11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals

DeSantis pushed for the law to prevent “indoctrination” in university classrooms, but some professors say it instead made Florida’s students look like “they’re incapable of original thought.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration brought the lawsuit in 2023, when Joe Biden, a Democrat, was President, arguing Congress had unconstitutionally delegated its power to private accreditation agencies.

"Alligator Alcatraz." Guns. Social media. Legal battles about those and myriad other issues remain unresolved heading into 2026. Here are 10 big legal issues to watch for.

Attorneys general from 21 states filed a friend-of-the-court brief filed at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals as Florida challenges a district judge’s ruling that said the law is “overbroad and unconstitutional.”

The stay ruling at least temporarily allowed enforcement of the law — though it did not resolve the underlying issues in the appeal. In seeking expedited handling, the industry groups alleged harm if the law is enforced.

A city ordinance barred pedestrians in a driveway entrance to the clinic and on five feet of sidewalk on each side of the driveway.

The case has focused heavily on part of the law that prevents people “domiciled” in China from purchasing property in Florida, with some exceptions.

A farmer lost a contract with the Lee County school district after calling COVID-19 a "hoax" on social media. He then filed a lawsuit against the district.

A U.S. District judge ruled that the law likely violated the First Amendment and issued a preliminary injunction to block it. The state, saying it is targeting addictive platforms that can harm children’s mental health, quickly appealed to the Atlanta-based appeals court.

The decision overrules a lower court order that blocked portions of the law from being enforced.

The Florida law requires teachers to use pronouns that align with their sex assigned at birth.

According to a lawsuit, a 13-year-old born a female was allowed to go by a male name and they/them pronouns. The parents, who did not approve of the change, allege they were never told by the school.