B. C. FULLER, APPELLANT,
v.
CHARLES S. RILEY, KNIGHT AIRCRAFT CORP., INC., CARL KNIGHT AND AVIATION ASSISTANCE GROUP, INC., APPELLEES
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Fuller appealed a summary judgment from civil court of record, but filed the appeal 60 days after judgment rather than within one calendar month as required by statute. The court held that the one-month appeal period specified in § 33.11(1), Fla.Stat. applies to appeals from civil courts of record to the district court of appeal, rejecting the court's prior implicit construction allowing 60 days.
The court held that the one-month appeal period specified by § 33.11(1), Fla.Stat. is the period within which appeals must be taken from the civil court of record to the district court of appeal, consistent with Florida Appellate Rule 3.2(b). However, this new construction is not applied retroactively to appeals filed before the decision is published.
“the period of one calendar month as specifically provided by § 33.11(1), Fla.Stat, F.S.A., is the period within which appeals may be taken from the civil court of record”
States the court's holding regarding the correct appeal period
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceFuller appealed from a summary judgment rendered June 22, 1960. The appeal was filed August 15, 1960, which was within 60 days of the judgment but exc…
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The appellee Charles S. Riley has moved to dismiss this appeal on the ground that it was not filed within the period prescribed for appeals to this court from the civil court of record.
Prior to the amendment of Article V of the Constitution of Florida, F.S.A.Const., effective July 1, 1957,-which placed in this court the jurisdiction of appeals from the civil court of record (Art. V. § 5(3), Fla. Const., 26 F.S.A.), the circuit court had jurisdiction of such appeals under the then existing provisions of Article V, § 11 of the Constitution, as supplemented by legislation (§ 33.11, Fla.Stat., F.S.A.) which specified “one calendar month” as the appeal period.1
The order appealed from in this • case was from a summary judgment rendered *500June 22, 1960. The appeal was filed August 15, 1960, within 60 days but not within a calendar month.
The question raised by this motion has not previously been presented to this court. However, in several instances where appeal periods of less than 60 days were specifically provided for by statutes- which dealt with appeals to the circuit court, the jurisdiction over which appeals was changed to this court in 1957 by the constitutional amendment ab’ove referred to, we have held that the shorter appeal periods fixed by statute prevailed.2 See Florida Appellate Rules 1.1; 1.4; 3.2 subd. b, 31 F.S.A.
We hold, therefore, consistent with the express provision of rule 3.2 subd. b, F.A.R.,3 that the period of one calendar month as specifically provided by § 33.11(1), Fla.Stat, F.S.A., is the period within which appeals may be taken from the civil court of record.
By previously entertaining such appeals when filed any time within 60 days, this court implicitly construed the law to provide a 60-day appeal period. In addition, the period for appeals from the civil court of record to this court was stated by this court to be 60 days, in a footnote to the case of In re Campbell’s Guardianship, Fla.App.1959, 114 So.2d. 352, 354. which involved a question of the period for appeal from the county judge’s court in matters relating to an incompetent. The different judicial construction which we now place upon the applicable rules and statute will not be made to operate retroactively.
The general rule is that a judicial construction of a court rule or statute will be deemed to relate back to its effective date. But a recognized exception is that when parties act in reliance on, and in conformity with the prior construction of an appellate court, the rights which such parties have gained and the positions they have so taken should not be impaired by a different judicial construction of the same rule or statute made in a subsequent decision of that court. Until this decision is published in the advance opinions of the Southern Reporter, it will not be available to the Bar and the public generally. To apply it to appeals taken before that time would be to use it retroactively. It should be given effect only in appeals filed thereafter. See Florida Forest and Park Service v. Strickland, 154 Fla. 472, 18 So.2d 251; Aronson v. Congregation Temple De Hirsch, Fla.App.1960, 123 So.2d 408.
The motion to dismiss this appeal is denied.
HORTON, C. J., concurs specially.
PEARSON, J., concurs in part and dissents in part.
(concurring specially).
I concur only in the denial of the motion to dismiss.
(concurring in part and dissenting in part).
