JOSEPH OVADIA, M.D., APPELLANT,
v.
DAVID BLOOM, NBC SUBSIDIARY (WTVJ-TV), INC., A FLORIDA CORPORATION, KELLY CRAIG, AND ANTHONY SEGRETO, JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY, 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. Ovadia sued NBC and others for defamation and related torts based on a 1993 broadcast. After filing in federal court and being dismissed for lack of diversity jurisdiction, he refiled in state court after the two-year statute of limitations had expired. The court affirmed summary judgment against him, holding the statute of limitations was not tolled and equitable estoppel did not apply.
The statute of limitations was not tolled because the federal court lacked original jurisdiction over the action due to the presence of non-diverse defendants, and § 1367 does not permit supplemental jurisdiction over such defendants. Equitable estoppel did not apply because there was no evidence that defendants' conduct induced Dr. Ovadia to forebear filing suit in state court within the limitations period, and all remaining claims failed as derivative of the defamation claim.
[1] A federal court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over a case if complete diversity of citizenship among the parties is absent.
[2] A voluntary but improvident foray into federal court will not toll the statute of limitations for claims that could have been brought in state court.
Previewing 2 of 6 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“A party will be estopped from asserting the statute of limitations defense to an admittedly untimely action where his conduct has induced another into forbearing suit within the applicable limitations period.”
Establishes the standard for equitable estoppel as applied to statute of limitations defenses—requires inducement to forbear suit within the limitations period.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceWTVJ-TV broadcast a report on 'Dangerous Doctors' featuring Dr. Ovadia on February 3-5, 1993. Dr. Ovadia filed suit in federal court in September 1994…
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SHEVIN, Judge.
Joseph Ovadia, M.D„ appeals a final summary judgment. We affirm.
On February 3, 4, and 5, 1993, WTVJ-TV, an NBC subsidiary, broadcast a report on “Dangerous Doctors.” Dr. Ovadia was among the physicians featured in the report. In September 1994, Dr. Ovadia filed an action in United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida against the station, the reporter, David Bloom, and the station anchorpersons, Anthony Segreto and Kelly Craig [collectively “defendants”]. Dr. Ovadia asserted claims for defamation, conspiracy to defame, intentional interference with advantageous business relationships, conspiracy to interfere with advantageous business relationships, false-light invasion of privacy, and conspiracy to commit false-light invasion of privacy. In October 1994, defendants filed an answer asserting lack of subject matter jurisdiction as an affirmative defense, although no specific basis was asserted.
The two-year statute of limitations on Dr. Ovadia’s defamation action expired on February 5, 1995.1 On February 7, defen dants filed a motion for judgment on the pleadings asserting that the federal court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over the case because of lack of complete diversity. Dr. Ovadia responded by moving to amend the complaint, seeking leave to drop the non-diverse defendants, and to proceeding only against Bloom, a non-Florida resident. Defendants protested the motion arguing that they were inextricably intertwined. Hence, the case should proceed against all defendants in one forum. Failure to do so, defendants argued,, would expose them to the risk of multiple lawsuit, or inconsistent outcomes. The federal court denied Dr. Ovadia’s motion to amend and granted defendants’ motion, treating it as a motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction.
Shortly thereafter, Dr. Ovadia filed his complaint in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court asserting the same causes of action. The defendants filed a motion for summary judgment on statute of limitations grounds. Dr. Ovadia opposed the motion asserting that under the principles of equitable estoppel, the defendants were es-topped from raising this defense as they had successfully asserted an inconsistent position in the federal court. After heated argument by both parties, the trial court granted the motion.
