Court Filings

The Florida First District Court of Appeal reviewed Patrick Fleming's appeal from a Leon County circuit court decision. The appellate court, in a brief per curiam opinion, affirmed the lower court's judgment. No published opinion or extended reasoning appears in the record; the panel of three judges concurred and noted that the decision is not final until any timely authorized post-judgment motions are resolved. Fleming proceeded pro se on appeal, and the Attorney General represented the State.

The Florida First District Court of Appeal, in its original jurisdiction, denied on the merits Charles Dawson’s amended petition alleging ineffective assistance of appellate counsel. The petition was filed August 13, 2025, and the court issued its per curiam decision on April 16, 2026. The court reviewed the claims presented and concluded they did not establish ineffective assistance sufficient to warrant relief, so the petition was denied without remand or other relief.

The Florida First District Court of Appeal reviewed Antoine Vonche Booker’s appeal from a decision of the Circuit Court for Escambia County. The appellate court, in a per curiam opinion, affirmed the lower court’s judgment. No separate written opinion was issued; the opinion simply states AFFIRMED and notes concurrence by the three judges. The decision is subject to timely motions under Florida appellate rules but otherwise ends the appeal with affirmation of the trial court’s ruling.

The Florida First District Court of Appeal reviewed Adam Kyle Atkins' appeal from a Santa Rosa County circuit court judgment and, in a unanimous per curiam decision, affirmed the lower court's ruling. The opinion is brief and states only the disposition without providing substantive reasoning in the published entry. The court noted the decision is not final until any timely authorized motion under Florida Appellate Rules 9.330 or 9.331 is resolved.

The Fourth District Court of Appeal reviewed Robert Kleckley's appeal of the circuit court's denial of his Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.853 motion (a postconviction claim challenging DNA testing). The appellate court, per curiam, affirmed the lower court's order denying the motion without further opinion. The decision leaves the circuit court's ruling in place and notes the appellate mandate is not final until any timely motion for rehearing is resolved.

The Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal reviewed a criminal appeal by Juan Camilo Hurtado Castano from a judgment entered in Martin County Circuit Court (case no. 432024CF001321CFAXMX). The court issued a brief per curiam decision affirming the lower court's judgment. No opinion or reasoning is provided in the published entry; the decision simply affirms the trial court's ruling. The mandate is not final until any timely motion for rehearing is resolved.

The Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court's decision in the criminal case of Glenton Sylvester Hicks against the State of Florida. The opinion is per curiam, brief, and provides no extended reasoning in the published text. The panel unanimously affirmed the lower court's disposition and noted the decision is not final until any timely motion for rehearing is resolved.

The First District Court of Appeal reviewed an appeal by David Paul Vaughn from a decision of the Circuit Court for Escambia County. The appellate court, in a per curiam decision dated April 16, 2026, affirmed the lower court's ruling. No written opinion accompanied the disposition beyond the single-word judgment "AFFIRMED," and the three judges concurred. The decision is subject to any timely post-judgment motions under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.330 or 9.331.

The Florida First District Court of Appeal reviewed Michelle Vasquez's appeal from a Santa Rosa County circuit court decision. The three-judge panel issued a per curiam opinion on April 16, 2026, concluding only that the lower court's ruling should be affirmed. No written opinion explaining the court's reasoning is included in the filing; the entry simply records affirmance and notes the decision is not final until any timely authorized motion under Florida appellate rules is resolved.

The Florida First District Court of Appeal affirmed the lower court's decision in a criminal appeal brought by Johnnie L. Smith. The opinion is per curiam, brief, and states only the disposition—affirmed—without explanatory reasoning. The appeal arose from a judgment or order entered in the Circuit Court for Escambia County, reviewed by a three-judge panel. No substantive discussion of issues or facts appears in the published entry; the court noted the right to file timely post-opinion motions under Florida appellate rules.

The Florida First District Court of Appeal reviewed an appeal by Johnnie L. Smith from a decision of the Circuit Court for Escambia County. The court issued a short per curiam opinion on April 16, 2026, concluding simply: AFFIRMED. No additional reasoning or discussion appears in the published entry; the panel of judges Bilbrey, Kelsey, and M.K. Thomas concurred. The opinion notes the case is not final until any authorized timely motions under the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure are resolved.

The Florida Supreme Court affirmed Joseph Zieler’s convictions and death sentences for the 1990 murders of R.C. (age 11) and L.S. The convictions rested largely on strong DNA evidence (multiple STR profiles and CODIS hit linking Zieler to the victims’ bedsheet, pillowcase, genital swab, and hairs), autopsy and crime-scene evidence of sexual battery and asphyxiation, and rebuttal of Zieler’s alternative explanations. The Court rejected claims of prosecutorial error under Caldwell, challenges to hair-evidence handling, a sentencing-order drafting issue, facial Eighth Amendment attacks on Florida’s death-penalty scheme, and a unanimity claim, finding no reversible error and sufficient evidence to support guilt and sentence.

The Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed Charles Flaherty’s convictions and sentences after review of multiple claims. The court rejected Flaherty’s challenges to evidentiary rulings, denials of pretrial motions asserting self-defense immunity and speedy trial violations, and the claim that the trial court failed to conduct a Faretta hearing. The appellate court also upheld sentences for two counts of attempted second-degree murder, finding no reversible error, but noted the defendant may still raise an improper reclassification sentencing claim in a post-conviction proceeding.

The Florida Supreme Court denied Chadwick Willacy’s requests for public records and related relief after the Governor signed his death warrant. Willacy had sought records from FDOC and other state agencies about Florida’s lethal-injection protocol and interagency communications; the circuit court denied those motions and refused rehearing or in camera review. The Supreme Court treated his appeal as a Rule 9.142(c) petition, found Willacy failed to show the records were tied to a colorable postconviction claim (and were therefore an impermissible fishing expedition), and denied his petition and his habeas petition, dismissed his appeal of an extension request, and denied oral argument.