S.L.V., A MINOR, BY ANIKO VIGI, AS NATURAL GUARDIAN AND NEXT FRIEND AND THIRD-PARTY, AND ANIKO VIGI, INDIVIDUALLY, APPELLANTS,
v.
ARPAD TOTH, APPELLEE.
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A minor sought declaratory relief regarding real property allegedly sold by his father. After a bench trial, the trial court dismissed the complaint without findings of fact or conclusions of law. The appellate court reversed and remanded because a declaratory judgment dismissal requires adequate factual findings and legal conclusions to permit meaningful appellate review.
A trial court's dismissal of a declaratory relief complaint is inadequate and must be reversed and remanded when the final judgment lacks findings of fact and conclusions of law. In declaratory judgment actions, the trial court must fully determine the rights of the respective parties as reflected by the pleadings, and conclusory final judgments devoid of factual findings or conclusions of law are insufficient.
[1] A trial court's final judgment in a declaratory judgment action must contain adequate findings of fact and conclusions of law to permit meaningful appellate review.
[2] A conclusory final judgment in a declaratory judgment claim, devoid of factual findings or conclusions of law, is inadequate.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“The lack of findings in this final judgment precludes meaningful appellate review, as review of a declaratory judgment generally requires adequate findings of fact and conclusions of law.”
Establishes the core holding that declaratory judgments must contain adequate findings and conclusions for appellate review.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceA minor, through his mother as natural guardian and next friend, filed a complaint for declaratory relief challenging the sale of real property by his…
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We grant appellee's motion for rehearing, withdraw our previous opinion dated February 13, 2019, and substitute the following in its place.
Appellant, a minor, filed a complaint for declaratory relief through his "natural guardian and next friend," his mother. The complaint sought a declaration of the minor's rights with regard to a piece of real property alleged to have been sold by the appellee, the minor's father. The father unsuccessfully moved for summary judgment and the case proceeded to a bench trial. The record on appeal contains no *803transcript of the trial, nor have the parties agreed to a statement of the proceedings below.
After the trial, the lower court entered a final judgment dismissing the complaint for declaratory relief with prejudice. The final judgment contained no findings of fact, conclusions of law, or rationales for the trial court's ruling. The trial court subsequently denied the minor's motion for rehearing. This appeal followed.
This court generally reviews a trial court's dismissal of a complaint for declaratory judgment for abuse of discretion. N & D Holding, Inc. v. Town of Davie , 17 So.3d 819, 820 (Fla. 4th DCA 2009). However, to the extent a court's dismissal is based on a legal determination, this court may conduct de novo review. Goldman v. Lustig , 237 So.3d 381, 384 (Fla. 4th DCA 2018).
The lack of findings in this final judgment precludes meaningful appellate review, as review of a declaratory judgment generally requires adequate findings of fact and conclusions of law. See Exotic Motorcars & Jewelry, Inc. v. Essex Ins. Co. , 111 So.3d 208, 209 (Fla. 4th DCA 2013) ; Trump Endeavor 12, LLC v. Fla. Pritikin Ctr. LLC , 208 So.3d 311, 312 (Fla. 3d DCA 2016). This problem is amplified by the absence of any record of the trial court proceedings. Because it is entirely unclear on what basis the trial court dismissed the declaratory relief complaint, the final judgment is inadequate. See Exotic Motorcars & Jewelry , 111 So.3d at 209.
We have previously determined that in a declaratory judgment action, where a trial court considers whether dismissal is required, "the trial court must fully determine the rights of the respective parties, as reflected by the pleadings." Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. Forbes/Cohen Fla. Props., L.P. , 223 So.3d 292, 298 (Fla. 4th DCA 2017) (citation and quotation marks omitted). In this case, the trial court dismissed the action without "fully determining the rights of the respective parties, as reflected by the pleadings." Id.
"[C]onclusory final judgments on declaratory judgment claims, which are devoid of factual findings or conclusions of law, are inadequate." Id. ; see also Local 532 of the Am. Fed'n of State, Cty., & Mun. Emps., AFL-CIO v. City of Fort Lauderdale , 273 So.2d 441, 445 (Fla. 4th DCA 1973). The final judgment here merely dismissed the claim for declaratory relief, failing to fully detail the parties' rights. This was insufficient. See Sears , 223 So.3d at 298.
This case was resolved after a trial and following the lower court's denial of a motion for summary judgment. At the trial, the court may have taken evidence and heard argument; without a record or adequate findings in the final judgment, however, it is impossible to determine which facts or what law formed the basis of its ruling. Having decided the merits of the case after a trial, the lower court was required to adjudicate the parties' rights. See id. We therefore reverse and remand for the trial court to make the required factual findings.
Reversed and remanded with instructions.
Warner, Damoorgian and Levine, JJ., concur.
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Comisar v. Heritage Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co. (Fla. 4th DCA 2022)…4 (Fla. 4th DCA 2018) (citing Academy Express, LLC v. Broward County, 53 So. 3d 1188, 1190 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011)). “However, to the extent a court’s dismissal is based on a legal determination, this court may conduct de novo review.” S.L.V. v. Toth, 268 So. 3d 801, 803 (Fla. 4th DCA 2019). We also review de novo “a dismissal for failure to state a cause of action.” Academy Express, LLC, 53 So. 3d at 1190. Parties may seek declaratory relief from courts as a matter of law. § 86.101, Fla. Stat. (2021). A par…
Authorities Cited
- Local 532 OF the Am. Fed'n OF State, Cnty., & Mun. Emps., AFL-CIO v. City OF Fort Lauderdale, 273 So. 2d 441 (Fla. 4th DCA 1973)
- Exotic Motorcars & Jewelry, Inc. v. Essex Ins. Co., 111 So. 3d 208 (Fla. 4th DCA 2013)
- Sears v. Forbes/Cohen Fla. Props., L.P., 223 So. 3d 292 (Fla. 4th DCA 2017)
- N & D Holding, Inc. v. Town OF Davie, 17 So. 3d 819 (Fla. 4th DCA 2009)
- Trump Endeavor 12, LLC v. Fla. Pritikin Ctr., LLC, 208 So. 3d 311 (Fla. 3d DCA 2016)
- Goldman v. Lustig, 237 So. 3d 381 (Fla. 4th DCA 2018)