The purpose of this summary provided by the Communications Department of The Florida Bar is to present media coverage that may be of interest to members. Opinions expressed in the articles are attributable solely to the authors. The Florida Bar does not adopt or endorse any opinions expressed below. For information on previous articles, please contact the publishing newspaper directly.
January 21, 2022
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The Florida Bar
HOUSE JUDICIARY MOVES MEASURE TO CREATE A SIXTH DCA
The Florida Bar | Article | January 21, 2022
The House Judiciary Committee has endorsed a measure that would create a Sixth District Court of Appeal in Pinellas County and authorize seven new district court of appeal judgeships. The panel voted 19-0 on Jan. 20 to approve JDC 1, a proposed committee bill by Rep. Tommy Gregory, R-Bradenton. JDC 1 would move the Fourth Judicial Circuit from the First District into the Fifth District, composed of the Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, and 18th judicial circuits; the Ninth Judicial Circuit from the Fifth District into the Second DCA, composed of the Ninth, 10th, and 20th circuits, and the Sixth, 12th, and 13th circuits from the Second District to be composed of a newly created Sixth DCA.
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Judiciary
FEDERAL LAWSUIT CHALLENGES A MARION COUNTY JAIL POLICY REFERRING TO ICE ANY FOREIGN-BORN INMATE
WMFE | Article | January 20, 2022
Neville Brooks is suing Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, saying he was detained illegally under a policy to automatically hold on to and report any inmate born outside the U.S. A lawsuit was filed in federal court Thursday [Jan. 20] by the Southern Poverty Law Center, ACLU and others. Brooks, who is from Jamaica is a legal resident who was arrested in Aug. 2020 and posted bail for a battery charge that was later dropped. The lawsuit seeks to block the alleged policy to detain and refer to ICE anyone arrested who was born outside the U.S.
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Legislative
FLORIDA BILL TO HELP BUSINESSES SPARKS FEARS OF LAWSUITS AGAINST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Tallahassee Democrat | Article | January 21, 2022
A move to help business owners fight regulations enacted by cities and counties survived a pair of Senate committees, but faces a troubled path forward with lawmakers who were warned it could trigger a cascade of lawsuits hitting local taxpayers hard. The measure allows any business operating in Florida for at least three years to claim legal damages if a county or city enacts or amends a provision that causes a reduction of at least 15 percent of the company’s profits.
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Civil Justice
JUDGE RULES IN FAVOR OF CITY OF TALLAHASSEE IN DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT
Tallahassee Democrat | Article | January 20, 2022
Leon Circuit Judge John Cooper ruled in favor of the City of Tallahassee in a lawsuit brought by Sandra Manning, a long-serving employee who claimed she was passed over as communications director because of age and race discrimination. Manning, who is Black and in her early 60s, also alleged the city retaliated against her after she complained of racism. Manning’s lawyer, Marie Mattox intends to appeal the ruling to the First District Court of Appeal.
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Legislative
IN THE DARK: FLORIDA LAWMAKERS CREATING NEW WAYS TO KEEP PUBLIC RECORDS PRIVATE
Tallahassee Democrat | Article | January 20, 2022
Florida lawmakers have filed more than 50 bills, either adding new exemptions to the state’s public records law or sparking what are known as open government sunset reviews, which can make previously public information secret. During the first week of session, which began Jan. 11, no less than 20 of those bills cleared their first review committees, including a highly contentious proposal to shield the names of people applying to be state university presidents until finalists are selected.
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Judiciary
WRONG PRONOUN: SOUTH FLORIDA JUDGE’S DISSENT CORRECTS LAWYER WHO ASSUMED SHE WAS A ‘HE’
Daily Business Review | Article | January 20, 2022
Fourth District Court of Appeal Judge Martha Warner wrote a dissent in a family law ruling this week centered around an attorney who’d used the wrong pronoun when referencing one of Warner’s dissents in a motion for rehearing, calling her a “he” instead of a “she.” Warner reasoned that it “reveals the tenacious grip that the male image has in the legal profession to the detriment of women who have joined the profession in droves since I began practicing 48 years ago.” Miami Beach attorney Thomas J. Butler represented the appellant and expressed regret for what he said was an honest mistake.