Daniel B. Merritt, Jr.

Judge Merritt, Jr. allows in-person or Zoom appearances by attorneys.  Zoom links are sent to the attorney of record the day before the scheduled hearing date.  *Attorneys and defendants are required to appear in-person at the Pre-Trial Hearing before Trial. *

Courtesy copies of motions should be e-mailed to jweeks@circuit5.org once they have been e-filed.

Please have the credit for time served computed BEFORE court begins when the defendant is going to plea.

Credit time served form

Plea agreement form

Pro se motions must be filed with the Clerk of Circuit Court, Criminal Division, with copies to the State Attorney and the Judge’s office.  Pro se motions will not be accepted via e-mail.  This includes motions to modify probation or early terminate probation.  They must be filed with the Clerk of Circuit Court.  The Clerk has offices in Brooksville and Spring Hill.  Please check their website www.hernandoclerk.com for location addresses.

Interpreting services must be requested via the www.circuit5.org website well in advance of the hearing.

Judge Merritt, Jr. allows in-person or Zoom appearances by attorneys.  Zoom links are sent to the attorney of record the day before the scheduled hearing date.

Courtesy copies of motions should be e-mailed to jweeks@circuit5.org once they have been e-filed.

Interpreting services must be requested via the www.circuit5.org website well in advance of the hearing.

Guardianship Docket (Temporary Assignment to Judge Merritt, Jr.)

Guardianship Hearings or Minor Settlement Hearings – Please contact the Clerk of Circuit Court, Guardianship Division, to obtain the next available hearing date.  The Clerk can also provide the next available attorney in the rotation, if needed.

Emergency Guardianship Hearing dates can be obtained by contacting jweeks@circuit5.org or by calling our office at 352-754-4480.

The current list of Exam Committee Members can be found on the www.circuit5.org website under Services, then select Registries.  The member’s information should be included in the order when submitting it to the judge’s office.

Proposed orders can be e-mailed to jweeks@circuit5.org, filed through the e-portal with proper formatting or sent to our office address: 20 N. Main Street, Room 130, Brooksville, FL 34601.  Please be sure to include in the e-mail if the case is already set for hearing, and if so, the hearing date.

All orders must include a complete Certificate of Service.

*Interpreting services must be requested via the www.circuit5.org website well in advance of the hearing. *

For procedural questions contact Joyce Weeks, Judicial Assistant, at jweeks@circuit5.org.