D & A EXCAVATING SERVICE, INC., APPELLANT/CROSS-APPELLEE,
v.
J.I. CASE COMPANY, D/B/A CASE POWER & EQUIPMENT, APPELLEE/CROSS-APPELLANT

Fla. 4th DCA | 1989-12-06
No. 88-3025
ANSTEAD and POLEN, JJ., concur.
555 So. 2d 1256 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fourth District (1989) Caution
Cited by 4 cases

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Synopsis

D & A Excavating appealed a trial court's award of attorney's fees in a misleading advertising case, arguing that statutory authorization for "reasonable attorney's fees" is not limited by the contingent fee agreement between attorney and client. The court reversed, holding that when an attorney represents a client seeking vindication for both private and public wrongs under the misleading advertising statute, fees are not capped by the contingent fee agreement.


Holding

Attorney's fees are not limited by the terms of a contingent fee agreement when counsel represents a client seeking vindication for both private and public wrongs under the misleading advertising statute. The trial court must determine and award a reasonable sum for attorney's fees without being bound by the contingent fee agreement limit.


Headnotes

[1] Statutorily authorized reasonable attorney's fees are not limited by the terms of a contingent fee agreement when the underlying action vindicates both a private and a pu…

[2] A statute authorizing reasonable attorney's fees for actions concerning misleading advertising contemplates both private and public vindication, allowing for compensation…

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Key Quotes

“When counsel represents a client who seeks vindication for a private as well as a public wrong attorney's fees are not limited by the terms of the contingent fee agreement.”

The court's core holding that statutory authority for reasonable fees overrides contingent fee agreement limitations in cases involving public policy vindication.

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Facts & Procedural History

D & A Excavating brought an action under Florida's misleading advertising statutes (sections 817.40 and 817.41) against J.I. Case Company and prevaile…

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Opinion of the Court
GARRETT, Judge.

GARRETT, Judge.

Appellant seeks review of the trial court’s award of attorney’s fees. Appellee cross appeals the same award.

The issue we address is whether Florida Patient’s Compensation Fund v. Rowe, 472 So. 2d 1145 (Fla.1985), prohibits an award of 'attorney’s fees in excess of the contingent fee agreement between the attorney and his client when “reasonable attorney’s fees” are statutorily authorized.

Appellant prevailed at trial pursuant to an action brought under the misleading advertising statutes, sections 817.40 and 817.41, Florida Statutes (1987). The amount of the judgment was $6,750. The contingent fee agreement called for an award of forty percent of any recovery. Appellant asked for fees of $32,910 based on an uncontested 109.7 hours spent on the case at the reasonable hourly rate of $150 and a contingent risk factor multiplier of two applied to the $16,455 lodestar figure. The trial judge awarded fees of $3,700 ($1,000 based on a separate hourly rate agreement) and remarked that “court awarded fees cannot exceed the fee agreement entered into by counsel and his client.”

We reverse. When counsel represents a client who seeks vindication for a private as well as a public wrong attorney’s fees are not limited by the terms of the contingent fee agreement. See Blanchard v. Bergeron, 489 U.S. -, 109 S.Ct. 939, 103 L.Ed.2d 67 (1989); Inacio v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co., 550 So. 2d 92 (Fla. 1st DCA 1989). The misleading advertising statute contemplates both private and public vindication. It enables an aggrieved person to obtain counsel to rectify a wrong by assuring reasonable compensation to the attorney without regard to the amount in controversy. The general public, as well as the individual bringing the action, benefits when a private citizen successfully prosecutes a fraudulent advertiser. Accordingly, we reverse and remand with directions to determine and award a reasonable sum to appellant for attorney’s fees without any contingent fee agreement limitation. Further, we reverse the $1,000 attorney’s fees award based on the hourly rate agreement as the ultimate award should be one figure reflecting a reasonable fee for the successful prosecution of the case.

ANSTEAD and POLEN, JJ., concur.

Other
GARRETT, Judge.

GARRETT, Judge.

