COASTAL INVESTMENT PROPERTIES, LTD., A FLORIDA LIMITED PARTNERSHIP; PVP, INC., A FLORIDA CORPORATION, AND PURVIN PUJARA, APPELLANTS,
v.
WEBER HOLDINGS, LLC, A FLORIDA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, APPELLEE

Fla. 4th DCA | 2006-06-07
Nos. 4D05-1085, 4D05-2735
GROSS and HAZOURI, JJ., concur.
930 So. 2d 833 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fourth District (2006) Positive Treatment
Cited by 3 cases

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Synopsis

Coastal Investment Properties and related entities appealed a summary judgment award to Weber Holdings on fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and breach of warranty claims arising from the sale of real property. The Fourth District Court of Appeal reversed the summary judgment, holding that material issues of fact remained regarding the appellants' intent and knowledge concerning fire code violations on the property.


Holding

The court reversed the summary judgment because material issues of fact remained regarding the appellants' intent and knowledge of the fire code violations. The court concluded that the facts and circumstances could support either a finding of fraud or a finding that the appellants did not intentionally mislead the appellee, making summary judgment inappropriate in this fraud case.


Headnotes

[1] Summary judgment is rarely proper in fraud cases because the issue frequently turns on the circumstances surrounding the transaction, including circumstantial evidence of…

[2] Genuine issues of material fact regarding knowledge of violations and justifiable reliance preclude summary judgment on claims of negligent misrepresentation and breach o…

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Key Quotes

“In fraud cases, summary judgment is rarely proper as the issue so frequently turns on the axis of the circumstances surrounding the complete transaction, including circumstantial evidence of intent and knowledge.”

Establishes the legal standard that summary judgment is disfavored in fraud cases due to the importance of intent and knowledge factors that typically require fact-finding.

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Facts & Procedural History

The appellants sold real property to Weber Holdings. Weber Holdings filed a counterclaim alleging that the appellants made representations that they h…

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Opinion of the Court
WARNER, J.

On Motion for Partial Reconsideration

WARNER, J.

We grant the motion for partial reconsideration, withdraw our previously issued opinion, and substitute the following in its place.

The appellants, Coastal Investment Properties, Ltd., PVP, Inc., and Purvin Pujara, challenge a final judgment against them based upon a summary judgment in favor of appellee, Weber Holdings, LLC, on its counterclaim for fraud, negligent misrepresentation, breach of warranty, and indemnification, in connection with the appellants’ sale of real property to the appellee. In particular, the court granted summary judgment on the fraud count, finding that the evidence was sufficient to prove that the appellants committed fraud as a matter of law. The trial court’s order granting summary judgment also concluded that even absent fraudulent intent, the appellants made negligent misrepresentations. We reverse because there were material issues of fact remaining.

“In fraud cases, summary judgment is rarely proper as the issue so frequently turns on the axis of the circumstances surrounding the complete transaction, including circumstantial evidence of intent and knowledge.” Cohen v. Kravit Estate Buyers, Inc., 843 So. 2d 989, 991 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003); see also Robinson v. Kalmanson, 882 So. 2d 1086 (Fla. 5th DCA 2004). In this case, the gravamen of the appellee’s counterclaim was that the appellants made representations that they had no knowledge of fire code violations on the property, when, in fact, they knew of the violations. While one view of the facts and circumstances may indicate that the appellants were fraudulent in them representations regarding the property, another way of looking at those same facts would show that the appellants did not intentionally mislead the appellee at all. Indeed, in Mr. Pujara’s deposition testimony, he never admitted that he had knowledge of fire code violations on the property. Thus, the appellee did not conclusively prove its entitlement to summary judgment. This case is not that extraordinarily rare fraud case where summary judgment is appropriate. With respect to the appellee’s claims other than fraud, we' conclude that there are genuine issues of material fact as to whether the appellants should have known of the fire code violations and whether the appellee justifiably relied on any of the appellants’ statements. As we are reversing for a new trial, we also reverse the award of attorney’s fees.

The final judgment is reversed and remanded for a trial on the merits.

GROSS and HAZOURI, JJ., concur.


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  • …, summary judgment is rarely proper as the issue so frequently turns on the axis of the circumstances surrounding the complete transaction, including circumstantial evidence of intent and knowledge.” Coastal Inv. Props., Ltd. v. Weber Holdings, LLC, 930 So. 2d 833, 834 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006) (quoting Cohen v. Kravit Est. Buyers, Inc., 843 So. 2d 989, 991 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003)). So it is here. The case requires a trier of fact to determine K&M's “willfullness” under the statute. After the problem with the amount…
  • Global Quest, LLC v. Horizon Yachts, Inc., 849 F.3d 1022 (11th Cir. 2017)
    …udgment “is rarely proper as the issue so frequently turns on the axis of the circumstances surrounding the complete transaction, including circumstantial evidence of intent and knowledge.” Coastal Investment Properties, Ltd. v, Weber Holdings, LLC, 930 So. 2d 833, 834 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2006) (quoting Cohen v. Kravit Estate Buyers, Inc., 843 So. 2d 989, 991 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2003)); see also Burton, 556 So. 2d at 1129-30 (“Fraud is ordinarily inappropriate for summary disposition; only after a full expl…

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