Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan RayJune 30, 2015

For the second time this month, Rep. Kathleen Passidomo received plaudits from the Florida Bar. The Trial Lawyers Section gave the Naples Republican its “Legislator of the Year” award on Tuesday, honoring the third-term representative for her work in revising the state’s guardianship laws to protect Florida’s elders from financial exploitation. “I am humbled by this honor […]

Martin DyckmanApril 30, 2015

Florida Gov. Rick Scott continues to build a record that no successor should be allowed to emulate. None should even want to. But you never know. Twenty-one times now, Scott has rejected lawyers recommended by the Florida Bar for seats on some of Florida’s 26 judicial nominating commissions. The latest such act was on April […]

Ryan RayApril 13, 2015

A bill to continue Great Recession-era relief to homebuilders and bulk buyers of bank-owned condominiums was approved in House Finance & Tax during a Monday afternoon meeting held specifically to consider the proposal. HB 791 sponsored by Rep. George Moraitis — the sole Republican among the Broward delegation — was the subject of a 45-minute debate period, […]

Christine Jordan SextonJanuary 15, 2015

Medicaid planning companies cannot use legal kits to advise Floridians on Medicaid planning under an advisory opinion approved by the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday. “Unless the client establishes an independent attorney-client relationship with the attorney, payment from the client is directly to the attorney, and the initial determination that the particular legal document or […]

Martin DyckmanJanuary 8, 2015

If you need to go to court, do you want the judge wondering, as a politician might, why your lawyer didn’t contribute to her campaign? Or didn’t give enough? That’s the crux of a Florida case to be argued at the U.S. Supreme Court on January 20. Yanell Williams-Yulee, a Tampa lawyer, is appealing a […]

Martin DyckmanJanuary 8, 2015

If you need to go to court, do you want the judge wondering, as a politician might, why your lawyer didn’t contribute to her campaign? Or didn’t give enough? That’s the crux of a Florida case to be argued at the U.S. Supreme Court on January 20. Yanell Williams-Yulee, a Tampa lawyer, is appealing a […]

Martin DyckmanDecember 29, 2014

“We should keep the judiciary as far apart from politics as heaven is from hell.” That’s Burton Young speaking. No Floridian talks with more authority on the subject. But as he and others see it, politics is once again threatening to pervert justice in Florida. Is there a need to amend the Constitution? “God, yes,” […]

Martin DyckmanDecember 28, 2014

“We should keep the judiciary as far apart from politics as heaven is from hell.” That’s Burton Young speaking. No Floridian talks with more authority on the subject. But as he and others see it, politics is once again threatening to pervert justice in Florida. Is there a need to amend the Constitution? “God, yes,” […]

Martin DyckmanOctober 8, 2014

The campaign for governor strikes many Floridians as all sound and fury, signifying nothing but that too much money is being put to too little good. Some are even questioning why they should bother to vote. The answer is elemental. If they don’t, other people will be voting for them. At the end of the […]

Martin DyckmanJuly 23, 2014

Rick Scott needs to hear from Sandra Day O’Connor. Not that he’d listen. The retired justice, who must surely regret what has happened to the U.S. Supreme Court since she left, is devoting her time now to fighting for the independence of the judiciary. She has become a prominent and oft-spoken critic of what she […]

Tag: Florida Bar

Trial Lawyers Bar honors Kathleen Passidomo as top legislator

Martin Dyckman: Gov. Scott's contempt of court must be stopped

Condo bill passes House Finance & Tax on party-line vote

No kits! Florida Supreme Court approves new rules on Medicaid planning

Martin Dyckman: Will U.S. Supreme Court listen to Florida on campaign financing and judicial integrity?

Martin Dyckman: Will U.S. Supreme Court listen to Florida on campaign financing and judicial integrity?

Martin Dyckman: Florida lawyers must purge politics from judiciary

Martin Dyckman: Florida lawyers must purge politics from judiciary

Martin Dyckman: Two huge reasons to vote — the courts, the state constitution

Martin Dyckman: Scott threatens the independence of Florida’s judiciary