Florida

Prosecutor Charged in Sex Sting Commits Suicide

A federal prosecutor accused of traveling to Detroit to have sex with a 5-year-old girl has committed suicide in prison. J. D. Roy Atchison, a U.S. attorney in Pensacola, killed himself on Friday. He was in a special housing unit for inmates who are segregated for a variety of reasons,…

Oct 8, 2007 10:27 AM CDT

Mortgage Enforcement Targets Lawyers

No lawyers apparently were among the 11 borrowers, sellers and real estate industry professionals arrested today in three separate alleged mortgage fraud schemes in South Florida. But attorneys are likely to find themselves on the wrong side of such cases in the future, authorities say. ”In the coming months, you…

Oct 5, 2007 6:42 PM CDT

Rush Limbaugh Divorce Details Secret, But Salary Isn’t

Details of Rush Limbaugh’s 2004 divorce settlement will remain secret because of a Florida appeals court ruling yesterday. The court denied a motion for rehearing (PDF) by the Palm Beach Post, which is seeking to unseal the file, the Daily Business Review reports. A dissenter argued that the agreement is…

Oct 4, 2007 12:27 PM CDT

‘Bar-Certified Sane Lawyer’ in New Judge Dispute

Anti-porn crusader Jack Thompson has had his share of disputes with judges. The South Florida lawyer is vocal in his criticism—so vocal that The Florida Bar is considering two complaints that contend his statements about two judges violated ethics rules. Now Thompson’s lawsuit (PDF) attempting to put a stop to…

Oct 3, 2007 12:10 AM CDT

Court Declines Tobacco Appeal

Tobacco companies lost a bid for U.S. Supreme Court review of a decision that will aid Florida smoking plaintiffs in future lawsuits. The court refused to hear the case yesterday, Bloomberg News reports. The Florida Supreme Court had ruled that smoking plaintiffs may rely on a 1999 jury finding that…

Oct 2, 2007 2:11 PM CDT

Florida Ups Ante on Child Sex Crimes

As a new statute takes effect that will triple some penalties and criminalize behavior that isn’t criminal elsewhere, Florida’s laws against committing sex crimes involving children have become some of the toughest in the nation. In Florida, for example, it is now a crime to take a trip with the…

Oct 1, 2007 7:18 PM CDT

New Turmoil at Ave Maria

In the latest turmoil at Ave Maria School of Law, the alumni board of directors of the Michigan institution has issued a vote of no confidence in the school’s top leaders. It called—for the second time—for the ouster of the dean and board chairman of the Catholic law school, reports…

Oct 1, 2007 3:35 PM CDT

FL Expects Surge of Mortgage Fraud Cases

An attorney has been charged with 17 others in a $42 million South Florida mortgage fraud case that authorities say is part of an expected explosion of such prosecutions. In addition to this new case and another smaller mortgage fraud prosecution, U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta also announced today a…

Sep 28, 2007 8:54 PM CDT

OJ Simpson Book, ‘If I Did It,’ a Best-Seller

It couldn’t have been O.J. Simpson’s plan, since he doesn’t get any of the profits. But the former superstar’s arrest earlier this month has helped launch his new book, If I Did It, to the top of the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list. It is now No. 2, according…

Sep 28, 2007 4:13 PM CDT

Cuban Dad Gets Girl Over FL’s Objection

A hard-fought child custody case pitting a 5-year-old girl’s Cuban father against Florida officials and wealthy foster parents has ended with a ruling upholding the dad’s parental rights. Although the Florida Department of Children & Families said Rafael Izquierdo abandoned his daughter after her mother brought her to South Florida…

Sep 27, 2007 5:50 PM CDT

Lawyer Angers Judge With Gay Sex Photos

Updated: Jack Thompson’s attempt to make a point about a gay news Web site has backfired badly. A federal judge is threatening action against the Florida lawyer for attaching electronic photos of gay sex to a motion filed with the court. To make a point about “hardcore porn” on the…

Sep 27, 2007 1:09 PM CDT

Lawyer May Sue Nasdaq for $600 K Loss

A Miami-area lawyer who lost a $600,000 investment in WorldCom stock may pursue his suit against Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. because of an en banc ruling of a federal appeals court. The full 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that Nasdaq did not have immunity for ads…

Sep 25, 2007 12:03 PM CDT

2 Lawyers in Bankruptcy Case Crossfire

A well-known defense lawyer is the latest central Florida attorney to be caught in the crossfire between high-profile client Lou Pearlman, a jailed music producer with $500 million in claimed debt, and a bankruptcy trustee. The trustee is asking a bankruptcy judge to compel attorney Robert Leventhal, who has been…

Sep 24, 2007 6:37 PM CDT

Media Spotlight Suits O.J. Lawyer

CORRECTED:The man known as O.J. Simpson’s lawyer is in media demand since his client’s arrest on armed robbery charges, a situation he appears to relish. Yale Galanter toiled in relative anonymity in South Florida before he was referred to represent Simpson when he was accused in a road rage incident,…

Sep 21, 2007 3:05 PM CDT

A Holland & Knight First: Black, Female Leader

Kelly-Ann Cartwright is something of a trailblazer. She has been named executive partner of Holland & Knight in Miami, the first black woman to lead one of the firm’s offices and the only black woman to lead a large law firm in South Florida, the Daily Business Review reports. Cartwright…

Sep 21, 2007 1:59 PM CDT