Florida

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 03.19.21

* The Florida Senate just passed a bill to shield businesses from COVID-19 lawsuits. Many wish Florida was doing more to shield residents from COVID-19... [Tampa Bay Times] * A former lawyer for AT&T is accusing the company of overcharging needy schools and libraries for internet service. [Dallas Morning News] * A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a journalist over allegedly illicit wiretapping. [Politico] * Check out this interesting article on removal and remand rates in federal court. [Juris Lab] * An Illinois attorney has been suspended from practice for allegedly mishandling client money. [Quad-City Times] * A prominent lawyer for computer hackers has been arrested for destroying his son's computer. Guess that's another kind of hacking... [New York Daily News]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 03.15.21

* Buckingham Palace is reportedly hiring a law firm to investigate Megan Markle's bullying claims. Wonder what it would be like if the firm from Suits did this job... [Business Insider] * Google will face a lawsuit claiming that it still tracks users in Incognito Mode. [Verge] * The criminal trial of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos, may be delayed due to her recently announced pregnancy. [Guardian] * The Manhattan District Attorney recently announced he will be retiring at the end of his term. [Washington Post] * A Florida lawyer has been charged with first-degree murder. [ABC News] * The Clemson University Track and Field Team has hired counsel over the elimination of their program. Hope they don't have too many "hurdles" to pursuing a claim... [ESPN]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 03.04.21

* A federal detainee who threw a chair at a prosecutor has been charged. Guess they threw the book at him... [Department of Justice] * Residents of North Carolina will purportedly be allowed to phone a lawyer for free tomorrow. [ABC News] * A lawyer for Joe Biden accuser Tara Reade is requesting that the New York Times compensate his client for publishing Reade's social security number. [Fox News] * A proposed law in Florida would make it difficult to sue healthcare providers and nursing homes for damages related to COVID-19. [NBC News] * The former owner of New York Sports Clubs has settled a lawsuit over billing practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. That case wasn't on the legal treadmill for long... [Reuters]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.17.21

* Donald Trump has reportedly dumped Rudy Giuliani as his personal lawyer. Wonder if he was told "you're fired"... [CNN] * Lawyers for an alleged Capitol rioter are reportedly trying to use Mitch McConnell's words about President Trump's actions to their advantage. [Law and Crime] * A former Florida lawyer, whose pants literally caught on fire during a trial in 2017, has allegedly been charged with cocaine possession. [New York Post] * A new lawsuit filed by a Democratic Congressman alleges that Donald Trump and others conspired to cause the January 6th Capitol riot. [Reuters] * Dominion Voting Systems reportedly plans on filing a lawsuit against the CEO of MyPillow after he said "please sue me." He's probably still sleeping well at night... [Newsweek]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.12.21

* A Florida lawyer who became famous dressing up as the "grim reaper" on beaches to warn about COVID-19 may face discipline for an appeal he filed. Hope he didn't wear the "grim reaper" outfit to court... [ABC News] * Megan Markle won a lawsuit against a company that published portions of a private letter she wrote to her father. [Harper's Bazaar] * Check out this group of Harvard Law grads who are trying to eliminate harassments and discrimination in the legal profession. [New York Times] * Bruce Springsteen has hired a New Jersey legal eagle to defend himself in a DWI case. [New York Post] * Since Above the Law hasn't had a "Lawyerly Lairs" segment in a while, just wanted to relate that a lawyer just bought a multimillion-dollar waterfront mansion in Jupiter, California. Check out the sweet digs in the article. [Real Deal]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.08.21

* President Trump's impeachment lawyer has asked that the impeachment trial be paused for the Jewish Sabbath. Guess he doesn't roll shomer shabbos... [CNN] * A Florida lawyer accidentally flashed his medical marijuana card instead of his driver's license in a video that has gone viral. [Fox News] * The Supreme Court has ruled that some of California's restrictions on in-person worship are unconstitutional. [NPR] * Kyle Rittenhouse, the teenager accused of shooting protestors in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has fired an attorney who raised a substantial amount of money for Rittenhouse's legal defense. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] * Subways is offering 15% off tuna sandwiches after a lawsuit was filed alleging the company does not use real tuna. Something smells fishy... [Yahoo News]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.03.21

* Whole Foods is facing a lawsuit alleging the retailer misled customers by calling a product "Honey Graham Crackers" when it actually wasn't that healthy. Guess you do attract more flies with honey... [Fox News] * A Florida lawyer has been disbarred for filming sexual encounters with inmates in jail. [New York Daily News] * The Manhattan District Attorney is apparently investigating Stephen Bannon following his federal pardon by President Trump. [Washington Post] * Check out a summary on all of the lawsuits faced by Robinhood over its decisions regarding GameStop stock. [Verge] * A bank has repossessed a private plane owned by a San Antonio lawyer. Maybe he fought for the plane like it was the Alamo... [KSAT.com]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.02.21

* A Michigan lawyer is giving away a free divorce for Valentine's Day. How romantic... [Fox News] * Google is paying millions to resolve allegations that it discriminated against female and Asian job applicants. [Bloomberg Law] * A paralegal in Texas is accused of embezzling around $40,000 from her former employer. [ABC News] * A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit about the alleged lack of Spanish-language voting materials in Florida. [NBC News] * Quinn Emanuel is apparently operating an office in Atlanta out of a former partner's home. Since everyone is working from home anyways, this seems completely normal. [Bloomberg Law]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 01.20.20

