Judge Michael T. McHugh
Administrative Judge for the Circuit Civil Division
Division Lee County
| General Civil - "Q" | 16.7% |
| Guardianshp - "M (6)" | 16.7% |
| Probate - "P (6)" | 16.7% |
Judicial Assistant Kathy
Phone (239) 533-2775
Fax (239) 485-2587
Mailing Address
Lee County Justice Center
1700 Monroe Street
Fort Myers, FL 33901
Judge McHugh conducts hearings in person.
Remote appearances will be allowed if BOTH parties file a stipulation and BOTH parties agree to appear remotely. Please do not submit an order granting remote appearance, a stipulation in the
file is the only requirement. This stipulation must be filed no later than five (5) days prior to the scheduled hearing. Please see the guidelines for CourtScribes to schedule.
COURTSCRIBES REMOTE APPEARANCE FOR ATTORNEYS: Instructions for the Attorneys
Attorneys may schedule a remote appearance with 48-hour advance notice by any one of the following means:
- scheduling online (preferred method) at https://scheduling.courtscribes.com/
- emailing to scheduling@courtscribes.com
- calling (833) SCRIBES (727-4237)
The following information is required:
- Name of party appearing remotely
- Contact information (email and phone)
- Court location
- Judge/department (e.g., family, civil)
- Appearance date/time
- Case name & case number
- Nature of proceeding
- Party being represented
Judge Michael McHugh was appointed to the 20th Judicial Circuit Bench by Governor Jeb Bush. He has served in the Juvenile, Felony, Family, and Civil Divisions. He has served as Administrative Judge of the Family and Civil Divisions. As Administrative Judge of the Civil Division, Judge McHugh put together a workgroup that included members of the bar, judges, and other stakeholders to implement “Differentiated Civil Case Management.” Before Chief Justice Canady implemented case management statewide pursuant to an Administrative Order during the COVID pandemic, only the 20th Judicial Circuit had circuit-wide case management for more than a decade. Judge McHugh was elected as Chief Judge in 2015, he was the youngest judge ever elected Chief Judge in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit. He is currently serving in his fourth term as chief judge and is the only judge to ever be elected to that position four times in his circuit.
Judge McHugh received his undergraduate degree from the Fisher School of Accounting at the University of Florida. He also received his law degree from the Levin School of Law at the University of Florida. After graduating Law School, he served as a prosecutor for the Twentieth Judicial Circuit where he tried various cases including murder prosecutions. After leaving the State Attorney’s Office he began working for Allstate Insurance Company. He litigated all levels of cases and tried over 50 civil jury trials to verdict. When he was appointed to the bench he was managing attorney of the Tampa and Fort Myers offices.
Judge McHugh has served on many statewide committees. He was appointed to the “Workgroup on the Continuity of Operations and Proceeding During and After COVID-19” and served as the chair of the civil sub group. He was also a member of the “Workgroup on Improved Resolution of Civil Cases.” Judge McHugh is currently a member of the Judicial Management Council and is chairing the “Workgroup on Trial Court Technology.” He also is a current member of the “Supreme Court’s Local Rules Workgroup.”
Judge McHugh is married and has three children. His oldest son, Gareth, is in his second year of law school and will be interning at Sullivan and Cromwell in New York this summer. His second son, Dylan, is graduating from the University of Florida this spring and is deciding on law schools. His daughter, Elizabeth, is a junior in high school and hopes to attend the University of Florida upon graduation.
