Florida Supreme Court Decisions 2013
Date: December 19, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-676
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant pled guilty to first-degree murder with a firearm. After a penalty-phase proceeding conducted before a jury, the trial court imposed the death sentence for the murder. The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction…
Date: December 19, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-2015
Justia Opinion Summary: In 1980, Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. After the Governor signed the death warrant in this case, Appellant filed a successive motion for postconviction relief seeking to vacate…
Date: December 13, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-951
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiffs brought lawsuits challenging the validity of the 2012 congressional apportionment plan (Plan) under the Florida Constitution's redistricting standards. At issue before the Supreme Court was whether Florida…
Date: December 13, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-951
Date: December 12, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1405
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner, a juvenile, was arrested and charged with aggravated battery on a victim whom Petitioner knew or should have known was pregnant. Petitioner was on probation at the time of her arrest. Prior to the…
Date: December 12, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-2066
Date: December 5, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1679
Date: December 5, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1601
Date: December 5, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-2031
Date: November 27, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-2424
Date: November 27, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-459
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of robbing and killing Johnny Parrish and burning down Parrish's house. The trial court sentenced Defendant to death for the first-degree murder conviction. Defendant subsequently filed two…
Date: November 21, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-2336
Justia Opinion Summary: Lakeview Reserve Homeowners Association filed an action against Maronda Homes, Inc. for breach of the implied warranties of fitness and merchantability (referred to as the implied warranty of habitability in the…
Date: November 21, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC11-949, SC12-289
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction and sentence on appeal. Appellant subsequently filed a postconviction motion seeking to…
Date: November 21, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1566
Date: November 21, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-2594
Date: November 14, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1205
Date: November 14, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-1703
Date: November 14, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-1915
Date: November 14, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-74
Date: November 14, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-75
Date: November 7, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-1772
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial in 1985, Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder and sexual battery. Appellant later filed a motion for postconviction relief seeking to have his convictions vacated after newly discovered…
Date: November 7, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1608
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Petitioner was convicted of the first-degree murders of his two stepdaughters. The trial court sentenced Petitioner to death for each of the murders. The Supreme Court affirmed Petitioner's…
Date: November 7, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1608
Date: November 7, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2291
Justia Opinion Summary: After certain Florida criminal defendants were charged with driving under the influence (DUI), they sought the computer source codes of the breathalyzer equipment manufactured by CMI, Inc., a Kentucky-based corporation,…
Date: November 7, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2513
Date: November 7, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2513
Date: November 7, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-261
Justia Opinion Summary: Two women, DMT and TMH, agreed to jointly conceive and raise a child together. The child was conceived through the use of assisted reproductive technology. TMH provided the egg, and DMT gave birth to the child. The…
Date: October 31, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2590
Justia Opinion Summary: The Developer of a subdivision of a larger condominium complex (Complex) and the Complex sued the condominium association (Association), alleging that the Association failed to pay the Developer and Complex related…
Date: October 31, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1086
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping and sentenced to death. Appellant appealed, arguing, among other things, that (1) the trial court erred in allowing the State to ask a law…
Date: October 31, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-2467
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder. The trial court imposed two death sentences after finding several aggravating factors. The Supreme Court affirmed on direct appeal. After Appellant's initial…
Date: October 31, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-1670
Date: October 31, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-1702
Date: October 31, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-1950
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder, burglary of a battery therein, and sexual battery with great force. Appellant was sentenced to death. The Supreme Court upheld the convictions and death sentence on appeal…
Date: October 24, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2188
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff was injured when his chair collapsed at the offices of Defendant. Plaintiff sued Defendant for negligence on the grounds that Defendant had negligently failed to warn Plaintiff of the chair's dangerous…
Date: October 24, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-619
Date: October 17, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC12-303, SC11-1193
Justia Opinion Summary: In 1986, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed on appeal. Defendant subsequently filed a motion for postconviction relief, which the trial court denied after an…
Date: October 17, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC11-1193, SC12-303
Date: October 17, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1761
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of the first-degree murder of a high school band teacher. The trial court sentenced Defendant to death. The Supreme Court affirmed on appeal. Defendant later filed a petition…
Date: October 17, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-28
Justia Opinion Summary: Pursuant to a plea of nolo contendere, Defendant was convicted of sex-related offenses and sentenced to forty-five years' imprisonment. Nearly eleven years after the sentence had been imposed, Defendant filed a motion to…
