ADOPTION HOT LINE, INC., APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, DISTRICT XI, MAX B. ROTHMAN, AS DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR, APPELLEE

Fla. 3d DCA | 1981-08-18
No. 80-1859
Before SCHWARTZ and DANIEL S. PEARSON and FERGUSON, JJ.
402 So. 2d 1307 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (1981) Positive Treatment
Cited by 7 cases

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Synopsis

Adoption Hot Line, Inc. challenged a permanent injunction prohibiting all advertising of adoption referral services. The court reversed, holding that the injunction violated the First Amendment because it was broader than necessary to prevent unlawful activity under Florida's adoption statutes.


Holding

The court reversed the permanent injunction, holding that it violates the First Amendment because it is broader than necessary to protect against unlawful activity. While Florida law may regulate unlicensed intermediaries, a complete prohibition on all advertising is impermissible without a showing that more limited restrictions would be ineffective.


Headnotes

[1] An injunction prohibiting all advertising by an entity is overbroad and violates the First Amendment when a less restrictive injunction would suffice to prevent unlawful…

[2] Chapter 63 of the Florida Statutes does not prohibit unlicensed parties from referring children to licensed or authorized adoption agencies.

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Key Quotes

“We do not read Chapter 63 as prohibiting all unlicensed parties from referring children to licensed or authorized parties to place for adoption.”

Establishes that the statute does not categorically ban all referral services by unlicensed entities, only certain regulated activities.

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Facts & Procedural History

Adoption Hot Line, Inc. was found by the trial court to be acting as an unlicensed intermediary and child placing agency in violation of Florida law. …

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

Adoption Hot Line, Inc. appeals from an order of permanent injunction after the trial court determined that Adoption Hot Line was acting in the capacity of an intermediary as defined by Section 63.032(8), Florida Statutes (1979) and was an unlicensed child placing agency in violation of Chapter 63, Florida Statutes (1979).1 The injunction provides:

That Adoption Hot Line, Inc. is permanently enjoined from, in any manner of advertising for parents for unborn children, for purposes of adoption or in any manner advertising or soliciting the offering of adoptive services until further Order of this Court.

We reverse on the grounds that this injunction is more extensive than is necessary to protect against any unlawful activity under Chapter 63, supra. We do not read Chapter 63 as prohibiting all unlicensed parties from referring children to licensed or authorized parties to place for adoption. Under the present injunction,2 however, Adoption Hot Line is permanently enjoined from any form of advertising any referral service, even services consistent with Chapter 63, supra. In an absence of a showing that a more limited injunction would be ineffective to preserve the governmental interest expressed in Chapter 63, and to prevent misleading advertising, we find the complete suppression of Adoption Hot Line’s advertising an impermissible violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution (1968).

See, e. g., Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. v. Public Service Commission of New York, 447 U.S. 557, 100 S.Ct. 2343, 65 L.Ed.2d 341 (1980).

See also Metro-media, Inc. v. City of San Diego, - U.S. -, 101 S.Ct. 2882, 69 L.Ed.2d 800 (1981) (San Diego sign ordinance too broad); Linmark Associates, Inc. v. Township of Willingboro, 431 U.S. 85, 97 S.Ct. 1614, 52 L.Ed.2d 155 (1977) (commercial speech may be limited as to time, place, and manner); Virginia State Board of Pharmacy v. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, Inc., 425 U.S. 748, 96 S.Ct. 1817, 48 L.Ed.2d 346 (1976) (advertising of drug prices is commercial speech protected by First Amendment).

See also Aerosonic Corp. v. Trodyne Corp., 402 F. 2d 223 (5th Cir. 1968) (under Florida law an injunction should never be broader than is necessary to secure the injured party without justice to the adversary); Pollgreen v. Morris, 496 F.Supp. 1042 (S.D.Fla.1980); Health Clubs, Inc. v. State ex rel. Eagan, 377 So. 2d 28 (Fla. 5th DCA 1979) (injunction overbroad).

