Criminal Law Section of The Florida Bar

FREE CLE: Journey to the Bench
2026-04-30 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
The Criminal Law Section’s April FREE CLE for members and law students was “Journey to the Bench,” which aired on April 30, 2026, from 12 – 1 p.m., a panel discussion featuring retired Florida Supreme Court Justice Peggy A. Quince, Duval County Court Judge Rhonda Peoples-Waters, Clay County Circuit Judge Angela M. Cox, and United States District Judge Julie S. Sneed, Middle District of Florida. The program was moderated by Kyra Lucas-Millbrook. Course number 9473 is approved by The Florida Bar until approximately October 30, 2027, for 1 CLE and 1 Criminal Trial certification credit. Florida Bar members may self-report CLE credit through their Member Portals. Log in to the Criminal Law Section’s member portal to watch the recording on YouTube.
Join us for an enlightening continuing legal education webinar featuring a distinguished panel of judges who will share their insights into their paths to the bench. This CLE is designed for young and seasoned attorneys alike. This hour-long session will explore the qualifications, experiences, and personal attributes that contribute to a successful judicial career.

2026 Experts on DUI 2026—On the Road Again: Steering Through Florida DUI Law
2026-05-07 09:00 - 2026-05-08 15:00 | Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel, 4200 Jim Walter Blvd., Tampa, FL, 33607, United States
Experts on DUI 2026—On the Road Again: Steering Through Florida DUI Law. Originally presented on May 7-8, 2026, course number 9555 is approved by The Florida Bar until November 30, 2027, for 14 CLE credits (1 Ethics) and 1 Technology credit, and 14 certification credits each in Criminal Appellate, Criminal Trial, and Juvenile Law. You may purchase this program online 24/7 in the following formats:
Downloadable Podcast
Online Seminar (On-Demand)
CD / DVD
Description: Learn to navigate the DUI landscape with confidence. In the world of DUI litigation, staying current isn’t optional—it’s essential. Join us for an engaging, comprehensive 2-day seminar on May 7-8 at the Renaissance Tampa International Plaza; designed to bridge the gap between legal theory and courtroom reality.
Our expert faculty members will guide you through:

Current DUI laws and evolving evidentiary standards.
The intricacies of DUI-specific scientific evidence.
The administrative impact of arrests on driver licensing.

Designed for all attorneys—including state and private defense counsel—this seminar provides the specific tools necessary for successful, modern litigation. Ready to level up? Sign up for the ride! REGISTER

🚦DAY 1: HITTING THE ROAD – FOUNDATIONS & FRONTLINES (Thursday, May 7)

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Welcome Breakfast
9:00 AM – 9:10 AM
Opening Remarks
“Buckle Up: The DUI Landscape in Florida”
Program Co-Chairs: David M. Robbins, Susan Cohen, and Keeley R. Karatinos

9:10 AM – 10:00 AM
Session 1: “High Noon on DUI Trends: Case Law Update in the Sunshine State”
Eilam Isaak – Tampa, Florida
10:05 AM – 10:55 AM
Session 2: “Boats & Brews: Florida BUIs- What to Know”
Mark Thiessen – Houston, Texas

10:50 AM – 11:05 AM
Break – Pit Stop & Refuel
11:05 AM – 11:55 PM
Session 3: “Just Because it’s on Paper Doesn’t Make it so…Going Beyond the Lab Report”
Deandra Grant – Dallas, Texas

11:55 PM – 12:25 PM
Keep Your Motor Running (Lunch, provided with in-person registration)

12:25 PM – 1:15 PM
Session 4: “Blow by Blow: Intoxilyzer 8000 v. 9000”
Elliot Wilcox – Tampa, Florida

1:15 PM – 2:15 PM
Session 5: “The Traffic Stop Starts It All: Issue Spotting Legal Pitfalls from Stop to Arrest”
Tara Anderson, Asst. Public Defender, Sixth Judicial Circuit – Clearwater, Florida
2:15 PM – 2:30 PM
Service Plaza Break – Stretch Those Legal Legs
2:30 PM – 3:20 PM
Session 6: “Driving Under the Influence of… Tech? How AI Can Help Build Your Case.”
Jared White, AI Matey Company
3:20 PM – 4:10 PM
Session 7: “Accident Reconstruction: Newton’s Laws vs. Alcohol”
Sarah-Anne Blades, Blades Consulting Group – Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Florida

4:10 PM – 5:00 PM
Session 8: Panel Discussion: “Professional Responsibility: You are the Designated Driver”

O. David Barksdale – Jacksonville, Florida
Scott Tozian – Tampa, Florida
Lindsey Guinand – Tampa, Florida
Robyn Dillon, Chief Discipline Counsel for The Florida Bar – Tampa Office

🚧DAY 2: DETOURS, DEFENSES & DRIVING IT HOME (Friday, May 8)

9:00 AM – 9:10 AM
Welcome
Program Co-Chairs: David M. Robbins, Susan Cohen, and Keeley R. Karatinos
9:10 AM – 10:00 AM
Session 1: “Administrative Crossroads: Navigating FLHSMV Hearings”
Tom Moffett – Chief Counsel Bureau of Administrative Reviews, Dept of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles – Tallahassee, Florida
10:00 AM – 10:50 AM
Session 2: “Getting your client back in the driver’s seat: Winning Formal Review Defenses”
Susan Cohen & David Robbins – Jacksonville, Florida
10:50 AM – 11:00 AM
Coffee Break – Hey Siri, where’s the closest coffee shop?

