The Honorable Christopher H. Brown
Circuit Judge
Division Collier County
| Unified Family Court/Domestic Relations | 50% |
| Civil Domestic, Repeat, Dating Violence, Stalking & Sexual Violence Cases (Rule 2.545 Fla. R. Jud. Admin.) | 50% |
| Probate | 25% |
Judicial Assistant Melissa
Phone (239) 252-7996
Email mpelle@ca.cjis20.org
Mailing Address
Collier County Government Complex
3315 Tamiami Trail East, Suite 206
Naples, FL 34112
The Court permits uncontested final dissolutions to be granted without hearing, if the petitioner complies with the following conditions. Of course, should the petitioner wish, the final judgment may be granted after an in-court or Zoom final hearing. In either event the parties must comply with the following before requesting a final judgment:
- Mandatory Disclosure, or waiver thereof
- Respondent must file an Answer and Waiver in response to the Petition
- A marital settlement agreement must be filed and signed by both parties
- Proof of residency must be filed by either party
- Certificates of Compliance with Mandatory Disclosure
- Social Security Notices (both parties)
- A UCCJEA affidavit
- A Parenting Plan
- Parenting Certificates
- Child Support Guidelines Worksheet
- Child Support Payment Provisions through the FSDU (not necessary if otherwise addressed in the proposed final judgment)
ATTORNEYS MUST ALSO COMPLETE THE ATTORNEY CHECKLIST AND FILE IT WITH THE CLERK PRIOR TO SUBMITTING THE FJ TO THE COURT IF THEY WISH TO SUBMIT AN FJ WITHOUT A HEARING
Once all that is complied with either party may set the case for final hearing and submit a proposed judgment before or after the hearing.Should you wish to resolve the case without a hearing then one additional form must be filed with the Court before submitting a proposed final judgment.
Attached for your convenience are two samples of appropriate Special Interrogatories / Final Declaration for a UCD case, one of which must be filled out and signed (notarized) by one of the parties, if you wish to submit a final judgment by hearing. These samples are provided for your convenience and these exact forms do not need to be used. However, should you wish to use your own form it must, at a minimum, include everything addressed in these forms. Anything short of that and the Court cannot make the requisite findings to sign a final judgment.
Please read the following Information on Time Restrictions Regarding Final Injunction Hearings
Zoom meeting id: 331 751 1402
Passcode: KC8110
Judge Chris Brown won election, to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Judge Mike Provost, in August of 2022. His commission to serve, signed by Governor DeSantis, was effective January 3, 2023. In 2024 Governor DeSantis appointed Judge Brown to the Circuit Court of the 20th Judicial Circuit. He was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Leigh Frizzell Hayes. He took the bench as a Circuit Judge on April 8, 2024.
Judge Brown is currently assigned to the Unified Family Court/Domestic Relations Division in Collier County. His duties include handling half of the family law/domestic relations cases in Collier County and half of the petitions for domestic violence and other similar injunctions. Judge Brown is also responsible for 25% of Collier County’s probate and guardianship cases.
Before taking the bench, Judge Brown practiced criminal, civil and appellate litigation as a partner at the same firm for over 16 years. Overall, he was primarily a criminal law attorney for 21 of his 23 years of practice as a lawyer (the first two were in corporate law). Judge Brown tried well over 150 cases to verdict in state and federal court in addition to arguing dozens of appeals all over Florida.
For his work as an attorney Judge Brown received industry recognition over the years. In 2007 he was awarded the “Extra Mile” Award for service to the voluntary bar. From 2012 to date he has maintained an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell. This is the highest rating given regarding both competency and ethics. He has also maintained a 10/10 rating from Avvo since that service began to rate him in 2010. In 2018 the Florida Bar Board Certified Judge Brown as an expert trial lawyer. For the last four consecutive years of his law practice, Judge Brown was featured in Super Lawyers magazine as one of the best criminal law attorneys in Florida.
Judge Brown grew up in Naples and graduated from Gulfview Middle School and Naples High before going on to becoming a Double Gator by getting his bachelors and law degrees from UF (JD 99’). His wife, Lynn Brown was born in Naples and also graduated from Naples High before going on to Princeton (99’). She and Chris were married in 2011 and the couple have three kids in school in Naples. Therefore, when not on the bench, Judge Brown spends most of his time at: practices, games, plays, recitals, etc.
| Procedures: | Downloads |
|---|---|
| Judge Brown's UFC Office and Courtroom Procedures | View |
| Collier County Probate Information | View |
| Injunction Time Restrictions | View |
| Instructions For Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.912(b), Affidavit of Military Service (03/15) | View |
| Instructions For Florida Family Rules of Procedure Form 12.900(h), Notice of Related Cases (11/13) | View |
| Strict Time Limits on Hearings and Trials | View |
| Discovery Motion Memo | View |
| Family Law Documents: | Downloads |
| Attorney Checklist | View |
| Final Declaration for UCD (Collier) | View |
| Order of Referral Magistrate Amy Ellis - Family | View |
| Special Interrogatories For UCD (Collier) | View |