Assignment
Okeechobee: One-half of all Domestic Relations Cases including Injunctions for Protection (all odd assigned DR case numbers); All Civil Cases; All Probate and Guardianship Cases; All Dependency Cases, including daily Shelter Hearings; All CINS/FINS Cases; Oversee Truancy Court; Assist with Mental Health Court; Assist with Juvenile Delinquency Cases; Assist with Early Childhood Court
Additional Information
Please note - hearings requiring the submission of evidence shall no longer be conducted remotely - evidence must be submitted in open court. The court will no longer be accepting evidence remotely.
** Please see below to read PROCEDURES before contacting Judge Buchanan's office.**
To be used only upon approval by Judicial Assistant and to fax notices of settlement/dismissal for removal from trial dockets.
Attorneys may schedule Special Set Motions (1 hour or under) using the online scheduling program. Parties will be restricted to the time they allotted for the hearing. The calendar will indicate when the UMC and Special Set Motion hearings are to be scheduled. The website is https://slccjis.stlucieco.gov/attorney_calendar.
Users must register to obtain a user id and password on the site. Copies of motions and notice of hearings must be sent to the Judicial Assistant. The Court reserves the discretion to reject any scheduling. Attorneys who repeatedly abuse the online scheduling may be denied further privileges of self-scheduling. Non-evidentiary motions may be denied without hearing, e.g., motions to dismiss.
Longer hearings must be set with the Judicial Assistant after sending a copy to the Judicial Assistant. Attorneys should consult the Judge’s on-line calendar (link below) and confer with opposing counsel on mutually convenient dates before calling the J.A.
IF YOU SCHEDULE A CASE FOR A SPECIAL SET HEARING AND THAT HEARING IS CANCELED, A NOTICE OF CANCELLATION MUST BE FILED (AND A COPY EMAILED TO JUDGE BUCHANAN'S JUDICIAL ASSISTANT: [email protected].
AND THE HEARING CANCELED ON THE ONLINE SCHEDULING CALENDAR. IF A LAST MINUTE CANCELLATION IS BEING MADE, YOU MUST CONTACT JUDGE BUCHANAN’S JUDICIAL ASSISTANT IMMEDIATELY.