Florida Supreme Court Decisions 2014
Date: December 18, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-227
Date: December 18, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-236
Date: December 18, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-569
Date: December 11, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC12-986, SC12-2349
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Norman McKenzie was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder. The trial court sentenced McKenzie to death for the murders. The Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentences. McKenzie…
Date: December 11, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1003
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kinapping, and two counts of robbery. The trial court imposed two sentences of death for each murder. The Supreme Court affirmed on appeal.…
Date: December 11, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1248
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of several sexual offenses after his stepdaughter reported that Defendant had been sexually abusing her since she was ten years old. On appeal, Defendant argued that the trial…
Date: December 11, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1733
Date: December 11, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2384
Date: December 4, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC12-2102, SC13-1065
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder, attempted armed robbery, and grand theft of a motor vehicle. The trial court imposed a sentence of death for the murder conviction. The Supreme Court affirmed on appeal.…
Date: December 4, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-696
Justia Opinion Summary: Santana Morales died while working for Lawns Nursery and Irrigation Designs, Inc. (Lawns). Thereafter, Lawns’ surviving spouse entered into a workers’ compensation settlement agreement with Lawns and Zenith Insurance…
Date: December 4, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC13-968, SC13-1028
Date: December 4, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-623
Date: November 26, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1028
Date: November 26, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1914
Date: November 26, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC13-968, SC13-1028
Justia Opinion Summary: Fla. Stat. 550.054(14)(a), effective July 1, 2010, sets forth the standards a holder of a permit to conduct jai alai must meet to convert the permit to a permit to conduct greyhound racing in lieu of jai alai. Two…
Date: November 26, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-721
Date: November 20, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-1338
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of three counts of attempted felony murder, which were predicated upon the underlying felony of attempted second-degree murder. As to each separate count, Defendant’s sole act was the discharge of…
Date: November 20, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-866
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2001, Petitioner was convicted for one count of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion robbery and sentenced to life imprisonment on the murder conviction. Since 2006, Petitioner filed at least…
Date: November 13, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-2511
Justia Opinion Summary: After Susan Special died following the delivery of her son, Frank Special, Susan’s husband and the personal representative of his wife’s estate, filed a negligence lawsuit against Dr. Ivo Baux, Baux’s related…
Date: November 13, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1493
Date: November 13, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-411
Justia Opinion Summary: Due to a dispute between the Citrus County Hospital Board and the Citrus Memorial Health Foundation, Inc., the Legislature enacted a special law that reeancted the Board’s charter. Section 16 of the charter included…
Date: November 13, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-455
Justia Opinion Summary: Beach Community Bank filed an action against the City of Freeport. The City moved to dismiss the complaint pursuant to the doctrine of sovereign immunity. The trial court entered a nonfinal order finding that the City…
Date: November 13, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-1200
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2012, individuals and groups challenging the constitutional validity of a 2012 congressional redistricting plan issued a subpoena duces tecum to Pat Bainter, the president of Data Targeting, Inc., a political…
Date: November 6, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-2468
Date: November 6, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2406
Date: November 6, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-1364
Justia Opinion Summary: This action arose from an in appropriate relationship between Judge Susan B. Flood, Polk County Judge, and her bailiff. The Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) found that Judge Flood’s conduct violated…
Date: November 6, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-227
Date: November 3, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-2026
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant pleaded no contest to two counts of first-degree murder and one count of sexual battery on a child under the age of twelve. After a capital penalty-phase trial, the trial court sentenced Appellant to death for…
Date: October 30, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2495
Justia Opinion Summary: The hearing panel of the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission determined that Judge Judith W. Hawkins, a county judge in the Second Judicial Court, had committed a series of violations of the Code of Judicial…
Date: October 30, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1415
Justia Opinion Summary: Since 2004, Petitioner had initiated forty-three cases other than the instant case that had been denied, transferred, or dismissed. In this case, Petitioner filed a petition for a writ of mandamus. The Supreme Court…
Date: October 30, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-219
Date: October 23, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1257
Justia Opinion Summary: Crystal Harrington was injured in a single-car accident while riding as a passenger in a car owned by her father but driven by Joey Williams, a non-family member. The vehicle was insured by Travelers Commercial Insurance…
Date: October 23, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-890
