Bryan Gowdy argued in the Florida Supreme Court Wednesday, October 5, 2016 against the federal patient-safety law that shields Jacksonville hospitals from disclosing important records during a medical malpractice case. The News Service of Florida recently wrote a short article on this oral argument. To read the article, click here.
Rebecca Creed was invited to speak at the Florida Justice Association's Masters of Justice Insurance Bad Faith seminar on September 29, 2016, in Orlando. Rebecca's presentation topic was "Mistakes Made in the Underlying Verdict and the Trial Itself in the Bad Faith Case." Other speakers at the seminar included Bob Mayes, Bob Kerrigan, and the Honorable Fred Hazouri. The seminar co-chairs were Steve Marino and Waylon Thompson. For more information on this seminar, click here.
Two Florida Christian high schools are going to federal court over religious freedom and freedom of speech and a dispute over whether or not a loudspeaker can be used for prayer before a football game. News 4 Jax recently asked Bryan Gowdy, as a constitutional attorney for his opinions on the case. Read the article here.
The Florida Times Union sought Gray Thomas' opinion on a recent case in Jacksonville, Florida in which ineffective public defense nulliefied a ten year sentence for a Jacksonville man. Read the full article here.
Creed and Gowdy, along with co-counsel, Dana Brooks Cooper and E. Rose Kasweck of Barrett, Fasig & Brooks in Tallahassee, Florida and Jeffrey Kaliel and Sophia Goren of Tycko & Zavareei LLP in Washington, D.C., filed suit Wednesday, July 6, 2016 challenging Florida's "Tampon Tax." The complaint alleges the sales tax charged on tampons and sanitary pads - products used exclusively by women - is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
The State of Florida does not tax most medical items, including common household remedies. Florida does, however, tax tampons and pads, common household remedies that are necessary for women's health and used exclusively by women. Household remedies that are used by both sexes and which serve a similar absorbent function, such as bandages and gauze, are not taxed. Additionally, items used mostly by men, such as Rogaine, are not taxed.
The lawsuit alleges that Florida's decision to charge and collect sales tax on tampons and pads violates the Equal Protection Clauses of the Florida and United States Constitutions because it denies women equal protection under the law by treating them differently and subjecting them to an unfair tax.
To read more about this case, follow the links below.
Barrett, Fasig & Brooks press release
Barrett,
Fasig & Brooks press release distribution list
WCTV news interview with Plaintiff, Carlee Wendell
Tampa Bay Times interview with Plaintiff, Carlee Wendell
Please contact our co-counsel Barrett, Fasig & Brooks or Tycko & Zavareei LLP if you would like to learn more or become a party to this case.