News from the OJCC June 15, 2018

Written on 16 June 2018.

Help Wanted – 3 Judges TAMPA and FT. LAUDERDALE!

Notice has been posted regarding the Statewide Judicial Nominating Commission meeting in August 2018 (https://www.fljcc.org/JCC/sjnc/VRA/20180820ReApptHearing.pdf). The meeting will be August 20, 2018 at 1:00, in conjunction with the WCI Educational Conference in Orlando. There will be reappointment interviews for Judges Holley, Humphries and Winn. There will also be interviews to fill vacancies in Tampa (Judges Lorenzen and Spangler) and Ft. Lauderdale (Judge Hogan) resulting from announced retirements. Please spread the word of these vacancies. Application forms are available on the OJCC website https://www.fljcc.org/JCC/sjnc/

Panama City Office Relocating

Effective July 16, 2018, the Panama City District Office will relocate to: 600 Grand Panama Blvd, Suite 201 Panama City Beach, FL 32407 (850) 708-6250 Mark your records and remind your clients.

Petition for Benefit Issue

We are changing some programming. That has resulted in some petitions being directed to “pending,” and requiring clerk approval. We know of the issue, and recognize it is inconvenient. That programming is being worked upon and we hope to rectify this very soon. I am sorry for the inconvenience.

Florida Bar/OJCC Survey Published

Each spring, the Office of Judges of Compensation Claims and Florida Bar Workers’ Compensation Section produces a survey regarding judges and mediators. This is open to all attorneys that practice before the OJCC. This year’s results are available on the OJCC Website.

Mediation Rescheduling – Confirm Before Notice

The mediation rescheduling tool is available to allow counsel to locate times for their mediation appointments. However, you MAY NOT simply find an open time and then generate a notice. Once you locate a convenient appointment, you MUST CONTACT that mediator and confirm the time. Once you have confirmed, then the mediator can mark the database, and you may generate a notice. Remember, there could be many people simultaneously looking at the same appointment time you are considering. The first to confirm it with the mediator gets that time. Failure to confirm that appointment will likely result in wasted time and effort.

Ask OJCC

The email address for our central e-filing assistance is askojcc@doah.state.fl.us. Questions about using e-JCC, about e-filing, appellate records, etc. can be sent to this address. They are not able to give legal advice. They cannot help you with your computer issues or internet issues. But they are the experts on the e-filing process.

Follow the OJCC on the Internet

Visit the blog through the link on our website, www.fljcc.org. Follow us on Twitter, click on the link at www.fljcc.org or type in @fljcc and keep up with what is going on. Share your thoughts using #workerscomp or #fljcc. The OJCC is also on LinkedIn. Recent blog posts featured Effective Pleadings and Changing Names, A Great Day with WCCP, Science the Right to Privacy and Big Brother, Throwback Attorney Story, and more.

Check your Daily Filings

There are some attorneys whose firms or email providers are filtering out the link emails we send when documents are filed. We are responsible to send, but we cannot control you receiving. The best way to avoid errors and problems is for your office to check filings every day. There is a “daily filings” tab in e-JCC. Please use it regularly.

Tools for the Effective Workers’ Compensation Litigator

E-JCC tools, tips and reminders of which to be aware.

Where to See our Speakers

At the Southern Association of Workers’ Compensation Administrators in July, in Middleburg, Virginia, Judge Sojourner (ORL). At the WCI360 Attorney Breakout in August, you can see Judges Anderson (DAY), Beck (SAR), Forte (FTL), Holley (JAX), Pitts (ORL), and Rosen (SPT). At the WCI360 First Responder program in August, you can see Judges Pitts (ORL) and Sculco (ORL). At the Professional Mediation Institute at WCI360, Judge Robert Deitz (MEL) and Mediators John Brooks (DAY) and AnnaMarie Kim-Miller (ORL).

Thanks to our Judges speaking at the NAWCJ Judiciary College (not open to the public), Judges Anderson (DAY), Humphries (JAX), Pitts (ORL). Thanks to the Judges that spoke at the Florida Workers’ Advocates in June Judges Almeyda (MIA), Owens (PSL), and Stephenson (WPB). Thanks to the judges who spoke at the Workers Compensation Section Workers’ Compensation Forum in April Judges Jeffrey Jacobs (MIA), Gregory Johnsen (WPB), Meg Kerr (MIA), Mark Massey (TPA), Sylvia Medina-Shore (MIA), Neal Pitts (ORL), and mediator Anna Marie Kim (ORL). Thanks to the Judges that spoke at the Workers’ Compensation Institute Forum in April, Judges Diane Beck (SAR), Iliana Forte (FTL), Thomas Hedler (WPB), and Raymond Holley (JAX).