News and Events
Daily News Summary
An electronic digest of media coverage of interest to members of The Florida Bar compiled each workday by the Public Information and Bar Services Department. Electronic links are only active in today's edition. For information on previous articles, please contact the publishing newspaper directly.
Aug. 28, 2008
For results in state judicial races and other elections information, please visit the Florida Department of State Division of Elections Web site at http://enight.dos.state.fl.us.
--Judiciary--
CANADY NAMED STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE-- The Ledger, http://www.theledger.com, Aug. 28, 2008.
Second District Court of Appeal Judge Charles Canady has been named a state Supreme Court justice, Gov. Charlie Crist's office announced today. Canady, a Lakeland native, was among five nominees to fill an at-large seat on the Florida Supreme Court being vacated by Justice Raoul Cantero.
--Legal Profession--
ROBERTS TO JUDGE UF COURT CONTEST-- The Gainesville Sun, http://www.gainesvillesun.com, Aug. 28, 2008.
The chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court will judge a competition of University of Florida law students on Sept. 5. Chief Justice John Roberts will judge moot court at the Phillips Center. Four law students will write briefs and make oral arguments in a fictional case on the constitutionality of anti-abortion license plates. Previously, Florida Supreme Court justices and federal appeals court judges have presided over the Justice Campbell Thornal Moot Court Final Four, but it's first time a U.S. Supreme Court justice has done so.
FSU STUDENT BAR ASSOCIATION HONORED BY ABA-- FSView, http://www.fsunews.com, Aug. 28, 2008.
At the American Bar Association Annual Meeting, held Aug. 8, Florida State University's College of Law Student Bar Association was named "SBA of the Year." FSU's SBA undertook many projects that helped it earn the ABA distinction, including sponsoring several community service events at the law school, said Christi Morgan, director of communications for the law school. Projects included a Homelessness Awareness Week and the establishment of a speakers' bureau.
U.S. TO EASE PRESSURE TACTIC OVER LEGAL HELP FOR EMPLOYEES-- The Gainesville Sun, http://www.gainesvillesun.com, Aug. 28, 2008.
The Justice Department today will roll back a controversial set of rules that penalized companies if they insisted on paying employees’ legal fees or protecting their confidential communications with corporate lawyers. The long-awaited new guidelines, officials said, will no longer allow federal prosecutors to indict a company that takes such measures with its employees. The Justice Department imposed the tough corporate fraud guidelines in 2003 after the collapse of Enron and a subsequent wave of corporate fraud scandals. Justice Department officials maintained at the time that the aggressive tactics were meant to encourage executives to cooperate in investigations into possible wrongdoing rather than risk seeing their companies indicted — often a death knell for corporations.
--Civil Justice Issues--
CRIST ORDER MAKES IT EASIER FOR RELEASED FELONS TO VOTE-- St. Petersburg Times, http://www.tampabay.com, Aug. 28, 2008. [Also: ACLU: CRIST TOO LATE ON GETTING FELONS' RIGHTS-- The Miami Herald, http://www.miamiherald.com, Aug. 28, 2008].
From the St. Petersburg Times: Gov. Charlie Crist signed an executive order Wednesday [Aug. 27] making it easier for released felons to register to vote and to track the status of their civil rights. The timing — with less than six weeks before the voter registration deadline for the Nov. 4 presidential election — angered some of the very people who sought the change. Under Crist's order, the Florida Parole Commission Web site (www.FLrestoremyrights.com) will allow released felons to print out copies of their restoration certificates, and all released felons will be given voter registration forms with the certificates.
ACLU SUES SANTA ROSA SCHOOL DISTRICT-- Pensacola News Journal, http://www.pnj.com, Aug. 28, 2008.
Two Pace High School students are suing the Santa Rosa County School District over prayer at graduation and other school events. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Wednesday [Aug. 27] in U.S. District Court in Pensacola on behalf of the students, who claim Pace High officials misuse their positions to promote their religious viewpoints. The students names are not listed in the lawsuit because they are minors. Pace High Principal Frank Lay and Superintendent John Rogers, who are named as defendants in the lawsuit, said they could not talk about the complaint. School Board Attorney Paul Green also declined comment on pending litigation.
--Other--
DONALD SENTERFITT LEFT INDELIBLE MARK IN LAW, BANKING-- Orlando Sentinel, http://www.orlandosentinel.com, Aug. 28, 2008.
Donald T. Senterfitt, who co-founded what is now one of the largest law firms in Florida before moving on to a long and distinguished career in banking, died Wednesday after battling cancer and pulmonary disease. He was 88. Senterfitt, of Orlando, practiced law for 32 years and for a time was chairman of The Florida Bar's committee on professional ethics. Senterfitt served as assistant city attorney for Orlando from 1955 to 1958 and as Orange County attorney in 1958. He was the 1957-58 president of the Orange County Bar Association and was a senior partner and chairman of what was then known as Akerman, Senterfitt & Eidson from 1968 to 1980. His law practice led him into banking, first as general counsel for the Florida Bankers Association from 1958 to 1980.
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[Revised:
07-01-2005
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