Elizabeth White has been selected to join the Chester Bedell Inn of Court as a Master. The American Inns of Court, modeled after their English counterparts, were implemented to promote professionalism, ethical conduct and competent advocacy among lawyers. The Chester...
In the News
Breaking News! Florida Judge Rules In Favor of Same Sex Marriage!
BREAKING NEWS! We have just learned that our clients have successfully challenged the same sex marriage ban in Florida. Judge Hinkle issued his 33 page opinion, today, declaring Florida's ban to be unconstitutional. In doing so he noted, " To paraphrase a civil-rights...
Brenner v. Scott: Same-Sex Marriage Ban Declared Unconstitutional
Certain cases define moments in history and, for those lawyers fortunate enough to litigate such cases, the receipt of an order granting relief often feels like Christmas in summer. Therefore, it is with great pride and more than a little relief, that the members of...
Michael Brown: The Protests in Ferguson and the Doctrine of Qualified Immunity in Excessive Force Cases
What does the shooting of Michael Brown and subsequent unrest in Ferguson have to do with the doctrine of qualified immunity? When a citizen wants to sue a police officer for excessive force, the first thing that person must overcome is the judicially created doctrine...
United States Supreme Court Holds Warrantless Search of Cell Phone is Unlawful
Today, in a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled unanimously that search and seizure of the contents of a cell phone during an arrest is an unreasonable search and seizure and is, therefore, unlawful. Riley v. California, 573 U.S. ___...
Film Produced by Bill Sheppard Earns Local Award
The film, "Conversations on Catfish, Courtrooms and Change," about the life and career of Judge Henry L. Adams, Jr., has been selected by the Jacksonville Historical Preservation Commission as one of their 2014 Preservation Award recipients. The preservation program...
Sheppard, White, Kachergus & DeMaggio Wins Case Against St. John’s County Sheriff’s Office
Sheppard, White, Kachergus & DeMaggio recently defended a man whose Fourth Amendment rights were violated by the St. John's County Sheriff's Office, when they illegally recorded a conversation between Joel Studivant and his attorney, inside the St. John's County...
Bill Sheppard and Samuel Jacobson Challenge Florida Laws Refusing to Recognize Same-sex Marriages
Our firm was recently in the news: Attorneys Bill Sheppard and Samuel Jacobson have filed the challenge on behalf of a same-sex couple who got married in Canada and live in Tallahassee. The lawsuit filed late Friday in the Northern District of Florida names Gov. Rick...
Driving While Stoned
With what appears to be the imminent legalization of medical marijuana in Florida, questions have begun to arise as to what may happen in the event Officer Friendly believes that a citizen is driving under the influence of marijuana. In Florida's an officer's request...
Florida’s First Integrated Law Firm
As one of the founders of Florida's first integrated law firm, William J. "Bill" Sheppard has been highly regarded as a prominent criminal defense and civil rights attorney during his tenure practicing law. Throughout his career, he has argued cases at every level of...