Divisions

(A) Boundaries. The District has four divisions: (1) the Pensacola Division includes Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties; 7 (2) the Panama City Division includes Jackson, Holmes, Washington, Bay, Calhoun, and Gulf Counties; (3) the Tallahassee Division includes Leon, Gadsden, Liberty, Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson, Taylor, and Madison Counties; and (4) the Gainesville Division includes Alachua, Lafayette, Dixie, Gilchrist, and Levy Counties. (B) Place of Filing Original and Removed Cases. An original case must be filed in a division in which venue would be proper if the division was a stand-alone district.

A removed case must be filed in the division that includes the county where the case was pending in state court. (C) Transfer; Place of Keeping a File. A case will remain pending in the division where it was filed unless the Court enters an order transferring it. When there is a physical file, the Clerk may keep it in a division that includes an assigned judge’s principal office, even if the case is pending in another division.

A physical file may not be withdrawn from the Clerk’s office by anyone other than a judge or judge’s employee. (D) Place of Trial or Hearing. A trial or hearing will occur in the division where a case is pending, unless the Court directs otherwise.