Administrative Order Impacting Foreclosure Litigation

In the Twelfth Judicial Circuit for Sarasota, Desoto, and Manatee County, arecent administrative order (Administrative Order 2012-3.1) has established anew procedure requiring that two “circuit liaisons” be appointed by anyplaintiff having filed five or more foreclosure actions in the circuit. Onecircuit liaison must be an attorney, and the other a representative of theentity servicing the plaintiff’s mortgages, if any, and, if none, arepresentative of the plaintiff. Plaintiff’s counsel must provide a writtennotice of the name, phone number (including extension), email, and mailingaddress of both liaisons. A plaintiff’s liaisons are expected to act as thecourt’s point of contact for all pending foreclosure cases, and must be “capableof answering questions concerning the administrative status of pending cases andthe party’s internal procedures relating to the processing of foreclosure cases,and be readily accessible to discuss administrative and logistical issuesaffecting the progress of the plaintiffs cases through courts of the TwelfthCircuit.” The Administrative Order went into effect January 21, 2012.