Michael Carroll News
Sarasota County lawsuit over contaminated Boar`s Head liverwurst settled
Boar’s Head Brand and the family of a Holocaust survivor who died from a listeria infection after eating the company’s canned deli food have settled a wrongful death lawsuit filed in Sarasota County.
Fort Lauderdale, protester injured by rubber bullet settle lawsuit for $1.97 million
A woman who suffered facial injuries from a rubber bullet fired by a Fort Lauderdale police officer during a demonstration in 2020 has settled her federal civil-rights lawsuit against the city for nearly $2 million.
12 attorneys general call on Atlantic Coast Conference to dismiss lawsuit against FSU
An amicus brief filed by 12 state attorneys general calls on the North Carolina Supreme Court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) that attempts to block Florida State University from leaving the athletics association.
Florida tort costs of nearly $6,000 per household expected to decline due to reforms, report predicts
Florida’s tort costs per household have ballooned to $5,768 per year, the third highest in the nation behind Delaware and Washington, D.C., based on 2022 data on lawsuit costs – the most recent numbers available.
Plaintiffs, school district in lawsuit over 'Tango Makes Three' book removal file for summary judgment
The Escambia County school board and the authors of the children’s book “And Tango Makes Three” are both urging a federal district judge to grant summary judgment in their favor in a lawsuit challenging a new Florida law that restricts school books with “sexual content.”
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, property management firm settle lawsuit over rental discrimination
A Jacksonville property management company has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of Black housing applicants alleging that the defendants’ tenant-screening process discriminated against prospective renters.
Florida ethics panel rejects settlement talks over elected officials' financial reporting requirements
The Florida Commission on Ethics has decided not to open negotiations to settle a lawsuit advanced by scores of elected municipal officials that challenges a new Florida state law requiring detailed disclosures of personal finances.
Florida to pay $720,000 in legal costs to businesses over 'Stop WOKE Act' litigation
A lawsuit challenging a portion of Florida’s “Stop WOKE Act” that places restrictions on businesses’ worker training sessions came to a close this month with state officials agreeing to pay plaintiffs who challenged the law $725,000 in attorney fees and costs.
Republican U.S. senators vow to show up for key judicial votes after DeSantis criticism
Republican U.S. senators, including Florida’s Rick Scott, have pledged to show up for congressional votes for future federal judges in the wake of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ criticism that recent absences led to the confirmation of a “leftist” appeals court judge.
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.