The Florida Bar

Judicial Practice Survey

Hope Thai Cannon

Magistrate Judge

The following information was provided in response to a survey prepared by the Federal Court Practice Committee of The Florida Bar. This information is not binding on any judge or court official and may not be relied upon for precedential purposes. Further information may be found in the attachments (sample orders, etc.) referenced at the end of this Guide entry or on the court's website noted below.

Judge

Name of Court:

Northern District of Florida

Location of Chambers:

One North Palafox

Assigned Courtroom:

3 North

Phone:

850-470-3090

Email address (only for proposed orders or jury instructions):

[email protected]

Chambers Staff

Courtroom Deputy:

Keri Igney

Phone:

850-470-8192

Email address:

[email protected]

Law Clerk phone number(s), only if you permit law clerk(s) to receive calls:

850-470-3094

Communication with Chambers

Do you permit contact with chambers regarding questions of procedure?

Yes

Do you permit contact with chambers regarding the status of pending matters?

Yes

May counsel contact chambers to speak with your law clerk(s) on procedural matters?

Yes

May counsel contact chambers to speak with your law clerk(s) on the status of pending matters?

Yes

Use of Cell Phones, Laptops, and Other Electronics in Court

Other than procedures adopted by the U.S. Marshal's Service relating to access to a federal courthouse, do you have any additional procedures to be followed for the use of cell phones, laptops, or other electronics?

No

Is there a designated court staff person to contact relating to the use of electronic media or other audiovisual needs?

No

Always verify with the Clerk of Court or the U.S. Marshal's Service as to any procedures relating to the use of cell phones or other electronic devices at the courthouse.

CM/ECF Procedures

In addition to Local Rules or CM/ECF procedures applicable in the District:

Do you have a preferred method for counsel to correct an electronically filed document that inadvertently contains personal information (as prohibited by Fed.R.Civ.P. 5.2)?

No

Do you have a preferred method governing the filing of sealed documents?

No

Do you prefer that (non-trial) exhibits be filed as separate docket entries (instead of filing them as attachments to the document they support)?

No

When filing documents with multiple attachments, do you prefer that the document be filed such that it is displayed with bookmarks within the PDF image?

Yes

Do you prefer that (non-trial) exhibits and depositions be filed conventionally as well as on CM/ECF?

No

Do you prefer to have proposed orders (other than those required to be filed in the case) submitted as an attachment to documents filed in CM/ECF, or do you prefer to receive them by email or another method?

Email

Should proposed orders be submitted in a format which can be edited, or is a PDF version acceptable?

Yes

Pretrial Detention/Pretrial Procedure (Criminal)

At bond hearings, do you permit the government to proceed by proffer or do you require a government agent to be present to testify?

Yes

If a proffer is permitted, can the defendant’s counsel call the government case agent and cross-examine him/her?

Yes

If a proffer is permitted, do you prefer that defense counsel present the family of the defendant as witnesses by proffer instead of calling individual witnesses?

Yes

Do you conduct preliminary pretrial conferences in criminal cases?

No

Pretrial Procedure (Civil)

Do you issue a standard pretrial order?

Yes

Do you have any requirements, beyond those found in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Local Rules, as to motions for extension of time or motions for continuance?

No

Other than as required by Local Rules, do you prefer that the moving parties submit proposed orders along with non-dispositive motions?

Yes

Do you have any requirements, beyond those found in the Federal Rules and the Local Rules, as to ex parte temporary restraining orders?

No

Do you hear preliminary injunction motions?

Yes

If YES, do you permit evidence to be introduced?

Yes

Should copies of published cases cited in motions and memoranda be forwarded to chambers?

No

Should copies of unpublished opinions cited in motions and memoranda be forwarded to chambers?

No

If copies of cases are submitted, do you accept copies that have portions highlighted by counsel?

Yes

Do you regularly set aside time during a given week/month for hearings on motions?

Yes

Will you entertain motions in limine prior to trial?

Yes

Discovery

Do you receive referrals on discovery matters from a District Judge?

Yes

Other than those discovery schedules contained in Local Rules, do you have special discovery deadlines or procedures for certain types of cases (ERISA, FLSA, etc.)?

No

When a dispute arises during a deposition, is it appropriate to call your chambers (if the case has been referred for discovery) to seek an immediate ruling?

Yes

Settlement

Do you require counsel to submit a proposed order referring the case to mediation?

No

Trial

Do you automatically set consent cases for trial or do you wait for counsel to propose a time period in which a case should be scheduled for trial?

Automatically set

Do you grant specially set trial dates (dates certain)?

Yes

Do you conduct pretrial conferences?

No

Do you allow back striking during jury selection?

No

Do you permit jurors to take notes?

Yes

Should jury instructions also be submitted to chambers electronically?

Yes

Revised: 12-01-2020