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.
August 06, 2024
-
The Florida Bar
COOLEY LAW PROFESSORS PRESENT AT LEGAL WRITING INSTITUTE’S 21ST BIENNIAL CONFERENCE
The Florida Bar | Article | August 05, 2024
Five Cooley Law School professors participated in the Legal Writing Institute Biennial Conference at Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis from July 17-20, 2024. The event’s theme was “The Best Is Yet to Come.” Cooley professors Brad Charles, Mark Cooney, Barbara Anna Kalinowski, and Matt Marin presented on various legal writing topics. Professor Emeritus Joseph Kimble was awarded the 2024 Golden Pen Award by the Legal Writing Institute Board of Directors for his extraordinary commitment to promoting plain language in legal writing. Kimble taught legal writing at Cooley for 30 years and edited the Michigan Bar Journal’s Plain Language column for 36 years. He has also contributed to rewriting significant legal procedures and advocated for fair treatment of legal-writing professors, leading to broader recognition and equality within the profession.
-
Legal Discipline
FLORIDA ATTORNEY PLEADS GUILTY TO BOMB ATTEMPT OUTSIDE CHINESE EMBASSY
USA Today | Article | August 05, 2024
Christopher Rodriguez, a Florida attorney, pleaded guilty to attempting to bomb the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., in September 2023. He placed a backpack filled with explosives outside the embassy and tried to detonate it by shooting at it, but missed. DNA evidence linked him to the crime. Rodriguez also admitted to damaging a satirical sculpture in San Antonio, Texas, in November 2022, depicting communist leaders Lenin and Mao Zedong. He used explosives and a rifle to damage the artwork. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to charges including damaging foreign government property and possession of unregistered firearms. He faces a recommended sentence of seven to ten years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested him on November 4, 2023, in Lafayette, Louisiana.
-
Legal Profession
AI-GENERATED COURT FILING HAD NAME, BAR NUMBER OF LAWYER WHO HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH CASE, COMPLAINT SAYS
ABA Journal | Article | August 05, 2024
Florida foreclosure lawyer Matthew Weidner discovered that his name and bar number were used in a court filing generated by artificial intelligence without his involvement. Weidner, based in St. Petersburg, Florida, was alerted to the issue by another lawyer. The document, generated by a litigation services company for a defendant fighting eviction, mistakenly included Weidner’s information from an unrelated case he had posted online. Weidner filed an unauthorized practice of law complaint against the company. The plaintiffs are seeking sanctions for the filing, but the defendant claimed there was no intent to misappropriate Weidner’s name, blaming the mistake on improper editing.
-
Civil Justice
COURT REFUSES TO RECONSIDER RECORDS CASE ABOUT FLORIDA SUPREME COURT CONVERSATIONS
News Service of Florida | Article | August 05, 2024
On Friday [ Aug 2], the First District Court of Appeal declined to reconsider a case involving Gov. Ron DeSantis’s refusal to release records related to the appointment of Florida Supreme Court justices. The case was brought by an anonymous individual, identified as J. Doe, who sought public records from DeSantis’s office regarding conservative influencers involved in judicial appointments. Leon County Circuit Judge Angela Dempsey previously rejected the request, citing the governor’s “executive privilege.” In June, the appeals court avoided ruling on the executive privilege issue, instead questioning Doe’s anonymity in the lawsuit. Doe’s attorneys argued in a rehearing motion that anonymity is essential for exercising the constitutional right to access public records. The appeals court rejected this motion without explanation. The request stemmed from an August 25, 2022, interview where DeSantis mentioned consulting “legal conservative heavyweights” for judicial appointments.
-
Civil Justice
WEST PALM BEACH FEDERAL COURT IMPOSES $850K PENALTY FOR INSIDER TRADING
Daily Business Review | Article | August 05, 2024
On Monday [Aug 5], a federal court in West Palm Beach ordered Charles Baugh of Boca Raton to pay nearly $850,000 in disgorgement and civil penalties following a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) settlement. Baugh was accused of insider trading in ADT Inc. securities before its August 3, 2020, partnership announcement with Google. The SEC alleged that Baugh misappropriated confidential information from a family member, a senior ADT employee, during a July 4, 2020, family gathering. After learning about the upcoming partnership, Baugh purchased $66,000 in ADT options, later selling them for a $320,908 profit. He was also accused of advising a relative, who made $80,000 from ADT stock. U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks entered the final judgment, with Baugh agreeing to pay $320,908 in disgorgement, $50,405 in interest, and a $473,660 civil penalty. The debt is non-dischargeable in bankruptcy.
-
Civil Justice
JUDGE SAYS FLORIDA’S GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE EXCLUSION VIOLATES STATE WORKERS’ RIGHTS
Associated Press | Article | August 05, 2024
On Thursday [Aug 1], Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker ruled that Florida’s ban on transgender health care for state employees violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on sex. The lawsuit, filed in 2020 by three current and former state employees, challenged Florida’s exclusion of coverage for gender dysphoria treatment. The plaintiffs, represented by Southern Legal Counsel, the ACLU of Florida, and Legal Services of Greater Miami, argued that the ban discriminated against transgender employees by denying medically necessary treatment. Walker agreed, stating that health benefits are a key part of compensation, and denying them based on sex is discriminatory. The court will hold a trial to determine damages. The Florida Department of Management Services and the governor’s office have not commented.
-
Civil Justice
IN LANDMARK RULING, JUDGE FINDS GOOGLE VIOLATED ANTITRUST LAW
Associated Press | Article | August 05, 2024
On Monday [Aug 1], U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google is a monopolist, violating Section 2 of the Sherman Act by maintaining its monopoly through billions spent on exclusive search engine partnerships. This decision follows a lawsuit by the Justice Department and states accusing Google of using these partnerships to dominate the market. Google argued that users could easily switch search engines, but Mehta rejected this, citing evidence from a 10-week trial with testimony from top tech executives. The ruling is a major setback for Google and its parent, Alphabet Inc., which is likely to appeal. The decision could lead to significant changes or penalties for Google, potentially benefiting competitors like Microsoft. Further legal proceedings will determine the exact remedies to be imposed.