Florida has more than 100,000 lawyers, and litigation is a big reason.

In 2018, many cases attracted attention, and sometimes the judges presiding over them were in the spotlight. Some law firms were on the losing side as defendants. A big verdict landed in a civil rape case aboard a yacht, and Bank of America reached a settlement over its foreclosures.

Here are some of Florida's top litigation stories of the year:

  1. Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer attracts plenty of attention presiding over the criminal case against Parkland shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz. Of course, some people maintain it was more a function of appearance than jurisprudence.
  2. Morgan & Morgan confronts a $5 million legal practice award for its handling of a medical malpractice case.
  3. A blockbuster verdict comes in the case of a drunken crew member accused of raping a steward on a yacht docked for maintenance in Fort Lauderdale.
  4. Do you have a problem with a law firm ghostwriting pleadings for pro se litigants? Some do.
  5. A Miami lawyer was accused of bilking his former partner and his widow.
  6. Recusal requests during the judicial campaign season are touchy and far from automatic.
  7. A battle over energy drinks is all about the marketing and the ingredients.
  8. Bank of America agrees to pay a big settlement over its foreclosure practices.
  9. Massage Envy patrons claim they were victims of sexual assault and blame the company's vetting.
  10. When a client lends money to a law firm, litigation can follow.