BALLOT ORDER A three judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has decided that the courts are not able to rule on the constitutionality of a Florida law requiring the political party of the sitting governor to be listed first on all ballots. The panel saw it as a political, rather than a judicial issue. Several Democratic Party organizations have joined together seeking a rehearing before the entire Court.
CORRINE BROWN REHEARING The full 11th Circuit Court of Appeal has agreed to a rehearing of a case involving corruption charges against former Democratic U.S. Congresswoman Corrine Brown. A three-judge panel has affirmed the removal of a juror who claimed the Holy Spirit told him Brown was innocent. The decision temporarily vacates the panel’s decision.
DERSHOWITZ DEFAMATION Attorney and pundit Alan Dershowitz has filed a $300 million defamation suit in Florida’s federal court. Dershowitz is alleging that CNN defamed him when it reported on arguments he made during Trump’s impeachment trial.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA COMPANY Trulieve, a Canada-based medical marijuana company operating in Florida, is attempting to stop a consolidation of federal securities cases in a Florida federal court. At issue is whether the company issued false and misleading statements about the company in an effort to depress the stock price. Trulieve is claiming U.S. securities law do not apply as the company is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange.
FLORIDA BAR ADMITTANCE The Florida Supreme Court has refused to impose an emergency rule regarding Florida Bar candidates who are contracted to enter the U.S. armed forces Judge Advocate General’s Corps. With the cancellation and re-scheduling of the Florida Bar exams due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many recent law school graduates, including those committed to JAG, have been unable to take the exam. The proposed rule would have allowed JAG candidates to be admitted without taking the exam.