Cf. The Florida Bar v. Kaiser, 397 So. 2d 1132 (Fla.1981) (attorney enjoined from any form of advertising by newspaper, television, or otherwise that would tend to mislead the public into believing he was a member of the Florida Bar authorized to practice law in this state).

Reversed for proceedings consistent with this opinion.

. The essential facts of this case are set out in Adoption Hot Line, Inc. v. State, Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, 385 So. 2d 682 (Fla. 3d DCA 1980) where we upheld a temporary injunction issued against appellants.

. The order appealed from is, in fact, much broader than the statement of the trial judge at the close of proceedings below:

... [Tjhis Court enters its permanent injunction against Adoption Hot Line from any manner, any operation dealing with the placement of children or attempting to place children or running any ads or, in any manner, counseling expectant mothers or mothers with children or parents with children and attempting to find, suitable homes for them or to send them to attorneys of prospective adoptive parents, in any manner that would involve the operation that is usually and ordinarily limited to licensed child placing agencies, responsible attorneys and responsible physicians, (emphasis added)

We note, however, that unless the words “usually and ordinarily” were changed to “legally,” this statement would also be too extensive.

Dissent
FERGUSON, Judge

FERGUSON, Judge

(dissenting).

I believe that the Legislature intended by enactment of Chapter 63, Florida Statutes (1979), to bring to an end the profiting by unlicensed entities in the transfer or arranging for transfer of children, whether born or unborn, from the natural parents to other persons. Protection of the well-being of persons to be adopted, as well as protection of natural and adoptive parents, is a legitimate State interest to which any First Amendment privilege of commercial speech should yield. By permitting advertising such as is done here, the unlicensed business may establish contact between natural parents and couples or individuals seeking to adopt, arrange for the transfer of custody to take place beyond the jurisdiction of this State, and thus defeat the purpose of the Statute.

I would affirm.


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  • Chevaldina v. R.K./FL Mgmt., Inc., 133 So. 3d 1086 (Fla. 3d DCA 2014)
    …796, 798 (Fla. 1st DCA 1966)). Entry of an overly broad injunction can constitute a violation of the First Amendment. See, e.g., Animal Rights Found. of Fla., Inc. v. Siegel, 867 So. 2d 451, 456 (Fla. 5th DCA 2004); Adoption Hot Line, Inc. v. State, 402 So. 2d 1307, 1308-09 (Fla. 3d DCA 1981). The injunction under review prohibits Ms. Chevaldina from: “directly or indirectly interfering in person, orally, in written form or via any blogs or other material posted on the internet or in any media with Plaintiffs’…
  • Bull Motors, LLC. v. Brown, 152 So. 3d 32 (Fla. 3d DCA 2014)
    …796, 798 (Fla. 1st DCA 1966)). Entry of an overly broad injunction can constitute a violation of the First Amendment. See, e.g., Animal Rights Found. of Fla., Inc. v. Siegel, 867 So. 2d 451, 456 (Fla. 5th DCA 2004); Adoption Hot Line, Inc. v. State, 402 So. 2d 1307, 1308-09 (Fla. 3d DCA 1981). Chevaldina v. R.K./FL Mgmt., Inc., 133 So. 3d 1086, 1091 (Fla. 3d DCA 2014). Here, the trial court could have prohibited the conduct identified as violative of FDUTPA, without in effect dictating how this defendant shou…
  • Logue v. Book, 297 So. 3d 605 (Fla. 4th DCA 2020)
    …d in the particular case.” Id. at 1091 (citing DeRitis v. AHZ Corp., 444 So. 2d 93, 94 (Fla. 4th DCA 1984)). “Entry of an overly broad injunction can constitute a violation of the First Amendment.” Id. (citing Adoption Hot Line, Inc. v. State, 402 So. 2d 1307, 1308–09 (Fla. 3d DCA 1981)). Finally, the Third District emphasized that, regardless of the forum, actions designed to harangue or threaten violence are not protected: Angry social media postings are now common. Jilted lovers, jilted tena…

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