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.
May 06, 2025
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The Florida Bar
FLORIDA BAR UPDATES PROCESS FOR EVALUATING UNAPPROVED CLE COURSES
The Florida Bar | Article | May 06, 2025
The Florida Bar has updated its process for evaluating and approving Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits for members who attend unapproved courses. Because Florida is not a reciprocal CLE state, course certificates alone are no longer sufficient for credit consideration. Members must now submit an Application for Course Attendance Credit along with a timed agenda or outline, speaker biography, and a certificate of completion (if available). The change comes after a review revealed that unapproved courses were being posted based on title alone, without proper evaluation under Board of Legal Specialization and Education (BLSE) Policy 6.02(c) and (e). For more information on CLE requirements and updates, visit FloridaBar.org/CLE.
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Criminal Justice
EX-PROSECUTOR ACCUSED IN HOWARD FRANKLAND STABBING TAKES STAND TO CLAIM SELF-DEFENSE
Tampa Bay Times | Article | May 05, 2025
Former federal prosecutor Patrick Scruggs is trying to make the case to a Pinellas judge that he acted in self-defense when he stabbed another driver after a traffic crash on the Howard Frankland Bridge. Scruggs smashed the man’s window and stabbed him about seven times in the arm because he feared for his safety, he testified Friday [May 2]. Witnesses, too, feared for their lives. But they recalled being more terrified of the man wielding a knife than the driver accused of causing the crash. The 2023 incident occurred when Scruggs and another driver pulled over to help Blake Sharp, who had stopped his vehicle in traffic and slumped over into the passenger seat. Before anyone could help, Sharp suddenly sped forward, backed, and veered into a left lane, colliding with two cars, including Scruggs’ in the process. Scruggs’ lawyer, said his client found himself in a “highly dangerous situation.” He argued Scruggs was trying to protect himself and other drivers on the road.
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Civil Justice
GROUP SUES FLORIDA OVER CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PETITION LAW
Tampa Bay Times | Article | May 05, 2025
Florida Decides Healthcare, the group behind an effort to expand Medicaid, is taking Florida to court over a law Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis approved Friday [May 2] that changes the state’s ballot initiative process. Florida Decides Healthcare is pushing for a proposed constitutional amendment in 2026. To get on the ballot, it first needs to collect nearly 900,000 petitions from Florida citizens. The group said in its lawsuit that the law DeSantis signed “imposes vague, punitive, and excessive requirements” and violates the First Amendment protection for political speech. Bill sponsors in the Legislature said the changes were necessary to protect Florida’s system from abuse. They pointed to a state report that alleged widespread fraud in an amendment campaign last year. But Florida Decides Healthcare said in its lawsuit that the bill’s provisions weren’t narrowly tailored to fraud.
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Civil Justice
TWO MIAMI MAYORAL CANDIDATES TO BE DEPOSED BY FORMER CITY ATTORNEY’S LEGAL TEAM
Miami Herald | Article | May 06, 2025
Two candidates for Miami mayor will be deposed by the legal team representing former Miami City Attorney Victoria Méndez in an ongoing lawsuit against the city, Méndez, City Manager Art Noriega and Commissioner Joe Carollo. Former City Commissioner Ken Russell and former City Manager Emilio González, who both filed paperwork earlier this year to run for mayor of Miami, have been subpoenaed by Méndez’s legal team. Méndez is seeking dismissal from the suit. The judge overseeing the case, which accuses Carollo of carrying out a “political vendetta” by weaponizing city resources against businesses operated by Little Havana businessmen Bill Fuller and Martin Pinilla, suggested the pair be deposed. Their under-oath testimony brings the city’s ongoing legal battles relating to Carollo and the Ball & Chain nightclub operators into focus amid a contested mayoral race.
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Civil Justice
MIAMI JURY AWARDS $31M TO SPOUSE OF MAN KILLED ON I-95
Daily Business Review | Article | May 05, 2025
A Miami-Dade Circuit Court jury returned a $31 million verdict on Friday [May 2] to the spouse of Josué Calá, who was tragically killed when a tire and wheel assembly detached from a commercial box truck, bounced over the Interstate 95 median and crashed through the windshield of the SUV he was driving. The verdict stems from a lawsuit filed against Francisco Javier Guerrero Romero against eight corporate and individual defendants. Romero was driving the box truck during the 2018 incident, which killed Calá instantly and injured his spouse Julianna Charles, who survived with a significant emotional trauma. The complaint alleged negligence in failing to properly inspect, maintain and repair the truck that caused the catastrophic crash. After a two-week trial, the jury deliberated for five hours before reaching a verdict, assigning 30% of the blame to truck driver Francisco Romero. The remaining fault was divided equally between the remaining defendants.