JORGE COLON AND AUREA COLON
v.
STILLWATER PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY

Fla. 5th DCA | 2021-12-03
No. 20-1130
Harris, J., Lambert, C.J., Sasso, J., Murphy, J.
Florida District Court of Appeal, Fifth District (2021)

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Holding

The trial court did not abuse its discretion in reducing the hours claimed by the Colons' counsel or in determining the reasonable hourly rate and fee multiplier, but erred in calculating prejudgment interest by using the final judgment date instead of the entitlement date.


Headnotes

[1] Prejudgment interest on attorney's fees awards must be calculated using the per diem interest rate as of the date of entitlement to the fees, not the date of the final ju…

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Facts & Procedural History

Jorge and Aurea Colon sought attorney's fees and costs in a dispute with Stillwater Property and Casualty Insurance Company. The trial court awarded f…

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Opinion of the Court
P.A. Harris

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA

FIFTH DISTRICT

NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO

FILE MOTION FOR REHEARING AND

DISPOSITION THEREOF IF FILED

JORGE COLON AND

AUREA COLON,

Appellants/Cross-Appellees,

v. Case No. 5D20-1130 LT Case No. 2016-CA-002469

STILLWATER PROPERTY

AND CASUALTY INSURANCE

COMPANY,

Appellee/Cross-Appellant,

v.

DANAHY & MURRAY, P.A.

Cross-Appellee. ________________________________/

Opinion filed December 3, 2021

Appeal from the Circuit Court for Osceola County, Michael Murphy, Judge.

James C. Hauser, of Attorney's Fees in Florida, PL, Orlando, for Appellants/Cross- Appellees.

2 Derek J. Angell, of Bell & Roper, P.A., Orlando, for Appellee/Cross-Appellant. Matthew R. Danahy, of Danahy and Dunnavant, P.A., Tampa, for Danahy & Murray, P.A.

HARRIS, J.

Jorge and Aurea Colon appeal the trial court’s final judgment awarding attorney’s fees and costs, arguing that the court, without justification, reduced the number of hours of attorney fee time sought by the Colons’ counsel. Stillwater Property and Casualty Insurance Company (“Stillwater”) cross-appeals the same final judgment, challenging the court’s finding of a reasonable hourly rate for the Colons’ attorney, the imposition of a fee multiplier, and the calculation of prejudgment interest. We find no reversible error in any of the issues raised by the Colons or Stillwater, with the exception of the computation of prejudgment interest, and remand solely for the purpose of correcting that amount. On remand the court should apply the per diem interest rate as of the date of entitlement rather than using the date of the final judgment. See Quality Engineered Installation, Inc. v. Higley S., Inc., 670 So. 2d 929 (Fla. 1996). In all other respects, we affirm.

AFFIRMED in part; REVERSED in part and REMANDED with instructions.

3 LAMBERT, C.J. and SASSO, J., concur.


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