Middlebrooks & Middlebrooks P.A.

04/23/2026

‘Truly in this to serve’: Michael Ferguson adds 7 endorsements in Broward race for HD 100
His campaign says he has already contacted more than 1,500 voters through door-to-door outreach across the district.
Two weeks into his bid to flip House District 100 in Broward County, lawyer and military veteran Michael Ferguson has secured seven endorsements from local and state leaders.

Ferguson rolled out backing from a slate of prominent Broward officials this week as he ramps up his bid.

His endorsers include Senate Democratic Leader-designate Shevrin Jones of Miami Gardens, Sen. Tina Scott Polsky of Boca Raton, Rep. Mitch Rosenwald of Oakland Park, Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor, Broward School Board Chair Sarah Leonardi, Fort Lauderdale Vice Mayor Ben Sorensen and Deerfield Beach Commissioner Ben Preston.

The early show of support comes as Ferguson works to build momentum in the open-seat race to replace term-limited Republican Rep. Chip LaMarca.

Despite sitting in heavily Democratic Broward County, House District 100 has remained in GOP hands for years, making it a top Democratic pickup target in 2026.

Ferguson’s campaign said he has knocked on more than 1,500 doors since announcing his candidacy this month, emphasizing direct voter engagement across the coastal district.

Jones, who won a race in February to lead Democrats during the 2028-30 cycle, pointed to Ferguson’s military and legal background, including his service as an active-duty U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate.

“Michael has spent his career in service — holding offenders accountable, defending constitutional rights, and standing up for victims, (and) he brings the kind of disciplined, principled leadership our community deserves,” Jones said in a statement.

“Michael is focused on what actually matters: lowering costs, keeping our neighborhoods safe, protecting our coastline, and making sure every voice is heard.”

Leonardi said she’s supporting Ferguson “because he understands that strong communities start with leadership that puts people first.”

“His tenacity on the campaign trail shows he’s truly in this to serve our residents,” she said. “As a veteran, prosecutor, and advocate, Michael has dedicated his life to service, and I know he’ll bring that same commitment to Tallahassee.”

Sorensen described Ferguson as “exactly the kind of leader we need right now: someone who stands up for others and doesn’t back down when things get tough.”

“Michael understands what families are up against and is ready to get to work,” he said, “from affordability to public safety.”

Preston, who coached Ferguson in high school, said he “stood out for his relentless drive to improve, his discipline, and his willingness to lead by example.”

“What you saw in Michael then is exactly what you see in him now,” Preston said. “Michael has always been someone who steps up when called, and I have no doubt he is ready to serve this community with the same integrity, toughness, and heart that defined him years ago.”

Ferguson said he’s grateful for the support of “leaders who care deeply about this community.”

“What I’m hearing at the doors is clear: families are being priced out, insurance costs are out of control, and people are worried about whether they can stay here,” he said. “That’s why I’m running — to focus on the issues that matter and get to work delivering solutions residents can actually feel.”

A longtime Lauderdale-by-the-Sea resident, Ferguson has engaged in local civic debates, including opposition to a proposal to name a roadway after President Donald Trump. He and other opponents of the measure — including his brother Patrick, who launched a campaign this week for the Town Commission — advocated for a voter referendum instead.

Ferguson will face at least one Democratic Primary opponent: Jim Brenner, a banker, condo association leader and former aide to U.S. Sen. John Kerry who unsuccessfully challenged LaMarca in 2024.

Republicans running include Yoni Anijar, Raul Gallon, Eric Stelnicki and Christopher Vincent.

HD 100 covers a coastal stretch of Broward from Fort Lauderdale to Deerfield Beach. It’s the only legislative district fully within the county in GOP hands.

The Primary is Aug. 18, followed by the General Election on Nov. 3.

04/13/2026

Counting Down 8 Days to Register

Paralegal Power 2026: Connect. Thrive. Learn. on Wed Apr 22 2026, 8:30am EDT: Broward County Bar Association's Paralegal Section Presents: Empowering...

