1. ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’: Judge shifts venue in legal fight
Pointing to “prudence,” a federal judge on Aug. 18 ruled that a battle about legal representation for people at an immigrant-detention center in the Everglades should move to a different court while also declaring part of the lawsuit moot.
U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz issued a 47-page order that resolved some issues in the high-profile lawsuit alleging First Amendment violations at the detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” Detainees and their attorneys contend, in part, they have been prevented from having proper confidential communications to discuss cases.
The detainees and attorneys filed the lawsuit in the federal Southern District of Florida, which includes Miami-Dade County. But state and federal officials argued that it should have been filed in the federal Middle District of Florida, which includes Collier County…