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Cheryl Searcy (“Plaintiff”) sued the defendants, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and Philip Morris Inc. (together, “Defendants”) for unintentional and intentional torts arising from the death of her mother, Carol Lasard, alleging that Lasard’s illnesses were caused by her addiction to cigarettes manufactured by Defendants. The jury found for Plaintiff on both the unintentional and intentional tort c... More...    $0 (09-12-2018 - FL)

This appeal arises from five class actions brought by bank customers
(“Plaintiffs”) alleging that their banks unlawfully charged them overdraft fees.
These cases have been before this Court multiple times in recent years.1 In this
appeal, Wells Fargo appeals the District Court’s denial of its motion to compel
arbitration with the unnamed Plaintiffs comprising the classes. The Distr... More...    $0 (05-10-2018 - FL)

In this common-law trademark case, Thomas McClary appeals from an order granting judgment as a matter of law to Commodores Entertainment Corporation (CEC) and converting a preliminary injunction into a permanent one against McClary and his corporation, Fifth Avenue Entertainment, LLC. The dispute concerned ownership of the mark “The Commodores,” the name of a famous Grammy Award–winning rhythm and... More...    $0 (01-09-2018 - FL)

We must decide whether an indictment that alleges that a business was in violation of the Florida bingo and gambling house statutes, Fla. Stat. §§ 849.01, 849.02, 849.03, 849.0931, sufficiently alleges one of the essential elements needed to obtain a conviction under the federal gambling statute: that the business “is a violation of” state law, 18 U.S.C. § 1955(b)(1)(i). Larry Masino and his ex-wi... More...    $0 (09-07-2017 - FL)

This case involves an area of law – regarding how advances in reproductive
technology impact the definition of the modern family – which is struggling to
catch up with and reflect the rapid changes taking place in society. In this case, a
same-sex couple arranged to have a child together. When the couple separated, the
birth mother blocked all contact between the child and the form... More...    $0 (08-16-2017 - FL)

This appeal presents the questions whether due process forbids giving a
jury’s findings of negligence and strict liability in a class action against cigarette
manufacturers preclusive effect in a later individual suit by a class member and, if
not, whether federal law preempts the jury’s findings. Florida smokers and their
survivors filed a class action against several tobacco comp... More...    $0 (05-18-2017 - FL)

The simplest description of this case is that it involves a dispute between a bank, which foreclosed a first mortgage, and a condominium association. In fact, however, the plaintiff is the United States of America,1 suing on behalf of the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD"), as the successor to two separate banks, each of which foreclosed a first mortgage, and - to... More...    $0 (01-03-2014 - FL)

In circuit court case number 1972-CF-0870-NC, a jury found Mr. Huffman
guilty of rape, at the time a capital felony, and breaking and entering with intent to
commit grand larceny.1 In November 1972, the trial court sentenced him to parole
eligible life sentences for both convictions. This court affirmed both convictions and the
parole-eligible life sentence imposed for the rap... More...    $0 (06-06-2016 - FL)

Late on the night of July 6, 2013, police discovered Mr. Brice naked with
his girlfriend in the backseat of her mother's car. They were parked in an open lot
adjacent to a technical high school located in a local community center. As the police
approached the car, Mr. Brice jumped from the back seat to the front seat. The officers
saw Mr. Brice reach under the front seat and... More...    $0 (06-06-2016 - FL)

The issue before this Court is whether the State may re-file an information
that has been dismissed without prejudice after the trial court struck and therefore
did not consider the State’s response to the defendant’s sworn motion to dismiss
pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.190(c)(4). For the reasons that
follow, we conclude that the State was not barred from r... More...    $0 (05-05-2016 - FL)

Appellant/cross-appellee Richard Walker timely appeals his sentence, arguing that the trial court imposed a vindictive sentence, higher than the sentence offered in plea negotiations in which the court participated. The State cross-appeals, arguing that the trial court erred by dismissing one of appellant’s charges at sentencing. We affirm appellant’s sentence, concluding that the court did not ... More...    $0 (04-21-2016 - FL)

The Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) appealed a judgment
awarding $502,462.22 to CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSX) as indemnity for the
amount of a settlement and related attorneys’ fees paid by CSX to resolve a
negligence action arising from an accident at a railroad crossing. CSX Transp.,
Inc., 128 So. 3d at 210. CSX requested indemnification under a 1936 crossing More...    $0 (04-08-2016 - FL)

William P. Aubin worked as a construction supervisor for his father’s
company between 1972 and 1974, overseeing construction of the residential
development Desoto Lakes in Sarasota, Florida. While at work on the construction
site, Aubin was exposed to and inhaled respirable dust created by the sanding and
sweeping of drywall joint compounds and spraying of ceiling texture spra... More...    $0 (11-01-2015 - FL)

This is an appeal of a federal income tax refund suit filed by the Estate of
George Batchelor (“Estate�).
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Counts I and II of the Estate’s three-count
Complaint involve Batchelor’s personal income taxes for 1999 and 2000. Count
III concerns the Estate’s attempt to claim a credit for its 2005 income taxes for
payments it made in settlement of various lawsuits aga... More...    $0 (06-05-2015 - FL)

In this case, ongoing disputes as to four family trusts make a second appearance before us. In the first appeal, we reversed the trial court’s summary judgment granting trust accountings for all four trusts. Corya v. Sanders, 76 So. 3d 31 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011). We concluded the trial court erred in granting summary judgment in part because appellee Sanders did not sufficiently negate the defenses ... More...    $0 (02-11-2015 - FL)

