JOSEPH SANFILIPPO, APPELLANT,
v.
LARRY GIACIN TILE CO., INC., APPELLEE
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Sanfilippo appeals the trial court's denial of attorney's fees in an action where he prevailed against Giacin Tile Co.'s attempt to enforce a mechanic's lien. The court holds that Section 713.29, Florida Statutes, mandatorily requires awarding reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party in lien enforcement actions, despite the trial court's discretionary refusal to award them.
The court holds that Section 713.29 is mandatory and requires the trial court to award reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party for both trial and appeal services. The amendment's addition of the phrase 'for trial and appeal' did not change the mandatory nature of the requirement, only clarified its scope.
[1] A statute providing for attorney's fees to the prevailing party in an action to enforce a mechanic's lien is mandatory, not permissive.
[2] The 1977 amendment to Section 713.29, Florida Statutes, which added language regarding fees for trial and appeal, did not change the mandatory nature of attorney's fee aw…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover a reasonable fee for the services of his attorney for trial and appeal, to be determined by the court, which shall be taxed as part of his costs, as allowed in equitable actions.”
The amended Section 713.29, establishing that attorney's fees for both trial and appeal are mandatorily awardable to the prevailing party
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceGiacin Tile Co. brought suit to enforce and foreclose a mechanic's lien against property owned by Sanfilippo and improved by Giacin Tile. The trial co…
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[*414] HERSEY, Judge.
Appellee, Larry Giacin Tile Co., Inc., brought suit against appellant, Joseph San-filippo, attempting to enforce and foreclose a mechanic’s lien against property owned by appellant and improved by appellee. The trial court found that both parties had acted in good faith but that appellee had failed to perfect a mechanic’s lien. Judgment was entered in favor of appellant and each party was directed to bear his own costs and attorney’s fees.
This appeal questions only the correctness of that part of the judgment dealing with costs and attorney’s fees.
Prior to its amendment in 1977, Section 713.29 of the Florida Statutes provided:
In any action brought to enforce a lien under part I of this chapter, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover a reasonable fee for the services of his attorney, to be determined by the court, which shall be taxed as part of his costs.
The amendment, Chapter 77-353, effective July 1, 1978, changed this section to read:
In any action brought to enforce a lien under part I, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover a reasonable fee for the services of his attorney for trial and appeal, to be determined by the court, which shall be taxed as part of his costs, as allowed in equitable actions.
There is no question but that appellant was the prevailing party in this action. It is also clear that, prior to the amendment, an award of attorney’s fees to the prevailing party in an action based on Chapter 713 was mandatory. Foxbilt Electric, Inc. v. Belefant, 280 So. 2d 28 (Fla. 4th DCA 1973). The issue, then, is whether the amendment changed the character of this requirement from mandatory to permissive.
We have previously concluded that the purpose of the statute in question was to make the prevailing party whole while at the same time discouraging specious claims and defenses. Foxbilt Electric, Inc. v. Belefant, supra. We perceive no change in legislative intent indicated by the two phrases added by the amendment. Accordingly, we hold that Section 713.29, Florida Statutes (1979) is mandatory and requires the trial court to award an attorney’s fee to the prevailing party. American Insulation of Fort Walton Beach v. Pruitt, 378 So. 2d 839 (Fla. 1st DCA 1979).
Appellant’s motion for attorney’s fees for prosecuting this appeal is granted. Prior to the 1977 amendment there was a conflict of authority on this point. We held that an award of attorney’s fees for services in connection with an appeal was appropriate under the statute. Foxbilt Electric, Inc. v. Belefant, supra. The Second District Court of Appeal, in R. F. Driggers Construction Company v. Bagli, 313 So. 2d 450 (Fla. 2d DCA 1975) and the First District Court of Appeal, in John T. Wood Homes, Inc. v. Air Control Products, Inc., 177 So. 2d 709 (Fla. 1st DCA 1965) developed a contrary line of authority. This conflict has been put to rest by the amendment which mandates attorney’s fees for services “for trial and appeal.”
