J. BATT, INC., APPELLANT,
v.
WELLINGTON CONSTRUCTION AND REALTY, INC., ET AL., APPELLEES

Fla. 4th DCA | 1980-02-06
No. 78-1386
DOWNEY, C. J., and LETTS, J., concur.
379 So. 2d 461 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fourth District (1980) Positive Treatment
Cited by 1 case

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Synopsis

A plumbing contractor appealed a partial summary judgment dismissing mechanic's and equitable lien claims and an accompanying mandatory injunction requiring removal of filed liens. The appellate court dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, finding the order non-final and the injunction moot.


Holding

The court lacked jurisdiction because the order was not final, did not determine a separate and distinct controversy, and the injunction was unnecessary, moot, and never operative. The appeal was dismissed.


Headnotes

[1] An order granting partial summary judgment that does not determine a separate and distinct controversy between the parties is not a final order and does not support a ple…

[2] A mandatory injunction that is rendered moot or ineffective by a subsequent order is insufficient to support interlocutory review.

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Key Quotes

“The order in question is not final so as to support a plenary appeal. The partial summary judgment does not determine any separate and distinct controversy between the parties and the matter remains pending below.”

Establishes the jurisdictional basis for dismissal—the order did not finally resolve the dispute as multiple counts remained pending.

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Facts & Procedural History

Plaintiff, a plumbing contractor, filed a six-count complaint against property owners/developers seeking recovery for services and supplies. The compl…

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Opinion of the Court
BERANEK, Judge.

BERANEK, Judge.

This is an interlocutory appeal from a partial summary judgment and a mandatory injunction entered against plaintiff/appellant. The controversy is a suit between plaintiff, a plumbing contractor, and defendants, the owners and developers of residential property.

Plaintiff filed a six-count complaint seeking recovery for certain services and supplies rendered to the subject property. Without regard to the substance of the allegations, Count I was entitled, “Material-man’s Lien” and has been considered by both parties as a count for a mechanic’s lien pursuant to Chapter 713, Florida Statutes. Count II is entitled, “Equitable Lien” and seeks to impose such a lien on the subject property. Counts III, IV, V, and VI all seek monetary recovery based on the same transaction on different theories.

The trial court granted a partial summary judgment for defendant on Counts I and II finding that a particular no-lien provision of the contract between the parties barred the lien claims. In the same order which granted the partial summary judgment, the trial court issued a mandatory injunction requiring plaintiff to remove within five days the claims of lien previously filed.

We conclude that we lack jurisdiction and dismiss the appeal. The order in question is not final so as to support a plenary appeal. The partial summary judgment does not determine any separate and distinct controversy between the parties and the matter remains pending below. See Mendez v. West Flagler Family Association, Inc., 303 So. 2d 1 (Fla.1974), and Venezia A., Inc. v. Askew, 314 So. 2d 254 (Fla. 1st DCA 1975). Furthermore, the only arguable basis for interlocutory review is pursuant to Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.130(a)(3)(B) governing interlocutory appeals from orders granting injunctions. Here the injunction requiring removal of the claims of lien was unnecessary in view of Section 713.21(5), Florida Statutes (1977). Appellee need only have recorded a copy of the trial court’s decree and the lien would be discharged by operation of the statute. Furthermore, this injunction was rendered moot and ineffective by a later order entered on June 28, 1978, which discharged the claims of lien. Thus the trial court in fact discharged the claims of lien pursuant to the mechanic’s lien law and the injunction was never operative or enforced. The later order discharging the claims of lien has not been appealed and is not argued in appellant’s brief.

We conclude that the injunctive aspects of the non-final order were never operative and were insufficient to support interlocutory review. The appeal is thus dismissed.

APPEAL DISMISSED.

DOWNEY, C. J., and LETTS, J., concur.


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  • Brown v. Zaveri, 164 F. Supp. 2d 1354 (S.D. Fla. 2001)
    …intiff] was threatened with termination; ... [Plaintiff] was unjustifiably suspended and demoted; and ... [Plaintiffs supervisor] struck Plaintiff from behind on the ankle. Vamper, 14 F.Supp.2d at 1306; see also Lay v. Roux Labs., Inc., 379 So.2d 461, 452 (Fla. 1st DCA 1980) (finding allegations that co-employee threatened plaintiff with loss of job; directed humiliating language, vicious verbal threats, and racial epithets at her; and called her “nigger” when argument arose concerning parking s…

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