NICOLAS FLEITAS AND MARY FLEITAS, APPELLANTS,
v.
UNION CHELSEA NATIONAL BANK, APPELLEE

Fla. 3d DCA | 1997-01-29
No. 96-1450
Before SCHWARTZ, C.J., and NESBITT and FLETCHER, JJ.
687 So. 2d 911 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (1997) Positive Treatment
Cited by 2 cases

AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.

Synopsis

The Fleitases sued Union Chelsea National Bank, a New York institution, after a fraudulent check drawn on a Florida NationsBank account was deposited into Union Chelsea's account and the funds were absconded with. The trial court dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction, and the appellate court affirmed, holding that a New York bank's acceptance and processing of a Florida check through normal Federal Reserve clearing procedures did not subject it to Florida's long-arm jurisdiction.


Holding

Union Chelsea National Bank was not subject to Florida's long-arm jurisdiction. The bank's actions of accepting the Florida check, initiating collection through normal Federal Reserve clearing procedures, and paying the proceeds, all of which occurred in New York, did not constitute sufficient contacts with Florida to establish personal jurisdiction under Florida Statutes § 48.181, 193(1).


Headnotes

[1] A bank's actions in accepting a check drawn on a Florida account, initiating its collection through the Federal Reserve clearing house process, and paying the proceeds, a…

[2] The mere initiation of a check collection process through the Federal Reserve system by a foreign bank does not establish sufficient minimum contacts with Florida to conf…

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Key Quotes

“the trial court dismissed the action as against Union Chelsea for lack of jurisdiction over its person. We agree that the actions of the New York bank in accepting the Florida cheek, initiating its collection through the normal Federal Reserve clearing house process, and paying the proceeds — all of which occurred in New York — did not, contrary to the plaintiffs' assertions, subject it to the long-arm jurisdiction of the Florida court.”

The court's primary holding that Union Chelsea's activities in New York, including processing the check through normal banking channels, did not establish personal jurisdiction in Florida.

Facts & Procedural History

The Florida Insurance Guarantee Association issued a check payable to the Fleitases and their agent for Hurricane Andrew damages. Someone deposited th…

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Opinion of the Court
SCHWARTZ, Chief Judge.

SCHWARTZ, Chief Judge.

The Florida Insurance Guarantee Association issued a check drawn on a Florida NationsBank account payable to the Fleitases and their agent for Hurricane Andrew damages to their home. The Fleitases never saw the money, however, because the check was deposited in the Union Chelsea National Bank, a New York institution, by someone who absconded with the funds. In this action on the cheek by the Fleitases against both banks, see Larkin General Hosp., Ltd. v. Bank of Florida, 464 So. 2d 635 (Fla. 3d DCA 1985); Florida Bar v. Allstate Ins. Co., 391 So. 2d 238 (Fla. 3d DCA 1980), pet. for review denied, 399 So. 2d 1140 (Fla.1981), the trial court dismissed the action as against Union Chelsea1 for lack of jurisdiction over its person.

We agree that the actions of the New York bank in accepting the Florida cheek, initiating its collection through the normal Federal Reserve clearing house process, and paying the proceeds — all of which occurred in New York — did not, contrary to the plaintiffs’ assertions, subject it to the long-arm jurisdiction of the Florida court. §§ 48.181, 193(1), Fla.Stat. (1993); see Jet Charter Serv., Inc. v. Koeck, 907 F. 2d 1110 (11th Cir.1990), cert. denied, 499 U.S. 937, 111 S.Ct. 1390, 113 L.Ed.2d 447 (1991); Oriental Imports and Exports, Inc. v. Maduro & Curiel’s Bank, N.V., 701 F. 2d 889 (11th Cir.1983); Gateway Leasing, Inc. v. American Bank, 577 F.Supp. 908 (D.Md.1984); First United Bank of Mississippi v.

First Nat’l Bank of Atlanta, 255 Ga. 505, 340 S.E. 2d 597 (1986); Eferakeya v. Twin City State Bank, 245 Kan. 154, 777 P. 2d 759 (1989).

Affirmed.

. The case proceeds below against NationsBank.


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