Michael Carroll News
University of Florida president to step down; 1st Amendment lawsuit advances
Oral arguments continued this week in University of Florida professors’ federal lawsuit over academic freedom issues in the wake of university President Kent Fuchs announcing he would step down from his post in 2023.
Environmentalists urge Leon County judge to reconsider ruling on land acquisition funds
Environmental groups petitioned a Leon County circuit judge on Wednesday to reconsider his ruling siding with state lawmakers who say they appropriately allocated billions of dollars for the acquisition and management of parkland or recreational lands.
Florida hospitals in 'no-win situation' over conflicting COVID-19 vaccine mandates
Florida hospitals continue to feel squeezed between competing state and federal COVID-19 vaccine directives, even as a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the legality of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for employers is imminent.
Florida bill would allow for video recordings in K-12 classrooms
Florida schools would have the power to install video cameras and microphones in classrooms to better investigate allegations of student abuse or neglect under a bill authored by Florida Rep. Bob Rommel (R-Naples).
Skanska loses bid to limit property damage liability during Hurricane Sally
A federal judge has dismissed the Skanska construction company’s legal effort to limit its liability for property damage after a 2020 storm surge caused by Hurricane Sally hurled company barges around Pensacola Bay.
Florida school boards, state lawmakers poised to spar over public comment policies
Florida school districts and state lawmakers are poised to square off in the new year over whether to restrict public comments at school board meetings in the wake of threats and verbal attacks over mask mandates.
Florida attorney general wins injunction against vaccine mandate for federal contractors
A federal district judge last week granted Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s request for a preliminary injunction against the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contract workers.
Two investigative units rolled out to combat Florida property insurance fraud
Florida’s chief financial officer has announced the activation of two new property insurance investigation units in Central Florida to combat fraud in an industry that has been rocked by expensive litigated claims and plunging profits
High court to decide if police officers' identities can be shielded under Marsy's Law
The Florida Supreme Court last week agreed to take up a case involving Tallahassee police officers who argue that the voter-approved Marsy’s Law initiative shields the release of officers’ names when they become crime victims.
Jury verdicts in December yield mixed results for 3M in military earplugs litigation
Recent Florida jury verdicts in cases alleging defects in 3M Co.’s military earplugs proved a mixed bag for the company, with a Tallahassee jury awarding an Army veteran $21 million for injuries suffered while wearing the devices.
Accreditation panel to conduct on-site review of UF academic freedom policies
An initial review by an accreditation commission may have found evidence supporting allegations that the University of Florida has stifled professors’ academic freedom and free expression.
Environmentalists, city of Bradenton seek to avert federal lawsuit over sewage spills
The city of Bradenton is negotiating with environmental groups that have vowed to file a federal lawsuit against the city in January unless the city takes steps to avert repeated sewage spills into surrounding waterways.
Florida appeals court affirms judge's 2020 opinion rejecting federal eviction moratorium
An Escambia County judge’s decision last year to effectively overrule a federal agency’s eviction moratorium during the height of the coronavirus pandemic has been vindicated by a Florida appeals court.
Florida gaming initiative sponsor alleging interference in petition-gathering process
Supporters of an initiative that would allow the construction of a North Florida casino have dropped their legal motion for a temporary restraining order against groups and individuals who allegedly interfered with petition-gathering efforts.
Miami jury finds Bitcoin developer won't have to pay out billions in intellectual property case
The self-described founder of the digital currency Bitcoin will not have to pay tens of billions of dollars to the estate of a former associate as a result of a recent Miami jury trial that sorted out intellectual property claims.
Florida legislature tops 'Watch' list in new 'Judicial Hellholes' report
Although Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Supreme Court have helped the state shed its “Judicial Hellhole” status, the state legislature’s failure to pass key justice reforms this year led a reform group to place the lawmakers on its “Watch" list.
Bill would give Florida businesses a means to sue local agencies for profit losses
A bill is advancing in the Florida legislature that would allow businesses to sue local governments for damages if their profits or revenues drop 15% as a result of a local government regulation
UF Board of Trustees chief rebukes professors suing university over free speech issues
The chairman of the University of Florida Board of Trustees last week sharply criticized several professors who filed a lawsuit challenging the school’s policies on academic freedom and faculty members’ outside activities.
Seminole Tribe suspends gaming app operations after appeals court ruling
In a split decision, a federal appeals court has rejected an emergency request by the Seminole Tribe of Florida to suspend the judgment of a lower court that ruled the tribe’s new sports gaming pact with Florida violates federal law.
Duval Schools report cited terminated teacher for instances of poor judgment
A former Jacksonville high school teacher who was terminated earlier this year after settling a federal free-speech lawsuit against the district for $300,000 repeatedly exercised poor judgment and ignored administration directives, according to a district investigative report.