Date: October 17, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-573
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant pled guilty to carrying a concealed firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Defendant appealed, arguing that the trial court erred by denying his motion to suppress the firearm, his identity…
Date: October 17, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-580
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and burglary of a dwelling. The trial court imposed death sentences for the murders of both victims. Defendant…
Date: October 17, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-598
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of trafficking in cocaine. Defendant appealed, arguing that the trial court erred by denying his motion for judgment of acquittal on the trafficking charge because the State…
Date: October 17, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-875
Justia Opinion Summary: In 1988, Defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. Defendant was sentenced to death and to terms of imprisonment for related charges. The Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentence. Defendant subsequently…
Date: October 10, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC12-482, SC12-2123
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of six counts of first-degree murder and one count each of abuse to a dead human body, armed burglary of a dwelling, conspiracy, and cruelty to an animal. The trial court…
Date: October 10, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-647
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner was a juvenile charged as an adult with attempted first-degree murder with a deadly weapon. After the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Graham v. Florida, Petitioner filed a motion to have a bond set.…
Date: October 3, 2013
Docket Number: SC08-1871
Justia Opinion Summary: This was the second time this case was before the Supreme Court. In the Court's previous decision, the Court quashed the court of appeal's decision, holding that the trial court should have granted Defendant's motion to…
Date: October 3, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-1354
Date: October 3, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-1355
Date: September 26, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1617
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was found guilty of first-degree murder and burglary. Defendant appealed, alleging that the trial court's failure to remove a prospective juror for cause resulted in a denial of his right to…
Date: September 26, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-2296
Date: September 26, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-1492
Date: September 26, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-659
Date: September 26, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-965
Date: September 19, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2151
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of burglary of a dwelling with an assault or battery with a dangerous weapon, robbery with a weapon, and carjacking with a dangerous weapon. The court of appeal affirmed…
Date: September 19, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2300
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed the first-degree murder conviction and death sentence, holding (1) the trial court did not err in…
Date: September 19, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC12-238, SC12-2006
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of robbery, and two counts of kidnapping. The trial court sentenced Defendant to concurrent sentences of death for both…
Date: September 12, 2013
Docket Number: SC09-2234
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant appealed his conviction for first-degree murder and sentenced of death. On appeal, defendant raised eighteen claims of error and the State raised a claim regarding the proportionality of the death sentence in…
Date: September 12, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC12-53, SC12-1001
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner, convicted of first-degree murder of a state correctional officer, appealed an order of the circuit court denying his motion to vacate his death sentence under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.851 and…
Date: September 4, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1467
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiffs sued defendant, seeking recovery for injuries allegedly sustained in an automobile collision. This case concerned the proper standard of review and the appropriate remedy when an appellate court reviewed a…
Date: September 4, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-2593
Date: September 4, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-2595
Date: September 4, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-532
Date: August 29, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1543
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was charged with burglary, grand theft, dealing in stolen property, and providing false information to a pawnbroker. The trial court refused to refer to Fla. Stat. 812.025 in its jury instructions or otherwise…
Date: August 29, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2455
Date: August 29, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-903
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was charged with burglary, petit theft, and dealing in stolen property. The trial court did not instruct the jury it could not return a guilty verdict for both theft and dealing in stolen property pursuant to…
Date: August 29, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1940
Date: August 29, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-323
Date: August 13, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-1281
Justia Opinion Summary: On May 13, 2013, the Governor signed a death warrant for Defendant and set the execution date. After Defendant's state counsel wrote the Governor a letter stating there was reason to believe Defendant was insane to be…
Date: July 11, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC10-2292, SC10-2336
Justia Opinion Summary: Lakeview Reserve Homeowners Association filed an action against Maronda Homes for breach of the implied warranties of fitness and merchantability, also referred to as the implied warranty of habitability in the…
Date: July 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-2336
Date: July 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1206
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping. The trial court imposed a sentence of death. Defendant appealed. The Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentences, holding (1)…
Date: July 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1983
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant pled nolo contendere to a misdemeanor driving with a suspended license charge in violation of Fla. Stat. 322.34(2) and was sentenced to a term of probation. On the same day, the state attorney filed an…
Date: July 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-103
