Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Lauren Johnson Elected to Board of Directors of Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County
Rabin Kammerer Johnson congratulates partner Lauren Johnson on her recent election to the Board of Directors of Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County! The mission of Legal Aid is: “To provide high quality civil legal advice, representation, and education free of charge to the most vulnerable and at-risk children, families, elders, veterans and… Read More »
HOW DOES THE GARNISHMENT PROCESS WORK TO ENFORCE A JUDGMENT IN FLORIDA?
A writ of garnishment is a powerful legal tool that allows judgment creditors to collect debts by seizing assets belonging to a judgment debtor that are in the hands of a third-party. This process enables judgment creditors to recover outstanding judgments through third parties, such as banks or employers, who hold money or other… Read More »
When Are You Entitled to a Jury Trial in Federal and State Court?
Many clients believe they are entitled to a jury trial when they file or are defending a lawsuit in federal or state court. What they often do not realize, however, is how significantly the right to a jury trial has eroded through contractual waivers, alternative dispute resolution clauses, and claims that seek equitable remedies…. Read More »
How Have a Party’s Discovery Obligations Changed Under the Recent Amendments and What Remedies Are Now Available When Filing a Discovery Motion?
Effective as of January 1, 2025, the Florida Supreme Court adopted significant amendments to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, including material changes to Rule 1.280 and Rule 1.380. In amending Rule 1.280, the Court adopted much of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26, including: 1) each party now has a duty to serve… Read More »
DOJ Intervenes in Several Whistleblower Qui Tam Actions Alleging a Nationwide Scheme Against Walgreens for its Illegal Dispensing Practices That Helped Fuel the Opioid Crisis
On January 17, 2025, after a multi-year investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a complaint in intervention in four whistleblower qui tam lawsuits filed against Walgreens, alleging that its illegal dispensing practices contributed to the opioid crisis and caused many deaths and other serious harm to its customers. DOJ’s complaint alleges violations… Read More »
Florida’s New “Proportionality” Standard for Civil Discovery: It’s a Game Changer
For years, many attorneys and judges have queried when the Florida Supreme Court would adopt the civil discovery “proportionality” standard that the federal courts adopted in 2015. Some attorneys and judges favored the Florida courts adopting the federal proportionality standard; others were against it. Effective as of January 1, 2025, the Florida Supreme Court… Read More »
Whistleblower Qui Tam Case Involving Medication Therapy Management Services and Manufacturer Drug Coupons Settles Against Pharmacy for $2.9 Million
Rabin Kammerer Johnson (“RKJ”) and Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley (“Searcy Denney”) announce that they have settled a whistleblower qui tam case brought against a pharmacy for $2.9 million. The case involved allegations that the pharmacy was performing medication therapy management services and accepting drug manufacturer coupons to cover or discount copayments in… Read More »
Whistleblower Client Defeats National Pharmacy Chain’s Motion to Dismiss Medicare Fraud Claims Alleging Medication Therapy Management Consultations Were “Worthless Services”
Representing their whistleblower client (“Relator”) in a qui tam case in which the federal government declined to intervene, RKJ attorneys Adam Rabin, and Havan Clark, together with co-counsel Rosalyn Sia Baker-Barnes, prevailed in defeating a national pharmacy chain’s motion to dismiss the Second Amended Complaint (“Complaint”), as detailed in U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom’s… Read More »
RKJ Prevails in Bench Trial to Enforce Private Beach Easement on Palm Beach
The firm recently prevailed in a bench trial on behalf of several homeowners to enforce a private beach easement in the Town of Palm Beach. The firm’s clients are owners of residences located within the Esplanade Estates section of the Town of Palm Beach. They hold an easement that runs from North Ocean Boulevard… Read More »
“I Feel the Need for Speed!” – the Florida Supreme Court Abrogates the “At Issue” Rule and Declares Trial Continuances Should Rarely be Granted
The Florida Supreme Court recently adopted various new amendments to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure that become effective on January 1, 2025. These amendments overhaul how trial courts will manage the cases before them, the speed in which cases will proceed through the judicial process, and material changes to the discovery process, including… Read More »