A July 10 lawsuit challenges actions surrounding Mark Dickinson’s removal from the Lake County Fair while openly carrying a firearm. The case remains pending, and no court has ruled that the defendants violated the law.
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Mark Dickinson and Florida Carry, Inc. filed a civil lawsuit on July 10, 2026, following an incident in which Dickinson says he was removed from the Lake County Fair for openly carrying a firearm.
The lawsuit names the Lake County Fair Association, Lake Agriculture and Youth Fair Association, Lake County, Sheriff Peyton C. Grinnell in his official capacity, and Grinnell individually as defendants.
Lake County court records identify the case as Mark Dickinson and Florida Carry, Inc. v. Lake County Fair Association, Inc., et al. The case number is 35-2026-CA-001525-AXXX-01.
What the lawsuit seeks
According to the clerk’s docket, the complaint requests declaratory relief, a permanent injunction, actual damages, attorney’s fees, costs and other available statutory relief.
These are requested remedies contained in a complaint. The court has not determined that any defendant violated the law, and the defendants may dispute the allegations.
A JM Audits Facebook post describes Dickinson as being ejected from the Lake County Fair for openly carrying a firearm. The lawsuit is expected to address whether the fair organizations and government defendants could lawfully prohibit that conduct under the circumstances.
Florida’s open-carry ruling
The case follows the First District Court of Appeal’s September 2025 decision in McDaniels v. State. The court found that Florida’s broad statutory prohibition against openly carrying firearms could not be reconciled with the Second Amendment.
The decision did not eliminate every restriction involving firearms. Prohibitions may still apply in certain locations, and disputes can arise over private-property rights and events conducted by private organizations on government-owned property. Those distinctions are likely to be important in the Lake County lawsuit.
Case remains open
The Lake County docket shows that summonses were issued to the defendants on July 13. Circuit Judge Dan R. Mosley entered a case-management order and an order establishing motion procedures on July 21.
The lawsuit remains open. No final judgment or ruling on the merits was listed when JM Audits reviewed the docket.
JM Audits will update this report when the complete complaint, defendants’ responses and additional court filings become available.
Court record: Lake County Circuit Court case 35-2026-CA-001525-AXXX-01. Records can be checked through the Lake County Clerk’s court-records system.
Editor’s note: A lawsuit contains allegations and requests for relief. Those allegations have not been proven unless and until the court rules on them.