Justia Opinion Summary: Among other crimes, Defendant pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of Michelle Simms and was sentenced to death. The Supreme Court vacated the death sentence and remanded. After the second sentencing proceeding, the…
Date: July 11, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC12-1640, SC12-1528
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2003, Petitioner was convicted of committing various offenses and was sentenced to terms of imprisonment. Petitioner subsequently filed numerous nonmeritorious pleadings and requests for relief related to his criminal…
Date: July 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-600
Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the circuit court entered a final summary judgment of foreclosure against Borrowers regarding their shared residence. One month before the scheduled judicial foreclosure sale, Chase Home Finance, Borrowers'…
Date: July 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-1120
Date: July 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-252
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2010, voters approved an amendment to the Florida Constitution providing for express new state constitutional standards to govern the apportionment of legislative districts. Those standards were enumerated in Fla.…
Date: July 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-688
Date: July 3, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-135
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial in which the jury rejected Defendant's insanity defense, Defendant was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment and one sentence of death. The…
Date: July 3, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC11-1447, SC10-2043
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed on direct appeal. Defendant subsequently filed a motion for postconviction relief, which the…
Date: July 3, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC11-1608, SC10-2471
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of two counts of first-degree premeditated murder and sentenced to death for each murder. The Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentences on direct appeal. The…
Date: July 3, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1643
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff filed a claim with Defendant, his homeowner's insurance company, for fire damage on his home. Plaintiff's insurance policy with Defendant was a replacement cost policy. Defendant made a payment to Plaintiff…
Date: July 3, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1760
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant pled guilty to first-degree murder and armed robbery and waived a penalty-phase jury. After penalty-phase proceedings in front of the trial judge, the trial court sentenced Defendant to death. The Supreme Court…
Date: July 3, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2258
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction and sentence of death, holding (1) the trial court did not err in instructing…
Date: July 3, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-945
Date: July 3, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-323
Justia Opinion Summary: Several insureds filed a class action against the predecessor of Washington National Insurance Corporation concerning insurance policies that provide for reimbursement of certain home health care expenses. The district…
Date: July 3, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-618
Date: July 3, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-764
Date: July 3, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-905
Justia Opinion Summary: After Insured sustained injuries in a car accident he sought MRIs from Virtual Imaging Services. Virtual Imaging obtained an assignment of personal injury protection (PIP) benefits under Insured's policy with GEICO and…
Date: June 27, 2013
Docket Number: SC08-2148
Date: June 27, 2013
Docket Number: SC09-1570
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of armed kidnapping, armed sexual battery, and armed robbery. The trial court sentenced Defendant to concurrent, upward departure sentences of forty-eight years on each count.…
Date: June 27, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC10-1845, SC11-1845, SC12-6
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed. Defendant subsequently filed an extensive history of successive postconvictions motions and extraordinary…
Date: June 27, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC11-1031, SC11-1016
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death for each murder. The Supreme Court affirmed. Defendant subsequently filed an amended motion for postconviction…
Date: June 27, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1509
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and sexual battery. The trial court sentenced Defendant to death on the murder conviction. The Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentence of…
Date: June 27, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1913
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff filed suit against County, alleging he was negligently shot by a police officer responding to a burglary alarm at his place of business. County argued it was entitled to immunity because the officer's actions…
Date: June 27, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-842
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, one count of burglary, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The trial court sentenced Defendant to death for…
Date: June 27, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC12-1796, SC12-337
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of a law enforcement officer and convicted of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery of two other law enforcement officers.…
Date: June 27, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC12-454, SC12-414
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for committing capital sexual battery. In a separate case, Defendant pled guilty to unlawful use of a motor vehicle. Defendant subsequently filed multiple pro se…
Date: June 27, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-650
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff's automobile insurance policy with Geico included a condition that Plaintiff submit to examination under oath (EUO) before recovering personal injury protection (PIP) benefits. Geico denied Plaintiff's PIP…
Date: June 27, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-875
Justia Opinion Summary: After waiving counsel, Defendant pled guilty to and was convicted of first-degree murder. Following the penalty phase, Defendant was sentenced to death and to terms of imprisonment for the related charges of burglary,…
Date: June 20, 2013
Docket Number: SC09-1181
Date: June 20, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-1349
Date: June 20, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1258
Justia Opinion Summary: After undergoing surgery, Decedent died due to complications resulting from a vein being lacerated during surgery. Decedent's wife, Plaintiff, filed a complaint against the doctor who performed the surgery and the…
Date: June 20, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1908
