17th Judicial Circuit Duty Judge Assignments
Current Week Duty Judge Assignments
Court Administration
Each of Florida’s 20 circuits has a Trial Court Administrator who is selected by the Chief Judge, subject to concurrence by a majority of the circuit and county court judges. The current Trial Court Administrator, Joseph M. D’Amico, Esq., was appointed in September of 2022. His responsibilities include directing and overseeing court and program operations by assisting the Chief Judge in the setting and implementation of goals and priorities for the Circuit.
The Trial Court Administrator serves as a liaison between the Circuit and the Office of the State Courts Administrator, and exercises general administrative management and control over all support activities of the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), such as budget and fiscal management for state and county budgets, human resources, purchasing and facilities management, research and statistical analysis, and other administrative and business matters to ensure the smooth operation of the trial court.
Court Administration employs over 200 state and county non-judicial staff who provide a myriad of support services to assist the judiciary in daily operations of the court such as assuring that space is available and ready, providing case management, mediation services, court reporting, technology, video operations, interpreting services and legal research. By addressing the day-to-day administrative needs of the courts, the AOC enables the circuit’s 90 judges and 11 magistrates to operate effectively and efficiently.
Our mission is to provide the highest level of service with equality, respect and integrity while supporting the judicial staff in their efforts to protect and declare the rights and responsibilities of the people, and to ensure access to justice for all citizens and provide a forum for the just and equitable resolution of legal and factual disputes.
We understand that a person’s interaction with the legal system can be challenging. We hope the resources on this website assist you and provide relevant information for your business and legal needs.
We are continuously seeking to improve the court’s operations and processes. We invite you to tell us how we are doing. You may contact us at mediarelations@17th.flcourts.org, although we cannot provide legal advice or respond to questions or comments that involve a judicial decision in a pending case.
Contact information:
Joseph M. D’Amico, Esq.
201 SE 6th Street, Suite WW20170
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301
(954) 831-7740
Court Programs
Overall management responsibility is maintained by the Court Administrator’s Office for numerous court related programs. These programs have been established to assist the Circuit and County Court Judges in the day-to-day functions of the court.
Case Management Unit: Case managers are assigned to the domestic relations, mental health, domestic violence, foreclosure, dependency and delinquency courts.
Court Interpreters: Provides translation and interpretation services for felony probation, misdemeanor, dependency and juvenile, child support and domestic violence cases.
Court Reporting Services (CRS): Responsible for accurately recording proceedings for: county criminal court, juvenile court, domestic violence court, mental health court and drug court. Services are provided for proceedings at the main courthouse and the three satellite courthouses.
Foreclosure Program: Please visit the Circuit Civil Foreclosure Program webpage for new procedures for residential mortgage foreclosure hearings.
General Counsel: The General Counsel serves as the legal advisor to the Chief Judge, Trial Court Administrator, and the judicial officers of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit.
Judicial Information Systems(JIS): Provides computer hardware and software to the Judiciary and staff of the Court Administrator’s Office.
Mediation and Arbitration: Provides efficient and cost-effective alternative dispute resolution processes to the overburdened court system.
Personnel: Provides personnel services to all court employees, both County and State funded positions. This Unit coordinates job recruitment, selection, evaluation, training, classification and pay benefits, and employee/labor relations for the Circuit and County Court Judiciary and court related programs.
Probate and Guardianship: Handles all matters relating to: determinations of incapacity for individuals over the age of 18, appointment of guardian advocates for developmentally disabled adults, estates (disposition without administration, summary administration and formal administration), guardianships, trusts, mental health (Baker Act), substance abuse (Marchman Act), tuberculosis, sexually transmissible diseases, and expedited judicial review for medical treatment.
Teen Court: Provides a diversion program designed to offer an alternative to formal juvenile court proceedings. Teen Court defendants are misdemeanor offenders generally aged 12-17, who voluntarily agree to participate. Cases are referred by the State Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies.
Each of Florida’s 20 circuits has a Trial Court Administrator who is selected by the Chief Judge, subject to concurrence by a majority of the circuit and county court judges. The current Trial Court Administrator, Joseph M. D’Amico, Esq., was appointed in September of 2022. His responsibilities include directing and overseeing court and program operations by assisting the Chief Judge in the setting and implementation of goals and priorities for the Circuit.
The Trial Court Administrator serves as a liaison between the Circuit and the Office of the State Courts Administrator, and exercises general administrative management and control over all support activities of the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), such as budget and fiscal management for state and county budgets, human resources, purchasing and facilities management, research and statistical analysis, and other administrative and business matters to ensure the smooth operation of the trial court.
Court Administration employs over 200 state and county non-judicial staff who provide a myriad of support services to assist the judiciary in daily operations of the court such as assuring that space is available and ready, providing case management, mediation services, court reporting, technology, video operations, interpreting services and legal research. By addressing the day-to-day administrative needs of the courts, the AOC enables the circuit’s 90 judges and 11 magistrates to operate effectively and efficiently.
Our mission is to provide the highest level of service with equality, respect and integrity while supporting the judicial staff in their efforts to protect and declare the rights and responsibilities of the people, and to ensure access to justice for all citizens and provide a forum for the just and equitable resolution of legal and factual disputes.
We understand that a person’s interaction with the legal system can be challenging. We hope the resources on this website assist you and provide relevant information for your business and legal needs.
We are continuously seeking to improve the court’s operations and processes. We invite you to tell us how we are doing. You may contact us at mediarelations@17th.flcourts.org, although we cannot provide legal advice or respond to questions or comments that involve a judicial decision in a pending case.
Contact information:
Joseph M. D’Amico, Esq.
201 SE 6th Street, Suite WW20170
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301
(954) 831-7740
Court Programs
Overall management responsibility is maintained by the Court Administrator’s Office for numerous court related programs. These programs have been established to assist the Circuit and County Court Judges in the day-to-day functions of the court.
Case Management Unit: Case managers are assigned to the domestic relations, mental health, domestic violence, foreclosure, dependency and delinquency courts.
Court Interpreters: Provides translation and interpretation services for felony probation, misdemeanor, dependency and juvenile, child support and domestic violence cases.
Court Reporting Services (CRS): Responsible for accurately recording proceedings for: county criminal court, juvenile court, domestic violence court, mental health court and drug court. Services are provided for proceedings at the main courthouse and the three satellite courthouses.
Foreclosure Program: Please visit the Circuit Civil Foreclosure Program webpage for new procedures for residential mortgage foreclosure hearings.
General Counsel: The General Counsel serves as the legal advisor to the Chief Judge, Trial Court Administrator, and the judicial officers of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit.
Judicial Information Systems(JIS): Provides computer hardware and software to the Judiciary and staff of the Court Administrator’s Office.
Mediation and Arbitration: Provides efficient and cost-effective alternative dispute resolution processes to the overburdened court system.
Personnel: Provides personnel services to all court employees, both County and State funded positions. This Unit coordinates job recruitment, selection, evaluation, training, classification and pay benefits, and employee/labor relations for the Circuit and County Court Judiciary and court related programs.
Probate and Guardianship: Handles all matters relating to: determinations of incapacity for individuals over the age of 18, appointment of guardian advocates for developmentally disabled adults, estates (disposition without administration, summary administration and formal administration), guardianships, trusts, mental health (Baker Act), substance abuse (Marchman Act), tuberculosis, sexually transmissible diseases, and expedited judicial review for medical treatment.
Teen Court: Provides a diversion program designed to offer an alternative to formal juvenile court proceedings. Teen Court defendants are misdemeanor offenders generally aged 12-17, who voluntarily agree to participate. Cases are referred by the State Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies.
