A Sad End in Court for Victims of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Mass Shooting

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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