MARIA MUNOZ AND RAFAEL MUNOZ, APPELLANTS,
v.
CITY OF MIAMI, A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, CITY OF MIAMI PARKING SYSTEMS, A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND CITY OF MIAMI OFF-STREET PARKING AUTHORITY, A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEES

Fla. 3d DCA | 2003-07-23
No. 3D02-1457
Before COPE, FLETCHER, and WELLS, JJ.
853 So. 2d 489 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (2003) Positive Treatment
Cited by 4 cases

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Holding

The court clarifies that the award of section 57.105 fees reversed was $5,250.00, not $6,046.00, and affirms the award of costs.


Facts & Procedural History

The Department of Transportation was awarded section 57.105 fees and costs. The prior opinion incorrectly stated the amount of the 57.105 fees. The co…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

The plaintiffs below, Maria Munoz and Rafael Munoz, appeal an order granting attorney’s fees in favor of the defendant, Department of Transportation (DOT), pursuant to section 57.105, Florida Statutes (2008). We reverse.

Mrs. Munoz claimed to have tripped on a piece of metal protruding from the sidewalk on a Miami street. She and her husband sued a number of government entities including DOT, for the injuries sustained. DOT denied responsibility from the start, and eventually submitted an affidavit to that effect. However Mrs. Munoz did not voluntarily dismiss DOT from the lawsuit until the day after the deposition of DOT’S representative, only hours before DOT’S motion for summary judgment was to be heard. Thereafter, DOT sought and was awarded some $6,046.00 in section 57.105 fees.

We agree with the appellants that with no government agency admitting its responsibility to maintain the sidewalk at issue, the decision to bring DOT into, and to keep DOT in, the case did not justify the award of 57.105 fees. See Forcier v. City of St. Petersburg, 732 So. 2d 35, 36 (Fla. 2d DCA 1999)(observing that a city’s affidavit denying liability was insufficient to resolve issue as a matter of law, and concluding “[ujnless both governmental entities can stipulate that one of them is responsible to maintain this portion of the sidewalk, it will be necessary for both entities to be joined in the lawsuit. Otherwise, [plaintiff] could fall again — this time in the gap between the conflicting judgments entered in two separate lawsuits”); see also Read v. Taylor, 832 So. 2d 219, 222-23 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002); Vasquez v. Provincial South, Inc., 795 So. 2d 216, 218 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001)(the purpose of section 57.105 is to discourage baseless claims, stonewall defenses and sham appeals in civil litigation by placing a price tag through attorney’s fees awards on losing parties who engage in these activities).

Accordingly, the order under review is reversed.

Other
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

Appellee Department of Transportation’s motion for rehearing and clarification of this court’s opinion of July 23, 2003 is granted. That opinion observes: “DOT sought and was awarded some $6,046.00 in section 57.105 fees.” The $6,046.00 figure actually represents $5,250.00 in 57.105 fees and $796.00 in “recoverable costs.” Thus, this court’s opinion reversing the award of 57.105 fees should have reflected the $5,250.00 amount.

As to costs, pursuant to Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.420(d), which provides in part “[c]osts in any action dismissed under this rule shall be assessed and judgment for costs entered in that action,” the plain tiffs were ordered to pay defendant DOT’S costs. On appeal, neither party attempted to dissect or differentiate any element of the cost award, nor was it argued why that award or any part of it should not stand. Thus, the cost award should remain in place.

Accordingly, the order of this court is corrected to reflect that the trial court’s award of $5,250.00 in 57.105 fees is reversed, the balance of the order on appeal affirmed. Appellants’ request for appellate attorney’s fees is denied.


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  • …ny of the statutory prerequisites for that relief. See Bowen v. Brewer, 936 So. 2d 757 (Fla. 2d DCA 2006), review denied, 952 So. 2d 1188 (Fla.2007); Connelly v. Old Bridge Vill. Co-Op, Inc., 915 So. 2d 652 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005); Munoz v. City of Miami 853 So. 2d 489 (Fla. 3d DCA 2003); Read v. Taylor, 832 So. 2d 219 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002). This holding pretermits the discussion of the several other, apparently meritorious, grounds asserted for reversal. Reversed and remanded.…
  • Eldalee G. Cook v. In re Est. OF Gloria M. Silverio, 859 So. 2d 1253 (Fla. 3d DCA 2003)
    …conclude that the trial court abused its discretion in awarding fees under Section 57.105 because the Cooks’ position, which was premised upon the claims made by Silverio in the wrongful death case, was far from baseless. See Munoz v. City of Miami, 853 So. 2d 489, 490 (Fla. 3d DCA 2003) (citing Vasquez v. Provincial South, Inc., 795 So. 2d 216, 218 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001)). Reversed.…

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