Florida Appeals Journal
Welcome to Florida Appeals Journal, our video report considering trends and issues in Florida appellate law, hosted by Jennifer S. Carroll, one of the most experienced, respected, and renowned board-certified appellate attorneys in Florida.
In each edition, Ms. Carroll will explore decisions in recent appellate civil cases and the ramifications for practicing attorneys in Florida. She will also examine important issues facing lawyers in Florida courts. Finally, based on her decades of experience in Florida appellate law, she will offer helpful suggestions for best practices for protecting clients’ appellate interests in navigating the procedures in the lower courts.
Florida Appeals Journal: TOP TEN LAND MINES IN CIVIL LITIGATION
As a trial lawyer, how can you make sure that your hard won verdict remains in tact, or if necessary, how can you make sure sure that the appellate court is going to actually hear your case? This video will answer your questions.
Here are the citations for cases mentioned in this video.
We’ll consider the following areas:
Land Mine 1: Motion For Rehearing/Reconsideration and Non-Final Orders
Land Mine 2: Jury Selection
Land Mine 3: Admission And Exclusion Of Evidence
Land Mine 4: Objections
Land Mine 5: Directed Verdict
Land Mine 6: Mistrial
Land Mine 7: Misconduct of Counsel
Land Mine 8: Jury Instructions
Land Mine 9: Jury Verdict
Land Mine 10: Motion For New Trial
Land Mine 1: Motion For Rehearing/Reconsideration and Non-Final Orders
Pound v. Steenberge, 36 So. 3d 671 (Fla. 2d DCA 2010); Potucek v. Smeja, 419 So. 2d 1192 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992); Richardson v. Watson, 611 So. 2d 1254 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992); Fla. R. App. P. 9.020(h).
Land Mine 2: Jury Selection
Ter Keurst v. Miami Elevator Co., 486 So. 2d 547 (Fla. 1986); Trotter v. State, 576 So. 2d 691 (Fla. 1990); Griefer v. DiPietro, 625 So. 2d 1226 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993); Weinstein Design Group, Inc. v. Fielder, 884 So. 2d 990 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004); Couch v. Dunn Ave. Shell, Inc., 803 So. 2d 803 (Fla. 1st DCA 2001).
Land Mine 3: Admission And Exclusion Of Evidence
Philip Morris, Inc. v. French, 897 So. 2d 480 (Fla. 3d DCA 2004); Tucker v. Allstate Ins. Co., 842 So. 2d 1029 (Fla. 2d DCA 2003); Horne v. Hudson, 772 So. 2d 556 (Fla. 1st DCA 2000); Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.450(a); § 90.104(1)(b), Fla. Stat.; Callihan v. Turtle Kraals, Ltd., 523 So. 2d 800 (Fla 3d DCA 1988); Diaz v. Rodriguez, 384 So. 2d 906 (Fla. 3d DCA 1980); Musachia v. Terry, 140 So. 2d 605 (Fla. 3d DCA 1962).
Land Mine 4: Objections
Castaneda ex rel. Cardona v. Redlands Christian Migrant Ass’n, Inc., 884 So. 2d 1087 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004); Venture Homes, Inc. v. Pratt, 769 So. 2d 435 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000); Wilson v. Health Trust, Inc., 640 So. 2d 93 (Fla. 4th DCA 1994); Rezzarday v. W. Fla. Hosp., 462 So. 2d 470 (Fla. 1st DCA 1984); MacDonald v. Dep’t of Children & Families, et al., 855 So. 2d 1270 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002).
Land Mine 5: Directed Verdict
Miami v. Swift, 481 So. 2d 26 (Fla. 3d DCA 1985); Perlman v. Ferman Corp., 611 So. 2d 1340 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993); Smith v. Hooligan’s Pub & Oyster Bar, Ltd., 753 So. 2d 596 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000); Honda Motor Co., Ltd. v. Marcus, 440 So. 2d 373 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983); Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.480(b); Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.480(c); Allstate Ins. Co. v. Gonzalez, 619 So. 2d 318 (Fla. 3d DCA 1993); Prime Motor Inns, Inc. v. Waltman, 480 So. 2d 88 (Fla. 1985); Fla. R. App. P. 1.480(b); McCain v. Fla. Power Corp., 593 So. 2d 500 (Fla. 1992); Jones v. Rives, 680 So. 2d 450 (Fla. 1st DCA 1996).
Land Mine 6: Mistrial
Weise v. Repa Film Int’l., Inc., 683 So. 2d 1128 (Fla. 4th DCA 1996); Ed Ricke & Sons, Inc. v. Green By & Through Swan, 468 So. 2d 908 (Fla. 1985); Companioni v. City of Tampa, 51 So. 3d 452 (Fla. 2010); Holton v. State, 573 So. 2d 284 (Fla. 1990); Goff v. 392208 Ontario, Ltd., 539 So. 2d 1158 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989); Robinson v. State, 989 So. 2d 747 (Fla. 2d DCA 2008); Keene Bros. Trucking, Inc. v. Pennell, 614 So. 2d 1083 (Fla. 1993); KMart Corp. v. Hayes, 707 So. 2d 957 (Fla. 3d DCA 1998).
