Florida Courts Watch
New opinions from Florida’s District Courts of Appeal and the Florida Supreme Court that matter for people facing criminal charges — what the court held, and what it changes for defendants here in Central Florida.
Editions
Florida Courts Watch: Late July 2026
Four Sixth District decisions — the court that binds Polk County: a fentanyl trafficking conviction reversed because the State charged one drug and proved another, what the judge says out loud versus what the written sentence says, and a reserved plea appeal that nearly failed.
Read the edition →Florida Courts Watch: July 2026
Two Second District rulings on when police may search without a warrant: a “welfare check” home entry suppressed, and the “no objection” trap that can throw away a suppression fight you already had.
Read the edition →Florida Courts Watch: June 2026
The 18-to-20 concealed-carry ruling, the end of suppression for knock-and-announce violations, and a Polk County warning about preserving the six-person-jury issue.
Read the edition →Florida Courts Watch publishes on a weekly-to-biweekly cadence as the appellate courts release decisions worth your attention. For everything else we publish, visit the information hub.