Rule 2.550 Calendar Conflicts
Part V: Practice of Law
Rule Text
(a) Guidelines. In resolving calendar conflicts between the state courts of Florida or between a state court and a federal court in Florida, the following guidelines must be considered:
(1) Any case priority status established by statute, rule of procedure, case law, or otherwise must be evaluated to determine the effect that resolving a calendar conflict might have on the priority case or cases.
(2) Juvenile dependency and termination of parental rights cases are generally to be given preference over other cases, except for speedy trial and capital cases.
(3) Criminal cases are generally to be given preference over civil cases.
(4) Jury trials are generally to be given preference over non-jury trials.
(5) Appellate arguments, hearings, and conferences are generally to be given preference over trial court proceedings.
(6) The case in which the trial date has been first set generally should take precedence.
(b) Additional Circumstances. Factors such as cost, numbers of witnesses and attorneys involved, travel, length of trial, age of case, and other relevant matters may warrant deviation from these case guidelines.
(c) Notice and Agreement; Resolution by Judges. When an attorney is scheduled to appear in 2 courts at the same time and cannot arrange for other counsel to represent the clients’ interests, the attorney must give prompt written notice of the conflict to opposing counsel or self-represented party, the clerk of each court, and the presiding judge of each case, if known. If the presiding judge of the case cannot be identified, written notice of the conflict must be given to the chief judge of the court having jurisdiction over the case or to the chief judge’s designee. The judges or their designees must confer and resolve the conflict.