No. 25-883

James Thomas Ford v. Florida

Lower Court: Florida
Docketed: 2026-01-23
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived Experienced Counsel
Tags: due-process fourteenth-amendment human-trafficking jury-trial prosecutorial-discretion vindictive-prosecution
Latest Conference: 2026-03-06
Question Presented (from Petition)

Does a prosecutor engage in vindictive prosecution in violation of the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment where she amends the criminal charges one week before trial to bring a life felony on a novel legal theory that was not justified by any substantive developments in the case and announced on the record she was motivated to do so because the defendant exercised his right to a jury trial?

Is Florida's definition for the crime of human trafficking void for vagueness as applied to Mr. Ford where it grants a prosecutor unbridled discretion to transform simple prostitution into a first-degree felony and allows for a conviction even though the conduct does not involve an actual human or trafficking?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Does a prosecutor engage in vindictive prosecution in violation of the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment where she amends criminal charges one week before trial to bring a life felony on a novel legal theory and announced she was motivated to do so because the defendant exercised his right to a jury trial?

Docket Entries

2026-03-09
Petition DENIED.
2026-02-18
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/6/2026.
2026-02-10
Waiver of Florida of right to respond submitted.
2026-02-10
Waiver of right of respondent Florida to respond filed.
2026-01-20
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due February 23, 2026)

Attorneys

Florida
Kaylee Danielle TatmanOffice of the Attorney General, Respondent
James Thomas Ford
Andrew Brooks GreenleeAndrew B. Greenlee, P.A., Petitioner