WILLIAM KEMPTON
v.
LAWRENCE MCCOMB, GREGORY DAVIS AND MARIANNE CARTER

Fla. 5th DCA | 2019-03-15
No. 18-1021
Roberts, J., Evander, C.J., Orfinger, J., Sasso, J.
266 So. 3d 272 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fifth District (2019)

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Holding

When an appellate court reverses an underlying judgment, any award of attorney's fees dependent upon that judgment must also be reversed.


Headnotes

[1] Where an award of attorney's fees is dependent upon the judgment obtained, reversal of the underlying judgment necessitates reversal of the fee award.

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Key Quotes

“[W]here an award of attorney's fees is dependent upon the judgment obtained, the reversal of the underlying judgment necessitates the reversal of the fee award.”

Citation to City of Hollywood v. Witt, 939 So. 2d 315, 319 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006)

Facts & Procedural History

Kempton sued McComb, Davis, and Carter. The trial court entered final judgment in favor of McComb and awarded him attorney's fees and costs under sect…

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Opinion of the Court
Reversed. Evander

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA

FIFTH DISTRICT

NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO

FILE MOTION FOR REHEARING AND

DISPOSITION THEREOF IF FILED

WILLIAM KEMPTON,

Appellant,

v. Case No. 5D18-1021

LAWRENCE MCCOMB, GREGORY DAVIS

AND MARIANNE CARTER,

Appellees.

________________________________/

Opinion filed March 15, 2019

Appeal from the Circuit Court for Brevard County, Charles J. Roberts, Judge.

Matthew G. Struble and Christine D. Skubala, of Struble, P.A., Ft. Lauderdale, for Appellant.

Angela C. Flowers, of Kubicki Draper, P.A., Ocala, for Appellee, Lawrence McComb. David C. Knapp and James A. Coleman, of James A. Coleman, P.A., Orlando, for Appellee, Marianne Carter. No Appearance for Appellee, Gregory Davis.

PER CURIAM.

William Kempton appeals the trial court’s order awarding attorney’s fees and costs to Lawrence McComb, pursuant to section 768.79, Florida Statutes (2015), and Florida

2 Rule of Civil Procedure 1.442. The award of attorney’s fees and costs was based on the trial court’s entry of a final judgment in favor of Mr. McComb after applying section 768.36, Florida Statutes (2015), to completely bar recovery by Mr. Kempton. We recently reversed the final judgment in favor of Mr. McComb with directions to enter a final judgment awarding damages to Mr. Kempton in accordance with the jury’s apportionment of fault. See Kempton v. McComb, 44 Fla. L. Weekly D611 (Fla. 5th DCA Mar. 1, 2019). Given our reversal of the final judgment, we must reverse the trial court’s order awarding attorney’s fees and costs in Mr. McComb’s favor. See Hodge v. Cichon, 79 So. 3d 950 (Fla. 5th DCA 2012) (reversing order granting attorney’s fees pursuant to section 768.79 where appellate court reversed trial court’s order granting final summary judgment in favor of appellees); City of Hollywood v. Witt, 939 So. 2d 315, 319 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006) (“[W]here an award of attorney’s fees is dependent upon the judgment obtained, the reversal of the underlying judgment necessitates the reversal of the fee award.”).

REVERSED.

EVANDER, C.J., ORFINGER and SASSO, JJ., concur.


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