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The following summaries are drawn from briefs and lower court judgments. They are meant to provide a general idea of facts and issues presented in cases, and should not be considered official court documents. Facts and issues presented in these summaries should be checked for accuracy against records and briefs, available from the Court, which provide more specific information.
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Names & phone numbers of attorneys in these cases are available in Acrobat format.
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Florida Supreme Court Oral Arguments
Monday, September 3, 2012
Arrive early. Times & order of appearance are tentative and subject to change with no notice. Cases may be postponed due to exigent circumstances.
Case |
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Florida Supreme Court Oral Arguments
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Arrive early. Times & order of appearance are tentative and subject to change with no notice. Cases may be postponed due to exigent circumstances.
Case |
Time |
Facts & Issues |
Place of Origin |
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Florida Supreme Court Oral Arguments
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Arrive early. Times & order of appearance are tentative and subject to change with no notice. Cases may be postponed due to exigent circumstances.
Case |
Time |
Facts & Issues |
Place of Origin |
The Florida Bar v. Mark Enrique Rousso & The
Florida Bar v. Leonardo Adrian Roth
SC11-15 | SC11-16
View briefs in Acrobat format by clicking the case
number(s) here
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Approx. 9:00 |
In these disciplinary cases, The Florida Bar accuses Mr. Rousso and Mr. Roth of
misusing money held in trust for their clients and related ethical violations. The
trial judge considering the case as a referee concluded they were not guilty of the
trust fund violation but were guilty of failing to safeguard clients' funds, of
disregarding conflicts of interest and of dishonesty. The referee recommends this
Court suspend both attorneys temporarily from the practice of law. The attorneys
support that recommendation; The Bar argues they should be disbarred
permanently. |
Southeast Florida |
In re: Judicial Governance
SC11-1374
View briefs in Acrobat format by clicking the case
number(s) here
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9:30 |
The Court considers comments on amendments it recently adopted to rules dealing with governance of the judicial branch. The changes were intended to strengthen governance, improve management and enhance communication so as to better fulfill the branch mission of protecting rights and liberties, upholding and interpreting the law and providing for the peaceful resolution of disputes. One of the changes created term limits for chief judges in Florida's 20 judicial circuits and five district courts of appeal. That change and several other amendments are the subject of the commentary.
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John Calvin Taylor, II v. State of Florida
SC11-154 | SC11-2053
View briefs in Acrobat format by clicking the case
number(s) here
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Approx. 10:10 |
Mr. Taylor was convicted of the first-degree murder of Shannon Holzer, who was
fatally stabbed in 1997. The jury voted 10-2 to recommend a death sentence and
the trial court condemned him to death. This Court upheld the death sentence on
direct appeal and Mr. Taylor filed a post-conviction challenge in trial court. It was
denied and this appeal followed. |
Clay County |
Shahla M. Rabie Cortez v. Palace Resorts, Inc.
SC11-1908
View briefs in Acrobat format by clicking the case
number(s) here
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Approx. 10:50 |
Ms. Rabie Cortez, a California woman assaulted during a vacation in Mexico,
sued Palace Resorts in Florida. Ms. Rabie Cortez was attacked during a complimentary massage offered after a timeshare sales presentation. She accused
Palace Resorts of negligence and justified the location of her lawsuit by pointing
to the company's headquarters in Miami. Palace Resorts argued it did not manage
the resort in Mexico and the case did not belong in a Florida court. The trial court
dismissed the suit; the Third District Court of Appeal upheld that decision. Ms.
Rabie Cortez asked this Court to review the case. |
Miami-Dade County |
Florida Supreme Court Oral Arguments
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Arrive early. Times & order of appearance are tentative and subject to change with no notice. Cases may be postponed due to exigent circumstances.
