Jim Rosica – December 16, 2016 Conservative appellate judge C. Alan Lawson will become the next Florida Supreme Court justice, Gov. Rick Scott announced Friday morning. Lawson, who will replace retiring Justice James E.C. Perry, is chief judge of the state’s 5th District Court of Appeal in Daytona Beach. Perry’s retirement is effective Dec. 30; Lawson’s first day is the […]
Gov. Scott appoints conservative appellate judge Alan Lawson to Florida Supreme Court Mary Ellen Klas, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau December 16, 2016 TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott appointed C. Alan Lawson to be Florida’s next justice of the Supreme Court Friday, choosing a conservative appellate judge to leave the governor’s mark on a moderate court […]
Carrie Salls Dec. 16, 2016, 12:32pm TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Supreme Court has sided with a homeowner who sued American Home Assurance Co. Inc. after the insurer denied his claim related to water damage in his Naples home. John Sebo filed the claim after water damage at the multimillion-dollar home, allegedly resulting from poor […]
December 1, 2016 Court takes up attorney-client privilege By Gary Blankenship Senior Editor Can a law firm representing a personal injury client be compelled to reveal if it referred the client to a particular medical facility, how many past clients have been referred to that facility, and whether it has a “cozy” relationship with […]
Dee Thompson Nov. 20, 2016, 10:27pm TALLAHASSEE — Attorney Gregory Katsas with Jones Day in Washington, representing tobacco company R.J. Reynolds, recently argued before the Florida Supreme Court that in Florida courts, the liability and negligence claims of smokers are preempted by federal law. Katsas was arguing for tobacco company R.J. Reynolds in a […]
Joe Dyton Nov. 18, 2016, 12:11pm In the aftermath of the damage Hurricane Matthew caused in the Southeast, attorneys worked through NorthCarolinaFloodClaims.com to put together a free Skype presentation Nov. 7 given by prominent insurance lawyer J.R. Whaley to help these flooded areas recover. The presentation took place at the Quality Inn & Suites […]
W.J. Kennedy Nov. 15, 2016, 9:55am TALLAHASSEE — Workers’ compensation laws that impose caps on claimants’ attorney fees may be vulnerable with recent state supreme court decisions toppling fee schedules in Florida and Utah. “The claimant’s bar is very well networked,” William W. Large, president of Florida Justice Reform Institute, told the Florida Record. […]
U.S. Supreme Court Won’t Review Constitutionality of Comp System By Sheri Okamoto – November 1, 2016 The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday denied a review of a challenge to the constitutionality of the Florida workers’ compensation. Although the Florida Supreme Court earlier this year declared portions of the state’s comp scheme invalid, […]
Hermine enlisted in business campaign against insurance rackets MICHAEL MOLINE September 8, 2016, 1:01 pm A business coalition warned Florida homeowners Thursday against signing away their insurance claims for Hurricane Hermine damage to dodgy contractors or attorneys. The warning came amid a gathering campaign against such assignment-of-benefits agreements — sometimes known as AOBs. The […]
John Breslin Aug. 22, 2016, 10:25am TALLAASSEE – Florida’s workers’ compensation claims office have seen a sharp spike in cases filed following a landmark state Supreme Court ruling that barred capping attorney fees. Following the April ruling, the number of petitions for benefit rose by 24 percent in May compared to the same month the […]