STU Moot Court Blog
The St. Thomas Moot Court Board has decided to implement “Moot Court Mondays”. Our members are to research recent Florida Supreme Court opinions or Florida District Courts of Appeal opinions and pick an opinion they are interested in writing about. The blog post is brief but comprehensive to help practitioners have notice/knowledge about the recent decisions on issues that may be useful for their cases.
No Notice, No Lawsuit: Florida’s Third DCA Reinforces Mandatory Pre-Suit Requirements for Construction Defect Claims
Construction defect litigation in Florida has long existed in tension between a claimant’s right to seek judicial relief and the Legislature’s directive that parties first attempt to resolve disputes without the courts. Chapter 558 of the Florida Statutes embodies...
Impartial Canvas, Level Frame: When Must a Judge Step Aside?
Judicial impartiality is essential to the legitimacy of the legal system, and Florida law requires judges to step aside when a litigant reasonably fears that neutrality has been compromised. Under Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.330, a...
From Farm to Wedding Venue: The Second DCA Questions the Limits of Florida’s Right to Farm Act
When does a barn stop being part of a farm and become something else entirely? That is the central question in Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal’s decision in Sheik Island Farm, Inc. v. Covington Farm, Inc. The court framed the issue succinctly at the outset...
A Second Look at Stacked Sentences: The Eleventh Circuit Applies the First Step Act in United States V. Ragland
In United States v. Ragland, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit addressed whether a defendant resentenced after the vacatur of a firearm conviction may benefit from the sentencing reforms enacted in the First Step Act.[i] The case highlights...
Apparently, We Needed a Reminder: The Separation of Powers Clause Does Not Apply to City Hall
Recently, in City of Tampa v. Liberty Hospitality Management, LLC, Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal, discussed an unusual issue in a rezoning dispute. The question before the court was: whether a circuit court has jurisdiction to review a municipal rezoning...
When “A” Clarifies the Rule: A Florida Appellate Court Decision on Mobile Home Park Class Actions
Sometimes the interpretation of a single word can alter the course of litigation. In a recent decision involving two Florida mobile home park associations, a single article, “a,” reshaped how entire communities must pursue relief in court.[i] In Wynne Building...
Hallucinated Justice: Florida’s Fourth DCA Warns Against AI-Fabricated Legal Authority
On March 11, 2026, the Fourth District Court of Appeal of Florida issued its per curiam opinion in Roussell v. Bank of New York Mellon, affirming the trial court’s judgment on the merits but writing separately to address a troubling issue: the appellant’s reliance on...
State Lines and Border Lines: Florida’s Immigration Law Faces Federal Challenge
A recent Eleventh Circuit dispute addresses the ongoing tension between state immigration enforcement efforts and the federal government’s constitutional authority over immigration policy. The litigation centers on Florida’s Senate Bill 4-C (SB 4-C), a bill proposal...
One Dragon, One Emperor, and One Professor Walk into a Hospital
In Brown v. Fla. Health Sci. Ctr., Inc., the Second District Court of Appeals held that the trial court erred by not recognizing there were factual disputes that precluded summary judgment.[i] The trial court granted summary judgment to the respondent, Tampa General...
Breaking Chains on Bar Access: Florida Supreme Court Ends ABA Monopoly
One credential quietly determined whether a law graduate could even attempt to become a Florida lawyer: graduate from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (“ABA”). In April 1950, the Florida Supreme Court created the Florida Bar, uniting all...
Home Court Advantage: The Potential Rise of State Court Favoritism in NCAA Eligibility Litigation
In the prominent world of Name, Image, and Likeness (“NIL”) in collegiate athletics, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) has been involved in their fair share of litigation surrounding athletes requesting additional years of eligibility. The most...
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