Case |
Time |
Facts & Issues |
Place of Origin |
In re: Amendments to Rule of Judicial Administration
2.420
SC11-2466
View briefs in Acrobat format by clicking the case
number(s) here
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9:00 |
The Florida Bar's Rules of Judicial Administration Committee has proposed
changes to the rule governing public access to judicial branch records. The
proposed amendments are designed to clarify the intent of rule changes the Court
approved in 2010 to protect the confidentiality of certain categories of records as
the courts move toward greater digital access of public records. In addition to
clarifying the intent of the 2010 changes, the latest proposed amendments are
designed to refine the procedures put in place at that time.
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Phillip Morris USA v. James L. Douglas
SC12-617
View briefs in Acrobat format by clicking the case
number(s) here
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Approx. 9:40 |
In this wrongful death case, Mr. Douglas alleged that Philip Morris and other
tobacco companies were liable for the death of his wife, Charlotte, a smoker who
died of lung disease. The trial court let him rely on findings from an earlier
class-action lawsuit about the liability of tobacco companies to smokers and their
families. Mr. Douglas was awarded $2.5 million in compensation. The Second
District Court of Appeal upheld the judgment and also certified the dispute over
Mr. Douglas' use of the earlier findings to be a question of great public importance
for this Court's consideration. |
Hillsborough County |
Gary Michael Hilton v. State of Florida
SC11-898
View briefs in Acrobat format by clicking the case
number(s) here
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Approx. 10:30 |
Mr. Hilton was convicted of the kidnapping and first-degree murder of Cheryl
Dunlap, who went missing in 2007. The jury voted unanimously to recommend
a death sentence and the trial court condemned Mr. Hilton to death. This is his
direct appeal. He raises various issues. |
Leon County |
Jose Lazaro Rodriguez v. Miami-Dade County
SC11-1913
View briefs in Acrobat format by clicking the case
number(s) here
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Approx. 11:30 |
Mr. Rodriguez was shot by a police officer after a burglar alarm was triggered at
Mr. Rodriguez's business. He sued the county, alleging negligence. The county
argued it was shielded by sovereign immunity. The trial court denied the county's
motion for summary judgment but the Third District Court of Appeal overturned
that ruling. The 3rd DCA also certified conflict with decisions from other District
Courts of Appeal pertaining to whether an appellate court can use certiorari
jurisdiction to review this type of nonfinal order. Mr. Rodriguez asked this Court
to review that decision. |
Miami-Dade County |
Florida Supreme Court Oral Arguments
Friday, September 7, 2012
Arrive early. Times & order of appearance are tentative and subject to change with no notice. Cases may be postponed due to exigent circumstances.
Case |
Time |
Facts & Issues |
Place of Origin |
Rick Scott v. George Williams
SC12-520
View briefs in Acrobat format by clicking the case
number(s) here
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9:00 a.m. |
Mr. Williams and other public employees challenged a 2011 state law requiring
state workers to contribute 3 percent of their pay toward their retirement and
reducing future cost-of-living increases to pensions. A trial judge agreed the law
violated different provisions of the Florida Constitution. The state appealed and
the First District Court of appeal asked this Court to take the appeal immediately.
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In re: Amendments to Lawyer Advertising Rules
SC11-1327
View briefs in Acrobat format by clicking the case
number(s) here
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Approx. 9:40 |
The Florida Bar has proposed completely new rules to govern lawyer advertising.
The new rules would apply to all forms of advertising, including websites and
Internet advertisements. The rules would also extend the requirement for
pre-approval of advertisements, currently in place for TV and radio ads, to most
media. |
Statewide impact |
Amanda Jean Hall v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
SC11-1611
View briefs in Acrobat format by clicking the case
number(s) here
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Removed from calendar |
Alachua County |
Gertrude Patrick v. Lionel Gatien
SC11-1466
View briefs in Acrobat format by clicking the case
number(s) here
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Approx. 10:40 |
After losing vision in her left eye, Ms. Patrick sued her doctors, accusing them of
medical malpractice. The doctors argued Ms. Patrick had not complied with
deadlines in state law. The trial court granted the doctors a summary judgment. On
appeal, the First District Court of Appeal upheld that ruling. Ms. Patrick asked this
Court to review that decision. |
Duval County |
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