Florida

Suits claim 2 Florida law firms failed to pay overtime

Updated: Two lawsuits filed in federal court in Florida claim two personal injury law firms failed to pay overtime to office workers. The suits claim the law firms are violating the Fair Labor Standards Act. One of the defendants is the Jodat Law Group, with offices in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice,…

Oct 2, 2017 10:53 AM CDT

Law firm’s automatic deletion of spam emails is blamed for failure to file timely appeal

A Florida law firm’s failure to appeal an order assessing attorney fees doesn’t constitute excusable neglect when its email system apparently perceived the order to be spam and erased it, a Florida appeals court has ruled.

Sep 28, 2017 7:00 AM CDT

Legal aid hotline opens for Hurricane Irma victims

Updated: A legal aid hotline has opened for Hurricane Irma victims in Florida who can’t afford a lawyer. The hotline number is 866-550-2929, report the Orlando Sentinel and an ABA press release. The hotline is operated by young lawyers divisions of the ABA and the Florida Bar, in conjunction with…

Sep 14, 2017 10:27 AM CDT

Florida Bar raises income cap for Free Legal Answers website to help Hurricane Irma victims

The Florida Bar has raised the income cap for users of the Florida Free Legal Answers online legal clinic to help more victims of Hurricane Irma get answers to their legal questions.

Sep 11, 2017 8:31 AM CDT

Florida Bar Foundation allocates up to $500K for civil legal aid after hurricane, establishes fund

The Florida Bar Foundation’s board of directors has approved allocating up to $500,000 to support legal organizations after Hurricane Irma. The money can be spent to repair building damage, cover equipment losses and help clients with hurricane-related legal issues, according to a press release. The bar foundation has also created…

Sep 8, 2017 10:55 AM CDT

Elected Florida prosecutor discontinues her policy against pursuing the death penalty

The elected chief prosecutor for the Orlando area has reversed her ban on seeking the death penalty, the Orlando Sentinel reported Friday. The announcement from State Attorney Aramis Ayala, who represents Florida’s Orange and Osceola Counties, came one day after the Florida Supreme Court ruled (PDF) against Ayala. She had…

Sep 5, 2017 2:42 PM CDT

Inmates’ escape par for the course in private prison transport industry

The private prisoner transport company whose van was stolen by two inmates last week in Oklahoma — precipitating a national manhunt that remains underway — may be feeling a sense of deja vu. The company has suffered at least half a dozen other escapes in the last five years. Inmate…

Sep 1, 2017 7:00 AM CDT

Florida lawmakers to review law targeting injured undocumented workers

The second-highest ranking member of the Florida Senate pledged a legislative review of a state law that has allowed injured undocumented workers to be arrested and potentially deported rather than paid workers’ compensation benefits. “Legitimate injuries shouldn’t be denied just because the person was an undocumented immigrant,” said Republican Sen.…

Aug 28, 2017 4:10 PM CDT

What’s the punishment for theft? Depends on what state you’re in

Stealing a neighbor’s $300 purse in Georgia is a misdemeanor that might get you a fine or a short stint in county jail. But if you take that same item next door in Florida, you’ve committed a felony: you could end up serving time in state prison and lose your…

Aug 11, 2017 7:00 AM CDT

Lawyer who forged judges’ signatures on more than 100 documents is sentenced

A Miami lawyer was sentenced Thursday to 364 days in jail for forging judges’ signatures in more than 100 Florida civil cases involving structured settlements. Jose Camacho, 47, had claimed he forged the signatures of at least eight Broward County judges because he had a high-volume practice and didn’t want…

Aug 4, 2017 9:31 AM CDT

Condemned to death—and solitary confinement

Arizona death row inmate Scott Nordstrom lives alone in a room smaller than a parking space. He’s allowed to leave his cell a few times each week to shower or exercise alone in a similarly-sized mesh cage and is forbidden from making physical contact with visitors from the outside. But…

Jul 27, 2017 10:27 AM CDT

Alleged judge stalkers made obscene phone calls, sent explicit photos; judges live in fear, cop says

Judge Vonda Evans of Wayne County, Michigan, says a stalker sent her graphic messages and photos of his genitalia. Sixteen judges in Broward County, Florida, received obscene phone calls and threatening letters by a man calling himself their biggest nightmare. Two alleged stalkers have been identified, but only one has…

Jul 19, 2017 10:54 AM CDT

Orlando cops pull over black state attorney, and the video goes viral

Body cam video of Orlando police officers pulling over Florida’s only black state attorney has gone viral after some commentators suggested the stop could have been due to racial profiling. Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala, who has been in the news for refusing to seek the death penalty, was on…

Jul 13, 2017 11:16 AM CDT

Lawyers demonstrate patriotism through helping others and expanding access to justice

As America celebrates its 241st anniversary, we, as lawyers, should reflect on the vital role our profession has played in the building, governance, and preservation of our democracy.

Jul 1, 2017 12:35 AM CDT

He walked out of prison after 11 years—now the state wants him back

Robert Woodall and Stephanie Walker just invested in a new sofa. It is a wrap-around sectional, wide enough to fit them and their two sons, Robby and Lance, and perfect for family movie nights at their ranch house in Umatilla, Florida, a small town outside Orlando. “I’m just happy we…

Jun 22, 2017 11:00 AM CDT