As a threshold matter, we cannot grant Dr. Ovadia relief under 28 United States Code section 1367. Under the plain language of that section, the limitations period is not tolled because the federal court never had original jurisdiction over Dr. Ovadia’s action. Any arguable jurisdiction was based on diversity, and the presence of non-diverse defendants in the action destroyed jurisdiction on that basis. See Wisconsin Dept. of Corrections v. Schacht, 524 U.S. 381, 118 S.Ct. 2047, 141 L.Ed.2d 364 (1998)(only complete diversity of citizenship among parties permits original jurisdiction over the case); Finley v. Higbee Co., 1 F. Supp. 2d 701, 702 (N.D.Ohio 1997). Under section 1367, claims against a non-diverse defendant cannot be considered supplemental jurisdiction. See Dieter v. MFS Telecom, Inc., 870 F.Supp. 561 (S.D.N.Y.1994). Hence, this statute does not toll the limitations period for Dr. Ovadia’s claims. A “voluntary but improvident foray into the federal arena” will not toll the statute of limitations. Heckman v. City of Oakland Park, 644 So. 2d 525, 527 (Fla. 4th DCA 1994). Dr. Ovadia also argues that under this court’s pronouncement in Salcedo v. Asociacion Cubana, Inc., 368 So. 2d 1337 (Fla. 3d DCA), review denied, 378 So. 2d 342 (Fla.1979), defendants are estopped from raising the statute of limitations defense because of the inconsistent position they asserted in federal court. Dr. Ovadia reasons that defendants’ argument blocking his motion to amend his complaint in federal court to proceed only against Bloom, the diverse defendant, based on the defendants being inextricably intertwined, was inconsistent with the defendants’ position in circuit court that the statute of limitations had run. After a careful review of the record, we are not persuaded by this argument.
The equitable estoppel doctrine has frequently been employed to bar inequitable reliance on a statute of limitations. A party will be estopped from asserting the statute of limitations defense to an admittedly untimely action where his conduct has induced another into forbearing suit within the applicable limitations period.
Alachua County v. Cheshire, 603 So. 2d 1334, 1337 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992) (citations omitted)(emphasis added). Accord, Morsani v. Major League Baseball, 739 So. 2d 610 (Fla. 2d DCA)(recognizing difference between tolling and equitable estoppel), petition for review filed, Case No. 96,004 (Fla. July 12, 1999); Glantzis v. State Auto. Mut. Ins. Co., 573 So. 2d 1049 (Fla. 4th DCA 1991)(insurer estopped from asserting statute of lifnitations defense where its actions lulled insured into forbearing filing of suit). In Salcedo, 368 So. 2d 1387, this court held that a defendant was estopped from raising a statute of limitations defense where defendant had asserted inconsistent positions in the current litigation and in a prior action. We acknowledged “the universal rule which forbids the successful assértion of inconsistent positions in litigation.” 368 So. 2d at 1338. In. the first lawsuit, the Salcedo defendant argued that Salcedo’s action was for medical malpractice and that the action therefore must be referred to mediation. Salcedo argued that it was not a medical malpractice action; however, the court dismissed and referred the cause to mediation. After mediation was terminated, Salcedo re-filed in court. In this later action, defendant convinced the court to dismiss the case as untimely by arguing that it was not a medical malpractice suit. “[T]he very delay occasioned by the acceptance of defendant’s prior argument, has resulted in the barring of the claim through the court’s agreement with the later contention that the’ plaintiff was right in the first place.” Id.
Here, however, there is no record evidence that Dr. Ovadia was induced by defendants’ actions to forebear filing his suit in state court. The defendants first asserted lack of subject matter jurisdiction in their answer in federal court filed three months before the statute of limitations ran. Dr. Ovadia was free to investigate the basis of that claim. In fact, in his interrogatories in federal court, Dr. Ovadia questioned defendants about the basis for some of the other affirmative defenses and did not take the opportunity to inquire into the lack of subject matter jurisdiction raised by defendants.
The defendants did argue against Dr. Ovadia’s federal court motion to amend. However, we are hard pressed to see how this is inconsistent with the position in circuit court that the statute of limitations had run on the cause of action.2 The remaining behavior Dr. Ovadia points to as inconsistent or insidious occurred after the statute of limitations had run, hence this conduct cannot reasonably be said to have induced Dr. Ovadia into “forbearing suit within the applicable limitations period.” Alachua County, 603 So. 2d at 1337.3
Based on this reasoning, the trial court correctly entered summary judgment in defendant’s favor on the defamation claim, as the statute of limitations on that claim had run, and none of Dr. Ovadia’s arguments were availing to revive the action. The summary judgment on this claim is affirmed.
As the trial court correctly reasoned, having granted summary judgment on this claim, the remaining claims are, unfortunately, frustrated as well. The conspiracy to defame claim cannot stand where, as here, the defamation action fails. There being no defamation, the gist of the defamation conspiracy, there can be no conspiracy claim. See Buckner v. Lower Fla. Keys Hosp. Dist., 403 So. 2d 1025, 1027 (Fla. 3d DCA 1981).
