News from July 2016
Attorney Shifino sworn in as new Florida Bar president
ORLANDO – William Schifino Jr., managing partner of Burr Forman law firm’s Tampa office, was recently sworn in as the 68th president of the Florida Bar at its annual convention in Orlando.
Bar podcast discuss disciplinary actions, top complaints from clients about lawyers
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Bar Disciplinary Review Committee (DRC) oversees the prosecution and appeals for disciplinary violations by Florida lawyers, and with continuous exposure through social media and news, the Florida Supreme Court has not only become more rigorous in its discipline, but the general population is also watching to see what the Bar is doing to monitor attorneys.
Attorneys file lawsuit in Tallahassee to end ‘discriminatory’ tampon tax
TALLAHASSEE – Bryan Gowdy, a Jacksonville attorney, and Dana Brooks, a Tallahassee attorney, recently filed a class-action lawsuit against the state of Florida for imposing sales tax on feminine products, which are not considered medical products by the state.
Suit filed against insurance company after alleged denial of coverage for treatment
ORANGE – A Florida man has filed suit against an Orange County insurer alleging it wrongfully denied coverage for a treatment after approving it.
Class action filed against Keiser University over telemarketing calls
MIAMI – A Fort Lauderdale academic institution is facing a class-action lawsuit over its telemarketing practices.
Passenger claims suitcase caused injuries on cruise ship
MIAMI – A Louisiana woman claims she was injured after she tripped on a suitcase that was left on a staircase on a cruise ship.
Technician alleges Waveguide Communications Inc. did not pay overtime wages
MIAMI – A Palm Beach County man hired as a technician alleges he was not properly paid for all hours worked.
Man claims bank reported debt on credit card opened without his knowledge
ORLANDO – An Orlando man alleges a credit card was opened in his name without his knowledge after applying for a club membership.
Georgia woman files suit after I-95 accident
FORT LAUDERDALE – A Georgia woman alleges she was injured in a crash in Deerfield Beach and has filed suit against the driver she claims caused the accident.
Suit filed over use of trademarked design for e-liquids
JACKSONVILLE – A St. Augustine company that sells e-liquid alleges a North Hollywood, California company uses a similar design to advertise its e-liquids.
'No surcharge' laws on credit card purchases are unconstitutional, attorney says
MIAMI – A case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court concerning the constitutionality of "no surcharge" laws on credit card purchases will determine whether merchants have to keep lying to customers, an official with the Institute for Justice's Florida office said during an interview.
Florida law on DNA collection protects privacy, expert says
WEST PALM BEACH – Someone’s DNA holds their most private information, and a Florida law that prohibits surreptitious DNA collection is designed to protect individual privacy, according to a professor who studies medicine and the law.
Florida court orders prisons to provide kosher meals to inmates
MIAMI – A federal judge has ordered the Florida Department of Corrections (DoC) to provide kosher meals to inmates after it rejected the state’s claim that providing kosher meals is too expensive.
A to Z Wiring LLC accused of not paying overtime
OCALA – A Marion County man alleges a Clearwater business owes him unpaid overtime wages.
Passenger alleges door on cruise ship caused her to fall, injure spine
MIAMI – A Kansas woman who was a passenger on the cruise ship Dawn alleges a door caused her to fall and injure her spine.
Trust Mortgage alleged to have changed interest rate
MIAMI – A consumer alleges a debt collector tried to charge an unlawful interest rate.
Wells Fargo alleged to have repeatedly called woman despite requests to stop
FORT MYERS – A Lehigh Acres woman has filed suit against a financial institution alleging it repeatedly called her using an autodialer.
Ford Motor Co. files suit against Mad Enterprise alleging breach of contract
ORLANDO – A car manufacturer is suing an Ocoee business and an individual alleging they shipped vehicles to China in violation of the terms of a contract.
Venus Fashion alleges photos were used on competitors' website
MIAMI – A Jacksonville fashion business alleges an online shopping marketplace used the plaintiff's photos to advertise its own goods.
NextEra Energy Inc. accused of patent infringement
MIAMI – A Texas company claims a Juno Beach company used its patented technology in advertising.