Chief Judge Bonnie Helms | Holly Elomina, Trial Court Administrator

Judge Timothy J. Koenig

Judge Timothy J. Koenig

Freeman Justice Center
Key West
302 Fleming Street
Key West, FL 33040

Judicial Assistant: Monica Waterbury De Meo

Professional & Personal

  • Judge Koenig presides over general Civil Circuit cases, Involuntary Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predator cases, Felony Criminal cases, Probate and Guardianship cases, as well as some foreclosure and family law cases.  He also sits as the circuit’s appellate judge, hearing all appeals from the county court, municipal and administrative boards and all petitions for extraordinary writs.
  • Judge Koenig was born in Key West, Florida in 1960.  He is married to Kelly (Bick) Koenig and they have three children.

Education

  • Received his B.S. in Finance from Florida State University in 1980.
  • Received his J.D. from FSU College of Law in 1983.

Judicial Experience

  • Appointed Circuit Judge of the 16th Judicial Circuit, Monroe County, Florida by Governor Rick Scott.
  • Re-elected without opposition in 2016 and again in 2022.

Legal Experience

  • Practiced law with the firm of Feldman Koenig Highsmith and Van Loon from 1984 through October, 2014.
  • Before being appointed to the bench, Judge Koenig served as a magistrate for the 16th Judicial Circuit from 2009 to 2014.
Links to Helpful Forms and Instructions

CIVIL PROCEDURE

Motion Setting:  All motion hearings are set through the Court’s Judicial Assistant by email at  monica.demeo@KeysCourts.net. The setting of a hearing requires the availability of all counsel. The scheduling order entered by the court requires counsel to confer and agree on a date and time for hearing.

A copy of the notice of hearing must be emailed to the Court’s Judicial Assistant to confirm a setting on the Court’s docket.  Copies of all documents to be considered at the hearing must be provided to the Court prior to the scheduled hearing.

Transmission of Proposed Orders:  Attorneys should submit proposed orders for the Court’s review and signature through the State of Florida E-Filing Portal.  Please be advised that the E-Filing Portal requires a separate cover letter in PDF format, with each proposed order.  Any exhibits referenced in the body of the proposed order must be attached, otherwise, the order will be rejected.  For more information regarding submission of proposed orders, follow this link:  https://keyscourts.net/16th-judicial-circuit-proposed-orders-protocol.html.

 

FORECLOSURE PROCEDURE

Please refer to Administrative Order 2.072 for the court’s procedures in obtaining relief in this division.

 

FELONY PROCEDURE

Motion Setting:  Motions may set through the court’s judicial assistant via email to  monica.demeo@keyscourts.net.

Pre-Trial Conference (Docket Sounding):  Docket Sounding is separate and apart from any other hearings, i.e., pleas, sentencings, admissions, evidentiaries, etc.  The only thing that will happen at docket sounding will be the announcement of the case being ready for trial, or, a motion for continuance.  No hearings, pleas or sentencings will occur at Docket Sounding, as there are separate schedules for those.

Stipulations for Continuance of Pretrial Conference (Docket Sounding):  Stipulations for Continuance shall be delivered to the judge’s office no later than 4 business days prior to the pretrial conference.

VOP Docket Sounding:  VOP Docket Sounding is also separate and apart from any other hearings, and is only held to determine whether the defendant will be entering an admission, requesting an evidentiary hearing, or requesting a continuance.  Admissions and/or sentencings will not occur at VOP Docket Sounding except in circumstances where there is a compelling need and the court has been advised in advance and has been provided with the necessary paperwork to do a complete and thorough analysis of the case.  This should be the exception and not the norm.

 

PROBATE PROCEDURE

Please confirm in which division your probate is pending.  All probate cases ending with the letter “K” are Key West cases and are assigned to Judge Koenig as of January 1, 2017.

All probate hearings are to be set through the Court’s Judicial Assistant by email at monica.demeo@keyscourts.net.  You may also reach Monica DeMeo at 305-292-3433.

The setting of a hearing requires the availability of all counsel. The New Probate Case Manager is Rosario Barrett and she can be reached at Rosario.Barrett@keyscourts.net and also at 305-292-3429.

Any proposed orders should be submitted through the Portal following the path for Judicial review as per directions below:

https://www.myflcourtaccess.com/authority/training-materials  For uploading a Proposed Order -> Training Materials and Manuals -> Portal E-Filer User Manual -> Pages 141-154

 

FAMILY COURT PROCEDURE

No final hearings for dissolution of marriage shall be set on the court’s open motion docket, but rather, shall be specially set by the Judicial Assistant upon request.

 

PROCESS FOR CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCES

Any party may make a request to the court for a case management conference, prior to setting it.  Parties are not permitted to set a case management conference without prior court approval.

 

EMAIL AND TELEPHONE CONTACT WITH THE COURT’S JUDICIAL ASSISTANT

Communications with the judge’s judicial assistant, either via telephone or by email, should be limited to scheduling matters and submission of agreed orders or orders on matters previously pronounced in court.

Letters to the court via the court’s judicial assistant or otherwise should likewise be limited to scheduling matters and/or for purposes of transmitting proposed orders.  All communications to the court must be copied to all parties and counsel.  Parties and counsel should refrain from communications with the court regarding substantive matters in pending cases and regarding disagreements with opposing parties and/or counsel.