A Florida man allegedly kidnapped his two young sons last week after a judge ruled that his parental rights had been revoked. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office reported Monday that it received information that the Hakken family had arrived on … (Read Full Article Here)

Florida has been mimicking Texas to attract companies and job creation, Gov. Rick Scott said in a playful discussion about jobs with Gov. (Read Full Article Here) 

The Family Law Section of The Florida Bar emailed its members asking them to sign a petition posted on Change.org asking Gov. Rick Scott to veto a bill that would ban permanent alimony and restrict alimony amounts based on duration of marriage. Family Law Section Chair Carin Marie Porras, a Fort Lauderdale attorney, said the email was sent out to about 3,900 members of the Family Law Section of the Bar. The petition was posted shortly after the Senate passed the bill (SB-718). (Read Full Article Here)

Under a bill approved by a Senate committee on Monday [April 8], juveniles could be sentenced to a maximum of 50 years in prison for non-murder crimes and a minimum of 50 years for murder. The bill is a response to U.S. Supreme Court decisions limiting life sentences for juveniles. Defense lawyers and juvenile advocates called the limits “harsh,” particularly the minimum-mandatory 50-year sentence for murder. The bill was supported by the state’s prosecutors and by the Florida Sheriffs Association. Florida has more than 300 juvenile prisoners who could be impacted by those rulings. (Read Full Article Here)

The Truth-O-Meter finds out if people move to Florida because we have more freedoms than other states. Last Updated: Tuesday, April 09, 2013, 2:34 PM. (Read Full Article Here)

The Jacksonville Bar Association held a Sidebar Lunch on Wednesday [April 3] at the Duval County Courthouse. Among the issues discussed were access to judges’ offices and pending e-filing requirements for criminal cases. It hosted about 50 attendees and judges from the Circuit Court Criminal Division. The event included a panel discussion with Judges Charles Arnold, Suzanne Bass, Mallory Cooper, Mark Hulsey, Tatiana Salvador, Adrian Soud and William Wilkes. The panel discussed the approaching Oct. 1 deadline for e-filing of documents in criminal cases. It also benefited from attendee 1st District Court of Appeal Judge Scott Makar, who discussed his experiences with e-filing. (Read Full Article Here)

Florida lawmakers are poised to pass a controversial law banning courts from using foreign law, after a split Senate committee signed off on the measure. The bill (SB 58) would ban courts or other administrative authorities form using religious or foreign law in deciding matters related to family law, including divorce and child custody. Critics, including The Florida Bar, the Anti-Defamation League, the ACLU of Florida and the National Council of Jewish Women, contend the bill would have a negative impact on Jewish divorces, called “gets,” and could trouble the state’s relationship with Israel. (Read Full Article Here)

Circuit Court Judge Tatiana Salvador was ceremoniously sworn in Thursday [April 4] at the Duval County Courthouse. Salvador was appointed to the Circuit bench by Gov. Rick Scott to replace retiring Judge McCarthy “Mack” Crenshaw and has served in the criminal division for three months. Fourth Circuit Chief Judge Donald Moran presided over the session, where numerous people spoke of Salvador’s accomplishments. (Read Full Article Here)

Column by Jacksonville Bar Association Board of Governors member Geddes Anderson. He writes that the Jacksonville Bar Association “has established its Law Day, in part, to help people in the Jacksonville community understand how law keeps us free and how our legal system strives to achieve justice,” and “Law Day also is a time to celebrate the legal profession in Jacksonville and honor those who have made significant contributions to the legal community and the Jacksonville community at-large.” (Read Full Article Here)

TAMPA, Fla. – Florida authorities are hoping good weather will improve their chances of tracking down a sailboat that may be carrying two boys kidnapped from their grandparents’ home. (Read Full Article Here)