The Shortcut Week: Florida Caselaw, Week of September 4, 2026

Six criminal decisions, three injury decisions and a rule change: two vehicular homicide convictions reversed over a detective’s speed formula, polygraph-prompted admissions, the Leon County grand jury presentment expunged, sovereign immunity for DCF and its contractor, and a deep dive on when an officer’s opinion becomes expert testimony.

Eight criminal decisions, two civil decisions and two rule changes: a resisting conviction thrown out over a bare 911 description, a hot-car felony murder reversed for lack of knowledge, the First and Second Districts split on explaining a refusal to depart, and a deep dive on when a 911 call justifies a stop.

Ten criminal decisions and three injury decisions: a Sarasota sexual battery conviction reversed over one word the jury never heard, PTSD evidence after Oquendo, the First and Fourth Districts split on the mental condition instruction, two punitive damages proffers against commercial drivers, and a deep dive on the substitute analyst and the DUI blood report.

Florida caselaw for the week of September 18, 2026: Sarasota curfew proof, a Manatee bond hearing, a DUI stop, postconviction claims, stalking, and future medical expenses. Smith and Kafus lead a practical discussion of curfew hearing preparation. Criminal, injury, and public-sector employment decisions, with the majority opinions and their dissents.

Eleven criminal decisions and one injury decision: the Second District reversed suppression in a Hillsborough sleeping-driver DUI because nobody had spoken to him yet, a murder conviction came back over excluded flight evidence, a manslaughter plea was withdrawn because counsel never mentioned suppression, five defendants lost the six-person jury argument, and a deep dive on when a welfare check ends.