Florida Group Seeks Rehearing on Grand Jury Record
The Florida Center for Government Accountability challenges a court order to expunge a grand jury presentment.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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The Florida Center for Government Accountability and Michael Barfield have filed a motion for rehearing with the First District Court of Appeal. They seek to prevent the total expungement of a Leon County grand jury presentment that detailed the movement of $10 million in Medicaid settlement funds.
Why it matters
The motion argues that the appeals court misapplied legal standards regarding grand jury findings and seeks to preserve the document for review. This filing aims to bring questions of public importance regarding judicial transparency before the Florida Supreme Court.
The filing follows an October 7, 2026, opinion ordering the total expungement of a document originally filed in January 2026. The motion includes a 317-page appendix and requests the preservation of the records under seal.
The players
Florida Center for Government Accountability
This is a non-profit organization focused on transparency and public record access in the state of Florida.
Michael Barfield
He is an advocate associated with the Florida Center for Government Accountability and involved in public records litigation.
First District Court of Appeal
This is an intermediate appellate court in Florida that reviews decisions from trial courts in its jurisdiction.
Shevaun Harris
She serves as the Secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.
The details
The grand jury presentment concerns a portion of a $67 million Medicaid settlement with Centene Corporation. Specifically, testimony in February 2026 indicated that $10 million of these funds were transferred by the Hope Florida Foundation to Secure Florida's Future Inc. and Save Our Society From Drugs.
Timeline
The original grand jury presentment was filed on January 28, 2026.
AHCA Secretary Shevaun Harris testified about the settlement funds in February 2026.
The circuit court granted limited intervention to the parties in March 2026.
The appeals court issued the expungement order on October 7, 2026.
Legal Context
The dispute centers on the application of the indict-or-say-nothing rule, which was the subject of a landmark 1977 Florida Supreme Court decision. The current motion contends that the appellate court revived a restrictive standard that the high court had previously explicitly set aside.
The ongoing litigation determines whether the public will maintain access to details surrounding the handling of $10 million in Medicaid settlement funds. This process could lead to greater transparency or restricted disclosure regarding financial records involving state-related entities.
The takeaway
This case highlights the ongoing tension between grand jury secrecy and the right to public access regarding state-linked financial transactions. Transparency advocates continue to utilize the judicial system to challenge records expungement processes.
Further reading
For more background on state judicial proceedings, see Criminal Justice.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Florida Trident.
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