Robert E. Landt

1. Any documents that you would like reviewed by the Judge must be submitted properly by filing motions with the Clerk of Court.  Do not email the Judge directly with correspondence.
2. Pro Se litigants shall provide the Clerk of Court with a designated email address for receipt of pleadings.
3. Ex parte communication is not permitted under any circumstances. The Code of Judicial Conduct precludes Judicial Assistants and other courtroom staff from speaking to parties about substantive matters in cases. All email correspondence must include all attorneys of record and pro se parties, if a Designation of Email Address has not been filed with the Clerk of Court that party shall be served copies by U.S. Mail. If all parties are not included, no action will be taken on the request. There will be no exceptions to this rule.
4. The Judge and Judicial Assistant are unable to give legal advice. If you have legal questions, you are advised to seek the advice of legal counsel.

1. Prior to scheduling a hearing on a filed motion, the motion must be filed with the Clerk of Court. An e-filed stamped copy of the motion must be provided to request a hearing.
2. All requests for hearing dates with Judge Landt shall be sent via email to the Judicial Assistant at kbanks@circuit5.org.
3. Hearing times are set on a first come, first served basis.
4. The coordinating party must provide the Court with a courtesy copy of the Notice of Hearing to finalize the hearing selection.

1. Only the party who set the hearing can cancel the hearing.
2. You must email the judicial assistant at kbanks@circuit5.org to notify the Court of the cancellation and state the reason for cancellation.
3. If a Notice of Hearing has been filed, you must prepare a Notice of Cancellation and file it with the Clerk’s office, with a copy sent to the judicial assistant and to all parties.

1. Small Claims Pretrial Conferences:

All Small Claims Pretrial Conferences are IN PERSON in Courtroom 1 at the Marion County Courthouse (per Administrative Order M-2022-31-B). All parties will be referred immediately to IN PERSON mediation at the courthouse on that date if the case is not resolved prior to or at the pretrial conference.  Cases will be dismissed if counsel appears without settlement authority.

2. Civil Hearings other than Small Claims Pretrial Conferences and Final Hearings:

Judge Landt does allow each party the option to appear in person in Courtroom 4B or to appear via ZOOM for these hearings. It is not necessary to let the judge’s office know how you will appear. Any attorney preparing a notice of hearing shall include the Zoom information provided by our office on the notice.

3. Small Claims Non-Jury Trials/Final Hearings:

Small Claims Non-Jury Trials/Final Hearings are held in person only.

Corporate witnesses may appear by Zoom, provided that counsel has any documents to be presented as evidence.

1. Judge Landt does not accept Orders through the Court’s e-filing portal.

2. Proposed orders are accepted via email to kbanks@circuit5.org, in WORD FORMAT ONLY.

3. Any email submission shall copy ALL parties by email. If one or more of the parties do not have an email, your correspondence shall indicate that a copy has been mailed to those parties.

4. The attorney submitting the proposed order shall serve a copy of the Order to each self-represented party by designated email or by US Mail, first class, postage paid, and file a Certificate signed by said counsel that service has been made.

All monetary Final Judgments shall include a requirement that the Defendant shall produce a Fact Information Sheet pursuant to Florida Rules of Civil Procedure 1.560 and Florida Small Claims Rule 7.221 to the Plaintiff within 45 days.

Standing Order Establishing Pre-Trial Procedures for Small Claims