* The New Jersey Supreme Court has thrown out a conviction because a prosecutor referenced The Shining during a trial. And it wasn't even a "redrum" case... [New Jersey Law Journal] * Chief Justice Roberts will be swearing in another person today who opposed his confirmation to the Supreme Court. [Yahoo News] * An attorney said "I bet I don't appear again. Goodbye!" last week in response to being denied leave to withdraw from a case. Of course this happened in Florida, and check out the video of the aftermath in the article, it's amazing. [BoingBoing] * Newly-minted lawyer Tiffany Trump announced her engagement yesterday to boyfriend Michael Boulos. [New York Times] * A class action has been filed by residents who experience intense smells because they live near a Florida perfume factory. Maybe they prefer toilet smell to eau de toilette... [News4Jax]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 01.13.20

* A-Rod is facing allegations of racketeering and embezzlement in a new lawsuit filed by his former brother-in-law. If true, maybe he just doesn't like playing by the rules... [New York Post] * A Massachusetts lawyer is suing Google for returning search results whenever a user searches his name. [Boston.com] * A lawyer for PBS has resigned after he was secretly recorded as part of a Project Veritas sting. [ABC News] * A well-known lawyer in Pensacola, Florida, has died of COVID-19 at age 83. [Pensacola News Journal] * The lawyer for a man allegedly seen carrying a lectern around the Capitol during the riot last week replied "I'm not a magician" when asked about how he would defend his client. Guess he has no plans to make any charges disappear... [Fox News]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 01.11.20

* A Georgia lawyer, who was purportedly present at the Capitol riot last week, claims the rioters were like "tourists." Don't think any of them were on a guided tour... [New York Post] * Musician Nicki Minaj has lost a defamation lawsuit filed by artist Tracy Chapman over music Minaj allegedly misappropriated from Chapman. [NPR] * Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, is in hot water for allegedly supporting individuals involved in the riot at the Capitol last week. [Yahoo News] * The parent company of Pornhub is facing a class-action lawsuit over illicit videos allegedly posted on the website. [New York Post] * A Florida attorney has been suspended from practice for allegedly committing misconduct and responding to an email from the bar with "[d]ear assholes." In the lawyer's defense, he reportedly ended the email with "[h]ave a blessed new year"... before concluding "[d]ick heads [sic]." [Orlando Sentinel]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 01.07.20

* The Florida Bar has disbarred an attorney for not responding to notices because she had passed away. Guess they don't want her practicing law in the afterlife.... [Miami Herald] * The leader of the NXIVM cult has hired a new lawyer who previously worked for Bill Cosby. [Times Union] * Former FBI Director James Comey believes that Joe Biden's incoming Attorney General should not investigate President Trump. [Fox News] * Kim Kardashian has apparently been consulting with a divorce lawyer since the summer of 2020. [US Magazine] * The South Dakota Bar Association is cautioning attorneys against counseling clients on cannabis-law issues. Their arguments seem "half baked"... [San Francisco Chronicle]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.28.20

* The Girl Scouts recently sued the Boy Scouts over recruitment tactics. Maybe the winning side will give their lawyers merit badges... [Guardian] * The next Attorney General will be greeted with a large number of highly charged legal matters. [Wall Street Journal] * A new lawsuit alleges that two women were unlawfully denied entry to a Florida strip club because they were not accompanied by a man. [Orlando Sentinel] * Check out this article on why the booby traps in Home Alone are perfectly legal. [Movie Web] * Cardi B has settled a lawsuit with her former manager. The ex-manager should know she's making money moves... [TMZ]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.18.20

* A man has won a federal lawsuit against his parents for throwing away "a trove of pornography and an array of sex toys." Sure hope they kept his baseball card collection... [Michigan Live] * A Florida lawyer may face suspension from practice for allegedly having sex with and impregnating a client. [Daily Business Review] * A federal judge has refrained from imposing a monetary penalty on a lawyer who said they are "not dicking around with a rookie" during a deposition. [ABA Journal] * Vanessa Bryant, wife of late basketball player Kobe Bryant, is being sued by her mother for allegedly not paying her mom for her supposed work as a "longtime personal assistant and nanny." [Fox News] * A voting-machine company is demanding that a pro-Trump attorney retract claims made about voting machines made by the business. [ABC News] * Google is now facing its third antitrust lawsuit. Guess third time's a charm... [CNN]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.17.20

* Sanctions have been upheld for a lawyer who included a haiku and cited to Bugs Bunny in litigation papers. "That's all folks!"... [ABA Journal] * A New York man, who allegedly posed as a lawyer to bilk elderly victims of money supposedly needed to bail out grandchildren, has been indicted. [New York Post] * A fake immigration lawyer in Florida has pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and other charges. Lots of lawyer wannabes in the Morning Docket today! [Tampa Bay Times] * A judge has ruled that the Trump Organization must turn over more documents to the New York Attorney General. [CNN] * Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is trying to keep documents from the company's lawyers a secret. [Wall Street Journal] * A server at Denny's is suing for back pay. Her lawyers probably think the case is a "grand slam"... [Connecticut Law Tribune]

By Jordan Rothman