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner, a retired Tampa firefighter, filed a class action complaint against the Board of Trustees of the City Pension Fund for Firefighters and Police Officers in the City of Tampa (Board), claiming that the Board…
Date: October 16, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-2254
Justia Opinion Summary: At issue in this case was whether the use of real time cell site location information to track a defendant violates the Fourth Amendment if probable cause was not provided to access and use that information. Defendant…
Date: October 16, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1050
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was found guilty of theft of an amount greater than $20,000 but less than $100,000. Defendant appealed the denial of his motion for a mistrial, arguing that testimony elicited by the State…
Date: October 16, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2232
Justia Opinion Summary: Pursuant to a plea agreement, Defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of lewd or lascivious battery. The circuit court sentenced Defendant to community control to be followed by seven years of sex offender probation. As…
Date: October 16, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2365
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was charged with several offenses, but the trial court entered an order declaring Defendant incompetent to proceed to trial. The trial court later held a competency hearing, during which defense counsel…
Date: October 16, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2262
Justia Opinion Summary: The Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) served a notice of investigation on Circuit Judge Sandy Kautz pursuant to Rule 6(b) of the FLorida Judicial Qualifications Commissions Rules. The judge entered into a…
Date: October 16, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2262
Date: October 16, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-704
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of lewd and lascivious molestation of a person younger than sixteen and aggravated stalking of a minor under the age of sixteen. Defendant was sentenced as a prison releasee…
Date: October 9, 2014
Docket Number: SC10-631
Date: October 9, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2522
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant’s convictions and sentences on appeal. Defendant later filed a motion for postconviction…
Date: October 9, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2161
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The trial court subsequently ordered a new trial, after which Appellant was again convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Appellant later filed a…
Date: October 9, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1507
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was found guilty of felony petit theft and sentenced to five years in prison. Defendant’s offense was subject to the Criminal Punishment Code, but Defendant was entitled to a nonstate prison sanction unless the…
Date: October 9, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-6
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and sexual battery. Defendant was sentenced to death for the murder conviction. On appeal, Defendant challenged only the propriety of the…
Date: October 2, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2381
Date: September 24, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1281
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was charged with one count each of grand theft and dealing in stolen property. Defendant executed a plea of guilty or no contest as to both offenses, and the trial court adjudicated Defendant of both offenses.…
Date: September 24, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1762
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant’s conviction and sentence, holding (1) the trial court properly considered in mitigation Defendant’s IQ score in…
Date: September 18, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2669
Justia Opinion Summary: In 1989, Petitioner was sentenced to terms of incarceration for robbery and aggravated battery convictions. Neither of those sentences was imposed under the habitual offender statute. While incarcerated, Petitioner was…
Date: September 18, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-922
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner was convicted of four counts of armed sexual battery and ultimately sentenced to four life sentences as upward departure sentences. The second district affirmed Petitioner’s four life sentences. Petitioner…
Date: September 18, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1934
Justia Opinion Summary: The Florida Virtual School sued K12, Inc. and K12, Florida, LLC (collectively, K12) for trademark infringement. K12 asserted that the Florida Virtual School had no standing because the authority to file an action with…
Date: September 11, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-4
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of the kidnapping, capital sexual battery, and first-degree murder of an eleven-year-old girl. The trial court sentenced Appellant to death for the murder. The Supreme Court…
Date: September 11, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-364
Date: September 4, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1683
Justia Opinion Summary: In Sirota v. State, the court of appeal certified a question to the Supreme Court regarding the scope and proper application of the Court’s decision in Morgan v. State. Thereafter, the Supreme Court decided Alcorn v.…
Date: September 4, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-890
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant was convicted and sentenced to death for the first-degree murder of Monquell Wimberly. Appellant was also convicted of the first-degree felony murder of Patrick Stafford, for which Stafford was sentenced to…
Date: September 4, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-1545
Date: August 28, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1041
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting death of a law enforcement officer, which occurred after the officer stopped Appellant for a traffic infraction. The jury recommended that the death penalty…
Date: August 28, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2124
Date: August 28, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2124
Date: August 28, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-407
Date: August 28, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC12-2124, SC12-407
