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.
September 04, 2025
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The Florida Bar
FLORIDA LAWYERS MUST DESIGNATE AN INVENTORY ATTORNEY — HERE’S HOW
The Florida Bar | Article | September 04, 2025
What happens when a lawyer suddenly becomes unable or unwilling to practice law? Catastrophic illness or injury, or absence due to required military service could halt a lawyer from practicing while legal matters are ongoing. Normally, the attorney’s law firm or partner handles the situation. But what happens when such resources are unavailable? To protect your clients’ interests and your practice, the Florida Supreme Court adopted Rule 1-3.8 Right to Inventory, requiring Florida Bar members to designate an inventory attorney, another Bar member who volunteers to close out legal matters impacted by a “subject” lawyer’s incapacity. To designate your inventory attorney now, log in to the MyFlorida Bar Member Portal at Member.FloridaBar.org or via the login button on the homepage of FloridaBar.org. As the title implies, an inventory attorney takes an inventory of the subject attorney’s cases and funds, winds up the cases, and disposes of the funds.
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Legal Discipline
ORLANDO-AREA ATTORNEYS AMONG THOSE SANCTIONED BY FLORIDA SUPREME COURT FOR MISCONDUCT
Orlando Business Journal | Article | September 04, 2025
The Florida Supreme Court in recent court orders disciplined 16 attorneys — including three from metro Orlando — revoking the license of three, suspending eight and reprimanding five. According to a Florida Supreme Court news release, the local attorneys disciplined were Alexis Francisco Carter Jr. and Erika Danielle De Jesus, who received public reprimands, and Kevin T. Vagovic, who was suspended for two years and ordered to complete ethics school, professionalism workshop and a Florida Lawyer’s Assistance Inc. evaluation within 30 days of the court’s order. Vagovic’s suspension is effective immediately following an Aug. 28 court order, as he already was suspended for failing to respond to the court’s order to show cause.
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United States Supreme Court
FLORIDA’S GUN-BUYING AGE RESTRICTION COULD GO TO US SUPREME COURT
News Service of Florida | Article | September 03, 2025
The U.S. Supreme Court could decide late this month whether to take up a battle about the constitutionality of a 2018 Florida law that prevents people under age 21 from buying rifles and other long guns. Justices are scheduled to discuss the case during a closed-door conference Sept. 29, according to information posted Wednesday [Sept. 3] in an online docket. The court uses such conferences to determine which cases it will hear. The National Rifle Association appealed to the Supreme Court this year after the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law.
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Civil Justice
CITIZENS INSURANCE TARGETED IN LAWSUITS THAT SEEK TO VOID FORCED ARBITRATION RULINGS
Sun Sentinel | Article | September 04, 2025
Two new lawsuits have been filed that seek to void all settlements and rulings involving customers of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. who were forced into an arbitration system funded by the state-owned company. The suits, filed in Miami-Dade and Seminole counties, base their arguments on a Hillsborough County judge’s Aug. 2 injunction that suspended Citizens’ ability to send claim disputes to the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) while a policyholder pursued his claim that the system violated his constitutional right to a fair trial. The judge in that case, Melissa Mary Polo, found that the policyholder demonstrated that their argument, that the system violates policyholders’ constitutional rights, stands a “substantial likelihood of success” of prevailing. Citizens is appealing the injunction, warning the company would be “irreparably harmed” if the suspension remains in effect.
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Civil Justice
JUDGE ALLOWS NEGLIGENCE SUIT TO PROCEED IN FLORIDA AFTER CHILD DROWNING ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN MEXICO
Law.com | Article | September 03, 2025
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Beatrice Butchko Sanchez has ruled that a suit alleging negligence in the death of a 7-year-old Florida boy vacationing in Mexico can proceed in a Miami-Dade court, raising high-stakes questions about cross-border liability. In an Aug. 29 order, Judge Butchko Sanchez ruled that Mexico is not an adequate forum for a case involving parties from Florida. The family asserts negligence claims against two entities based in Miami: Gallo Travel Agency and a marketing company called Allegro that promotes vacation packages for its corporate affiliate, Barcelo Hotel Group. The claims also extend to Barcelo Hotel Group, which is a hotel operator based in Spain, and to Barcelo Maya Caribe, the resort in Mexico where the child drowned in a pool. The plaintiff alleges that the defendants knew or should have known that there had been numerous drowning incidents associated with the property, and that the agencies in Florida had failed to warn guests about the potential dangers.
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Criminal Justice
ATTORNEYS SEEK TO BLOCK FLORIDA INMATE’S EXECUTION, CITING INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY
News Service of Florida | Article | September 03, 2025
Attorneys for David Pittman are trying to prevent his scheduled Sept. 17 execution by arguing he has an intellectual disability — and that the Florida Supreme Court erred in a key 2020 decision about such cases. Pittman’s attorneys Sunday [Aug. 31] filed a 42-page brief at the Supreme Court contending that executing Pittman would violate the U.S. Constitution’s Eighth Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The brief also said that because of “errors made by this court, the state of Florida is at the precipice of executing a man who has an intellectual disability.” But Attorney General James Uthmeier’s office, in a brief Tuesday, disputed the intellectual disability arguments and said the Supreme Court also should reject the appeal for procedural reasons.
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Legal Profession
'TIKTOK LAWYERS': OFFICIALS WARN OF FALSE LEGAL ADVICE CAUSING AN ALARMING TREND
WPBF | Article | September 03, 2025
The Martin County Sheriff's Office is seeing what it fears is becoming an alarming trend, and social media could be to blame. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said his deputies encounter people every week who refuse to comply with them during traffic stops. He said the stops would normally be a verbal warning or a traffic citation but instead end in an arrest. He said he worries social media might be the reason, citing videos where someone claims to be a lawyer, advises people on their rights during a traffic stop, or people videoing themselves being pulled over and arguing with law enforcement about their rights. "It's bad advice. These are just antagonists that are trying to get clicks on TikTok." he said. Budensiek said they see this happening with all types of traffic stops, including when a deputy asks the driver for their license, proof of insurance and registration.
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Legal Profession
AI AND MEDIATION: A BETTER PATH TO RESOLUTION
Jacksonville Daily Record | Column | September 04, 2025
Jennifer Grippa, a mediator and arbitrator with Miles Mediation & Arbitration, writes: “Artificial intelligence is transforming the legal industry – from document review and drafting contracts to predictive analytics – and mediation is no exception. While mediation is in large part human judgment, empathy, creativity and problem-solving, AI is helping lawyers and clients prepare for negotiations and enhancing the work of mediators. Understanding how lawyers can use AI in the negotiation process can strengthen their advocacy in mediation and help them obtain settlements that might otherwise be unobtainable. Preparing for mediation is a critical first step to success in mediation. Traditionally, this meant reading the pleadings, preparing a position statement and assembling evidence. AI now gives lawyers convenient tools to prepare for an upcoming negotiation [. . .] This data helps attorneys set realistic expectations for their clients and keeps parties from being overly confident (and even biased) about their chances of success at trial.”