A Sad End in Court for Victims of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Mass Shooting
Mark Roman | October 1, 2020 | news
Last week, the Florida Supreme Court severely limited the damages claims of victims of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland. The court decided “sovereign immunity,” the government’s legal protection from liability, effectively capped the recovery for the families at $300,000 for everyone. The court got there via some sleight of hand…. read more
Planned Reopening of Schools Raises Thorny Legal Issues
Mark Roman | July 28, 2020 | news, Newsletter Article
As July ends, the coronavirus pandemic is not letting up. Floridians who were hoping the worst was over in May or June now find that infection rates across their state are worse than ever. Parents and school employees are thus facing the coming school year with fear and trepidation. Administrators, who’ve been given the mandate… read more
Recent Supreme Court Decisions Are Really About Consistency
Mark Roman | July 8, 2020 | news
Observers of the U.S. Supreme Court have had plenty of things to talk about this term. Mainstream media have described recent decisions in favor of abortion rights, the DACA program, and LGBTQ rights as surprising, given the Court’s current conservative majority. This kind of liberal/conservative lens oversimplifies what judges do. Judges are not political—at least… read more
The Coronavirus Has Closed Courts’ But It’s for the Better
Mark Roman | March 25, 2020 | news
The coronavirus pandemic is first on everyone’s mind these days. Every corner of the world has been affected by it. During this difficult time, many people aren’t thinking about personal injury or wrongful death claims at all. However, as lawyers who are still working (while taking appropriate precautions), we’re already seeing the consequences of the… read more
Impeachment and the Importance of Fair Juries
Mark Roman | December 30, 2019 | Articles, Jury Trial, news, Newsletter Article
Lawyers, like members of the public at large, have strong feelings for or against the impeachment of President Trump. But if there’s one thing they can agree on, it’s how it brings home the importance of a fair, neutral jury in any fact-finding process. Democrats favoring impeachment have complained that Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell… read more
Epstein Death Shows Importance Of Civil Cases
Mark Roman | August 14, 2019 | news
The shocking death of Jeffrey Epstein has precluded what promised to be a sensational criminal trial. Many of Epstein’s alleged victims were looking forward to facing Epstein in person and telling a jury about the magnitude of his crimes. Now, of course, they will never get that chance. Fortunately, there are still civil claims available… read more
Tampa E-Scooter Rider Fatally Injured in Semi-Truck Accident
Mark Roman | July 17, 2019 | Brain Injuries, Electric Scooter, news, Personal Injury
As cities like Tampa agree to let electric scooters onto public streets, riders and drivers alike could see a major increase in road collisions – and fatal injuries for e-scooter riders. Such was the case in June, when one unfortunate Tampa man was struck by a semitrailer truck while riding an e-scooter. Caused when scooter… read more
Daubert Evidence Standard Takes Immediate Effect in Florida
Mark Roman | July 2, 2019 | news
For many years, Florida has adhered to the Frye standard for the admission of expert testimony in civil cases. In the wake of a landmark ruling from the new Florida Supreme Court, however, the more widely-accepted Daubert evidence standard has now taken immediate effect. This ruling represents a significant shift from previous precedent, and it… read more
The Blind Spot Danger: Why It’s Important for Motorists to Be Aware of Their Surroundings
Mark Roman | June 26, 2019 | news
For all motorcyclists on the road, there are countless dangers of which to be aware. However, there is one type of problem that always finds its way to cause serious harm to those involved: drivers not properly checking blind spots when changing lanes. Blind spots can create potential dangers for all vehicles, but motorcyclists are… read more
Florida Finally Makes Texting a Primary Offense for Traffic Tickets
Mark Roman | May 21, 2019 | Car Accidents, Distracted Driver, news
Florida has finally joined other states in allowing police to pull over and ticket people for texting and driving. This is welcome news for safety advocates and concerned drivers, who justifiably felt that Florida has been slow to address this problem. Existing Florida law allows law enforcement officers to write tickets for texting behind the… read more