I concur fully in the holding set forth that: “consistent with the express provision of rule 3.2 subd. b, F.A.R., that the period of one calendar month as specifically provided by § 33.11(1), Fla.Stat., *501F.S.A., is the period within which appeals may be taken from the civil court of record”, and the reasoning which supports this holding, including, of course the rejection of the incorrect and unnecessary footnote to the case of In re Campbell’s Guardianship, Fla.App.1959, 114 So.2d 352, 354. I further concur that the present holding should not be given a retroactive effect.
I dissent from the decision reached by the majority in the instant case. It is my view that the ground presented by the motion to dismiss is jurisdictional and that upon our holding that the period of one calendar month is the period within which appeals may be taken from the civil court of record, the instant appeal must be dismissed.1
HORTON, Chief Judge
(concurring specially).
I concur only in the denial of the motion to dismiss.
PEARSON, Judge
(concurring in part and dissenting in part).
I concur fully in the holding set forth that: “consistent with the express provision of rule 3.2 subd. b, F.A.R., that the period of one calendar month as specifically provided by § 33.11(1), Fla.Stat., F.S.A., is the period within which appeals may be taken from the civil court of record”, and the reasoning which supports this holding, including, of course the rejection of the incorrect and unnecessary footnote to the case of In re Campbell’s Guardianship, Fla.App.1959, 114 So. 2d 352, 354. I further concur that the present holding should not be given a retroactive effect.
I dissent from the decision reached by the majority in the instant case. It is my view that the ground presented by the motion to dismiss is jurisdictional and that upon our holding that the period of one calendar month is the period within which appeals may be taken from the civil court of record, the instant appeal must be dismissed.1
. See dissenting opinion in Aronson v. Congregation Temple De Hirsch, Fla.App.1960, 123 So. 2d 408, 415.
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Gustav Kratz & Grange Mut. Cas. Co. v. Newsom, 251 So. 2d 539 (Fla. 2d DCA 1971)…gory, Fla.1970, 237 So. 2d 163. . N. 1 supra. . Fla.1969, 223 So. 2d 713. . Utica Mutual Insurance Co. v. Clonts, n. 1 supra. . Hartford Accident & Indemnity Co. v. Myers, n. 1 supra (dissenting opinion). . See Fuller v. Riley, Fla.App.3d 1960, 124 So. 2d 499; Florida Forest and Park Service v. Strickland, Fla.1944, 154 Fla. 472, 18 So. 2d 251; Aronson v. Congregation Temple De Hirsch, Fla.App.3d 1960, 123 So. 2d 408; West’s Digest, Courts, •©=>100(1) ; Scliaefer, Precedent and Policy, 1966, 34 U.Chi.L.R…
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ED Lane Auto Sales, Inc. v. Weinstein, 132 So. 2d 218 (Fla. 3d DCA 1961)…udgment appealed * * * ” [Emphasis supplied.] Section 59.08, Fla.Stat., F.S.A., provides that appeals shall be taken within 60 days from the entry of the judgment appealed. See, also, F.A.R. 3.2, subd. b, 31 F.S.A. In Fuller v. Riley, Fla.App.1960, 124 So. 2d 499, this court held the provisions of Section 33.11, supra, controlled the time in which an appeal could be taken from the civil court of record. However, subsequent to the rendition of the opinion in the Fuller case, the Supreme Court of Florida decid…
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Fuller v. Riley, 128 So. 2d 641 (Fla. 3d DCA 1961)…PER CURIAM. Appeal dismissed. See, also, Fla.App., 124 So. 2d 499.…
Authorities Cited
- Toley Engebretsen v. Engebretsen, 154 Fla. 472 (Fla. 1944)
- Placid York Co., Inc. v. Calvert Hotel Co., Inc., 109 So. 2d 604 (Fla. 3d DCA 1959)
- In the Interest of Ida Glendlyn (9) & Glenn Earl (8) Evans, 116 So. 2d 783 (Fla. 3d DCA 1960)
- In re Est. of George H. Wartman v. Wartman, 118 So. 2d 838 (Fla. 3d DCA 1960)
- Susan Joyce Aronson (Individually) v. Congregation Temple de Hirsch, 123 So. 2d 408 (Fla. 3d DCA 1960)
- In re Guardianship of Daniel Douglas Campbell, 114 So. 2d 352 (Fla. 3d DCA 1959)