In The Media

The head of Tampa Prep has temporarily stepped down over allegations from 25-years ago. Parents and alumni learned about the unsettling news in an e-mail. Kevin Plummer has led Tampa Prep for nine years-- getting nothing but praise. "This does not seem consistent with that behavior," said Tom Scarritt. Two of his three children attended the school.

The Hillsborough County Bar Association has selected Tom Scarritt as the 2016-2017 recipient of the Michael A. Fogarty “In the Trenches” award, given to the leading civil trial lawyer for professionalism and excellence.

The Mock Trial Team held its annual banquet April 4 at the Governor's Club in Tallahassee. Tampa trial attorney and FSU College of Law alumnus, Tom Scarritt, was the guest speaker. Scarritt discussed his law school experiences and the importance of alumni involvement for networking. "We have great alumni out there in the law field—don't be afraid to contact them and use them as you look toward finishing law school," he said. Scarritt then continued by entertaining guests with his best Professor...

After hearing strong opposition from the Florida Trial Bar, the Florida Supreme Court began deliberating whether to adopt sweeping jury reforms as proposed last week by a statewide Jury Innovations Committee.

Aiming to make trials more jury friendly, committee suggests overhauling the way the state’s courts conduct business

The Hannas bought a 7-acre tract near Tampa International Airport about 30 years ago as an investment. When they decided to sell it to finance their retirement, they discovered that pollution had leeched from a neighboring property, owned by Ashland Chemical, a Columbus Ohio chemical-mixing and distributing company, making their land difficult to sell. In August 1996, the company negotiated an option to buy the Hanna property for $1.1 million. They extended that option a month later. Then, wh...

Eavesdropping on conversations between inmates and their lawyers. Sneak-and-peak warrants that allow secret searches, wiping out the chance to call a lawyer or watch while the police rummage. Secret databases of suspicious people with no clear guidelines of what names and information are included. Rounding up and detaining indefinitely more than 1,200 people, some on material witness warrants, some on immigration violations such as overstaying a visa, some detained even when an immigrat...

Jurors play a critical role in the administration of our civil and criminal justice system. That role has been closely scrutinized by Florida’s Jury Innovations Committee, which has rendered a report that is far-reaching in its proposed reforms. The suggested changes seek to treat jurors not as children or bystanders at trial, but as full partners in the proceedings. The report contains 48 areas of study and recommendations on virtually all aspects of the jury system.

A jury found a doctor negligent and awarded a girl's family $11-million. But their fight continues to receive any money at all. It has been seven years since a doctor cut open Jessica Roud's brain. It's been five years since the little girl's father sued the surgeon who he said left her paralyzed and blind. It's been two years since the 11-year-old died.

State Supreme Courts require a minimum threshold of reliability and acceptance in the scientific community for all medical and similar evidence to be admitted at trial. In Florida and some other states, the courts adhere to what is known as the Frye standard, whereas in most states and in Federal Courts it is the so-called Daubert standard. The jurisdiction of the present case is Hillsborough County (Tampa), Florida. Forensic pathologist seldom, if ever, are requested to participate in such h...