Case: LaValley v. St. Johns County, Florida
3:24-cv-01055 | U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Filed Date: Oct. 14, 2024
Closed Date: Feb. 12, 2026
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Case Summary
This case challenged St. Johns County Ordinance 2023-16, which restricted certain uses of public rights-of-way, including interacting with vehicle occupants and remaining on medians along designated roadways.
On October 14, 2024, three St. Johns County residents filed a § 1983 action against St. Johns County, Florida, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The plaintiffs alleged that the ordinance was enacted to suppress panhandling and had been enforced against homeless and low-income individuals soliciting donations near roads. They claimed the ordinance violated the First Amendment because it targeted donation requests in traditional public forums and was overbroad, and that it violated the Fourteenth Amendment because its terms and geographic scope were unconstitutionally vague. The complaint sought declaratory and injunctive relief, damages, and attorneys’ fees. The case was assigned to Judge Timothy J. Corrigan.
On October 14, 2024, the plaintiffs sought a preliminary injunction against St. Johns County Ordinance 2023-16, arguing that it targeted panhandling and charitable solicitation in traditional public forums, violated the First Amendment, and was unconstitutionally vague under the Fourteenth Amendment. The County answered the complaint on November 8, 2024, denying liability and most of the plaintiffs’ allegations. The County asserted that the ordinance was a content-neutral time, place, and manner regulation narrowly tailored to serve a significant governmental interest while leaving open ample alternative channels of communication. It also raised affirmative defenses, including mootness, failure to state a claim, lack of standing, sovereign immunity, laches, and failure to mitigate damages.
On December 16, 2024, after a status conference, the court abated consideration of the plaintiffs’ preliminary injunction motion. The court noted that the County had agreed to cease enforcement of Ordinance 2023-16, making expedited review of the preliminary injunction motion unnecessary. The order required the County to notify the court and the plaintiffs’ counsel before reinstating enforcement and stayed all deadlines until the parties filed a joint status report.
The parties reported that they were working toward settlement in February 2025, and the court continued the stay of proceedings.
After the parties reached a settlement, the plaintiffs filed a notice of settlement and a stipulated dismissal on December 17, 2025. According to Southern Legal Counsel, in connection with the settlement, St. Johns County agreed to pay the three plaintiffs and their attorneys a total of $90,000 to resolve the lawsuit, covering damages, attorneys’ fees, and litigation costs, and further agreed to stop enforcing the challenged law. The parties subsequently filed a joint stipulation of dismissal with prejudice on January 7, 2026, and the court dismissed the case with prejudice on January 12, 2026.
Summary Authors
Dahlia Gottlieb (7/19/2026)
Hirofumi Takano (5/9/2026)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69258090/parties/lavalley-v-st-johns-county-florida/
Corrigan, Timothy J. (Florida)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69258090/lavalley-v-st-johns-county-florida/
Last updated July 7, 2026, 6:11 a.m.
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Oct. 14, 2024
Closing Date: Feb. 12, 2026
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Three St. Johns County residents who were homeless, disabled, or low-income and who solicited charitable donations on roadsides and medians.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
County
St. Johns County
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Other Dockets:
Middle District of Florida 3:24-cv-01055
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Amount Defendant Pays: Amount Defendant Pays: $90,000
Issues
General/Misc.:
Case Summary of LaValley v. St. Johns County, Florida, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/47544/ (last updated 5/9/2026).