NORA BOB MILLER, A MINOR BY HER FATHER AND NEXT FRIEND, ROBERT R. MILLER, AND ROBERT R. MILLER, APPELLANTS,
v.
GUERNSEY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC., A FLORIDA CORPORATION, AND GUERNSEY INVESTMENT CO., INC., A FLORIDA CORPORATION, APPELLEES
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A ten-year-old child was injured falling on uncovered floor joists at a house under construction. The plaintiffs appealed a summary judgment dismissing their negligence claim, arguing the construction site constituted an attractive nuisance per se. The appellate court affirmed, holding that a building under construction is not automatically an attractive nuisance absent a specific dangerous instrumentality.
The court held that a building under construction is not per se an attractive nuisance. The attractive nuisance doctrine requires not only that the premises attract children, but that the defendant created a specific instrumentality that is inherently dangerous to children because it partakes of the nature of a trap. Summary judgment was proper because the admitted facts established an orderly construction process with no such dangerous instrumentality.
“The theory of plaintiff's case was that a building under construction is per se an attractive nuisance. This view is not in accord with the weight of authority in this country.”
Establishes the core legal dispute and the court's rejection of plaintiff's primary theory
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The plaintiffs, a minor and her father, appeal from a summary final judgment in a personal injury action. The complaint alleged that the ten year old plaintiff was attracted to a house being constructed by the defendants and was seriously injured when she fell while walking upon the floor joists. It further charged the defendants with negligence in permitting the floor joists to remain uncovered without providing a method for the protection of children from injury thereupon. After answers in which they admitted control of the premises and denied negligence, the defendants moved for a summary judgment based upon the pleadings, depositions and admissions on file. The trial judge found that the attractive nuisance doctrine was not applicable to the admitted facts in this case. The sole question upon this appeal is whether the trial judge was correct in this conclusion of law. The appellant attempts to present an additional question as to the propriety of summary judgment because the judge, “took the question of negligence from the jury.” This latter question is not involved since the complaint does not state a cause of action unless the attractive nuisance doctrine is applicable. Summary judgment is proper when the doctrine is invoked and 'is inapplicable. Lomas v. West Palm Beach Water Co., Fla.1952, 57 So.2d 881.
The theory of plaintiff’s case was that a building under construction is per se an attractive nuisance. This view is not in accord with the weight of authority in this country. See cases cited in annotation beginning at 44 A.L.R.2d 1253. See also 2 Harper and James, Torts, § 27.5 (1956); 1 Shearman and Redfield, Negligence § 31 (Rev. ed. 1941). It is not supported by a decision in this state.
The Supreme Court of Florida has upon several occasions found that an attractive nuisance existed upon premises where a building was in the process of construction. See Atlantic Peninsular Holding Co. v. Oenbrink, 133 Fla. 325, 182 So. 812 (concrete floor collapsed due to latent defects); Johnson v. Wood, 155 Fla. 753, 21 So.2d 353 (unprotected mortar box placed near sidewalk and containing caustic ingredients); Carter v. Livesay Window Co., Fla.1954, 73 So.2d 411 (heavy concrete window-frame placed on a narrow ledge so that a small force would cause the frame to-fall); Cockerham v. R. E. Vaughan, Inc.,, Fla.1955, 82 So.2d 890 (unprotected hole for septic tank); Tucker Brothers, Inc. v. Menard, Fla.1956, 90 So.2d 908 (a bed of red-hot coals covered by a layer of grey *57ashes placed by contractor on a lot used by neighborhood children as a playground).
In each of these cases there is the underlying premise that buildings in the process of construction are attractive to children. But further, that the defendant created an instrumentality inherently dangerous to children because it partook of the nature of a trap to them. Carter v. Livesay Window Co., supra; cf. Ansin v. Thurston, Fla.App.1957, 98 So.2d 87; Larnel Builders, Inc. v. Martin, Fla.App.1958, 105 So.2d 580; Adler v. Copeland, Fla.App.1958, 105 So.2d 594.
The admitted facts before the chancellor established an orderly construction process and that the defendants’ premises were no more dangerous than every “unfinished” building in the process of construction. The judgment is therefore affirmed.
Affirmed.
CARROLL, CHAS., C. J., and HORTON, J., concur.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Authorities Cited
- Alligood v. Blanche Rogers, 73 So. 2d 411 (Fla. 1954)
- Tucker Bros., Inc. v. Menard, 90 So. 2d 908 (Fla. 1956)
- Cockerham v. R. E. Vaughan, Inc., 82 So. 2d 890 (Fla. 1955)
- Johnson v. Wood, 155 Fla. 753 (Fla. 1945)
- Atl. Peninsular Holding Co. v. August Oenbrink, 133 Fla. 325 (Fla. 1938)
- Adler v. Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Copeland, Jr., 105 So. 2d 594 (Fla. 3d DCA 1958)
- Lomas v. W. Palm Beach Water Co., 57 So.2d 881 (Fla. 1952)
- Ansin v. Thurston, 98 So. 2d 87 (Fla. 3d DCA 1957)
- Larnel Builders, Inc. v. Martin, 105 So. 2d 580 (Fla. 3d DCA 1958)
- Palmquist v. Johnson, 155 Fla. 628 (Fla. 1945)