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed carjacking. The trial court sentenced Appellant to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Appellant’s convictions and…
Date: August 28, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-407
Date: August 28, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1254
Date: August 28, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-144
Justia Opinion Summary: Florida Power & Light (FPL) filed an application for a rate base increase. Three intervenors to the proceedings and FPL reached a negotiated settlement agreement. After evidentiary hearings pertaining exclusively to the…
Date: August 28, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1914
Date: July 10, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-1017
Date: July 10, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-2468
Justia Opinion Summary: In this contract dispute between a home health care agency, Visiting Nurse Association of Florida, Inc. (VNA), and a hospital, Jupiter Medical Center, Inc. (JMC), an arbitration panel granted VNA damages. JMC filed a…
Date: July 10, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2314
Justia Opinion Summary: Walter Saunders and his wife, Ruby Saunders, sued Dr. Willis Dickens, a neurologist, filed a failure to diagnose action against Dickens after Saunders developed quadriplegia from his condition. Saunders died during the…
Date: July 10, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1215
Justia Opinion Summary: At issue in this case was whether Florida law recognizes a “bright-line rule” that distinguishes an assignment from a sublicense. This complex commercial litigation involved an agreement wherein a licensee transferred…
Date: July 10, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2383
Date: July 10, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-443
Justia Opinion Summary: The appellate counsel of Defendant, a prisoner under a sentence of death, requested that the Supreme Court depart from its established procedure for requiring counsel to proceed with diligent appellate advocacy during…
Date: July 7, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-1178
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant, a prisoner under a sentence of death for whom a death warrant had been signed, filed a successive motion for postconviction relief raising an as-applied challenge to Florida’s lethal injection protocol based…
Date: July 3, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-2038
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Richard England was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder and robbery with a deadly weapon. The trial court sentenced Petitioner to death. England later filed a petition…
Date: July 3, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-132
Date: July 3, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-132
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant was convicted after a jury trial for the first-degree murders of an elderly couple, whom he cut and stabbed. Sentences of death were imposed for both murders, but the case returned to the circuit court. After a…
Date: July 3, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1751
Date: July 3, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2381
Date: July 3, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-305
Date: July 3, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-318
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was charged with drug trafficking and possession after the vehicle he was driving was stopped by a deputy sheriff who had noticed an inconsistency between the actual color of the vehicle and the color indicated…
Date: June 26, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-1846
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and related crimes. The jury recommended that Appellant be sentenced to death, and the judge followed the jury’s recommendation. On appeal,…
Date: June 26, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC12-1442, SC13-47
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Charles Peterson was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction and sentence. Peterson subsequently filed a postconviction motion in the circuit…
Date: June 26, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2101
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. In the guilt phase of Appellant’s trial, the State introduced a pair of women’s underwear and a white washcloth, both of which were found at the…
Date: June 26, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2263
Date: June 26, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2453
Date: June 26, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-719
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant murdered an eleven-year-old girl while on duty as a police officer. After a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of sexual battery and first-degree murder. The trial court sentenced Appellant to death after…
Date: June 19, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1471
Date: June 19, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1471
Date: June 19, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-657
Justia Opinion Summary: Respondent pleaded guilty to drug-related offenses. After Respondent violated the conditions of his probation, the trial court revoked his probation and sentenced him to ninety-six days in jail with ninety-six days…
Date: June 19, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1732
Date: June 19, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2295
Date: June 19, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2295
Date: June 19, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC13-632, SC13-1788
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Appellant’s conviction and death sentence were affirmed on direct appeal. Appellant subsequently filed a motion for postconviction relief, asserting…
Date: June 19, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-1053
Justia Opinion Summary: After a retrial, Appellant was convicted of the first-degree murder of his second wife. After an unsuccessful appeal and the denials of Appellant’s petitions for postconviction and habeas relief, the Governor signed a…
Date: June 12, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1161
Justia Opinion Summary: Adrien Mobley was murdered in 1987, and for fifteen years, the case languished. DNA testing finally led investigators to Defendant. After a jury trial in 2011, Defendant was convicted of the murder and aggravated battery…
Date: June 12, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1410