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner, a California resident, was sexually assaulted while vacationing in Mexico. The assault occurred while Petitioner received a complimentary massage in exchange for her attendance at a resort's timeshare…
Date: June 20, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1497
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted in 1982 to capital sexual battery and sentenced to life imprisonment. The court of appeal affirmed Defendant's conviction and sentence. Since then, Defendant made many pro se filings in the…
Date: June 20, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-2248
Date: June 20, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-877
Justia Opinion Summary: After a trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. After the denial of his first request for postconviction relief, Defendant filed a successive motion for postconviction relief,…
Date: June 13, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1173
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff, individually and in her capacity as the personal representative of the estate of Lance Ruble, sought to amend the original complaint filed in this action before Respondents served an answer to that complaint.…
Date: June 13, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1274
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and aggravated battery. The trial court sentenced Defendant to death for the murder. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions and sentences,…
Date: June 13, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1322
Justia Opinion Summary: The State charged Defendant with two drug-related offenses. Defendant rejected a twelve-year plea offer after being incorrectly advised that his maximum sentence was thirty years when, in fact, Defendant faced a maximum…
Date: June 13, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-849
Justia Opinion Summary: Frank and Karen Capone filed an action against Philip Morris USA, a tobacco manufacturer, alleging several claims. After Frank died, Karen, in her capacity as personal representative of Frank's estate, sought to amend…
Date: June 13, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1436
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Defendant appealed, contending, among other things, that the trial court erred when it denied his motion to suppress his…
Date: June 13, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-188
Date: June 6, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-1812
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of burglary of a dwelling with an assault or battery, robbery with a firearm, and related offenses. Defendant appealed, challenging the admission of a witness's written…
Date: June 6, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2170
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial in 2009, Defendant was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Defendant appealed, arguing that the trial court erred by instructing the jury on manslaughter by act and that…
Date: June 6, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1931
Date: June 6, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC13-925, SC13-935
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Petitioner was convicted of first-degree murder under both premeditated and felony-murder theories. The trial court sentenced Petitioner to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Petitioner's conviction…
Date: May 30, 2013
Docket Number: SC08-1406
Date: May 30, 2013
Docket Number: SC08-1406
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant pled guilty to several crimes, including grand theft and first-degree felony murder. The trial court imposed the death sentence. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions but vacated his sentence and…
Date: May 30, 2013
Docket Number: SC09-1010
Date: May 30, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC11-1280, SC11-1278
Justia Opinion Summary: Compass Construction and First Baptist Church were named as defendants in an action arising from a construction accident. Ultimately, First Baptist prevailed against the plaintiff in the main action and on its…
Date: May 30, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1280
Date: May 30, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC11-2053, SC11-154
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and robbery with a deadly weapon. The trial court imposed a sentence of death. Defendant subsequently filed a postconviction motion, which was denied.…
Date: May 30, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1566
Date: May 30, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-462
Date: May 30, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-773
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. With a minor exception, the Supreme Court denied Defendant's requests for postconviction relief and his petitions for writs of habeas corpus. In this…
Date: May 23, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC10-1349, SC09-1181
Justia Opinion Summary: Two decisions of the Third District Court of Appeal were before the Supreme Court here. In the first case (Public Defender), the Public Defender for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit filed motions in several criminal cases…
Date: May 23, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-1349
Date: May 23, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-514
Date: May 23, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-514
Date: May 23, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1818
Date: May 23, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-188
Date: May 23, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-2235
Date: May 16, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC09-1894, SC09-1
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced to death in 1998 on both murder counts. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions and death sentences. Defendant subsequently filed…
Date: May 16, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-1295
Justia Opinion Summary: Child was born with birth-related neurological injuries. Child's parents (Petitioners) filed a claim for compensation under the Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Plan. The Florida Birth-Related…
Date: May 16, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2513
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner Raymond James Financial Services required its clients (the investors) to sign an agreement to arbitrate all disputes arising out of the handling of their investments. At issue in this case was whether…
Date: May 16, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-830
Justia Opinion Summary: In this case the Supreme Court considered whether a municipal ordinance may validly establish superpriority status for municipal code enforcement liens. The court of appeal concluded that such an ordinance superpriority…
Date: May 15, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-738
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and sexual battery and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions and death sentence on direct appeal. Defendant subsequently filed a several…
Date: May 9, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2259