11:00 AM – 11:50 PM
Session 3: “Shoes On, it’s Time to Go: DUI Pretrial Strategy That Goes the Distance”
Bobby Reiff – Miami, Florida

11:50 PM – 12:30 PM
Lunch

12:30 PM – 1:20 PM
Session 4: “On the Record, Not on the Rocks: Preserving Appellate Issues in DUI Cases”
Michael Ufferman – Tallahassee, Florida
1:20 PM – 2:10 PM
Session 5: “Hold My Voir Beer – DUI Jury Selection”
Thomas Grajek – Lakeland, Florida
2:10 PM – 3:00 PM
Session 6: “By the Book—Or Not: Cross-Examining DUI Officers with NHTSA Manuals”
Keeley Karatinos – Dade City, Florida
3:00 PM
Ending Remarks

2026 Criminal Law Update
2026-06-18 09:00 - 16:55 | Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, 14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Ln, Orlando, FL, 32821, United States
2026 Criminal Law Update. Live (in person only) during the Annual Florida Bar Convention in the Floridian Ballroom J, Hilton Bonnet Creek Convention Center. Register through The Florida Bar Convention.
Schedule and Presenters
9–9:05 a.m.
Welcome
Judge Tatiana R. Salvador
2025–2026 Chair, Florida Bar Criminal Law Section
Circuit Judge, 4th Judicial Circuit, Jacksonville
9:05–9:10
Introduction
Michael R. Ufferman, Program Co-Chair
Florida Bar Board Certified in Criminal Appellate Law
Michael R. Ufferman Law Firm, P.A., Tallahassee
9:10–10 a.m.
Crimmigration Update: Part 1: Recent Developments at the Intersection of Immigration and Criminal Law
Linda M. Osberg-Braun
Florida Bar Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law
Osberg-Braun Immigration, Miami
10–10:15 a.m.
Feature Presentation: Justice on Justice—The View From the Bench
Hon. Jorge Labarga
Justice, Florida Supreme Court, Tallahassee
10:15–10:30 a.m.
Break
10:30–11:20 a.m.
Case Law Update: Maintaining Legal Excellence—Pretrial, Trial and Appeal
Michael R. Ufferman
11:20 a.m.–Noon
Spotlight Presentation: States of Our Criminal Justice System—Overviews From the Bench and Bar—A Moderated Discussion
Panelists:

Hon. D. Melissa Distler, Chair-Elect, Florida Conference of County Judges, County Judge, Seventh Judicial Circuit, Bunnell
Hon. Lisa T. Munyon, Chair, Florida Conference of Circuit Judges, Chief Circuit Judge, Ninth Judicial Circuit, Orlando
Melissa E. Vickers, Representing the Florida Public Defenders Association, Florida Bar Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law, Public Defender, Ninth Judicial Circuit, Orlando

Moderator:
H. Scott Fingerhut, Program Co-Chair
CLE Chair, Florida Bar Criminal Law Section
H. Scott Fingerhut, P.A., Miami
Noon–1 p.m.
Lunch (To Be Provided)
1–1:30 p.m.
Keynote Address: The Lawyer’s Role in American Democracy
Hon. Peggy Ann Quince, Florida Supreme Court Justice (ret.), Tampa
1:30–1:45 p.m.
Break
1:45–2:35 p.m.
DUI and Related Vehicular Offenses Update
Flem K. Whited III
Whited Law Firm, Ormond Beach
2:35–3:25 p.m.
Crimmigration Update: Part 2: Consequences of Criminal Prosecution of Foreign-Born Defendants
Linda M. Osberg-Braun
3:25–3:40 p.m.
Break
3:40–4:30 p.m.
Legal Technology Update: Maintaining Legal Competence—AI and You (bench and bar): We Can (Must?) Do This—Let’s Go!
Adam D. Rossen
Rossen Law Firm, Fort Lauderdale
4:30–4:50 p.m.
Legislative Update: New Laws Are Coming
H. Scott Fingerhut
4:50–4:55 p.m.
Conclusion
H. Scott Fingerhut

Criminal Law Section Events During Florida Bar Convention
2026-06-18 09:00 - 2026-06-19 14:00 | Hilton Orlando-Bonnet Creek Resort, 14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Ln, Orlando, FL, 23821, United States
Join your friends and colleagues at The Florida Bar Convention in Orlando for meetings, networking receptions, Criminal Law Update, the annual Selig I. Goldin Award Luncheon, and more. Register for Criminal Law Update and the Selig I. Goldin Luncheon through the Convention.

6/18 (9 AM–5 PM): Criminal Law Update CLE–Floridan Ballroom J
6/18 (5 PM–6:30 PM): CLS Reception–Dade
6/19 (8:30–11:30 AM): CLS EC Meeting–Floridian Ballroom J
6/19 (11:30 AM–2 PM): Selig I. Goldin Luncheon–Floridian Ballroom L

2026 Selig I. Goldin Memorial Award Luncheon
2026-06-19 11:30 - 14:00 | Hilton Orlando-Bonnet Creek Resort, 14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Ln, Orlando, FL, 23821, United States
This year’s Selig I. Goldin Luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Floridian Ballroom L of the Hilton Bonnet Creek Convention Center. Tickets are $65 and may be purchased through Florida Bar Convention registration.
Michael J. Satz, a former Broward state attorney who spent an unprecedented 44 years in office prosecuting pill mills, racketeers, and corrupt politicians, is the 2026 Selig I. Goldin Award recipient, the Criminal Law Section’s highest honor. Read the Bar News story here.
Schedule of Events
Welcome & Recognition of the 2026 Selig I. Goldin Memorial Award Recipient
Hon. Tatiana Salvador, 2025–2026 Chair, Florida Bar Criminal Law Section
Introduction of the Award Recipient
Charles B. Martin, Jr.
Remarks from the Honoree
Michael J. Satz
Lunch and Keynote Speaker
Hon. Clifton Newman
Former South Carolina Circuit Court Judge
