A federal judge has now given final approval to a settlement that ends a lengthy legal battle over redistricting between several civil rights groups and the city of Jacksonville.

The Jacksonville City Council has decided to challenge a federal court judge’s ruling that would have changed the face of Jacksonville’s political landscape.

City Council President Terrance Freeman said he plans to recruit as many city council members as possible for a meeting on Thursday to decide how to proceed after a federal judge a redistricting plan submitted by the Jacksonville City Council and ruled that a map proposed by civil rights groups who sued the city over voting boundaries is the best plan moving forward.

A federal judge on Monday rejected a redistricting plan submitted by the Jacksonville City Council and ruled that a map proposed by those who sued the city over voting boundaries is the best plan moving forward.

After the Jacksonville City Council last Friday made a decision on a redrawn district map, the city filed a motion with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to stay Judge Marcia Morales Howard’s order striking down the very first version.

A distinguished judge with more than 30 years of law experience, Judge Marcia Morales Howard has the fate of more than 650,000 Jacksonville voters and about a million residents in her hands.

Duval County Judge London Kite, appointed county in 2020 after years as an assistant state attorney, was promoted by Gov. Ron DeSantis to succeed retiring 4th Circuit Judge Karen Cole.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars will hold it’s third naturalization ceremony this Sunday during halftime against the Cleveland Browns. The first naturalization ceremony was held in 2017 and has since become a Thanksgiving tradition in the River City. The ceremony is a joint effort with the judges of the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division, the Department of Homeland Security , and U.S. The only difference in the ceremony this year is it will be staged on TIAA Bank Field’s Sky Terrace rather than the field. Naturalization is the final step to become a United States citizen.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A year after Jacksonville City Council members Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown were convicted on federal charges of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering, the two will stand before a federal judge and be sentenced for the crimes. The Browns, who are not related, were found guilty last October on charges stemming from a federally-backed loan and a city grant obtained by a barbecue sauce business owned by Katrina Brown’s family. Sentencing was originally set for Jan. 27, but the hearing was postponed after Katrina Brown got a new attorney. U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard, who denied motions for direct acquittal and a new trial over the summer, has now set sentencing for Oct. 27. Katrina Brown chose to represent herself at trial, then hired an attorney for sentencing, followed by Reggie Brown’s latest hiring of an attorney.

U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard at times coached Katrina Brown on what she could and could not ask during her questioning of witnesses. Hide Caption

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 22-year-old Jacksonville man was sentenced Thursday to 12 years and 6 months in federal prison for sex trafficking a child, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard also ordered Harper to serve a five-year term of supervision after his release from prison and to register as a sex offender. According to court documents, Harper met a 15-year-old girl in December 2015 and advertised her for prostitution on the internet. He was paid for the girl to perform sexual acts with his associates and fellow members of the PYC street gang. The local charges were dropped when the case was turned over to the federal courts for prosecution.