Federal Court News
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Judge rejects Florida agency's bid to dismiss lawsuit over manatee deaths
A federal judge has sided with the group Bear Warriors United in rejecting Florida’s bid to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that the state’s oversight of wastewater discharges in Central Florida has led to the death of hundreds of manatees.
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Plaintiffs challenge Florida's age-verification requirement to access online sexual content
Free-speech advocates and adult-content providers are suing Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to bar her from enforcing a new state law requiring online platforms with sexual content to verify that their users are at least 18 years old.
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Appeals court affirms ruling that husband isn't bound to wife's arbitration agreement with Starbucks
A federal appeals court has affirmed a district court ruling that the husband of a former Starbucks employee could not be compelled to arbitrate based on an employment agreement signed by his wife.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Lago Mar Resort agrees to pay $100K in EEOC pregnancy fairness settlement
A Fort Lauderdale resort hotel has agreed to pay $100,000 to settle a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit.
Federal Court
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.
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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.
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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.
Federal Court
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.
Federal Court
Computer groups seek to stop Florida law that would limit minors on social media
Two computer lobbying groups are challenging the constitutionality of a Florida law that would, among other things, prohibit minors from creating social media profiles..
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Moody backs U.S. Supreme Court move to allow Virginia purge of voter rolls
The U.S. Supreme Court says Virginia can revive its effort to remove potential non-citizens from voters rolls ahead of next week’s general election.
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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.
Federal Court
Class action claims Walmart avocado oil isn't pure
A potential class action lawsuit claims Walmart’s avocado oil products contains a variety of other oils as well.
Federal Court
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.
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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.