MRS. L. WILKINSON, AND HER HUSBAND, I. I. WILKINSON, APPELLANTS,
v.
C. C. WOODWARD AND JOHN STEVENS, ETC., APPELLEES

Fla. | 1932-05-02
105 Fla. 376 Florida Supreme Court (1932) Positive Treatment
Also reported at: 141 So. 313
Cited by 23 cases

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Synopsis

The Florida Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of a bill seeking to enjoin state game officials from seizing and destroying fishing nets under Chapter 13644 Acts of 1929. The court held that the complainants failed to allege sufficient facts to challenge the constitutionality of the statute and that injunctive relief was improper because the seizure had already occurred.


Holding

The court held that the Wilkinsons were not entitled to an injunctive relief because their bill contained insufficient allegations and because injunction will not lie to enjoin that which has already been done. The forfeiture provision in Section 25 of Chapter 13644 is a valid exercise of the state's police power and is not unconstitutional.


Key Quotes

“It is well settled that injunction will not lie to' enjoin that which has already been done. The relief for that wrong, if any, is in a court of law.”

Establishes that injunctive relief is not available as a remedy for seizures that have already occurred.

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Facts & Procedural History

The Wilkinsons owned land and claimed to own the bottoms under waters in Newnans Lake in Alachua County, Florida. They used nets to catch fish in the …

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Opinion of the Court
Buford, C.J.

Buford, C.J.

Appellants filed bill in chancery to enjoin the defendants, C. C. Woodward as State Game and Fresh Water Fish Commissioner and John Stevens as *377Game Warden, from enforcing the provisions of Chapter 13644 Acts of 1929 by seizing and destroying certain nets used by the complainants in catching and taking fish from a certain lake known as Newnans Lake, in Alachua County, Florida, the complainants claiming to own the bottoms under the waters in which the nets were alleged to have been set for the purpose of catching fish. It is alleged that the lake is a large body of fresh water several miles in extent; that it has never been meandered by an official survey; that it is fed by springs and streams emptying into the lake but that there is no outlet from the lake into any navigable river or bay.

The complainants do not claim to own all of the botto'ms of said lake, nor is there any allegation that the bottoms which they do claim to own are segregated and set off from the remainder pf the bottoms of said lake by any substantial fence of enclosure. Neither do the complainants by the allegations of the bill show that the waters of the lake in which the nets and boats were being used and were seized were excluded from the provisions of Chapter 13644 under the terms of section 23 of that Act.

The fish in the lake here under consideration come clearly within the protection provided by chapter 13644 Acts of 1929. Section 25 of that Act authorizes the seizure and forfeiture of any trap, net or fishing device being illegally used in any of the fresh waters of the State of Florida. The section provides the method under which the forfeiture shall be accomplished.

In this case there was demurrer to the bill of complaint which demurrer was sustained, and application for temporary injunction was denied, whereupon entry of appeal was filed in the Court.

Tlie appellants allege in their bill of complaint that the defendants have entered upon the premises of the complainants and have seized and destroyed certain prop*378erty consisting of boats and nets belonging to the complainants without process of law.

It is well settled that injunction will not lie to' enjoin that which has already been done. The relief for that wrong, if any, is in a court of law.

The complainants contend that section 25 of chapter 13644 is unconstitutional because of its derogation and violation of section 16 of Article III of the Constitution, hut the complainants in their brief have failed to point out wherein this section of the Act offends against the constitutional provision and we are unable to observe wherein such infirmity lies. In construing a like Act, this Court in the case of Douglas vs. Smith, 66 Fla. 460, 63 Sou. 844, held:

“The provision for the forfeiture of the seines, nets, boats, etc., used in violation of Section 3771 is not to be regarded as a penalty, but as* a method of breaking up illegal fishing and for the protection of fish, in the exercise of the police power of the State.”

The allegations contained in the bill of complaint are insufficient to warrant the issuance of injunction.

The demurrer was properly sustained and the order appealed from should be affirmed. It is so ordered.

Affirmed.

Ellis and Brown, J.J., concur.

Whitfield, P.J., and Terrell and Davis, J.J., concur in the opinion and judgment.


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Citator

Cited By

  • City OF Jacksonville v. Naegele Outdoor Advertising Co., 634 So. 2d 750 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994)
    …an act which has already been committed.” Quadomain Condominium Ass’n, Inc. v. Pomerantz, 341 So. 2d 1041,1042 (Fla. 4th DCA 1977). “It is well settled that injunction will not lie to enjoin that which has already been done.” Wilkinson v. Woodward, 105 Fla. 376, 141 So. 313 (1932). “[A]n injunction will lie only to restrain ... future injury, since it is impossible to prevent what has already occurred.” City of Coral Springs v. Florida Nat’l Properties, 340 So. 2d 1271, 1272 (Fla. 4th DCA 1976). The trial…
  • S. Dade Farms, Inc. v. Peters, 88 So. 2d 891 (Fla. 1956)
    …is state that an injunction will not he issued to restrain an injurious act already committed. Pensacola & Ga. R. Co. v. Spratt, 12 Fla. 26, 91 Am.Dec. 747; Smith v. Davis, 22 Fla. 405; relief, if any, being in a court of law. Wilkinson v. Woodward, 105 Fla. 376, 141 So. 313; Hernandez v. Board of Commissioners of Hillsborough County, 114 Fla. 219, 153 So. 790.” (Emphasis ours.) In line with the foregoing authorities we are of the view that this case is controlled by the rule followed in the decision of th…
  • Davis v. Wilson, 139 Fla. 698 (Fla. 1939)
    …is State that an injunction will not be issued to restrain an injurious act already committed (Pensacola & Ga. Ry. Co. v. Spratt, 12 Fla. 26; Smith v. Davis, 22 Fla. 405), relief, if any, being in a court of law. Wilkinson v. Woodward, 105 Fla. 326, 141 Sou. Rep. 313; Hernandez v. Board of County Commissioners of Hillsborough County, 114 Fla. 219, 153 Sou. Rep. 790. To make out a case for an injunction, it must appear that there^s at least a reasonable probability, not a bare possibility, that a real injury wil…

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