03/17/2026

From communication challenges to workflow frustrations, this session will spotlight the everyday issues that impact productivity and collaboration—and offer practical strategies to improve the way legal teams work together.
📣 Call for Volunteers
We are currently seeking Judicial Assistants and Paralegals who are interested in serving as panelists for this presentation.
If you have experiences to share, perspectives that could help others, or simply enjoy contributing to the professional community, we’d love to include your voice.
Please reach out if you’d like to volunteer or learn more about participating.
More details—including panelist announcements and registration information—will be shared soon.
Stay tuned for what promises to be an engaging and valuable CLE session.

Paralegal Power 2026: Connect. Thrive. Learn. on Wed Apr 22 2026, 8:30am EDT: Broward County Bar Association's Paralegal Section Presents: Empowering...

03/12/2026

Push to kill yellow license plate decal still alive —

An effort to eliminate the need for the yellow license plate decal for vehicle registrations isn’t dead yet, despite it gaining no traction in the Senate this Session. The House this week amended a larger transportation package (SB 1220) to add language from the more focused bills (SB 982, HB 841) by Republican Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez and Reps. Tom Fabricio and Alex Rizo, which, if passed, would see Florida join other states like Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Vermont in eschewing a physical tag. Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez recommended the change, which he says would save Florida taxpayers more than $24 million annually by relying solely on electronic records.

Call now to connect with business.

03/10/2026

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02/17/2026

“Legislature annual budget tussle could be a referendum on Ron DeSantis” via Gary Fineout of POLITICO — Florida lawmakers are heading toward another tense budget showdown as House and Senate Republicans clash over spending levels and how much authority to leave in DeSantis’ hands during his final months in office. The divide echoes last year’s drawn-out fight that stretched the Session to 105 days.
Both chambers unveiled competing budgets this week in an unusual rollout. The Senate proposal totals just over $115 billion, while the House plan comes in at nearly $113.6 billion, compared with roughly $115 billion in current spending.

Ron DeSantis faces renewed budget tensions as House and Senate Republicans clash over spending levels, emergency fund limits and oversight authority in the final months of his term.
House budget chief Lawrence McClure said the lower House figure reflects a fiscally conservative approach and insisted negotiations remain fluid. Senate President Ben Albritton said the Senate plan strikes a balance between spending and saving.
Key differences center on DeSantis’ emergency fund, which the House wants limited to natural disasters and funded at $100 million. The Senate would allow broader use and set aside $250 million, short of the Governor’s $500 million request.
The House eliminated funding for the Florida State Guard and the Job Growth Grant Fund, both backed by DeSantis, while the Senate preserved partial or full funding. The House also proposes redirecting $250 million from debt reduction to prison improvements.
On oversight, lawmakers rejected DeSantis’ proposal for a new office under Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, but the House advanced its own Florida Accountability Office with $53 million in funding. Pay raises for state workers also divide the chambers.
With the Fiscal Year beginning on July 1, leaders want to avoid another stalemate. But with major policy gaps unresolved and the Session nearing its midpoint, another prolonged budget fight remains possible.
—“Senate budget proposal rings in at $115B” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics

02/12/2026

Bill seeks fair accountability for public hospital malpractice

02/09/2026

"Behind the big defeat for Broward public hospitals" via Steve Bousquet of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A rare surprise unfolded in Florida’s otherwise predictable Legislature when a bill sought by Broward County’s two public hospital districts stalled amid bipartisan resistance. The proposal would have allowed the tax-supported systems to form joint ventures without antitrust scrutiny, a move critics warned could undermine consumer protections. Despite heavy lobbying and a powerful Republican sponsor, Broward Democrats objected to what they described as a rushed, opaque process that excluded community input. Private hospital operators also pushed back, amplifying concerns. With votes uncertain, the bill was temporarily postponed in the Senate Committee, a likely death sentence. The episode underscored that even in a one-party-dominated Capitol, internal dissent and public scrutiny can still derail well-funded legislative efforts.

