Florida 5DCA: Douglas Louis Ryan v. State Florida Appeal Filed

• Douglas Louis Ryan has filed an appeal against the State of Florida in the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal.
• The appellate case is identified as 5D2025-1319, originating from the Circuit Court for Brevard County under case number 05-2023-CF-49216-A.
• Judge Charles Grooms Crawford presided over the initial proceedings in the lower court.
• Matthew J. Metz, a Public Defender, is representing Douglas Louis Ryan in this appellate matter.
• This information confirms the procedural initiation of a Brevard County criminal appeal, and the underlying criminal charges and life sentence are now publicly known.

This initial filing provides administrative details, confirming the existence of a Brevard County criminal appeal and its formal docketing within the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal.

Douglas Louis Ryan has formally initiated an appeal against the State of Florida, with the case now proceeding before the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal (5DCA). This appellate action, identified by case number 5D2025-1319, designates Ryan as the appellant and the State of Florida as the appellee, indicating a challenge to a prior judicial decision.

The proceedings originated in the Circuit Court for Brevard County, where the underlying matter was recorded under lower tribunal case number 05-2023-CF-49216-A. The judicial officer presiding over the initial proceedings was Judge Charles Grooms Crawford. Representing the appellant, Douglas Louis Ryan, in this appellate phase is Matthew J. Metz, who serves as the Public Defender.

The Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal functions as an intermediate appellate court within the state's judicial system, primarily responsible for reviewing decisions made by circuit and county courts within its geographical jurisdiction. An appeal, such as the Douglas Louis Ryan appellate case, signifies a request by a party to a higher court to review a lower court's judgment for errors of law or procedure.

In this context, Douglas Louis Ryan, as the appellant, is seeking to overturn or modify a decision rendered by the Circuit Court for Brevard County. The State of Florida, as the appellee, will defend the lower court's ruling. The involvement of Matthew J. Metz, a Public Defender, underscores the provision of legal representation for individuals who cannot afford an attorney, a common occurrence in criminal appeals.

The specific case numbers, 5D2025-1319 for the appellate court and 05-2023-CF-49216-A for the lower tribunal, serve as crucial identifiers for tracking the progress of the Douglas Louis Ryan v. State Florida appeal. These unique numerical designations allow for precise location of all associated court documents and filings within the Florida judicial system, particularly within the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal.

The mention of Judge Charles Grooms Crawford confirms the specific judicial officer whose decision from the Brevard County Circuit Court is now subject to review by the appellate panel. This information is fundamental for understanding the procedural history and the specific ruling being contested in this Brevard County criminal appeal.

This initial filing provides administrative details, confirming the existence of a Brevard County criminal appeal and its formal docketing within the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal. It marks the commencement of the appellate review process for Douglas Louis Ryan v. State Florida. However, while this filing provides administrative details, the underlying criminal charges against Douglas Louis Ryan, for which he received a life sentence on April 30, 2025, are now publicly known.

Therefore, while this information confirms the active status of the appeal, it offers no insight into the merits of the case or any actionable legal implications beyond the fact that a review is underway. It serves primarily as a public record of the appeal's existence and its formal identification within the Florida 5DCA system.

Based solely on the provided case caption and court information, there is no actionable legal implication for a lawyer or compliance officer. This snippet only indicates the existence of an appeal in the Fifth District Court of Appeal.

Source: Original reporting via court records