Land Mine #7: Misconduct of Counsel
Companioni v. City of Tampa, 51 So. 3d 452 (Fla. 2010); Murphy v. International Robotic Systems, Inc., 766 So. 2d 1010 (Fla. 2000); Sullivan v. Kanarek, 79 So. 3d 900 (Fla. 2d DCA 2012); Newton v. So. Fla. Baptist Hosp., 614 So. 2d 1195 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992); Simpson v. State, 418 So. 2d 984 (Fla. 1982).
Land Mine 8: Jury Instructions
Accord Converse v. Dep’t of Children & Families, 823 So. 2d 295 (Fla. 1st DCA 2002); City of Sunrise v. Bradshaw, 470 So. 2d 804 (Fla. 4th DCA 1985); Wages v. Snell, 360 So. 2d 807 (Fla. 1st DCA 1978); Feliciano v. School Bd. of Palm Beach County, 776 So. 2d 306 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000); Jackson v. Harsco Corp., 364 So. 2d 808 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978); Ellis v. Golconda Corp., 352 So. 2d 1221 (Fla. 1st DCA 1977); Luthi v. Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corp., 672 So. 2d 650 (Fla. 4th DCA 1996); Marley v. Saunders, 249 So. 2d 30 (Fla. 1971); Morowitz v. Vistaview Apartments, Ltd., 613 So. 2d 493 (Fla. 3d DCA 1993); State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Monacelli, 486 So. 2d 630 (Fla. 3d DCA 1986).
Land Mine 9: Jury Verdict
Lucas v. Orchid Island Properties, Inc., 982 So. 2d 758 (Fla. 4th DCA 2008); Ellender v. Bricker, 967 So. 2d 1088 (Fla. 2d DCA 2007); DiMare, Inc. v. Robertson, 758 So. 2d 1193 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000); Avakian v. Burger King Corp., 719 So. 2d 342 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998); Zimmer, Inc. v. Birnbaum, 758 So. 2d 714 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000); Treal Group, Inc. v. Custom Video Servs., 682 So. 2d 1230 (Fla. 4th DCA 1996); Barth v. Khubani, 748 So. 2d 260 (Fla. 1999); Weinstein Design Group, Inc. v. Fielder, 884 So. 2d 990 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004); First Interstate Dev. v. Ablanedo, 511 So. 2d 536 (Fla. 1987).
Land Mine 10: Motion For New Trial
J.T.A. Factors, Inc. v. Philcon Servs., Inc., 820 So. 2d 367 (Fla. 3d DCA 2002); Cowart v. Kendall United Methodist Church, 476 So. 2d 289 (Fla. 3d DCA 1985); Paul v. Kanter, 155 So. 2d 402 (Fla. 3d DCA 1963); Winn & Lovett Grocery Co. v. Luke, 24 So. 2d 310 (Fla. 1945); Sheehan v. Allred, 146 So. 2d 760 (Fla. 1st DCA 1962); Smith v. McCullough Dredging Co., 152 So. 2d 194 (Fla. 3d DCA 1963).
FLORIDA APPEALS JOURNAL™– Vicarious Liability — Who is at fault?
JOURNAL ENTRY 33.2024 Recorded on February 12, 2024 Jennifer Carroll discusses principle of vicarious liability and an important decision from the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeals. The case involved a hit-and-run auto accident that seriously injured the plaintiff and killed her husband. The district court found that the circuit court erred in holding the employer liable for the injuries because the employee was not acting within the scope of his employment.
Florida Appeals Journal: Protect yourself from unwarranted fees from opposing attorneys
JOURNAL ENTRY 1.2019 1.) THE BIG CASE: The current rules in Florida expert testimony and how we got here. 2.) THE BIG ISSUE: Loopholes in Florida attorney fees law and how they’re sometimes abused. 3) COURTROOM SAVVY: How to protect yourself from unwarranted attorneys fees against your client.
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Florida Appeals Journal: How do video and digital advances affect evidentiary and legal standards?
JOURNAL ENTRY 3.2019 1.) THE BIG CASE: A fatal accident case pits dash cam evidence against eyewitness testimony. 2.) THE BIG ISSUE: Florida 5th DCA sends evidentiary question to Florida Supreme Court . 3) COURTROOM SAVVY: In light of the technological advances, what’s the best practice to follow regarding summary judgement?
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Florida Appeals Journal: Preserving error for an appeal
JOURNAL ENTRY 31.2023 In this edition of Florida Appeals Journal, Jennifer Carroll considers a recent ruling by the Florida Supreme Court that clarifies how trial attorneys may apply the rules for preservation of error to preserve an issue for appeal. The ruling is on Ellison v. Willoughby, 2023 WL 7203352 (Fla. Nov. 2, 2023). It specifically establishes that a trial attorney cannot argue a client is entitled to relief under one statute, and then argue on appeal that client is entitled to relief under a different statute.
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