02/02/2026

” Another tort tussle in the House” via Christine Sexton of Florida Phoenix — The amount in damages that injured parties can recover in personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits could grow under a bill moving its way through the House. The Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee voted 13-4 to pass HB 1553 onto its next — and only other — remaining scheduled stop, the Judiciary Committee. The four “no” votes were cast by Reps. Kim Berfield, Dean Black, Danny Nix, and Paula Stark. There are 56 lobbyist registrations for the bill, which would crack open a hard-fought, sweeping 2023 tort law (HB 837). Some trial court judges applying the law have held that the burden to produce evidence — including what a plaintiff’s health insurance would reimburse for care — falls solely on the plaintiff. Other judges have ruled that the burden also falls on the defendant.

The amount in damages injured parties can recover in personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits could grow under a bill moving its way through the Florida House of Representatives.

The Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee voted 13-4 Thursday to pass HB 1553 onto its next — and only other — remaining scheduled stop, the Judiciary Committee. The four “no” votes were cast by Reps. Kim Berfield, R- Clearwater; Dean Black, R- Jacksonville; Danny Nix, R-Port Charlotte; and Paula Stark, R-St. Cloud.

There are 56 lobbyist registrations for the bill, which would crack open a hard-fought, sweeping 2023 tort law (HB 837).

According to a legislative staff analysis at the time, the 2023 law “defined and limited the types of evidence the judge or jury could hear” when it comes to a plaintiff’s medical bills, a driving factor in settlements and jury awards.

But to whom does it apply, and when?

Some trial court judges applying the law have held that the burden to produce evidence — including what a plaintiff’s health insurance would reimburse for the care — falls only on the plaintiff. Other judges have ruled that the burden also falls on the defendant.

HB 1553 supporters, including the statewide association that represents trial attorneys, insist the existing law is flawed and needs to be fixed legislatively.

The Florida Justice Reform Institute, insurance, and business lobbyists who oppose HB 1553 argue the conflicting trial court decisions need to wind their way through the legal process and be decided by state appellate courts and potentially the Florida Supreme Court. They also argue the bill would roll back changes that encouraged plaintiffs to use their health insurance to get the care they need.

01/29/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GVmGzbtEM/

Police in Broward County have made an arrest for a fatal hit-and-run crash that occurred last year.

09/16/2025

The Power of Teamwork!

08/19/2025

The Miami area has seen the lowest jobless figure among major metropolitan regions for several months in a row.
Florida’s unemployment rate has now held steady for four months straight.

Florida Commerce, the state’s business development bureau, released the jobless figures for July showing the unemployment rate remains unchanged at 3.7%. That number has been the same since April.

But the July figure is up in the year-over-year comparison. July 2024 saw an unemployment rate of 3.4%, 0.3 percentage points lower than the current rate. Indeed, every month this year has had a higher rate than a year ago.

The July figure accounts for about 417,000 Floridians who are out of a job. That’s out of an entire estimated workforce in the state of about 11.19 million people. July also saw an expansion of nonagricultural jobs by about 7,300 workers compared to June. That was a gain of about 134,000 people in the annual comparison.

Florida’s job growth has increased in 50 of the last 52 months. The 3.7% July unemployment rate is lower than the national figure of 4.2%. The state has had a lower figure than the national rate for 57 straight months.

As far as individual local jobless reports, the Miami area has seen the lowest unemployment rate among major metropolitan regions in Florida for several months in a row and did so again in July, with a 2.8% jobless figure. That’s the same rate from a year ago.

The Fort Lauderdale area posted a 3.8% unemployment rate in July, up by 0.2 percentage points from July 2024’s figure of 3.6%.

Orlando saw a 3.9% jobless rate in July, up from the 3.7% number a year ago.

Tampa recorded a 4.1% jobless rate last month, an uptick of 0.2 percentage points from July 2024, when that rate was 3.9%.

West Palm Beach had the same rate as Tampa in July, up 0.3 points from 3.8% a year ago.

Jacksonville has one of the higher jobless rates among big metros. The July figure was 4.2%, up from the figure of 3.9% a year ago.

Pensacola posted a 4.4% unemployment rate last month. That’s up from 3.9% posted last year.

The Fort Myers area posted the highest jobless figure among large metros in July, reporting a 4.5% rate. It’s a significant jump from 4% in July 2024.