Florida Supreme Court revamps key legal standard in civil lawsuits
By Jim Saunders
article
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday revamped a key legal standard as its conservative majority continued to show a willingness to undo previous decisions that have guided the state’s courts.
Justices, in a 6-1 ruling, decided to scrap a state standard for determining whether lower-court judges should grant summary judgment in civil lawsuits. The Supreme Court said Florida should align with a federal summary-judgment standard --- an approach backed by business groups that have pushed for ways to cut down on litigation.