ROSS RUPP, APPELLANT,
v.
SCOTT L. PHILPOT, ET AL., APPELLEES
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Ross Rupp appealed a summary judgment dismissing his third-party complaint against Philpot Homes, Inc. The Fifth District affirmed, holding that under Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.180(a), a defendant seeking to assert claims against a third-party defendant must first allege a claim for indemnification, subrogation, or contribution before asserting any other claims arising from the same transaction.
A defendant seeking to assert any other claim against a third-party defendant must first allege a claim for indemnification, subrogation, or contribution. Because Rupp failed to allege such a claim against Philpot Homes, Inc., summary judgment in favor of Philpot Homes was proper.
[1] A defendant seeking to assert a claim against a third-party defendant under Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.180(a) must first allege a claim for indemnification, subrog…
[2] The 1984 amendment to Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.180(a) allows a defendant to assert additional claims against a third-party defendant only in conjunction with, no…
Previewing 2 of 3 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“At any time after commencement of the action a defendant may have a summons and complaint served on a person not a party to the action who is or may be liable to the defendant for all or part of the plaintiffs claim against the defendant, and may also assert any other claim that arises out of the transaction or occurrence that is the subject matter of the plaintiffs claim”
The amended Rule 1.180(a) as interpreted by the court; the use of 'and' is critical to the holding.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceScott Philpot filed a complaint against Ross Rupp for breach of contract and to enforce a lien. Rupp answered with affirmative defenses and countercla…
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DAUKSCH, Judge.
Ross Rupp timely appeals a final summary judgment in favor of Philpot Homes, Inc., a third-party defendant below. This case began when Scott Philpot filed a complaint against Ross Rupp to enforce a claim of lien and for breach of contract. Rupp answered the complaint setting forth several affirmative defenses and a counter claim against Philpot for breach of contract, breach of express warranty and negligence. Rupp additionally filed a third-party complaint against Philpot Homes, Inc. for breach of contract, breach of express warranty and negligence. Relying upon Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.180(a), Philpot Homes, Inc. moved for summary judgment on the third-party complaint on the ground that Rupp was not seeking indemnity, subrogation or contribution. Following a hearing, the trial court entered summary judgment in favor of Philpot Homes, Inc. We affirm.
Before 1984 Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.180(a) provided in pertinent part the following:
At any time after commencement of the action a defendant may have a summons and complaint served on a person not a party to the action who is or may be liable to the defendant for all or part of the plaintiffs claim against him.
See Angora Enterprises v. Condominium Ass’n of Lakeside Village, Inc., 432 So. 2d 792 (Fla. 4th DCA1983). In 1984 the rule was amended as follows:
Construing the change to the above rule, the court in Leggiere v. Merrill Lynch Realty/Florida, Inc., 544 So. 2d 240, 241 (Fla. 2d DCA1989) held that before asserting any other claim against a third-party defendant, a third-party plaintiff must allege a claim for indemnification, subrogation or contribution. The court expressed its rationale as follows:
The sole question for our consideration is whether under Rule 1.180, Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, a defendant who seeks to assert a derivative third party claim must first allege against the third party defendant a cause of action based on indemnification, subrogation or contribution before the third party complainant may assert any other claim against the third party defendant that grows out of the transaction or occurrence that is the subject matter of the original plaintiffs claim. We hold that the third party claimant must first so allege against the third party defendant a claim for indemnification, subrogation or contribution. Prior to 1984, Rule 1.180 was clearly limited to allow third party actions only for indemnification, subrogation or contribution. In 1984, the first sentence of Rule 1.180(a) was amended to provide as follows:
The underlined portion of that first sentence of Rule 1.180(a) contains the principal added language and the essential change made in the provision of the rule, and is the language of primary importance to us in reaching our conclusion. It is clear to us that by use of the word “and” rather than “or” at the beginning of the added language the rule change was meant to allow a claim in addition to but not in absence of a claim for indemnification, subrogation or contribution.
Id. at 241-242. The second district recently reaffirmed its decision in Leggiere in Matey v. Reinman, 599 So. 2d 201 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992). The fourth district followed suit in Dhaliwal v. Don L. Leasing Co., 600 So. 2d 533 (Fla. 4th DCA1992). Because Rupp in the present case failed to allege a claim for indemnification, subrogation or contribution against Philpot Homes, Inc., the trial court’s entry of summary judgment in favor of the latter party was correct. Dhaliwal; Matey; and Leggiere.
AFFIRMED.
GOSHORN, C.J., and COBB, J., concur.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
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Massengale v. RAY, 665 So. 2d 1152 (Fla. 3d DCA 1996)…PER CURIAM. Because Ray’s third-party complaint did not allege a claim for either indemnification, subrogation or contribution, the trial court lacked subject matter jurisdiction. Accordingly, we reverse. See Rupp v. Philpot, 619 So. 2d 1047 (Fla. 5th DCA 1993).…
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Fla. Peninsula Ins. Co. v. KEN Mullen Plumbing, Inc., 171 So. 3d 194 (Fla. 5th DCA 2015)…action with prejudice. We have previously recognized that a third-party plaintiff must allege a claim for indemnification, subrogation, or contribution before it can assert any other claim against a third-party defendant. See, e.g., Rupp v. Philpot, 619 So. 2d 1047 (Fla. 5th DCA 1993). Mullen asserts here and asserted below that FPIC has no standing to bring a cause of action for negligence on behalf of its insureds. Without explanation from the trial court, we are uncertain whether its dismissal was based upo…
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Kendall v. Gilmore, 915 So. 2d 681 (Fla. 3d DCA 2005)…nsaction or occurrence that is the subject matter of the plaintiffs claim.” Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.180(a). In this case, the appellants’ amended complaint could not maintain a valid claim for contribution, indemnification or subrogation. Rupp v. Philpot, 619 So. 2d 1047 (Fla. 5th DCA 1993); Tindall v. Travelers Indem. Co., 613 So. 2d 1369 (Fla. 2d DCA 1993); Matey v. Reinman, 599 So. 2d 201 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992); Leggiere v. Merrill Lynch Realty/Florida, Inc., 544 So. 2d 240 (Fla. 2d DCA 1989). See Boyd v. Halstead, 8…
Previewing 3 of 4 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Leggiere v. Merrill Lynch Realty/Florida, Inc., 544 So. 2d 240 (Fla. 2d DCA 1989)
- Ciabotti v. Milo, 432 So. 2d 792 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983)
- Angora Enters. v. Condo. Ass'n OF Lakeside Vill., Inc., 432 So. 2d 792 (Fla. 4th DCA 1983)
- Matey v. Reinman, 599 So. 2d 201 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992)
- Ranjit Dhaliwal v. DON L. Leasing Co., 600 So. 2d 533 (Fla. 4th DCA 1992)