Court Filings

The Fifth District Court of Appeal reviewed Timothy Asaad Brown's appeal from a Duval County circuit court criminal proceeding and, in a brief per curiam opinion dated April 23, 2026, affirmed the lower court's judgment. The opinion contains only the single-word disposition “AFFIRMED,” with the panel (Jay, C.J., Eisnaugle and MacIver, JJ.) concurring. No substantive reasoning, factual summary, or citation to authorities appears in the published entry, and the opinion notes that it is not final until any timely post-opinion motions are resolved under Florida appellate rules.

The Fifth District Court of Appeal reviewed James E. McNair's appeal from a ruling of the Marion County Circuit Court under Florida Rule 3.800 (postconviction relief). The appellate court issued a brief per curiam decision on April 23, 2026, affirming the lower court's judgment. No opinion explanation is included in this document; the court's single-line disposition simply affirms the circuit court's ruling, and the judgment is final subject to any timely authorized motions under Florida appellate rules.

The appellate court reviewed a circuit court order that denied William Brunner's Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800 motion and affirmed that denial. Brunner, proceeding pro se, appealed the post-conviction motion ruling. The Fourth District issued a per curiam decision affirming the lower court's order without published opinion and with no briefed response from the State. The court's short decision provides final appellate disposition subject to any timely motion for rehearing.

The Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal reviewed an appeal by Terone Woods from the circuit court's denial of his Rule 3.800 motion (a postconviction motion challenging sentencing). The appellate court, speaking through a per curiam opinion, affirmed the lower court's order denying relief. No written opinion explaining the court’s reasoning beyond the disposition was provided in the document, and the panel judges concurred. The decision is subject to being final only after any timely motion for rehearing is resolved.

The Fourth District Court of Appeal reviewed an appeal by Secret Jackson from a circuit court order denying a Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800 postconviction motion. The appellate court issued a short per curiam decision: it affirmed the denial of Jackson’s motion. No opinion explanation or separate written reasoning is provided in the published entry; the panel consisted of Chief Judge Kuntz and Judges Levine and Shepherd. The decision is subject to being final only after the period for a timely motion for rehearing has passed.

The Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court's judgment in the criminal case of Paul Maier. The appeal arose from a Broward County circuit court criminal matter (case no. 062020CF002754A88810). The appellate panel issued a brief per curiam decision simply stating 'Affirmed' and noted the opinion is not final until any timely motion for rehearing is resolved. No additional reasoning or explanation appears in the published entry.

The Fourth District Court of Appeal reviewed Jose Morales's appeal of a trial court order denying his Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800 motion challenging his sentence. The appellate court, per curiam, affirmed the trial court's denial without written opinion. The decision simply upholds the lower court's ruling and leaves intact the judgment and sentence as previously imposed; the opinion notes that the decision is not final until any timely motion for rehearing is resolved.

The Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal reviewed Felex Joseph's appeal from a Palm Beach County circuit court criminal case. The appellate court issued a short, per curiam decision affirming the lower court's judgment. No published opinion or detailed reasoning is provided in the document; the court simply notes the judgment is affirmed and that the decision is not final until any timely motion for rehearing is resolved.

The appellate court reviewed Donnevia Peters' appeal from a Broward County criminal conviction and affirmed the lower court's judgment. The opinion is per curiam, short, and states only that the appeal is affirmed without elaboration. The court noted that the decision is not final until any timely motion for rehearing is decided. No additional reasoning or factual discussion appears in the published disposition.

The Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court's judgment in the criminal case of Chaunice Kendrick v. State of Florida. The panel issued a brief per curiam decision, concluding the appellant's challenges did not warrant reversal. The opinion is concise, notes concurrence by all three judges, and indicates the decision is not final pending any timely motion for rehearing. No further reasoning or factual explanation is included in the published entry.

The Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the lower court's judgment in a criminal appeal by Bridges Avery Grossi. The appeal arose from a conviction and sentence entered in the Circuit Court for the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, Indian River County. The appellate court issued a brief per curiam opinion affirming the trial court's decision without published opinion and noted that the decision is not final until any timely motion for rehearing is resolved.

The Fourth District Court of Appeal reviewed an appeal by Aniel Escobar from a circuit court order denying his Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800(a) motion. The appellate court, in a short per curiam disposition, affirmed the trial court's denial without published opinion or extended discussion. Judges Ciklin, Conner, and Shaw concurred. The judgment is not final until any timely motion for rehearing is resolved.

The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’s summary denial of James Ernest Hitchcock’s successive postconviction motion and denied his motion for a stay of execution. Hitchcock, a death-row inmate with a warrant set for April 30, 2026, sought public records from FDOC and FDLE to support a proposed Eighth Amendment challenge to Florida’s lethal-injection procedures and also raised an actual-innocence claim. The Court concluded Hitchcock’s requests were not tethered to a cognizable rule 3.851 claim, he failed to show a colorable method-of-execution claim or identify an available less painful alternative, and Florida does not recognize a freestanding postconviction actual-innocence claim.

The Second District Court of Appeal affirmed the lower court's judgment in the criminal case against James L. Hudson. The court issued a brief per curiam affirmance without additional comment, but explicitly noted that Hudson remains free to pursue a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850. The decision leaves the underlying conviction intact while preserving Hudson's right to seek postconviction relief through the appropriate rule-based motion in the trial court.

The appellate court (Florida Second District) reviewed an appeal by Troy Markeith Griffin, Jr. from a decision of the Circuit Court for Pinellas County. After considering the arguments and record, the court issued a per curiam decision simply stating the judgment is affirmed. No published opinion or extended reasoning appears in the document; the panel of judges concurred and the opinion is subject to revision before official publication.