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2002, Petitioner was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Following his unsuccessful appeal, Petitioner filed numerous postconviction claims and extraordinary writs, all without…
Date: June 12, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1471
Date: June 12, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-644
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2010, the legislature amended state law to preempt regulation of red light cameras to the state. At issue in these consolidated cases was whether pre-2010 municipal ordinances imposing penalties for red light…
Date: June 12, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1123
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioners, inmates under a sentence of death, challenged the facial validity of four provisions of the Timely Justice Act of 2013, which was enacted to “reduce delays in capital cases and to ensure that all appeals and…
Date: June 12, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-1053
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of the 1985 first-degree murder of his wife. The trial court sentenced Defendant to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant’s conviction and sentence. After Defendant’s postconviction motion…
Date: June 5, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1661
Date: June 5, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1940
Date: June 5, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-914
Date: May 29, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2234
Date: May 29, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2318
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner was convicted of several crimes. The Fifth District Court of Appeal affirmed the convictions and sentences on direct appeal. Petitioner subsequently filed a motion for postconviction relief. The trial court…
Date: May 29, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-153
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff-corporation filed a lawsuit against Defendant-insurer for personal injury protection benefits. The parties settled the case, and the trial court entered an order of dismissal with prejudice. After the attorney…
Date: May 29, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1541
Date: May 27, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-987
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioners filed a petition for extraordinary writ relief concerning certain documents in the possession of Respondents, non-parties to litigation regarding the constitutional validity of the 2012 plan apportioning…
Date: May 22, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1387
Date: May 22, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2336
Justia Opinion Summary: The South Florida Water Management District alleged that RLI, Live Oak, LLC, a land developer and owner of property that purportedly contained wetlands, participated in unauthorized dredging, construction activity, and…
Date: May 22, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-702
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial at which Appellant represented himself, Appellant was convicted of the first-degree murders of his parents and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and death sentences,…
Date: May 15, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-2292
Justia Opinion Summary: The State charged Defendant in a two-count information with unlawful commission of a sexual battery on a “mentally defective” person over the age of twelve. The jury returned guilty verdicts on both counts. The trial…
Date: May 15, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1277
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner was convicted of aggravated assault with a firearm and sentenced as a prison releasee reoffender (PRR). Petitioner was also convicted of carrying a concealed firearm and possessing a firearm by a convicted…
Date: May 15, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2159
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder. The trial court concluded that the aggravating circumstances outweighed the mitigating circumstances and imposed upon Appellant the sentence of death.…
Date: May 15, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2271
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, grand theft of a motor vehicle, home invasion robbery, and aggravated assault on a police officer. The trial court…
Date: May 15, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-552
Date: May 15, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-136
Justia Opinion Summary: The Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) filed charges against Judge Brenda Sheehan of the Circuit Court after Sheehan pleaded guilty to the charge of driving under the influence, alleging that Judge…
Date: May 8, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-1017
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of one count of first-degree murder, four counts of armed kidnapping, and one count of armed robbery. Appellant was sentenced to death for the murder conviction. The Supreme…
Date: May 1, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1947
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant was convicted for the 1998 first-degree murder of Cynthia Harrison and sentenced to death. Concluding that the trial court erred in denying Appellant’s postconviction claim of ineffective assistance of counsel,…
Date: May 1, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-532
Date: April 24, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC12-2124, SC12-407
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed carjacking. The trial court sentenced Defendant to death on both murder counts. The Supreme Court affirmed…
Date: April 24, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2066
Date: April 24, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2295
Date: April 24, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-456
Date: April 17, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-1206
Date: April 17, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2315
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff filed a lawsuit against Defendant, her former employer, alleging that Defendant took adverse employment actions against her after she revealed that she was pregnant. The trial court dismissed Plaintiff’s…
Date: April 17, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC12-1514, SC12-79
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Appellant’s convictions of first-degree murder and his sentences of death on appeal. Appellant…
Date: April 17, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC12-2349, SC12-986