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of the 2001 first-degree murder of his wife. The trial court sentenced Defendant to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction and sentence. Defendant…
Date: May 9, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2455
Date: May 9, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1103
Date: May 9, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-305
Date: May 9, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-684
Date: May 2, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-2206
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder. The jury recommended the death penalty by a vote of seven to five, and the trial court sentenced Defendant to death. The Supreme Court affirmed.…
Date: May 2, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1130
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The trial court sentenced Defendant to fifty years' incarceration on the robbery conviction and fifteen years'…
Date: May 2, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1193
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction and death sentence on direct appeal. Defendant subsequently filed a motion for postconviction…
Date: May 2, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2198
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder, armed burglary, extortion, three counts of attempted murder, five counts of armed kidnapping, and four counts of armed robbery. Defendant was…
Date: May 2, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2465
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2008, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) granted the petitions for determination of need for new nuclear power plants proposed by Florida Power & Light company (FPL) and Progress Energy Florida (PEF). The PSC…
Date: April 25, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2517
Date: April 25, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2517
Date: April 25, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-425
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of the first-degree murders of two Clearwater residents and received two sentences of death. The Supreme Court affirmed the trial court's judgments of conviction and sentences…
Date: April 25, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC12-414, SC12-454
Justia Opinion Summary: In 1972, Petitioner was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for committing capital sexual battery. In a separate case, Petitioner pled guilty to of unlawful use of a motor vehicle. From 1992 forward, Petitioner…
Date: April 18, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1010
Date: April 18, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1679
Date: April 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-897
Date: April 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-897
Date: April 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-294
Date: April 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-514
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiffs filed a class action complaint against a check advance company, asserting claims based on numerous Florida statutes. Plaintiffs later amended the complaint to add Tiffany Kelly as an additional plaintiff and…
Date: April 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-690
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner was convicted under Fla. Stat. 790.19 for shooting into an unoccupied vehicle. The trial court determined Petitioner qualified as a prison releasee reoffender (PRR) under the forcible felony catch-all…
Date: April 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-768
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and robbery with a deadly weapon. Defendant appealed, arguing that the trial judge erred in refusing to allow Defendant to call a witness despite defense counsel's…
Date: April 11, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-224
Date: April 4, 2013
Docket Number: SC09-390
Justia Opinion Summary: Law Firm, located in Virginia, leased a vehicle from Company. Tortfeasor, who was driving the car with permission by Law Firm, collided with a car driven by Plaintiff. The day before the accident, the insurance policy on…
Date: April 4, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-411
Justia Opinion Summary: After Defendant, an inmate, committed several sexual offenses in Florida and Georgia, the state attorney initiated civil commitment proceedings against him under the Jimmy Ryce Act. Almost four years later, Defendant,…
Date: April 4, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-73
Date: April 2, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC13-425, SC13-458
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted and sentenced to death for the kidnapping and murder of a ten-year-old. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction on direct appeal but remanded for resentencing. After resentencing, when…
Date: April 2, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-458
Date: March 28, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-897
Justia Opinion Summary: EB Acquisitions I (EB) entered into a written contract to purchase real property from DK Arena. The parties orally agreed to modify their contract for the sale of the property by extending the due diligence deadline.…
Date: March 28, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2466
Date: March 28, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1874
Date: March 28, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1874
Date: March 21, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1452
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of robbery and murder and was sentenced to death. Based on newly discovered evidence, Defendant's counsel filed a postconviction motion. After an evidentiary hearing, counsel filed a motion for…
Date: March 21, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2482
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of attempted murder, among other crimes, and was sentenced to various terms of imprisonment, including a fifty-five-year term. Defendant's convictions and sentences were affirmed on appeal. After…
Date: March 21, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC11-615, SC11-2504
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping and sentenced to death for the first-degree murder and to fifteen years' imprisonment for kidnapping. The Supreme Court affirmed on direct appeal. Defendant…
Date: March 21, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-898
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of kidnapping and first-degree murder. The trial court sentenced Defendant to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions and sentence, holding (1) the trial…
Date: March 21, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-1874
Date: March 14, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1067
Justia Opinion Summary: The Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) instigated formal proceedings against circuit court Judge R. Timothy Shea for the judge's rude and intemperate behavior. After the Supreme Court disapproved the…
Date: March 14, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-697
Date: March 14, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-617
