Cruz — Florida appeals court affirmed the judgment without a written explanation

Case
Carlos Cruz v. State of Florida
Court
Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal
Judge
Gerber, C.J. (Charlie Crist, 2009); Forst, J. (Rick Scott, 2013); Shaw, J. (Ron DeSantis, 2025)
Date Decided
September 10, 2026
Docket No.
4D2026-2115
Topics
Criminal Appeals; Per Curiam Affirmance
Source
Read the full opinion

Background

Carlos Cruz appealed from a decision of the Circuit Court for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, entered by Judge Howard K. Coates, Jr., in case number 502022CF008255AXXXMB.

Cruz represented himself on appeal. The court stated that no appearance was required for the State of Florida. The opinion does not describe the underlying charges, the challenged ruling, or Cruz’s appellate arguments.

The Court’s Holding

The Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the circuit court’s judgment in a per curiam decision.

The court provided no explanation for its ruling and announced no legal rule. Chief Judge Gerber and Judges Forst and Shaw concurred.

Key Takeaways

  • The Fourth District affirmed the circuit court’s judgment.
  • The decision was a per curiam affirmance without a written rationale.
  • The opinion does not identify the issues raised or explain the basis for affirmance.

Why It Matters

The decision ends Cruz’s appeal in the Fourth District unless altered through a timely rehearing proceeding or other available review. Because the court supplied no reasoning, the opinion offers no substantive guidance on the underlying legal issues.

The decision was not final until disposition of any timely filed motion for rehearing.

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