JUDGES SOCIAL MEDIA The Florida Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments concerning whether a judge should be disqualified from a case if they are friends with opposing counsel on Facebook. This case is viewed as the first test for new rules governing judges’ social media use.
SMOKER AWARD TOSSED The Florida Supreme Court declined an appeal from a smoker’s widow who had won a $23.6 billion verdict against tobacco company R.J. Reynolds. The win had been overturned by a lower appeals court. The Supreme Court sent the case back to the trial court to be retried.
MUSIC ROYALTIES The 1960’s band The Turtles have lost a copyright battle. The Florida Supreme Court has ruled that Florida law does not provide for the payment of royalties on recordings made prior to 1972.
FIREARMS OPEN CARRY After the Florida Supreme Court rejected a plea from a Florida man seeking a ruling to declare Florida’s law against open carry of firearms to be unconstitutional, the plaintiff sought to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Without comment, the Court refused to take the case, thereby allowing the Florida Supreme Court ruling to stand.