Michael Carroll News
Ruling in defamation suit against Florida political consultant seen as free-speech win
A Florida political consultant and defendant in a defamation lawsuit filed by a former West Palm Beach city commissioner has called a recent judicial ruling in the case a victory for free speech.
Florida expected to weather coronavirus expenses, despite state's fiscal constraints
Some economists and policy institutes have raised red flags about Florida’s ability to weather the coronavirus crisis financially, given the state’s lack of a state income tax and other fiscal restrictions.
DeSantis urged to follow up elective surgery ban with liability protection for health workers
Physicians’ groups and others are urging Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to expand liability protections for health care professionals working on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis.
Cruise ship passengers allowed to disembark at Port Everglades
Groups of passengers aboard two Holland America cruise ships that docked in Port Everglades on Thursday are being transferred ashore for transport back to their homes, the cruise line reported Friday.
Judge turns down motions to extend Florida primary voting during COVID-19 crisis
A federal district judge has denied motions by civil rights groups that charged Florida failed to take reasonable precautions to ensure residents affected by the coronavirus crisis could vote in last week’s presidential primary.
Proposal for open partisan primary elections headed for Florida's November ballot
The Florida Supreme Court has given the go-ahead for state voters to decide this fall whether they want an open primary election system that would allow voters of all affiliations to take part.
DeSantis delays filling Florida Supreme Court vacancies until May 1
Gov. Ron DeSantis has postponed an announcement about his choices to fill two openings on the Florida Supreme Court until May 1 as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
Plaintiff in felon voting case takes part in Florida primary election
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has lost another round in his legal battle to bar felons from voting who have served their time but are unable to pay all court-mandated fines and fees.
Working remotely, travel limits and video-conferencing now part of life for Florida attorneys
Florida attorneys over the past week have been slogging their way through successive announcements about courtroom closures while law firms roll out new work rules to ensure safety during the coronavirus pandemic.
Key tort-reform measures fall short as Florida lawmakers end 2020 session
The Florida legislature ended its 2020 session this week with no major victories for either tort-reform supporters or advocates for plaintiffs’ attorneys as the coronavirus outbreak began to overshadow the state’s governance.
Kin Insurance sees challenging year for Florida property insurers
The Florida property insurance market is entering an era of more mergers and acquisitions, fewer consumer choices and insurer rating downgrades as cost drivers in the state, including civil litigation, continue to weigh heavily on companies.
China faulted for coronavirus spread in Florida class-action suit
A Boca Raton law firm has filed a class-action lawsuit against the People’s Republic of China, alleging that its public agencies were negligent for failing to contain the deadly coronavirus outbreak that has caused economic devastation in the U.S.
Legislation that would preempt local 'rights of nature' awaits DeSantis action, as Orange County voters take it up in November
The Florida legislature and Orange County appear to be on a collision course over the issue of granting legal “rights” to elements of nature such as rivers and trees.
Vaping bill that raises punitive damages cap sidelined in House
A Florida House panel on Thursday temporarily postponed a regulatory proposal that raises the punitive damages award cap on vaping manufacturers.
Property insurers in Florida seek rate increases, cite litigation burdens
Several Florida insurers have filed requests for double-digit rate increases as high as 47 percent amid concerns that some companies will see their financial ratings downgraded in the coming year.
High court green-lights Florida's pass-it-twice initiative for amending state constitution
A ballot measure requiring Floridians to vote twice on constitutional amendments before they could take effect is headed for the November ballot after receiving a favorable state Supreme Court opinion last month.
Florida emerges as a battleground over future of 'rights of nature' pushed by environmentalists
Florida environmentalists are proposing the concept of “rights of nature” to advance their causes in court, but a federal judge in Ohio last week rejected a similar designation for Lake Erie as unconstitutionally vague.
Bill to crack down on Florida legal ads stalls despite patient health concerns
A bill to place more restrictions on legal advertising in Florida has likely been sidelined for the year, along with several other key tort-reform proposals, as the state’s legislative session heads into the final stretch.
Disabilities lawsuits hit another new high while plaintiffs attorneys find new strategies
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Lawsuits filed by disabled plaintiffs rose 8.8 percent in 2019 as plaintiffs attorneys continued to churn out novel discrimination complaints, according to the law firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP.
High court ends Coral Gables' legal fight to ban Styrofoam food containers
The Florida Supreme Court has turned down an appeal by the city of Coral Gables to review a lower court ruling that invalidated the city’s ban on Styrofoam food packaging.