What did the appeals court decide?

The court affirmed the lower court's ruling and denied the appellant's challenge; the opinion was per curiam and provided without published reasoning.

Who is affected by this decision?

The decision affects appellant Bruce Cowart and the State of Florida; it leaves the underlying trial-court outcome in place.

Does this opinion explain why the court affirmed?

No — the entry is a brief per curiam affirmance and does not include published reasoning or legal analysis.

Can this decision be appealed further?

Potential further review may be sought by petitioning the Florida Supreme Court, but the entry does not discuss preservation or jurisdictional details; consult counsel about deadlines.

Cowart v. State of Florida

Docket 2D2024-2058

Court of record · Indexed in NoticeRegistry archive · AI-enriched for research

Criminal AppealAffirmed

Filed: Apr 22, 2026 · 1 week ago
Jurisdiction: Florida
Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida
Type: Opinion
Case type: Criminal Appeal
Disposition: Affirmed
Docket: 2D2024-2058

Appeal from the Circuit Court for Manatee County (criminal appeal).

Summary

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.

Parties

Appellant: Bruce Cowart
Appellee: State of Florida
Judge: Stephen Mathew Whyte
Attorney: Blair Allen
Attorney: Diana L. Johnson
Attorney: James Uthmeier
Attorney: David Campbell

Key Dates

Decision date: 2026-04-22

What You Should Do Next

1
Consult appellate counsel about further review
If the appellant wishes to seek further review, they should consult counsel immediately about whether to file a petition for discretionary review in the Florida Supreme Court and confirm applicable deadlines.
2
Confirm mandate and enforcement
Determine whether the appellate court's mandate has issued and, if the underlying judgment imposed a sentence or other obligations, take steps to comply or seek stay pending further review.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did the appeals court decide?: The court affirmed the lower court's ruling and denied the appellant's challenge; the opinion was per curiam and provided without published reasoning.
Who is affected by this decision?: The decision affects appellant Bruce Cowart and the State of Florida; it leaves the underlying trial-court outcome in place.
Does this opinion explain why the court affirmed?: No — the entry is a brief per curiam affirmance and does not include published reasoning or legal analysis.
Can this decision be appealed further?: Potential further review may be sought by petitioning the Florida Supreme Court, but the entry does not discuss preservation or jurisdictional details; consult counsel about deadlines.

The above suggestions and answers are AI-generated for informational purposes only. They may contain errors. NoticeRegistry assumes no responsibility for their accuracy. Consult a qualified attorney before relying on them.

Full Filing Text

DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA
                        SECOND DISTRICT




                             BRUCE COWART,

                                 Appellant,

                                      v.

                           STATE OF FLORIDA,

                                  Appellee.

                             No. 2D2024-2058



                               April 22, 2026

Appeal from the Circuit Court for Manatee County; Stephen Mathew
Whyte, Judge.

Blair Allen, Public Defender and Diana L. Johnson, Assistant Public
Defender, Bartow, for Appellant.

James Uthmeier, Attorney General, and David Campbell, Senior
Assistant Attorney General, for Appellee.


PER CURIAM.

      Affirmed.

KELLY, KHOUZAM, and SLEET, JJ., Concur.


Opinion subject to revision prior to official publication.