In a breach of contract action brought by the estate of a deceased employee against his employer’s workers’ compensation and employer liability insurance carrier, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit certified the following questions of Florida law:1
(1) DOES THE ESTATE HAVE STANDING TO BRING ITS BREACH OF CONTRACT CLAIM AGAINST ZENITH UNDER THE EMPLOYER LIABILITY PO... More...    $0 (12-04-2014 - FL)

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., appeals the final summary judgment granting title to Calvin Rutledge and discharging Wells Fargo's lis pendens against the underlying property in this foreclosure action. Because we agree that Wells Fargo was not barred from pursuing foreclosure in the circuit court by laches or equitable estoppel and that material issues of fact remain as to the authenticity of Mary Dias's... More...    $0 (10-10-2014 - FL)

In this consolidated appeal, Brett J. Stettner (“Stettner�) appeals two trial
court orders: (1) denying his motion to set aside clerk’s default, to vacate default
final judgment and to quash a writ of garnishment; and (2) denying his motion to
set aside sheriff’s sale. For the reasons that follow, we reverse both orders.
On May 14, 2012, Stettner filed a Petition for Injunc... More...    $0 (07-16-2014 - FL)

Ronald E. Lundin filed a complaint against Nadine and William Peterson, claiming in part that he was entitled to possession of a dog (Krystal the Bedlington Terrier) as well as her offspring and that the Petersons were in wrongful possession of them. The circuit court entered partial summary judgment in favor of Lundin on his
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replevin claim and ordered the Petersons to give Lundin po... More...    $0 (07-18-2014 - FL)

5F, LLC, challenges the order granting final summary judgment in favor of Robert Dresing, Sarah F. Dresing, and the Northern Trust Company, trustee for the Michael W. O'Shaughnessy Trust (collectively referred to as the Dresings). The lower
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court found that the Dresings, as riparian land owners, have a common law right to construct a pier on submerged land owned by 5F which abuts the... More...    $0 (07-16-2014 - FL)

Fernando Montes and his wife appeal a final summary judgment against them in favor of Mastec North America, Inc. The circuit court lawsuit arose from

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personal injuries sustained by Mr. Montes, a condominium security guard, in 2008 when a ladder owned or used by Mastec allegedly fell on him, with resulting medical expenses exceeding $100,000. The final summary judgment was based on ... More...    $0 (02-12-2014 - FL)

This matter is before the Court upon the report, recommendation and proposal of the Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions— Contract and Business Cases and a printed book of instructions prepared by the Committee for use when appropriate in civil cases. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const. This Court generally approves the theory and technique of instructing juri... More...    $0 (06-06-2013 - FL)

Lisa Detournay and Brenda Randol, who own homes in Coral Gables, and their homeowners’ association, the Rivera Neighborhood Association, Inc., (hereinafter “the Homeownersâ€�) filed a two-count complaint to require the City of Coral Gables to prosecute an enforcement action against nearby property owned by Amace Properties, Inc. The trial court dismissed the first count for lack of standing. A... More...    $0 (12-04-2013 - FL)

Appellant Edward Golden, the curator of the Estate of Katherine Jones, appeals a final order striking a claim filed against the Estate of Harry Bruce Jones. We reverse, because the trial court erred in determining that the claim was untimely without first determining whether the claimant was a known or reasonably ascertainable creditor. We hold that if a known or reasonably ascertainable creditor ... More...    $0 (10-30-2013 - FL)

We sua sponte vacate and reconsider our original opinion in this matter. We substitute the following opinion for our original opinion.

This appeal by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company of money judgments in favor of the survivors of two smokers requires us to decide whether a decision of the Supreme Court of Florida in an earlier class action is entitled to full faith and credit in federal cou... More...    $0 (10-30-2013 - FL)

This appeal by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company of money judgments in favor of the survivors of two smokers requires us to decide whether a decision of the Supreme Court of Florida in an earlier class action is entitled to full faith and credit in federal court. Florida smokers and their survivors filed in state court a class action against the major tobacco companies that manufacture cigarettes in t... More...    $0 (09-12-2013 - FL)

John Rizzuto, age 66, sued Philip Morris USA and Liggett Group on products liability theories claiming to have been injured and/or damaged by the cigarettes manufactured and sold by the Defendants that he claimed caused him to developed COPD. Rizzulo started smoking at age 13.

He claimed that the Defendants created and designed nicotine-delivering devices that were marketed to ensnare tee... More...    $12550000 (08-23-2013 - FL)

Pulte Home Corporation (Pulte) seeks review of the circuit court's order denying its renewed motion to compel arbitration of an action brought by Bay at Cypress Creek Homeowners' Association, Inc. (the HOA), for alleged building code

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violations under section 553.84, Florida Statutes (2011). 1 We reverse the order under review on the authority of Pulte Home Corp. v. Vermilli... More...    $0 (08-09-2013 - FL)

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company appeals from a $100,000 judgment entered in favor of its insured, appellee Scott Siergiej, in an action

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seeking uninsured motorist coverage. The judgment equals the coverage limit on the uninsured motorist policy State Farm issued to Mr. Siergiej. The jury's verdict totaled $211,000. Before trial, State Farm waived its right to sub... More...    $0 (06-14-2013 - FL)