Florida

Citing lack of lawyers, public defenders in this state ask to let law grads work before bar admission

A Florida proposal to allow court appearances for law school graduates, up to one year before bar admission, has been made by the state’s public defenders organization.

Feb 13, 2023 9:40 AM CST

Weekly Briefs: Judge orders reform of school-funding system; BigLaw malpractice suit settles

School-funding system violates state constitution, judge says A Pennsylvania judge has ruled that the state’s school-funding system, which is heavily dependent on local property taxes, violates the state constitutional rights of students in poor school districts. Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer said the system violates the Pennsylvania Constitution’s education clause and…

Feb 10, 2023 2:44 PM CST

Florida judges can no longer get CLE credit for general ‘fairness and diversity’ courses, state supreme court says

Florida judges can no longer take “fairness and diversity” courses to satisfy continuing education requirements, unless the classes relate to judicial professionalism, ethics opinions or the judicial conduct code, the Florida Supreme Court has decided.

Feb 6, 2023 8:37 AM CST

Meet the lawyer representing Trump in his lawsuit against journalist Bob Woodward

The new lawyer representing former President Donald Trump in his lawsuit against journalist Bob Woodward initially practiced law as a barrister in Great Britain.

Feb 2, 2023 9:41 AM CST

DeSantis violated Florida Constitution by suspending prosecutor, but federal court can’t act, judge says

A federal judge in Florida has ruled that the 11th Amendment prevents him from ordering the reinstatement of a reform prosecutor suspended by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Jan 24, 2023 8:54 AM CST

Reed Smith asks to drop representation of former Baltimore state’s attorney after judge threatens sanctions

Four lawyers from Reed Smith are asking a judge to allow them to withdraw from the representation of former Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby after a judge threatened sanctions against a law firm partner for violating local court rules.

Jan 23, 2023 2:51 PM CST

Meet Robert Hur, the former Trump-era prosecutor who is special counsel in Biden documents probe

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday that he is appointing a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher as the special counsel to investigate whether any person or entity violated the law in connection with classified documents found at President Joe Biden’s home and office.

Jan 12, 2023 2:01 PM CST

Weekly Briefs: Judge slashes $24M award for Unite the Right victims; judge accused of offering sex for early trial

Judge slashes $24M punitive award in Unite the Right trial U.S. District Judge Norman K. Moon of the Western District of Virginia has slashed an award of $24 million in punitive damages assessed against white supremacists associated with the violent 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Moon said…

Jan 6, 2023 2:04 PM CST

Lawyer who cited ‘professional curiosity’ in child-porn case won’t acknowledge wrongdoing, referee says

A suburban Tampa, Florida, lawyer has been disbarred after a referee found that he refused to acknowledge wrongdoing, despite pleading guilty in a child-pornography case.

Jan 5, 2023 11:34 AM CST

11th Circuit upholds school’s ban on transgender students using bathrooms corresponding with gender identity

Updated: In a decision that creates a circuit split, a federal appeals court has upheld a Florida school district’s policy that bans transgender students from using bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity.

Jan 4, 2023 10:10 AM CST

Florida governor seeks grand jury to investigate drug companies’ COVID-19 vaccine statements

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has asked the Florida Supreme Court to appoint a statewide grand jury to investigate “criminal or wrongful activity” related to the development and promotion of COVID-19 vaccines.

Dec 16, 2022 8:45 AM CST

Supreme Court will decide criminal cases involving co-defendant’s statement, improper venue

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to decide two cases involving criminal defendants and their rights under the Sixth Amendment.

Dec 15, 2022 10:27 AM CST

Judge didn’t have jurisdiction to appoint special master in Trump documents case, 11th Circuit says

U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon of the Southern District of Florida didn’t have jurisdiction to consider former President Donald Trump’s request for a special master to review documents seized from his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida, a federal appeals court has ruled.

Dec 2, 2022 10:28 AM CST

Mac and cheese isn’t really ready in 3.5 minutes, lawsuit claims

A Florida woman has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the Kraft Heinz Foods Co. misled consumers when it claimed that its Velveeta Shells & Cheese product is “ready in 3.5 minutes.”

Nov 29, 2022 9:10 AM CST

Lawyer used deceptive ‘mobile claim center’ to solicit Hurricane Ian clients, Florida Bar alleges

A lawyer is denying allegations that she solicited Hurricane Ian clients using a truck designed to look like an operation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency or a state-run site. The lawyer said the Florida Bar’s petition for her emergency suspension is based on “a clear misunderstanding of the underlying facts and circumstances in this matter.”

Nov 23, 2022 9:35 AM CST