Michael Carroll News
Judge rejects lawsuit calling for Palm Coast ballot measure on borrowing to be nullified
A judge recently gave the go-ahead to count the votes on a Palm Coast charter amendment that would have given the city greater authority to borrow money, despite a lawsuit calling the measure’s ballot language misleading and urging the vote to be nullified.
Litigated insurance claims down by nearly 24% over first 9 months of 2024, data shows
The number of lawsuits filed against Florida property insurers has plummeted by nearly 24% in the first three quarters of 2024 compared to the same period last year, suggesting that legal reforms passed by the state Legislature are having an impact.
Lawsuit challenging governor's suspension of former State Attorney Monique Worrell dismissed
A lawsuit challenging Gov. Ron DeSantis’ suspension of a state attorney in Orange and Osceola counties, Democrat Monique Worrell, was dismissed by a federal judge three days after Worrell was re-elected to her former post.
Federal judge finds 2023 Florida law illegally impaired collective bargaining rights
A federal judge has sided with the Florida Education Association in litigation over a provision of a state law enacted last year, finding that a prohibition on payroll deductions in existing public-employee collective bargaining agreements (CRAs) is unconstitutional.
Inmate-plaintiffs allege heat, humidity threat at Dade Correctional Institution violates their rights
Several inmates at Dade Correctional Institution south of Miami have filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC), alleging that prison officials have failed to protect older, infirm inmates from record-breaking heat and humidity.
Charlotte County property owner challenges development fee of nearly $120,000 to protect endangered Florida bird
A Florida man is suing Charlotte County and several federal officials over a nearly $120,000 fee he is required to pay as part of a county Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) designed to protect the endangered Florida scrub-jay.
West Flagler Associates ends years-long legal battle over sports betting with Seminole Tribe
A group of pari-mutuel business involved in casino gambling and racetracks has ended its long-running litigation against the Seminole Tribe of Florida over mobile gambling rights and the legality of the tribe’s gaming compact with the state.
Florida mother sues artificial-intelligence 'chatbot' company over teen son's suicide
A Florida woman whose 14-year-old son committed suicide after allegedly becoming obsessed with an artificial intelligence-generated online “chatbot” is suing the AI developers for wrongful death, negligence, product liability and unfair trade practices.
Civil rights groups agree to end lawsuit against Florida's 'Anti-Riot Act'
Civil rights groups have dropped their federal lawsuit against Florida’s 2021 “Anti-Riot Act” in the wake of a federal appeals court’s decision concluding that the law’s heightened scrutiny of riot-related acts doesn't apply to peaceful demonstrators.
Lawsuit seeks to cancel Florida ballot initiative expanding abortion rights
Several Florida voters are suing county elections officers, the Florida secretary of state and others in a bid to strike the Amendment 4 abortion-rights initiative from the state’s November ballot and block the counting of ballots in favor of the measure.
Federal judge rejects bid to extend Florida voter registration in wake of hurricanes
A federal judge has turned down a request from civil rights groups in Florida to extend the deadline for voter registration in the state in the wake of devastation and evacuations caused by back-to-back hurricanes.
Florida appeals court affirms $3 million jury award to waste hauler in lawsuit against Opa-Locka
A Florida appeals court has affirmed a 2022 jury verdict awarding a trash-hauling company $3 million in damages as a result of the city of Opa-locka’s bad-faith handling of a solid waste contract.
Cultivated meat company loses bid for preliminary injunction against new Florida law
A federal judge has turned down a cultivated meat company’s request to block the enforcement of a new Florida law that bans the sale or manufacture of meat products produced from cultured animal cells
Orlando bar owners sue city over permit policy on funding downtown police services
Several downtown Orlando bars have filed a federal lawsuit against the city, accusing local officials of forcing a small number of venues to bear the burden of paying for overnight policing services in violation of their unconstitutional rights
Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week highlights continuing economic impact of excess litigation in Florida
Florida Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) is petitioning the public during Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week about the costs of excessive civil litigation around the state and advocating for new reforms to ease burdens on workers, small businesses and startups.
Former Florida official urges 'national catastrophic insurance fund' to spread out storm risks
In the wake of extensive damage from Hurricane Helene, a Florida congressman’s proposal to spread out insurance risks associated with major storms and wildfires has gained renewed attention on Fox news and other media outlets.
Florida health care agency failed to properly oversee care for disabled, lawsuit says
Legal aid groups are suing the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), accusing the agency of failing to manage critical home-care services for plaintiffs suffering from conditions such as quadriplegia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Florida appeals court rules state attorney general cannot usurp hospital districts' opioid lawsuits
A Florida appeals court has blocked the state attorney general’s effort to unilaterally extinguish opioid damages claims filed by local hospital and school districts as part of the state’s legal settlement with the same opioid manufacturers and marketers.
Federal judge rejects motion to toss lawsuit alleging Florida agency failed to protect manatees
A federal district judge has rejected a motion by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the agency’s failure to properly regulate sewage disposal is devastating the state’s manatee population.
Nassau County school board will return 36 books to libraries under legal settlement
Plaintiffs, including parents and book authors, have agreed to a legal settlement with the Nassau County school board that will return 36 books to school library shelves after an advocacy group objected to their content.