By Daphne Duret, HispanicBusiness.com -- At the Palm Beach County Courthouse, where May is Juror Appreciation Month, citizens who answer the call for jury service can tap into free Internet access from their smartphone to surf, tweet, text, post and blog to their heart's content. Several years ago, one local juror used an iPhone in just that way -- and ended up adding a Palm Beach County manslaughter trial to the growing list of cases tossed because of jurors' use of electronic communications and social media. "You can go to Google, look up 'juror misconduct' and find a number of cases," Chief Circuit Judge Peter Blanc said. "I think the fact that you can do that alone speaks to the impact technology has on the process." http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2012/5/30/internet_twitter_facebook_complicate_jury_instructions.htm … [Read more...]
Ticktin to Mortgage Fraud Victims: You Can go Home Again
By DOTTIE PARIS, TFLJ Features Editor -- DEERFIELD BEACH -- Attorney Peter Ticktin believes you can go home again. And he wants that to be the case for victims of the so-called 'foreclosure-gate' mortgage scandal. "In our country, we used to have a conscience -- that was the bank," said Ticktin, founder Deerfield Beach-based The Ticktin Law Group. "And then that disappeared. Ruinous competition for bad loans forced even the legitimate banks to compete, so, originating banks like World Savings, Countrywide, and even little banks are not there any more. What happened to America was we lost our checks and balances," Ticktin, whose firm The Ticktin Law Group is defending homeowners victimized in the "Robo-signing" mortgage scandal, says it has been detailed detective-like work that led his team to discover the fraud perpetrated on the people. But taking on challenges like this is … [Read more...]
Florida grabs a chunk of foreclosure settlement money for state budget
TALLAHASSEE — Out of $334 million in cash payments sent to Florida in a multibillion dollar mortgage settlement with major banks, more than $33 million will help bolster the state's budget. Florida is one of several states taking a portion of the $2.5 billion in cash payments from big banks and using it for programs not directly related to the foreclosure crisis, according to ProPublica, a nonprofit investigative journalism organization. A spokeswoman for Attorney General Pam Bondi — who negotiated the settlement on Florida's behalf — confirmed that 10 percent of the cash has been sent to the general budget http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/florida-grabs-a-chunk-of-foreclosure-settlement-money-for-state-budget/1232328 … [Read more...]
Slade chairs commercial litigation at Boyd
Roger Slade has been named chair of Boyd & Jenrette's commercial litigation department in Miami. He is a partner at Boyd & Jenrette. Throughout his 24 year career, Mr. Slade has handled all types of commercial matters including business fraud, shareholder disputes, class-actions for both plaintiffs and defendants, real estate litigation, commercial collection matters, employment discrimination claims, general business disputes and family law matters. … [Read more...]
Florida Medical Association, nurses in legal battle over sedation
Jim Saunders, News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Medical Association and two other doctors’ groups are in a legal fight with the state Board of Nursing about whether nurses should be able to sedate some patients. An administrative law judge is expected to hear arguments next month in the case, which is part of a broader national debate about the administration of a drug that is commonly used when patients undergo procedures such as colonoscopies. Arguing that it is trying to protect patients and nurses, the Board of Nursing has proposed a rule that would largely prevent registered nurses and licensed-practical nurses from administering the drug known as propofol. http://www.pnj.com/article/20120523/NEWS01/305230040/Florida-Medical-Association-nurses-legal-battle-over-sedation … [Read more...]
