In 1978 the Supreme Court issued an opinion saying that deputy sheriff's have no right to engage in collective bargaining. In intervening years, however, the Supreme Court has issued other opinions that have been interpreted as reaching a contrary result. Based on these new opinions, the Coastal PBA filed a petition with the state asking to be certified as the bargaining agency for Brevard County deputy sheriffs. The state accepted the petition, and Sheriff Williams appealed. The First District denied his request but certified the case to the Supreme Court.