Page 14 - Patrick Leduc News Today

Paul Allard Hodgkins faces a prison sentence of 15 to 21 months under federal guidelines. His sentencing is poised to become a test case watched by other defendants deciding whether to accept pleas, several defense lawyers said.

Paul Hodgkins, 38, the second riot defendant to plead guilty, agreed to a $2,000 fine to help pay for $1.5 million in damage to the Capitol.

Paul Hodgkins, 38, the second riot defendant to plead guilty, agreed to a $2,000 fine to help pay for $1.5 million in damage to the Capitol.

Here's your morning briefing of what you need to know in Florida politics.

A 38-year-old Tampa man who federal authorities say joined a far-right mob that stormed the Capitol and attacked police officers on Jan. 6 in an attempt to disrupt certifying the presidential election is set to take a plea deal. Paul Allard Hodgkins is set to appear before U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss in a virtual plea hearing that will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, according to court ...

Sarasota Schools anti-mask lawsuit dropped A group of parents opposed to the Sarasota County School District’s COVID-19 mask policy has dropped a lawsuit opposing the mandate for face coverings for most students that they filed against the district last fall.  Patrick Leduc, an attorney in Tampa, filed the lawsuit in October on behalf of Sarasota parents Amy Cook, Gustavo Collazo, Nicholas Eastman and Catherine Gonzales. Leduc said it became evident that judges were rejecting claims that...

With COVID-19 cases surging, some court trials are going back on hold.

In-person court hearings and jury trials are back on hold in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. The decisions were announced Tuesday after steep increases in new COVID-19 cases and the rising percentage of people testing positive.

Masks to remain mandatory in Hillsborough schools after judge tosses lawsuit By Gloria Gomez and FOX 13 News Staff Published  article TAMPA, Fla. - Students in Hillsborough County schools must continue to wear masks to slow the spread of COVID-19. A judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed by parents who opposed the district’s mandate. The district implemented the mask rule over the summer before classes even resumed as part of the larger plan to contain the coronavirus while also...