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.
October 11, 2024
-
The Florida Bar
SUPREME COURT APPROVES FFLA’S RESERVES PLAN
The Florida Bar | Article | October 11, 2024
The Florida Supreme Court has approved an FFLA request to set aside nearly $143 million in a special reserve while the group formerly known as The Florida Bar Foundation distributes nearly $95 million in IOTA funds to legal aid organizations by a December 31 deadline. Justices noted that FFLA’s proposed distribution of $94,832,278 to qualified grantee organizations throughout the state would still represent a 145% increase over the previous year. “The Court finds that the proposed distribution and ‘additional reserve amount’ for fiscal year 2023-2024 funds are at this time reasonably prudent to promote stability in distribution of IOTA funds to qualified grantee organizations providing qualified legal services,” according to the October 4 Administrative Order, AOSC24-70. The Supreme Court in March 2023 approved amendments to Rule 5-1.1 that require lawyers to place their trust accounts in institutions that tie IOTA interest rates to specific indexed rate points.
-
Judiciary
ON THE BALLOT: ONE JUDGESHIP AND APPELLATE COURT RETENTION
Jacksonville Daily Record | Article | October 11, 2024
When early voting begins later this month, registered voters will choose officials ranging from president of the United States to U.S. senators, U.S. representatives and myriad state and local elected officeholders. This includes judicial candidates those running for state attorney and public defender offices. Statewide, voters will vote whether to retain two Florida Supreme Court Justices—Justice Renatha Francis and Justice Meredith Sasso. After being screened by Judicial Nominating Commissions for each of the six districts in the state and then interviewed by the governor, appellate court judges are appointed to the bench. Within two years after their appointment, appellate judges appear on the ballot for retention, with voters given the choice whether to keep each judge on the bench. To learn more about Florida’s 2024 judicial elections, visit The Florida Bar’s 2024 Voter Guide.
-
Florida Supreme Court
FLORIDA SUPREME COURT REJECTS CHALLENGE OF DESANTIS ANTI-ABORTION AMENDMENT AD
USA Today Network – Florida | Article | October 10, 2024
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday [Oct. 10] unanimously rejected an attempt to block Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration from using government resources to advocate against the state’s abortion access ballot measure. The challenge was filed by a Lake Worth attorney, Adam Richardson, who said recent actions by the state “aim to interfere with the people’s right to decide whether or not to approve a citizen-initiated proposal to amend their Constitution, free from undue government interference.” The state has, for example, created a webpage that bashes Amendment 4 and run television advertisements that link to that webpage. In responding to the lawsuit, the state argued that officials like DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody were exempt from a state law barring them from using their “official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election.”
-
Legal Profession
EVEN AFTER AN INTEREST RATE CUT, FLA. LAWYERS EXPECT BANKRUPTCY FILINGS TO KEEP RISING
Daily Business Review | Article | October 09, 2024
Following the decision from the U.S. Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, lawyers are still seeing bankruptcy filings go up, with an expectation that the trend will continue. Filings across all chapters were up 7% this June compared with June 2023 nationwide, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute. The surge in filings comes as a confluence of factors weigh down on many small and large businesses. Additionally, the interest rate cuts might not even cause a big impact once they finally settle in, according to lawyers. Interest rates, inflation and supply chain issues are all presently affecting businesses across the nation, according to Markowitz Ringel Trusty & Hartog partner Joshua Silver. Businesses on the local level also face more immediate threats as Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, threatening many businesses there and around the state. Beyond affecting businesses with interruptions and possibly even physical damage, the slew of hurricanes also has the potential to increase insurance premiums further, which would only add to inflationary challenges, Silver said.