The decisions
- Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Co. v. Hughes (FL Supreme Court, October 22, 2026) — Statewide rule: section 627.70152's presuit notice requirement does not apply to suits under policies issued before July 1, 2021; Cole is disapproved and the conflict resolved. Read it →
- Hector Perez Acosta v. Idaymi Martinez-Borges (3rd DCA, October 14, 2026) — Applies fugitive disentitlement to civil custody and timesharing appeals under a three-part test: fugitive status, sufficient connection to the action, and necessity of dismissal. Read it →
- Kennedy v. Kennedy (4th DCA, October 7, 2026) — The CCPA's 25% cap does not limit withholding to enforce nonmodifiable alimony under an incorporated, unmerged MSA; the court expressly rejected Maryland's Naedel decision. Read it →
- Gainesville Regional Utility Authority v. City of Gainesville (1st DCA, October 7, 2026) — A municipal charter amendment cannot override a conflicting special law, even one enacted as a charter amendment. A later voter-approved ordinance mooted the ballot-summary cross-appeal. Read it →
- Kennedy v. Kennedy (4th DCA, October 7, 2026) — Appears to report the same October 7 Kennedy opinion. Court-issued support orders fall outside § 1673(b)(1)(A)'s administrative-procedure qualifiers, upholding 65% withholding from disability benefits. Read it →
- In re: Amendments to Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.200 (FL Supreme Court, October 15, 2026) — Effective January 1, 2027, a court resetting an unreached trial period must consider the parties' availability, along with case needs and court resources. The Court wrote its own text. Read it →
Plus 27 more appellate decisions in October 2026 — all in the tracker.
The practical upshot
- Review pending property insurance appeals involving pre-July 1, 2021 policies for section 627.70152 presuit-notice issues now controlled by Hughes.
- If a party conceals themselves or a child during an appeal, evaluate a fugitive disentitlement motion under Perez Acosta's three-part test, applied sparingly.
- In appeals over alimony garnishment limits, address Kennedy's last-antecedent reading of § 1673(b)(1)(A) and its express rejection of Naedel.
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