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Special Magistrate Administrative Division

Special Magistrates have jurisdiction over alleged violations of the Pinellas County Code, and service multiple county departments and divisions. They conduct hearings regarding testimony and evidence on these code violations and render enforcement orders in accordance with Pinellas County Ordinance No. 07-05, adopted January 9, 2007. 

According to Florida Statute Section 162.02, Pinellas County has a code enforcement system that gives Special Magistrates, as designated by the Board of County Commissioners, the authority to hold hearings and assess fines against violators of the Pinellas County Ordinances. 

Special Magistrate Hearing Dates and Agendas

Public hearings are typically held on the second Monday of every month at 9 a.m. in the Pinellas County Courthouse, 315 Court Street, 5th Floor Assembly Room, Clearwater, 33756. Dates, times and location of hearings are subject to change.

2024 Hearing Dates and Agendas

Visit the Hearing Archives for previous hearing dates and agendas. 

Hearing Rules of Conduct 

Additional Special Magistrate hearings may be called by the Code Inspector, or at any other times as needed. At a hearing, Pinellas County Code Enforcement has the burden of proof to show that a violation exists, or in the case of a repeat violation, existed on the date that the Code Inspector notified the respondent. 

The Special Magistrate may consider testimony presented by Code Enforcement Officers, the respondent, or any other witnesses present at the hearing. All testimony is under oath and will be recorded. Irrelevant, immaterial or unduly repetitious evidence may be excluded. 

At the conclusion of the hearing, the Special Magistrate will render their decision, or order, based on the evidence. A written order will be mailed to the respondent within ten days after the hearing. A certified copy of the order will be recorded in the Pinellas County public records. If Pinellas County successfully prosecutes our case, we are entitled to recover all costs incurred. 

To appeal a Special Magistrate decision, you will need a verbatim record of the proceedings, including the testimony and evidence. You may wish to retain a court reporter for this record, as Pinellas County does not provide this service.

Full Rules of Conduct 

  1. Upon request of the Code Inspector or at such other times as may be necessary, a hearing before the Special Magistrate may be convened. Minutes shall be kept of all Code Enforcement hearings, and all hearings shall be open to the public. The Special Magistrate Administrative Division shall provide all clerical and administrative support reasonably necessary to conduct these hearings. 
  1. Where proper notice of the hearing has been provided to the alleged violator pursuant to section 2-628, a hearing may proceed even in the absence of the alleged violator. 
  1. At such hearing, the burden of proof shall be upon the Code Enforcement division to show by a preponderance of the evidence that a violation exists, or in the case of a repeat violation, existed on the date that the Code Inspector gave notice to the violator of a repeat violation pursuant to subsection 2- 622(3). 
  1. All testimony shall be under oath and shall be recorded. The formal rules of evidence shall not apply but fundamental due process shall be observed and shall govern the proceedings. Upon determination of the Special Magistrate, irrelevant, immaterial or unduly repetitious evidence may be excluded, but all other evidence of a type commonly relied upon by reasonably prudent persons in the conduct of their affairs shall be admissible, whether or not such evidence would be admissible in a trial in the courts of Florida. Any part of the evidence may be received in written form. 
  1. The Special Magistrate may inquire of or question any witness present at the hearing. The alleged violator (hereinafter also referred to as respondent), respondent’s attorney, Code Enforcement officers, or an attorney representing the division shall be permitted to inquire of or question any witness present at the hearing. The special magistrate may consider testimony presented by Code Enforcement officers, the respondent or any other witnesses. 
  1. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Special Magistrate shall render his or her decision (order) based on evidence entered into the record. The decision shall then be transmitted to the respondent in the form of a written order including findings of fact, and conclusions of law consistent with the record. The order shall be transmitted by mail to the respondent within ten days after the hearing. The order may include a notice that it must be complied with by a specified date and that a fine and costs may be imposed and, under the circumstances set forth in subsection 2-622(3), the cost of repairs or other corrective action may be included along with the fine if the order is not complied with by said date. A certified copy of such order may be recorded in the public records of Pinellas County and shall constitute notice to any subsequent purchasers, successors in interest, or assigns if the violation concerns real property, and the findings therein shall be binding upon the violator and, if the violation concerns real property, any subsequent purchasers, successors in interest, or assigns. If an order is recorded in the public records pursuant to this paragraph and the order is complied with by the date specified in the order, the special magistrate shall issue an order acknowledging compliance that shall be recorded in the public records. A hearing is not required to issue such an order acknowledging compliance. 
  1. If Pinellas County prevails in prosecuting a case before the Special Magistrate, it shall be entitled to recover all costs incurred. Whether and to what extent such costs are imposed shall be within the discretion of the special magistrate but shall not exceed the actual costs incurred. 

Frequently Asked Questions

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