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff, the personal representative of the estate of Charlotte Douglas, filed a complaint against cigarette companies and industry organizations for damages on claims based on Charlotte's smoking-related death. After…
Date: March 7, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-1022
Justia Opinion Summary: Tiara Condominium Association (Tiara) retained Marsh & McLennan (Marsh) as its insurance broker. Marsh secured windstorm coverage through Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (Citizens), which issued a policy that…
Date: March 7, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-1458
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was charged with the attempted first-degree murder of his ex-girlfriend in 2006. The jury instruction for attempted manslaughter by act was given consistent with the standard instruction as it existed in 2006.…
Date: March 7, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-1458
Date: February 28, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2149
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. After his initial postconviction motion was denied, Petitioner filed an amended successive postconviction motion to vacate his judgments and…
Date: February 21, 2013
Docket Number: SC08-2148
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder. After a retrial, Defendant was again convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction and sentence, holding (1)…
Date: February 21, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-1436
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Defendant appealed, contending, among other things, that the trial court erred when it denied his motion to suppress his…
Date: February 21, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-1771
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction and sentence, holding (1) Defendant's claims regarding the…
Date: February 21, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-696
Justia Opinion Summary: In 1976, Defendant was convicted of the first-degree murders of his wife Eunice Zeigler and Charlie Mays and the second-degree murders of his in-laws, Perry and Virginia Edwards. In 2001, the trial court granted…
Date: February 19, 2013
Docket Number: SC13-136
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant constructed a bomb with the specific purpose of killing a witness, but the bomb instead detonated and killed a highway patrol trooper. After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and of…
Date: February 14, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-1397
Justia Opinion Summary: This case arose out alleged defamatory statements an attorney (Attorney) allegedly took in the course of investigating an underlying defamation action he was hired to defend. The legal issue was whether absolute immunity…
Date: February 14, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-1458
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was charged with attempted first-degree murder. The jury was instructed on lesser included offenses, including attempted manslaughter by act. The instruction was given consistent with the standard instruction.…
Date: February 14, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-2132
Justia Opinion Summary: A nursing home patient (Decedent) signed an agreement providing for arbitration of disputes arising out of treatment and care at the nursing home. Decedent subsequently died, allegedly through the nursing home's…
Date: February 14, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-294
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was tried on the charge of second-degree murder. The jury was instructed without objection as to the lesser included offense of manslaughter, which included the instructions on manslaughter by act and…
Date: February 14, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-449
Date: February 7, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-916
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted and sentenced for lewd and lascivious molestation on a victim under twelve years of age by an offender eighteen years of age or older and for failure to appear. Defendant appealed, arguing that…
Date: February 7, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-697
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant, who had defaulted on his mortgage, sought to have a notice of voluntary dismissal of the mortgage foreclosure action struck and the case reinstated for the trial court to then dismiss the action with prejudice…
Date: February 7, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-619
Date: January 31, 2013
Docket Number: SC09-2245
Date: January 31, 2013
Docket Number: SC09-2245
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant was sentenced to death for the 2000 murders of an elderly couple. The Supreme Court affirmed Appellant's convictions but reversed the death sentences and remanded for a new penalty phase. After a new penalty…
Date: January 31, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1196
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioners and Respondents entered into a contract for the purchase of real property owned by Petitioners, twenty-five percent of which constituted wetlands. Respondents filed an action against Petitioners for…
Date: January 31, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1327
Date: January 31, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-2453
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2007, the Legislature passed several statutes and included a provision in the 2007-2008 General Appropriations Act that exerted control over the setting of and appropriating for the expenditure of tuition and fees for…
Date: January 24, 2013
Docket Numbers: SC10-1830, SC11-1676
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's sentence. Defendant filed a postconviction motion alleging ineffective assistance of counsel. The…
Date: January 24, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-1892
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2004, Defendant, a general contractor, subcontracted with Plaintiff, who was unlicensed under Florida law at the time, to perform work on a parking garage. After a dispute, Plaintiff sued Defendant for breach of…
Date: January 24, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1371
Date: January 24, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1371
Date: January 17, 2013
Docket Number: SC12-520
Justia Opinion Summary: At issue in this case was the constitutionality of certain provisions of chapter 2011-68, Laws of Florida, which converted the Florida Retirement System (FRS) from noncontributory by employees to contributory, required…
Date: January 10, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1371
Date: January 10, 2013
Docket Number: SC11-1371
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff, a resident of Arizona, sued Defendant, a foreign corporation that operates in Florida, after he contracted to buy an aircraft from Defendant but Defendant failed to deliver the aircraft. The U.S. district…
Date: January 3, 2013
Docket Number: SC10-229
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder. The jury recommended a death sentence. Following a Spencer hearing, the trial court sentenced Defendant to death upon determining that the State had…
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