OPEN MRI OF MIAMI-DADE, LTD. A/A/O DEOGRACIA BARRERAS
v.
UNITED AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY

Fla. 3d DCA | 2020-12-23
No. 20-1415
Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (2020) Positive Treatment

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Synopsis

Open MRI of Miami-Dade sought second-tier certiorari review of a circuit court appellate decision that reversed a county court's summary judgment in its favor on a personal injury protection (PIP) benefits claim against United Automobile Insurance Company. The Third District Court of Appeal denied the petition, finding that the circuit court properly applied the law and afforded procedural due process.


Holding

The petition for second-tier certiorari review was denied. The court found that the circuit court properly afforded procedural due process and applied the correct law in reviewing the county court's order, and therefore did not depart from any essential requirement of law.


Headnotes

[1] Second-tier certiorari review of a circuit court acting in appellate capacity is limited to determining whether the circuit court afforded procedural due process and appl…

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Key Quotes

“The decision in this case is driven by the narrow scope of second-tier certiorari review of a circuit court acting in its appellate capacity.”

Court establishing the limited standard for review.

Facts & Procedural History

Open MRI obtained a final summary judgment against United Automobile Insurance Company in county court for PIP benefits. The circuit court, acting in …

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Opinion of the Court

Opinion filed December 23, 2020. Not final until disposition of timely filed motion for rehearing.

________________ No. 3D20-1415 Lower Tribunal No. 19-103 ________________ Open MRI of Miami-Dade, Ltd. a/a/o Deogracia Barreras,

Petitioner,

vs.

United Automobile Insurance Company,

Respondent.

On Petition for Writ of Certiorari from the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, Appellate Division, Daryl E. Trawick, Lisa S. Walsh and Maria de Jesus Santovenia, Judges. Douglas H. Stein, P.A., and Douglas H. Stein; Buchalter, Hoffman & Dorchak, and Kenneth J. Dorchak, for petitioner. Michael J. Neimand, for respondent. Before EMAS, C.J., and HENDON and GORDO, JJ. GORDO, J.

Open MRI of Miami-Dade, Ltd. seeks second-tier certiorari review of a circuit court appellate decision reversing and remanding an order of the county court, which entered final summary judgment against United Automobile Insurance Company in an action for personal injury protection (“PIP”) benefits. Open MRI argues the circuit court, acting in its appellate capacity, legally erred in reversing county court’s order. Because our scope of review is limited to whether the circuit court afforded the parties procedural due process and applied the correct law, and we find that it did, we deny the petition.

“The decision in this case is driven by the narrow scope of second-tier certiorari review of a circuit court acting in its appellate capacity.” State Farm Mut.

Auto. Ins. Co. v. CC Chiropractic, LLC, 245 So. 3d 755, 758 (Fla. 4th DCA 2018).

“[W]hen a district court considers a petition for second-tier certiorari review, the ‘inquiry is limited to whether the circuit court afforded procedural due process and whether the circuit court applied the correct law,’ or, as otherwise stated, departed from the essential requirements of law.” State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. CEDA Health of Hialeah, LLC, 300 So. 3d 748, 751 (Fla. 3d DCA 2020) (quoting Custer Med. Ctr. v. United Auto. Ins. Co., 62 So. 3d 1086, 1092 (Fla. 2010)). Second-tier certiorari “cannot be used to grant a second appeal to correct the existence of mere legal error.” Id. (quoting Custer, 62 So. 3d at 1093).

Open MRI does not argue that it was not afforded procedural due process but attempts to seek a second appeal to correct what amounts to mere legal error. Based on the record before us, we conclude the circuit court applied the correct law in reviewing county court’s order and did not depart from any essential requirement of law.

Petition denied.


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