3dbbae6a_rt_decisions___Tampa_Bay_Times__Impact_on_merit_retention
[Case name and date] Owens vs. Publix, 11/15/01 [Case summary] Evelyn Owens brought a personal injury action against Publix in 1995 after she slipped and fell on a discolored piece of banana that was lying on the floor of a store where Owens was shopping. The court was asked to determine whether the condition of the banana piece was sufficient proof that Publix should have known it was on the floor and prevented Owens' slip and fall. [Ruling] 7-0 [What majority said] The court ruled that Publix had the burden of providing evidence that it had exercised reasonable care to prevent Owens' accident, since she proved she had slipped and fell because of the banana pieces on the floor. Justices ordered a lower court to re-hear the case based on their clarification of the law. [Impact on merit retention] 
People who are hoping to get these justices removed from court have used this case as an example of judicial activism and said the ruling made it harder for business to avoid frivolous lawsuits.
Ahead of merit retention vote, Times/Herald charts controversial Supreme Court decisions | Tampa Bay Times
Impact on merit retention