WHEREAS, it has been made known to the undersigned that the efficient and proper administration of justice and the processing of Civil cases in the Circuit and County Courts in Volusia County requires the establishment of Western and Eastern divisions of these courts;

NOW THEREFORE, I, JAMES R. CLAYTON, Chief Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, hereby order and adjudge as follows:

1. Western Civil Divisions of the Circuit and County Courts in Volusia County are established and consist of those portions of Volusia County contained within zip codes 32102, 32105, 32130, 32132, 32141, 32168, 32169, 32170, 32180, 32190, 32706, 32713, 32720, 32721, 32722, 32723, 32724, 32725, 32728, 32738, 32739, 32744, 32753, 32754, 32759, 32763, 32764 and 32774.
2. The Eastern Civil Divisions of the Circuit and County Courts in Volusia County are established and consist of those portions of Volusia County contained within zip codes 32110, 32114, 32115, 32116, 32117, 32118, 32119, 32120, 32121, 32122, 32123, 32124, 32125, 32126, 32127, 32128, 32129, 32136, 32173, 32174, 32175, 32176 and 32198.

  IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that cases are to be assigned to the respective geographic civil divisions based on the following criteria:

1.  One Defendant / Respondent
a. Defendant’s / Respondent’s residence / address
b. Where cause of action arose
c. Location of property in litigation

2.  Multiple Defendants / Respondents
a. Where cause of action arose
b. Location of property in litigation

In the event the Clerk of Court’s office is unable to determine the proper geographic division assignment in a case due to the absence of a zip code on the civil cover sheet, the case may be assigned using the city of the defendant’s/respondent’s residence/address, where the cause of action arose, or the location of the property in litigation. If none of the aforementioned conditions are apparent, the case is to be assigned randomly to a division assigned to handle such cases. Additional direction/guidance concerning the assignment of cases to divisions may be provided by separate administrative order. If any further uncertainty or ambiguity concerning the assignment of a case to a geographical division exists, the matter should be referred to the Court Administrator’s office for resolution by the Chief Judge {see Kruckenberg v. Powell, 422 So. 2d 994 (Fla. 5 DCA 1982)}.

  IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Administrative Order CV-2019-010-VL is hereby rescinded.

TO BE RECORDED in Volusia County, Florida.

DONE AND ORDERED in DeLand, Volusia County, Florida this 13th day of August 2021.