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder. Appellant was sentenced to death for the murders. The Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentences. Appellant subsequently filed a…
Date: April 17, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1193
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was charged with both grand theft and dealing in stolen property in connection with one scheme or course of conduct. Defendant argued that under Fla. Stat. 812.025, the trial court was required to instruct the…
Date: April 17, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-417
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was charged with both grand theft and dealing in stolen property. Because the grand theft and dealing in stolen property charges arose from one scheme or course of conduct, the trial court dismissed the grand…
Date: April 10, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-475
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion robbery with a firearm. The trial court sentenced Appellant to death for the murders and to life…
Date: April 10, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC12-115, SC13-424
Justia Opinion Summary: In 1995, Petitioner was convicted of first-degree felony murder, aggravated child abuse, and sexual battery. The jury recommended the death penalty, and the trial court imposed the death penalty. The Supreme Court…
Date: April 10, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2021
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of sexual battery for penetrating the victim’s vagina with his penis and lewd or lascivious molestation for intentionally touching the victim’s breasts, genitals, genital area,…
Date: April 10, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2078
Justia Opinion Summary: Robert Christensen ("Robert") paid for a vehicle, and the certificate of title was placed in the name of Robert and his wife, Mary, as co-owners. Thereafter, Mary struck and killed Thomas Bowen while driving the vehicle.…
Date: April 10, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-854
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of one count each of burglary with an assault or battery, a first-degree felony, and strong-arm robbery, a second-degree felony. The sentencing judge sentenced Defendant to concurrent life…
Date: April 10, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-583
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant, a prisoner under sentence of death, was convicted of two counts of premeditated first-degree murder, among other crimes. After Governor Rick Scott signed a death warrant, Appellant filed a successive…
Date: April 3, 2014
Docket Number: Donald
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner was convicted of kidnapping, robbery, aggravated battery, burglary, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. After his convictions and sentences became final, Petitioner filed numerous pro se filings…
Date: April 3, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1986
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner was convicted of numerous crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment. Petitioner’s convictions and sentences were affirmed on appeal. Petitioner subsequently filed several pro se filings in the Supreme Court…
Date: March 27, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-2147
Justia Opinion Summary: Ann Aldrich died before having revised her will to dispose of an inheritance she received from her sister. Ann’s husband, James Aldrich, argued that the most appropriate construction of the will was that Ann intended for…
Date: March 27, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-2505
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and armed robbery with a firearm. Defendant was sentenced to death for the murder conviction. The Supreme Court (1) affirmed Defendant’s convictions,…
Date: March 27, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2197
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff brought a personal injury action against Defendant for injuries Plaintiff sustained in an altercation that occurred when Plaintiff was at a bar with Defendant and Defendant’s friend, Russell Noordhoek. The jury…
Date: March 27, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2234
Date: March 27, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-357
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of three counts of sexual battery and one count each of kidnapping, aggravated battery, and attempted robbery. Defendant was sentenced to life imprisonment for each sexual…
Date: March 27, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-988
Justia Opinion Summary: In 1991, a group of flight attendants initiated a class action suit against several tobacco companies. The suit resulted in a settlement agreement. Subsequently, the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute (FAMRI)…
Date: March 27, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-304
Date: March 20, 2014
Docket Number: SC09-2358
Justia Opinion Summary: Buyers, a married couple from Cuba who were only able to communicate in Spanish, purchased a vehicle from a Dealership. Two of the documents Buyers signed with regard to the purchase contained arbitration clauses, and…
Date: March 20, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-1445
Justia Opinion Summary: At issue in this case was whether the land and improvements on certain leaseholds that were created under long-term leases granted by Santa Rosa County were subject to the ad valorem real property tax. The leaseholders…
Date: March 20, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-2231
Justia Opinion Summary: At issue in this case were improvements on certain leaseholds that were created under leases granted by Escambia County. The leaseholders (Petitioners) contended that the improvements were not subject to ad valorem…
Date: March 20, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1669
Date: March 20, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2385
Date: March 14, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-398
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, armed robbery with a deadly weapon, and arson. Appellant was sentenced to death for the murders. Appellant’s death warrant was signed and…
Date: March 13, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-1148
Justia Opinion Summary: Michelle McCall received prenatal medical care at a United States Air Force clinic as an Air Force dependent. McCall died after delivering her son as a result of severe blood loss. Petitioners filed an action against the…
Date: March 13, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-157