The other claims — false-light invasion of privacy, conspiracy to commit false-light invasion of privacy, intentional interference with an advantageous business relationship and conspiracy to interfere with an advantageous business relationship — are also subject to summary judgment upon entry of judgment on the conspiracy claim. This issue was fully analyzed in Orlando Sports Stadium, Inc. v. Sentinel Star Co., 316 So. 2d 607, 609 (Fla. 4th DCA 1975). The Fourth District prop erly concluded that the single publication/single action rule does not permit multiple actions to be maintained when they arise from the same publication upon which a failed defamation claim is based.
In view of the foregoing, the final summary judgment is affirmed in all respects.
Affirmed.
. § 95.11(4)(g), Fla. Stat. (1997).
. The record indicates that all the parties were aware that the statute of limitations had run by the time the federal court was considering the motion to amend and motion for judgment on the pleadings. Ovadia v. Bloom, No. 94-1902 (S.D.Fla. Aug. 30, 1995)(Final Order of Dismissal).
. Contrary to Dr. Ovadia’s argument, Fulton County Administrator v. Sullivan, 753 So. 2d 549 (Fla.1999), does not mandate a different result in this case.
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Blinn v. Fla. Dep't OF Transp. & Sverdrup Corp., 781 So. 2d 1103 (Fla. 1st DCA 2000)…sal, unless the claim were dismissed on the merits. See Brian Augustus Beckcom, Pushing the Limits of the Judicial Power: Tolling State Statutes of Limitations Under 28 U.S.C. § 1867(d), 77 Tex. L.Rev. 1049, 1075, n. 168 (1999). Cf. Ovadia v. Bloom, 756 So. 2d 137 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000)(court implicitly recognized that if federal court has jurisdiction, the state limitations period would be tolled under 28 U.S.C. § 1367). If the language of the statute to be construed is not clear, resort may be made to the rule…1 / 2
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Callaway Land & Cattle Co., Inc. v. Banyon Lakes C. Corp., 831 So. 2d 204 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002)…le actions when they arise from the same publication upon which a failed defamation claim is based.” As authority, the majority cites to Orlando Sports Stadium, Inc. v. Sentinel Star Co., 316 So. 2d 607, 609 (Fla. 4th DCA 1975), and Ovadia v. Bloom, 756 So. 2d 137, 140-41 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000). Although I believe Orlando Sports reached the correct result, unfortunately it cited to Easton v. Weir, 167 So. 2d 245 (Fla. 2d DCA 1964), a case primarily dealing with the rule of Mims v. Reid, 98 So. 2d 498 (Fla.1957).…1 / 2
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Heekin v. CBS Broad., Inc., 789 So. 2d 355 (Fla. 2d DCA 2001)…f action for libel or slander and alleges a claim for false light invasion of privacy based on the publication of the same false facts, the false light invasion of privacy action is barred by the two-year statute of limitations. See Ovadia v. Bloom, 756 So. 2d 137 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000); Schwab v. Television 12 of Jacksonville, Inc., No. 91-07031, 21 Media L. Rep. 1157, 1993 WL 169181 (Fla. 4th Cir.Ct. Jan. 11, 1993); Hamilton Byrne v. Weekly World News, Inc., No. CL91-10956 (Fla. 15th Cir.Ct. Apr. 28, 1992). A p…
Previewing 3 of 18 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Salcedo v. Asociacion Cubana, Inc., 368 So. 2d 1337 (Fla. 3d DCA 1979)
- John W. Buckner, M.D. v. The Lower Fla. Keys Hosp. Dist., 403 So. 2d 1025 (Fla. 3d DCA 1981)
- Orlando Sports Stadium, Inc. v. Sentinel Star Co., 316 So. 2d 607 (Fla. 4th DCA 1975)
- Wis. Dep't of Corr. v. Schacht, 524 U.S. 381 (U.S. 1998)
- Fulton Cnty. Adm'r v. Sullivan, 753 So. 2d 549 (Fla. 1999)
- Alachua Cnty. v. Cheshire, 603 So. 2d 1334 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992)
- Binstok v. State, 573 So. 2d 1049 (Fla. 4th DCA 1991)
- Heckman v. City OF Oakland Park, 644 So. 2d 525 (Fla. 4th DCA 1994)
- Morsani v. Major League Baseball, 739 So. 2d 610 (Fla. 2d DCA 1999)