CATHERINE CRAIG-MYERS, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF ROBERT MYERS
v.
OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY, A CONNECTICUT FOR PROFIT CORPORATION, LOUIS CARL DEVINCENTIS, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS AN EMPLOYEE OF OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY, JAMES DUDA, ETC.
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This case involves a petitioner seeking disclosure of materials deemed a "public hazard" under Florida law. The appellate court dismissed the petition for a writ of certiorari, finding it lacked jurisdiction because the alleged harm was speculative and could be remedied on direct appeal.
No, the appellate court does not have jurisdiction to grant the writ of certiorari because the petitioner failed to demonstrate material injury of an irreparable nature that cannot be corrected on post-judgment appeal.
[1] To obtain certiorari relief from a non-final order, the petitioner must demonstrate irreparable harm that cannot be corrected on postjudgment appeal, and this requirement…
Previewing 1 of 1 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“To obtain relief by certiorari, “[t]he petitioning party must demonstrate that the contested order constitutes ‘(1) a departure from the essential requirements of the law, (2) resulting in material injury for the remainder of the case (3) that cannot be corrected on postjudgment appeal.’””
This quote outlines the standard for granting a writ of certiorari, which the petitioner failed to meet.
Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceThe petitioner sought disclosure of certain materials under Florida's "public hazard" statute. The trial court ordered the petitioner to provide a det…
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PER CURIAM.
Petitioner seeks the disclosure of materials as a “public hazard” as defined in section 69.081, Florida Statutes (2020). Petitioner asks this Court to issue a writ of certiorari quashing multiple trial court orders, claiming the trial court refused to conduct an in-camera review of documents that contain the information in question. The trial court instructed Petitioner to provide a detailed description of the materials to be reviewed in-camera. Rather than provide that description, Petitioner sought a writ from this Court.
Confidential materials can be made public if they concern “a public hazard or information which may be useful to members of the public in protecting themselves from injury which may result from a public hazard.” § 69.081(7), Fla. Stat. (2020). To obtain relief by certiorari, “[t]he petitioning party must demonstrate that the contested order constitutes ‘(1) a departure from the essential requirements of the law, (2) resulting in material injury for the remainder of the case (3) that cannot be corrected on postjudgment appeal.’” Bd. of Trs. of Internal Improvement Tr. Fund v. Am. Educ. Enters., LLC, 99 So. 3d 450, 454 (Fla. 2012) (quoting Reeves v. Fleetwood Homes of Florida, Inc., 889 So. 2d 812, 822 (Fla. 2004)). “These last two elements are sometimes referred to as irreparable harm.” Damsky v. Univ. of Miami, 152 So. 3d 789, 792 (Fla. 3d DCA 2014). “The ‘irreparable harm’ prong of the certiorari standard—i.e., material injury that cannot be remedied on appeal—is jurisdictional and must be considered first.” CVS Caremark Corp. v. Latour, 109 So. 3d 1232, 1234 (Fla. 1st DCA 2013).
Here, the issue can be remedied on direct appeal. See Jones v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 871 So. 2d 899, 906 (Fla. 3d DCA 2003) (ordering the trial court to vacate a confidentiality order on postjudgment appeal after deeming a product a public hazard). Petitioner offers only unsupported speculation of future harm, which is not sufficient to establish material injury. Wal-Mart Stores E., L.P. v. Endicott, 81 So. 3d 486, 490 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011) (“Generally speaking, irreparable harm cannot be speculative, but must be real and ascertainable.”); Bd. of Trs. of Internal Improvement Tr., 99 So. 3d at 455 (“If the party seeking review
does not demonstrate that it will suffer material injury of an irreparable nature, then an appellate court may not grant certiorari relief from a non-appealable non-final order.”).
We therefore have no jurisdiction to hear the petition.
DISMISSED.
LEWIS, NORDBY, and LONG, JJ., concur. _____________________________
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Authorities Cited
- Reeves v. Fleetwood Homes OF Fla., Inc., 889 So. 2d 812 (Fla. 2004)
- Bd. OF Trs. OF the Internal Improvement Tr. Fund v. Am. Educ. Enters., LLC, 99 So. 3d 450 (Fla. 2012)
- Damsky v. Univ. OF Miami & Alan Livingstone, M.D., 152 So. 3d 789 (Fla. 3d DCA 2014)
- Jones v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 871 So. 2d 899 (Fla. 3d DCA 2003)
- Wal-Mart Stores E., L.P. v. Shelia Endicott and her husband Dan Endicott, 81 So. 3d 486 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011)
- CVS Caremark Corp. & Gallagher Bassett Servs., Inc. v. Latour, 109 So. 3d 1232 (Fla. 1st DCA 2013)