Justia Opinion Summary: After Plaintiff was rear-ended by an underinsured motorist (UM), Plaintiff requested her $100,000 UM policy limits from State Farm. Plaintiff indicated that her damages were estimated to be $3.5 million because she…
Date: March 13, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-684
Date: March 6, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-2568
Date: February 27, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-2201
Date: February 27, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-1474
Justia Opinion Summary: This case arose from a malfunctioning HVAC system installed in a new building owned by Caduceus Properties. Caduceus sued Michael Gordon, the building architect, and Gordon initiated a third-party action against KTD…
Date: February 27, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-437
Date: February 20, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2231
Date: February 20, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2386
Date: February 20, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-167
Justia Opinion Summary: Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death for killing a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper. The Governor set a death warrant for Appellant and scheduled his execution for February 26, 2014. This…
Date: February 13, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2229
Justia Opinion Summary: S.A. filed a notice of expiration of speedy trial and a motion seeking a discharge under the speedy trial rule, alleging that he was entitled to a discharge because the State failed to bring him to trial within the…
Date: February 6, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-1679
Date: February 6, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-2320
Justia Opinion Summary: ICI Homes, Inc. (ICI) had a general liability insurance policy with General Fidelity Insurance Company. In 2007, Katherine Ferrin, the owner of a residence constructed by ICI, was injured while using stairs installed by…
Date: February 6, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-462
Date: January 31, 2014
Docket Number: SC14-35
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of the first-degree murder, kidnapping, and sexual battery of a nine-year-old and sentenced to death. After the Governor signed the warrant in this case Appellant filed…
Date: January 30, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC11-2208, SC11-2336
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff filed a medical malpractice wrongful death action against Cedars Healthcare Group, a facility at which Plaintiff’s father was a patient when he died, and other health care providers. Plaintiff sought records of…
Date: January 30, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-2336
Date: January 30, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-677
Justia Opinion Summary: After a second jury trial, Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder and robbery and was sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed the convictions but twice remanded for new penalty phases. Each time, the trial…
Date: January 27, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC13-2006, SC13-2132
Justia Opinion Summary: The Florida Attorney General petitioned the Supreme Court for an advisory opinion as to the validity of a proposed citizen initiative amendment to the Florida Constitution and the accompanying Financial Impact Statement.…
Date: January 27, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2132
Date: January 23, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-2460
Justia Opinion Summary: After Respondent violated his conditional release, the parole examiner recommended that Respondent be restored to regular supervision. The Florida Parole Commission (FPC) rejected the parole examiner’s recommendation and…
Date: January 23, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-75
Justia Opinion Summary: Buyers purchased two condominium units pursuant to contracts entered into in 2006. Buyers later contended that the contracts were voidable because Seller failed to maintain Buyers’ deposits in escrow in the manner…
Date: January 23, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-840
Date: January 23, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-842
Date: January 23, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-513
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner was convicted and sentenced to thirty years imprisonment for robbery. The court of appeal affirmed the judgment of guilty and the sentence imposed. Thereafter, Petitioner filed numerous postconviction claims.…
Date: January 23, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-870
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner was convicted of second-degree murder. In a previous habeas corpus proceeding, Petitioner sought release from incarceration, arguing that the assistant state attorney who signed the information and indictment…
Date: January 16, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-1076
Justia Opinion Summary: After a jury trial, Defendant was found guilty of first-degree murder under the felony murder and premeditated theories in the deaths of Berthum Gibson and Keenethia Keenan and guilty of first-degree murder under the…
Date: January 16, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2007
Date: January 16, 2014
Docket Number: SC12-2030
Date: January 16, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC12-205, SC12-1635
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 an amended motion to vacate his judgment and sentence,…
Date: January 16, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-1346
Justia Opinion Summary: Petitioner filed a petition to invoke the First District Court of Appeal’s all writs jurisdiction, asserting that he was serving an illegally enhanced sentence. The First District dismissed the petition in an…
Date: January 9, 2014
Docket Number: SC11-1830
Justia Opinion Summary: At issue in this case was a territorial dispute between two utilities, Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Gulf Power Company, both of which sought the right to serve Freedom Walk, a proposed multi-purpose…
Date: January 9, 2014
Docket Numbers: SC12-2464, SC12-1204
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant was convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and sexual battery with great force. Defendant was sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant’s convictions and sentence of death. Defendant…
Date: January 3, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2015
Date: January 3, 2014
Docket Number: SC13-2015
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