ALAN SIMON AND MARIETTA SIMON, HIS WIFE, APPELLANTS,
v.
FRANCINE A. MURPHY, APPELLEE

Fla. 4th DCA | 2005-03-02
No. 4D04-871
POLEN and GROSS, JJ., concur.
895 So. 2d 1245 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fourth District (2005) Positive Treatment
Cited by 3 cases

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.

Synopsis

The Simons appealed a summary judgment dismissing their personal injury suit against police officer Francine Murphy for injuries sustained in a traffic accident. The court affirmed, holding that the accident was a routine traffic collision that did not rise to the level of wanton and willful disregard required to overcome Murphy's governmental immunity under Florida law.


Holding

The court held that the traffic accident did not rise to the level of wanton and willful disregard necessary to strip the officer of immunity. Viewing the facts in the light most favorable to the Simons, no genuine issue of material fact existed regarding whether Murphy acted with willful and wanton disregard, and summary judgment was properly granted.


Headnotes

[1] A law enforcement officer acting within the scope of employment is personally liable in tort only if the officer acts in bad faith, with malicious purpose, or in a manner…

[2] Where an officer's conduct does not rise to the level of bad faith, malicious purpose, or wanton and willful disregard, the exclusive remedy for injuries caused by the of…

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Key Quotes

“an officer acting in the scope of employment may be held personally liable in tort only where the officer acts "in bad faith or with malicious purpose or in a manner exhibiting wanton and willful disregard of human rights, safety, or property."”

Establishes the statutory standard for overcoming governmental immunity for police officers under Florida law.

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Facts & Procedural History

At approximately 4:25 a.m., Murphy, a police officer on duty, was driving a marked police vehicle and attempted to cross the northbound lanes of State…

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Opinion of the Court
STEVENSON, J.

[*1246] STEVENSON, J.

This is an appeal from a final summary judgment entered in favor of defendant Francine A. Murphy in a personal injury action resulting from a traffic accident which injured Alan Simon. We affirm.

Murphy, a police officer on duty at the time of the traffic accident, filed a motion for summary judgment, alleging that, based on the evidence, no reasonable juror could conclude that she had exhibited wanton and willful disregard of human rights, safety, or property. A hearing was held and the trial court granted Murphy’s motion for summary judgment. The court indicated that “this [was] nothing more than a traffic accident,” that it was a “routine automobile accident,” and that “these facts would never rise to the level of wanton and willful conduct or reckless driving or anything else.” We agree.

Pursuant to Florida Statutes section 768.28(9)(a), an officer acting in the scope of employment may be held personally ha-ble in tort only where the officer acts “in bad faith or with malicious purpose or in a manner exhibiting wanton and willful disregard of human rights, safety, or property.” Where bad faith, malicious purpose, or wanton and willful disregard is not shown, the exclusive remedy for injury or damages suffered as a result of such act of the officer shall be by action against the governmental entity, the head of such entity in his or her official capacity, or the constitutional officer of which the officer is an employee. See § 768.28(9)(a), Fla. Stat. (2004).

In the instant case, both Murphy and Simon were driving marked City of Mar-gate police vehicles. The accident occurred at approximately 4:25 a.m. when Murphy drove across the northbound lanes of State Road 441 in order to proceed eastbound on Coconut Creek Parkway to get in a position to make a traffic stop of a vehicle being driven without its headlights on. Simon, off-duty and going home at the time, was driving his vehicle northbound on State Road 441. As Murphy attempted to go across the northbound lanes of State Road 441, the passenger side of her vehicle was hit by the front of the vehicle driven by Simon. Murphy testified that she saw Simon’s car coming, but believed that she had enough time to make her turn.

We find that the trial court correctly granted summary judgment. Viewing the facts in the light most favorable to the Simons, the incident giving rise to the instant action was a mere traffic accident which did not rise to the level of willful and wanton disregard necessary to strip Murphy, as an officer of the State, of immunity from suit as a matter of law pursuant to Florida Statutes section 768.28(9)(a). While some disputed issues of fact remained, none were genuinely material on the issue of whether Murphy acted with willful and wanton disregard of human rights, safety, or property. See Bruckner v. City of Dania Beach, 823 So. 2d 167 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002), review denied, 842 So. 2d 843 (Fla.2003). Accordingly, we find that the final order of summary judgment was proper. AFFIRMED.

POLEN and GROSS, JJ., concur.


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Cited By

  • Ophelia Brown v. McKINNON, 964 So. 2d 173 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007)
    …y from suit. Florida Statute 768.28(9)(a) affords both immunity from liability and immunity from suit. Willingham v. City of Orlando, 929 So. 2d 43, 48 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006); Lemay v. Kondrk, 923 So. 2d 1188, 1192 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006); Simon v. Murphy, 895 So. 2d 1245, 1246 (Fla. 4th DCA 2005). Common law immunity also protects executive officials from both liability and suit. McNayr v. Kelly, 184 So. 2d 428, 429 (Fla.1966); Stephens, 702 So. 2d at 521. Because statutory immunity and common law immunity shield o…
  • Purcell v. City of Fort Lauderdale, 753 F. Supp. 3d 1308 (S.D. Fla. 2025)
    …ir employment, but we have never held (or even suggested) that 9 ---PAGE 9--- there's some genuine dispute here about whether the Officers took these acts within (as opposed to outside) the course and scope of their employment. See Simon v. Murphy, 895 So. 2d 1245, 1246 (Fla. 4th DCA 2005) (“[A]n officer acting in the scope of employment may be held personally liable in tort only where the officer acts in bad faith or with malicious purpose[.]” (cleaned up)). Since there's no genuine dispute that Officers Poh…

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