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Florida woman taking case over ‘outrageous’ fines to state Supreme Court after wracking up nearly $200,000 in penalties

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Florida woman taking case over ‘outrageous’ fines to state Supreme Court after wracking up nearly 0,000 in penalties


A fed-up Florida homeowner battling a whopping $165,000 in fines for nitpicky property violations — including a cracked driveway and a toppled fence — is dragging her case to the state’s Supreme Court.

Officials in the city of Latana, about 20 minutes south of Palm Beach, even fined Sandy Martinez for how she parked in her driveway. That alone set the single mom back a hefty $100,000 as daily penalties piled up.

Martinez’s parking fines started accumulating in May 2019. When all four family members’ cars were home at her household, sometimes one would end up with two tires on the lawn.

Martinez filed a lawsuit against Lantana, a town of roughly 12,000 residents, in 2021. Institute for Justice

The penalty for that? A whopping $250 a day. 

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After the first citation, Martinez tried to arrange a visit with a code-enforcement officer to show she had corrected the violation. But those efforts proved “fruitless” and the daily fines accumulated, she said in a lawsuit she filed in 2021 against the city of Latana and local code enforcement.

“Six-figure fines for parking on your own property are outrageous,” Institute for Justice Attorney Mike Greenberg, the lawyer representing Martinez, said in a news release about the case.

The town’s main beef with Martinez is how her family parked their cars on their own driveway. Institute for Justice

The city also fined Martinez for “minor and purely cosmetic” cracks in her driveway, according to court papers.

Martinez didn’t have enough cash to fix the driveway right away. She was then hit with $75 fines every day for 215 days, for a total of $16,125 — “far greater than the cost of an entirely new driveway,” she said in the litigation.

Then there was the fence.

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Martinez and the Institute for Justice are taking the case to Florida’s Supreme Court. Google

A major storm downed it, but resolving the insurance claim to fix it took a while. During that time, Martinez was hit with $125 daily fines for 379 days, totaling $47,375.

Martinez lost when she took her case to court in 2021, with the lower courts ruling against her.

Now she thinks it’s time for Florida’s highest court to weigh in on a constitutional basis — the right to be free from excessive fines and government abuse, protected by the Florida Constitution’s Excessive Fines Clause.

The case epitomizes “taxation by citation,” something small towns, more prone to economic hardship, can sometimes ­rely on for part of their budgets, according to the Institute.

The Institute says municipal code enforcement has become a “cash cow” in Florida, with some towns generating millions of dollars annually.

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Local officials did not immediately return a message seeking comment.



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FTBOA Partners With Florida Coast Equipment

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FTBOA Partners With Florida Coast Equipment


Florida Coast Equipment has entered into a partnership agreement with the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association making Kubota the exclusive tractor, mower, utility vehicle, and construction equipment sponsor of the Florida Thoroughbred industry, starting in 2026.

The long-term agreement, announced Dec. 23, places Florida Coast Equipment and the Kubota brand front and center to Florida’s Thoroughbred industry, a $3.2 billion industry with more than 90,000 Thoroughbreds and 33,500 jobs.

The Florida Coast Equipment name will now be prominently displayed throughout the FTBOA headquarters, events, and communications, including an advertising package on FTBOA.com, Wire to Wire, and the Florida Horse Farm and Services Directory.

“This partnership goes beyond sponsorship. Florida Coast Equipment is proud to serve as the local dealer of choice for Florida’s Thoroughbred community—working alongside breeders and owners every day with the equipment, service, and support they rely on,” said Florida Coast Equipment online sales manger Timothy Morris Jr. “Both the FTBOA and Florida Coast Equipment are deeply rooted in Florida agriculture and share a commitment to long-term relationships, stewardship, and doing things the right way. That shared mindset is what makes this partnership a natural fit and positions it for lasting impact across the industry.”

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“When it comes to horsepower, nobody knows it better than Florida’s Thoroughbred industry, and the team at Florida Coast Equipment and Kubota,” FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell said. “This partnership unites two pillars of Florida agriculture, and we couldn’t ask for a better fit.”

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This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.





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Preview: December 23 vs. Florida | Carolina Hurricanes

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Preview: December 23 vs. Florida | Carolina Hurricanes


RALEIGH, N.C. – The Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers square off for the second time in five days on Tuesday, going head-to-head at Lenovo Center.

When: Tuesday, Dec. 23

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. ET

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Watch: FanDuel Sports Network South, FanDuel Sports Network App | Learn More

Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes App

Canes Record: 22-10-3 (47 Points, 1st – Metropolitan Division)

Canes Last Game: 6-4 Loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, Dec. 20

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Panthers Record: 19-14-2 (40 Points, T-5th – Atlantic Division)

Panthers Last Game: 6-2 Loss to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, Dec. 20



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Florida football finalizes hire of Joe Craddock as quarterbacks coach

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Florida football finalizes hire of Joe Craddock as quarterbacks coach


Florida football will be hiring Joe Craddock as its next quarterbacks coach, according to a report by Swamp247.

The move adds a veteran offensive mind with extensive play-calling and quarterback-development experience under Jon Sumrall’s first staff with the Gators.

Craddock comes to Gainesville after spending the past two seasons with Tulane, where he served as the Green Wave’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Prior to that, he held the same role at Troy.

At Troy, Craddock’s offenses consistently ranked near the top of the Sun Belt across multiple statistical categories, combining downfield passing efficiency with a balanced run game.

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Before his time at Troy and Tulane, Craddock built a resume that includes offensive coordinator stops at UAB, Arkansas and SMU, along with earlier developmental roles at Clemson.

Craddock’s coaching career began after a playing stint at Middle Tennessee, followed by professional experience overseas before transitioning into coaching at the high school level and quickly rising through the college ranks.

With the Orange and Blue, Craddock is expected to work closely with the Gators’ signal-callers as the program looks to establish consistency and development at the position under Sumrall.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.





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