DR. MARK FELDMAN, APPELLANT,
v.
STEPHEN GLUCROFT, M.D., JOEL B. DENNIS, M.D., LLOYD A. MORIBER, M.D., MELVYN G. DRUCKER, M.D., KENNETH HODOR, M.D., ROBERT S. ENNIS, M.D., HUGH UNGER, M.D., AND ORTHOPEDIC ASSOCIATES, P.A., APPELLEES
AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.
Dr. Feldman appealed a summary judgment dismissing his defamation action against peer review committee members. The court affirmed, holding that Feldman failed to allege extrinsic evidence of malice or fraud required by statute to overcome the peer review privilege.
The court held that Feldman failed to allege extrinsic evidence of malice or fraud as required by statute. The allegations that defendants opposed and curtailed his privileges arbitrarily and capriciously were based only on privileged peer review committee proceedings and therefore insufficient to overcome the statutory privilege. Summary judgment was properly entered on both the defamation and additional counts.
[1] A defamation action against a committee member or health care provider is allowed when the plaintiff can establish extrinsic evidence of malice or fraud.
[2] Allegations of opposition to or curtailment of hospital privileges within privileged peer review committee proceedings do not, without more, constitute extrinsic evidence…
Previewing 2 of 4 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“allows a defamation action against a committee member or health care provider when the plaintiff can establish extrinsic evidence of malice or fraud”
Establishes the legal standard for defamation actions against peer review committee members under section 768.40
Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceDr. Feldman brought a defamation action against defendants, who were members of a hospital peer review committee that opposed granting him medical sta…
The full statement of facts, procedural history, and disposition for this case are member content.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence© FLexlaw, Inc. — AI-generated enrichments are proprietary. All rights reserved.
Explore caselaw by topic → Browse Statutory Privilege cases and more on FLexlaw
PER CURIAM.
Dr. Mark Feldman appeals from a final summary judgment in favor of defendants. We affirm.
The facts of this case are stated in Feldman v. Glucroft, 522 So. 2d 798, 800 (Fla.1988), in which the Florida Supreme Court held that section 768.40, Florida Statutes (1983), “allows a defamation action against a committee member or health care provider when the plaintiff can establish extrinsic evidence of malice or fraud.” The court directed that the district court of appeal “remand this cause to the trial court with directions that the plaintiff be allowed to file an amended complaint under the principles and restrictions expressed in this opinion.” Feldman, 522 So. 2d at 800. On remand, Feldman filed an amended complaint realleging the defamation count and alleging additional causes of action arising from the same set of facts.
The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of defendants as to the additional counts. Defendants filed a subsequent motion for summary judgment on the defamation count, contending that Feldman failed to allege extrinsic evidence of malice or fraud.
The trial court entered final judgment in favor of defendants. Feldman filed an appeal.
The record supports the trial court’s determination that the amended complaint did not allege extrinsic evidence of malice or fraud. The complaint states that “[t]he fact that the Defendants ... opposed granting medical staff privileges to the Plaintiff without good cause arbitrarily and capriciously in the first instance and later curtailed the Plaintiff’s privilege to perform the celastic implant procedure arbitrarily and capriciously and without good cause is extrinsic evidence of malice toward the Plaintiff_” (Emphasis supplied).
However, those allegations establish defendants’ opposition to and curtailment of Feldman’s hospital privileges only in privileged peer review committee proceedings where “[t]he shield of confidentiality protects what is presented or spoken to the committee at its meetings.” Feld-man, 522 So. 2d at 801. Feldman failed to allege the existence of the requisite extrinsic evidence to overcome the statutory privilege afforded defendants. § 768.40, Fla. Stat. (1983). The documents attached to the amended complaint were either privileged committee documents or did not demonstrate malice or fraud. Defendants were therefore entitled to judgment as a matter of law.
As to the additional counts, the trial court correctly found that such counts were outside the supreme court mandate. The supreme court determined that “the summary judgment should be vacated to allow the plaintiff an opportunity to allege extrinsic malice or fraud,” and that the amended complaint may be filed “under the principles and restrictions expressed in this opinion.” Feldman, 522 So. 2d at 801. The amended complaint did not adhere to the supreme court mandate. Thus, the trial court did not err in entering summary judgment on the additional counts.
Appellant’s remaining points lack merit.
Affirmed.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
-
Lawnwood Med. Ctr., Inc. v. Anil Desai, M.D., 54 So. 3d 1027 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011)…ly, capriciously, fraudulently, and maliciously denied” his application, the doctor did not specifically allege or offer any evidence of “intentional fraud” sufficient to overcome the immunity provided by the statute. See, e.g., Feldman v. Glucroft, 580 So. 2d 866, 867 (Fla. 3d DCA 1991) (finding allegations that the defendant opposed a candidate’s application “arbitrarily and capriciously” and “without good cause” insufficient to overcome statutory immunity). The verified complaint contained mere conclusory…
-
Ashok Kumar Dhaduvai, M.D. v. Alphonso A. Belsito, M.D., 663 So. 2d 1356 (Fla. 2d DCA 1995)…imilar to Dr. Dha-duvai’s complaint in this ease. The Third District affirmed the trial court’s decision that the amended complaint failed to allege the necessary extrinsic evidence. The supreme court denied review in that case. Feldman v. Glucroft, 580 So. 2d 866 (Fla. 3d DCA), 591 So. 2d 181 (Fla.1991), cert. denied, 503 U.S. 960, 112 S.Ct. 1560, 118 L.Ed.2d 208 (1992). If we read the holding in Feldman correctly, it places a burden on the plaintiff to plead extrinsic evidence before authorizing a lawsuit…
-
Joseph Ovadia, M.D. v. Walter Jones, M.D., 672 So. 2d 57 (Fla. 3d DCA 1996)…PER CURIAM. Affirmed. Feldman v. Glucroft, 580 So. 2d 866 (Fla. 3d DCA), review denied, 591 So. 2d [*58] 181 (Fla.1991), cert. denied, 503 U.S. 960,112 S.Ct. 1560, 118 L.Ed.2d 208 (1992).…
Authorities Cited
- Feldman v. Stephen Glucroft, M.D., 522 So. 2d 798 (Fla. 1988)
- Fitzgibbons v. State, 553 So. 2d 282 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989)