Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaMarch 2, 2016

The Tallahassee attorney for Earthjustice, a national environmental law organization, is calling a proposed state constitutional amendment on solar power “a disguised attempt to derail rooftop solar in Florida.” The Florida Supreme Court had scheduled oral arguments for the hotly contested proposal for 11 a.m. March 7 with no more than 30 minutes allowed for each side. Among […]

Jim RosicaMarch 2, 2016

Lawyers for Gretna Racing, the Gadsden County track seeking to add slot machines, this week asked the Florida Supreme Court to toss out former Gov. Bob Graham‘s friend-of-the-court brief in their case, saying he “has no right to raise a new issue from his position as a nonparty.” Graham’s brief opposes the operators of the racetrack. They argue they should be […]

Jim RosicaMarch 1, 2016

A House initiative to place term limits on state Supreme Court justices and appellate judges was assigned to three committees of reference in the Senate late Tuesday: Judiciary, Ethics & Elections, and Rules. Under Senate rules, though, “Unless approved by the President, no committee shall meet after the fiftieth (50th) day of a regular session except the Rules Committee.” Tuesday was […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 29, 2016

Nearly three out of four Florida voters are in favor of Amendment 1 according to the first opinion poll since the Consumers for Smart Solar initiative made the ballot in late January. Hill Research Consultants polled 607 likely Florida voters and found 73 percent support for the amendment. “We are proud to have more than […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 25, 2016

Less than three months after his death, a court battle has broken out over the estate of Florida Supreme Court Justice Leander J. Shaw Jr. Among the disclosures in court documents filed in Leon County, where Shaw lived after retiring from the court in 2003: Shaw, the first black chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court, died without having drawn […]

Bill RuftyFebruary 24, 2016

In 1949, an educator applied to the University of Florida Law School and was turned down. The applicant, Virgil Hawkins, was black. The law school and the court system in Florida were white and racist. The application began a nine-year fight going all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled for Hawkins. That […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 24, 2016

A judicial term limits initiative that is stalled in the Senate barely passed out of the House Wednesday. The House approved the measure (HB 197) on a 76-38 vote. Because imposing term limits on appellate judges and justices requires changing the state constitution, it needed three-fifths of the House, or at least 72 votes. A […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 24, 2016

The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday rescheduled oral arguments for a hotly-contested proposed constitutional amendment on solar power. Arguments are now set for 11 a.m. on March 7, the court announced, with no more than 30 minutes allowed for each side. Among other requirements, proposed amendments to the state constitution must be OK’d by the court to ensure they cover only […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 22, 2016

State Rep. Matt Gaetz has introduced his own amendment to a judicial term-limits bill that will be before the House Tuesday, inspired by the debate over naming a successor to the late U.S. Supreme Court Antonin Scalia. That amendment reads in part: “… if a justice of the (state) supreme court dies within one year […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 22, 2016

Former Florida Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham on Monday filed his friend-of-the-court brief with the state Supreme Court, arguing against the expansion of slot machines. Graham’s brief is for a Gadsden County case in which the operators of a racetrack in Gretna say they should be allowed to also offer slot machines because voters […]

Tag: Florida Supreme Court
Sen Rick Scott in Sarasota. Photo by Jacob Ogles.

Earthjustice strikes back against Smart Solar group

Bock, bock: Gambling opponents call racetrack’s lawyers chickens

Judicial term limits bill likely dead in Senate

Turn out the lights, election is over: Nearly 75% of Florida voters support Smart Solar Amendment, poll shows

Accusations fly in court fight over Justice Leander Shaw’s estate

Event to celebrate barrier broken and barrier breaker

House passes judicial term limits in close vote

Supreme Court reschedules oral argument for ‘Smart Solar’ amendment

Matt Gaetz and the “Scalia amendment”

Bob Graham weighs in against expanding slot machines