated listing of court-approved arbitrators. Program administrators maintain statistics for all arbitration orders and hearings in Broward County.
Broward Community Justice Alternatives
This CMAP program offers options for alternative dispute resolution. Referrals may be from the State Attorney’s Office when a charge has been filed, or in lieu of a charge being filed. Criminal cases such as harassment, battery, assault, as well as misdemeanors and violations of city ordinances, worthless checks, sales tax diversion and offenses deemed appropriate by the State Attorney’s Office can be referred to this program. Discrimination referrals from the Broward County Office of Equal Opportunity may also be accepted. The program accepts self-referrals when no charges have been filed in such cases as neighborhood disputes, senior citizen issues, and other community problems and citizen disputes. All parties of a self-referral must agree to attempt to resolve their issues through mediation. In each case, a trained mediator will be assigned to assist the parties in resolving the issues. There is no charge to the parties for most referrals.
Teen Court 954-831-1291
Teen Court is a diversionary program that offers an alternative to formal court proceedings for juveniles. Cases are referred by the State Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement agencies. Teen Court addresses such charges as petit theft, misdemeanor drug possession, and trespassing. At Teen Court sentencing hearings, trained high school volunteers perform all courtroom roles, including those of bailiff, clerk, and jurors. The presiding judge is either a member of the judiciary, a volunteer attorney, or one of the trained Teen Court professional staff. The jurors render a sentencing decision that can include counseling, essays, restitution, and jury duty assignments. Community service is a required sanction for all juveniles participating in the Teen Court Program. The defendant’s compliance with these sanctions is tracked by a Teen Court case manager. If defendants do not comply with the rules and regulations of Teen Court, the case is returned to the State Attorney’s Office for a filing decision. The Court intakes and hearings are held at each of Broward County’s four courthouse locations.
Case Management Services Unit
954-831-8532
Broward County Courthouse, Room 470
201 S.E. 6th St.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Case Managers assigned to the criminal, civil, family, mental health, domestic violence, dependency and delinquency courts monitor the time and events involved in the movement of a case from the point of initiation to disposition by following mechanisms such as early screening, creation of event deadline and continuous oversight and measurement of progress. Information is provided to judges regarding case delay. Case managers also provide information to judges regarding community resources and monitor compliance with court-ordered services.
Court Reporting Services
954-831-6260
201 S.E. 6th St., Room 475
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Court Reporting Services records and provides official transcripts for all County criminal and juvenile dependency, felony drug and mental health court proceedings.
General Magistrates
Thirteen General Magistrates provide auxiliary judicial functions in the areas of divorce, support enforcement, dependency and mental health, which relieves the workload of the Civil Division. The General Magistrates handle cases involving temporary relief, contempt of court, support enforcement, involuntary commitment, judgment of in-competency, guardianship, and modification of prior rulings. General Magistrates are:
Barbara Beilly
Rita ScLafani Berry
Melinda Brown
Kenneth Gillespie
Nicholas Lopane
Barbara A. McCarthy
Debbie McClosky
Giuseppina Miranda
Alan Methelis
Michael Robinson
Philip Schlissel
Michael Sullivan
Marina Garcia Wood
Judicial Information Systems
954-831-7722
201 S.E. 6th St., Room 895
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Judicial Information Systems is comprised of three sections: 1) Court Information Services, which provides information processing applications to the Judiciary, Court Administration, and Court Programs; 2) Network Administrative Services, which is responsible for installation, implementation, and maintenance of data processing networks and computer hardware for the Circuit Court; and 3) Customer Support Services, which provides software training in word processing and other information system applications as needed by the Judiciary, Court Administration, and Court Programs.
State Attorney’s Office - Victim Advocate Unit
954-765‑4133
16 S.E. 6th St.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Victim Advocate/Domestic Violence Specialists supervised by the State Attorney’s Office provide case management services to individuals and families impacted by domestic violence. Information regarding the legal process, family violence and safety planning are offered to victims regardless of whether there is a criminal case with the State of Florida. Referral services may include shelter, economic assistance, translation and counseling. Regular contact is maintained with the victims to assure safety and to address their needs before they are faced with crisis situations. Court orientation and accompaniment to court proceedings are provided in addition to crisis and supportive counseling.
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