The Second District Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court's order revoking Joshua Aaron Edwards's probation and the resulting sentence for his 2022 conviction for possession of a controlled substance. The court clarified that a defendant does not enter a "plea" to an alleged violation of probation but may admit the violation; the rules governing guilty pleas on charged offenses do not apply to violation proceedings. The court explained that an admission waives the State's burden to prove the violation, while the decision to revoke remains reviewable for abuse of discretion and the post-revocation sentence may also be reviewed.

The First District Court of Appeal affirmed the circuit court's decision in a criminal case brought by the State of Florida against appellant Sophina Webb. The appellate panel, writing per curiam, held that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in imposing a departure sentence. The court relied on controlling precedent that sentencing departures are discretionary and will be upheld on review unless the trial court clearly abused that discretion. The judgment of the lower court is therefore affirmed.

The Florida First District Court of Appeal affirmed Shakel Devon McClain’s convictions for attempted first-degree murder, carjacking with a deadly weapon, and fleeing or attempting to elude an officer. McClain argued the trial court wrongly admitted his text messages to his girlfriend from days before the crimes as improper character evidence. The appellate court held that even if admission of the messages was error, it was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt because there was no reasonable possibility the messages contributed to the guilty verdicts, citing controlling harmless-error precedent.

The State of Florida appealed a county court decision concerning defendant Stephen Bryce Balsinger. The District Court of Appeal, Second District, reviewed the appeal and unanimously affirmed the lower court's decision. The opinion is per curiam (unsigned) and provides no additional reasoning in the published entry. The panel—Chief Judge Lucas and Judges Sleet and Rothstein-Youakim—concurred. The decision is subject to possible revision before official publication.

The Second District Court of Appeal reviewed a pro se appeal by Jenouch Ivory Pasco from a Pinellas County circuit court order. The appellate court, in a brief per curiam decision, affirmed the lower court's judgment. No published opinion or extended reasoning was provided in the document; the three-judge panel simply announced affirmation and noted the opinion may be revised before official publication.

The Second District Court of Appeal reviewed Michael Ortega's appeal from a Pinellas County circuit court order under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.141(b)(2). The appellate court, in a brief per curiam decision, affirmed the lower court's ruling. No opinion text or substantive reasoning was provided in the published entry beyond the affirmance and the judges who concurred.

The Florida Second District Court of Appeal affirmed the lower court's decision in a criminal appeal filed by Christopher Clayton Miller against the State of Florida. The appellate panel issued a per curiam decision, with Judges Kelly, Khouzam, and Sleet concurring, and concluded that the trial court's ruling should stand. No detailed reasoning, factual background, or citations were included in the published opinion, and the opinion may be revised before official publication.

The Second District Court of Appeal affirmed the circuit court's decision in a criminal appeal filed by Mark A. Kalina against the State of Florida. The appeal was taken under the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure rule governing appeals in criminal cases. The opinion is per curiam, brief, and concludes without published reasoning; the panel of judges concurred and the judgment of the lower court stands.

The Second District Court of Appeal reviewed a criminal appeal by Darryl Johnson from a Pinellas County circuit court under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.141(b)(2). The panel issued a short, per curiam decision affirming the lower court's judgment. No opinion elaborating reasoning or issues was published; the decision notes concurrence by three judges and that the opinion may be revised before official publication.

The appellate court reviewed a pro se appeal by Jesse Cleveland Harrell from a DeSoto County circuit court criminal proceeding under the Florida rules for collateral review. The Second District issued a short per curiam disposition and affirmed the lower court’s decision without published opinion. The court provided no extended reasoning in the order and the panel concurred. The mandate affirms the circuit court’s judgment or order as challenged by Harrell, leaving the trial-court outcome intact.

The Second District Court of Appeal affirmed the lower court's decision in an appeal by Dondre R. Hale against the State of Florida. The appeal was taken under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.141(b)(2) from the Pinellas County circuit court before Judge Philip J. Federico. The appellate panel issued a per curiam decision—joined by Judges Northcutt, LaRose, and Rothstein-Youakim—simply stating 'Affirmed' without further published opinion and noted the opinion may be revised prior to official publication.

The Second District Court of Appeal reviewed an appeal by Jason Funk from a Hillsborough County circuit court criminal postconviction or sentencing matter under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.141(b)(2). The court, in a per curiam decision, affirmed the lower court's ruling. No published opinion or additional reasoning was provided in the order; the panel (Kelly, Morris, and Guard, JJ.) concurred and the decision is subject to revision before official publication.

The Florida Second District Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court's decision in a criminal matter. Appellant Bruce Cowart appealed a decision from the Circuit Court for Manatee County, represented by the public defender, with the State of Florida represented by the Attorney General. The appellate court issued a per curiam opinion on April 22, 2026, summarily affirming the lower court's ruling without published opinion and with three judges concurring. No additional reasoning or factual detail was provided in the published entry.

The Florida Second District Court of Appeal affirmed the lower court's decision in a criminal postconviction appeal. The appeal was taken under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.141(b)(2) from a Hillsborough County circuit court order, and the appellate panel issued a brief per curiam opinion simply stating: Affirmed. All three judges concurred. No further explanation or published reasoning was included in the opinion as filed on April 22, 2026.

The Second District Court of Appeal reviewed Jermaine Antwane Brown, Jr.'s appeal from a Pinellas County circuit court criminal postconviction order under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.141(b)(2). The panel, in a brief per curiam decision, affirmed the lower court's ruling. No extended reasoning or factual discussion is provided in this opinion; the court simply announced affirmance and noted the opinion may be revised before official publication.