We sua sponte grant rehearing to add Standard Guaranty Insurance Co. v. Quanstrom, 555 So. 2d 828 (Fla.1990), to our previously issued opinion:

Appellant seeks review of the trial court’s award of attorney’s fees. Appellee cross appeals the same award. The issue we address is whether Florida Patient’s Compensation Fund v. Rowe, 472 So. 2d 1145 (Fla.1985), prohibits an award of attorney’s fees in excess of the contingent fee agreement between the attorney and his client when “reasonable attorney’s fees” are statutorily authorized.

Appellant prevailed at trial pursuant to an action brought under the misleading advertising statutes, sections 817.40 and 817.41, Florida Statutes (1987). The amount of the judgment was $6,750. The contingent fee agreement called for an award of forty percent of any recovery. Appellant asked for fees of $32,910 based on an uncontested 109.7 hours spent on the case at the reasonable hourly rate of $150 and a contingent risk factor multiplier of two applied to the $16,455 lodestar figure. The trial judge awarded fees of $3,700 ($1,000 based on a separate hourly rate agreement) and remarked that “court awarded fees cannot exceed the fee agreement entered into by counsel and his client.”

We reverse. The Florida Supreme recently recognized that “[djifferent types of cases require different criteria to achieve the legislative or court objective in authorizing the setting of a reasonable attorney’s fee”. Standard Guaranty Insurance Co. v. Quanstrom, 555 So. 2d 828, 833 (Fla.1990). When counsel represents a client who seeks vindication for a private as well as a public wrong attorney’s fees are not limited by the terms of the contingent fee agreement. See Blanchard v. Bergeron, 489 U.S. -, 109 S.Ct. 939, 103 L.Ed.2d 67 (1989); Inacio v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co., 550 So. 2d 92 (Fla. 1st DCA 1989). The misleading advertising statute contemplates both private and public vindication. It enables an aggrieved person to obtain counsel to rectify a wrong by assuring reasonable compensation to the attorney without regard to the amount in controversy. The general public, as well as the individual bringing the action, benefits when a private citizen successfully prosecutes a fraudulent advertiser. “It is important to note that the existence of a contingency fee arrangement is but one of the factors to be considered” in determining a reasonable fee in a “public policy enforcement case”. Quanstrom, 555 So. 2d at 833.

Accordingly, we reverse and remand with directions to determine and award a reasonable sum to appellant for attorney’s fees consistent with this opinion. Further, we reverse the $1,000 attorney’s fees award based on the hourly rate agreement as the ultimate award should be one figure reflecting a reasonable fee for the successful prosecution of the case.

ANSTEAD and POLEN, JJ., concur.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Orlando Reg'l Med. Ctr., Inc. v. Boleslaus J. Chmielewski, 573 So. 2d 876 (Fla. 5th DCA 1990)
    …Cases involving recovery of a reasonable attorney fee for a prevailing party which fall under a different category as set forth in Rowe, may not be so limited, but they are distinguishable. See, e.g., D & A Excavating Service, Inc. v. J.I. Case Co., 555 So. 2d 1256 (Fla. 4th DCA 1989); Hatcher v. B.K Roberts, 538 So. 2d 1300 (Fla. 1st DCA), rev. denied, 551 So. 2d 461 (Fla.1989); Wright v. Acierno, 437 So. 2d 242 (Fla. 5th DCA 1983). In this case, the jury returned a total award of $78,362. That total must be…
  • Weaver v. Sch. Bd. OF Leon Cnty., 624 So. 2d 761 (Fla. 1st DCA 1993)
    …into the “public interest” category, that is, Category I. At the same time, the relief sought in a given case may be such that vindication of both public and private wrongs is involved. See e.g., D & A Excavating Service, Inc. v. J.I. Case Company, 555 So. 2d 1256, 1258 (Fla. 4th DCA 1989) (on rehearing) (action brought under misleading advertising statute, sections 817.40 and 817.41, Florida Statutes (1987) contemplates both public and private vindication); Meli Investment Corp. v. O.R., 621 So .2d 676 (Fla.…

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