That portion of the judgment pertaining to costs is not subject to reversal unless an abuse of discretion is demonstrated. Insofar as the trial court specifically found no bad faith here on the part of either party, we can find no abuse of discretion in refusing to award appellant his costs.
We therefore affirm that aspect of the judgment pertaining to costs. We reverse that portion of the judgment dealing with attorney’s fees and remand this cause to the trial court with instructions to ascertain reasonable attorney’s fees for services in the trial court and on this appeal and to enter an award for such fees in favor of appellant and against appellee.
AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART AND REMANDED WITH DIRECTIONS.
GLICKSTEIN, J., concurs.
ANSTEAD, J., concurs in part and dissents in part with opinion.
[*415] ANSTEAD, Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part:
I agree with the majority opinion on the issue of attorney’s fees but I would also direct that appellant be awarded his reasonable costs. There is no basis in the record for denying such costs.
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Trytek v. Gale Indus., Inc., 3 So. 3d 1194 (Fla. 2009)…ee Pennington & Assocs., Inc. v. Evans, 932 So. 2d 1253, 1254 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006); Hollub Constr. Co. v. Narula, 704 So. 2d 689, 690 (Fla. 3d DCA 1997); Grant v. Wester, 679 So. 2d 1301, 1308 (Fla. 1st DCA 1996); Sanfilippo v. Larry Giacin Tile Co., 390 So. 2d 413, 414 (Fla. 4th DCA 1980). We reject the notion that in every construction lien case the trial court is compelled to find a prevailing party. See Kenmark Constr., Inc. v. Cronin, 765 So. 2d 129 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000) (declining to announce a bright-line…
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Plaza Builders, Inc. v. Regis, 502 So. 2d 918 (Fla. 2d DCA 1986)…e all factually distinguishable. Say Service, Inc. v. Willig, 473 So. 2d 43 (Fla. 3d DCA 1985); Snaidman v. Harrell, 432 So. 2d 809 (Fla. 1st DCA 1983); Saleh v. Watkins, 415 So. 2d 858 (Fla. 5th DCA 1982); Sanfilippo v. Larry Giacin Tile Co., Inc., 390 So. 2d 413 (Fla. 4th DCA 1980); Dynamic Builders, Inc. v. Tull, 365 So. 2d 1032 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978). Falovitch v. Gunn & Gunn Construction Co., 348 So. 2d 560 (Fla. 3d DCA 1977). Say Service, Snaidman, Sa-leh, Sanfilippo, and Falovitch solely involved the mecha…
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Wells v. Halmac Dev., Inc., 189 So. 3d 1015 (Fla. 3d DCA 2016)…ee Pennington & Assocs., Inc. v. Evans, 932 So. 2d 1253, 1254 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006); Hollub Constr. Co. v. Narula, 704 So. 2d 689, 690 (Fla. 3d DCA 1997); Grant v. Wester, 679 So. 2d 1301, 1308 (Fla. 1st DCA 1996); Sanfilippo v. Larry Giacin Tile Co., 390 So. 2d 413, 414 (Fla. 4th DCA 1980). We reject the notion that in every construction lien case the trial court is compelled to find a [*1021] prevailing party. See Kenmark Constr., Inc. v. Cronin, 765 So. 2d 129 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000) (declining to announce a brig…
Previewing 3 of 12 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- John T. Wood Homes, Inc. v. AIR Control Prods., Inc., 177 So. 2d 709 (Fla. 1st DCA 1965)
- Foxbilt Elec., Inc. v. Belefant, 280 So. 2d 28 (Fla. 4th DCA 1973)
- Am. Insulation OF Fort Walton Beach, Inc. v. Pruitt, 378 So. 2d 839 (Fla. 1st DCA 1979)
- Ruddy v. Orange Cnty. Bd. of Pub. Instruction, 313 So. 2d 450 (Fla. 4th DCA 1975)
- R. F. Driggers Constr. Co. v. Bagli, 313 So. 2d 450 (Fla. 2d DCA 1975)