The Court has entered administrative orders establishing the office of magistrate in family law matters (Administrative Order 5.104), juvenile matters (administrative order 5.104) and mental health matters (Administrative Order 6.304).

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority conferred by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.215, it is ORDERED as follows:
The following are hereby appointed to serve as magistrates with all of the authority, responsibility and power conferred by the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure, Florida Rules of Probate Procedure and Florida Statutes.

Thomas Baker, Esq.
Peter Bassaline, Esq.
Judette Fanelli, Esq.
Diane M. Kirigin, Esq.
Jennifer Klee, Esq.
Ilana Marcus, Esq.
James Williams, Esq.
Maxine Williams, Esq.

DONE and SIGNED in Chambers at West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, this 19th day of August, 2022, nunc pro tunc to July 11, 2022.

Glenn D. Kelley, Chief Judge
*supersedes admin. order 11.203-08/21

With the appointment of Judge Renatha Francis to the Supreme Court, immediate action is necessary to cover Family Division FC. To facilitate coverage, the phased closing of Family Division FD will be accelerated as follows:

• Family Division FD will be closed immediately and the Clerk will reassign FD cases to the remaining family divisions based on AO 5.101-06/2022. Reassignment of all cases should be complete by August 31, 2022.
• Final hearings already set in Division FD are not cancelled and will be heard at their scheduled date and time unless otherwise notified. Any non-final hearing scheduled in Division FD after August 31 will need to be rescheduled in the newly assigned division.
• Efforts will be made to use senior judges or volunteers to obtain coverage for matters set in Division FD from August 15 to August 31. However, it may be necessary to cancel some hearings in Division FD through August 31.
• Hearings can no longer be set in Division FD and must be set in the newly assigned division.
• Effective Monday, August 15, 2022, Judge Ashley Zuckerman will be assigned to Family Division FC.  All hearings and matters scheduled in Division FC will remain set as scheduled.
  

Efforts are being made to minimize the disruption of services in cases presently assigned to Division FD, but scheduling delays are unavoidable until all cases have been reassigned to the remaining family divisions. Coverage issues are complicated by the lack of available senior judges to cover family law matters. Your patience is appreciated as the Circuit deals with this transition.  

Please click here to view the AO. 

Please click here to view the AO. 

Please click here to view AO. 

The transfer of probate cases has now been completed. Transfer orders were signed by Chief Judge Glenn Kelley.  However, none of the cases are assigned to Judge Kelley. All probate cases have been transferred to either Division IA (Judge Laura Johnson) or Division IZ (Judge Charles Burton).

For information, please review the Divisional Instructions for either Division IA or Division IZ.

WEST PALM BEACH – It is with great sadness that the Circuit announces the passing of the Honorable Janis Brustares Keyser on Monday, August 1, 2022. Judge Janis Keyser was born and raised in Miami. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Florida, where she first met her husband, Judge Gregory Keyser.

After law school, Judge Keyser obtained a clerkship with United States District Court Judge Jose A. Gonzalez, Jr. She then became an associate with Jones & Foster, P.A., followed by a clerkship with Fourth District Court of Appeal Judge James C. Downey. After her clerkship, Judge Keyser worked for various law firms until her 2006 appointment to the County Court bench by former Governor Jeb Bush. In 2011, Judge Keyser was elevated to the Circuit Court bench by former Governor Rick Scott. After 16 years of dedicated service, Judge Keyser retired on June 30, 2022.

Judge Janis Brustares Keyser will be remembered as a compassionate and dedicated jurist. She will be greatly missed by her former colleagues as well as the staff of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit.

For additional information, please contact Debra Oats at 561-355-4495 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Please click here for the press release. 

Please click here to view the AO.