RHODA MANN
v.
ANIMAL AID, INC.

Fla. 4th DCA | 2024-05-22
No. 2023-0171
335 So. 3d 743 2024 FL 5921 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fourth District (2024) Positive Treatment
Also reported at: 300 So. 3d 1216
Cited by 8 cases

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Synopsis

Rhoda Mann appealed the circuit court's denial of her motion for attorney's fees and request to tax costs. The Fourth District affirmed the denial of attorney's fees but reversed the denial of costs, holding that under Florida Statutes § 57.041(1), a party recovering judgment has a statutory right to recover costs with no judicial discretion to deny.


Holding

The court reversed the denial of Mann's request to tax costs. Under § 57.041(1), the party recovering judgment is entitled to recover all legal costs and charges as a matter of right, and the trial court has no discretion to deny such costs. The court affirmed the denial of attorney's fees.


Headnotes

[1] Under Florida Statute section 57.041(1), a trial court has no discretion to deny the party recovering judgment its lawful costs; such costs must be taxed as a matter of r…

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Key Quotes

“The party recovering judgment shall recover all his or her legal costs and charges which shall be included in the judgment”

Statutory basis for the right to recover costs under Florida law

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Facts & Procedural History

Rhoda Mann obtained judgment in a case against Animal Aid, Inc. She then filed motions requesting attorney's fees and seeking to tax costs. The circui…

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Opinion of the Court

PER CURIAM.

Rhoda Mann appeals the circuit court’s order denying her motion for attorney’s fees and request to tax costs. We affirm the orders denying attorney’s fees but reverse the order as to Mann’s request to tax costs.

Section 57.041(1), Florida Statutes (2022), states that “[t]he party recovering judgment shall recover all his or her legal costs and charges which shall be included in the judgment . . . .” And, “[w]here costs are sought based on section 57.041(1), a trial court has no discretion to deny the party obtaining judgment its lawful costs.” Tower Hill Signature Ins. Co. v. Kushch, 335 So. 3d 743, 753 (Fla. 4th DCA 2022) (quoting Roberts v. Third Palm, LLC, 300 So. 3d 1216, 1217 (Fla. 4th DCA 2020)). Because Mann was the “party recovering judgment,” the court erred when it denied her request to tax costs. On remand, the court shall tax costs in favor of Mann.

Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. MAY, DAMOORGIAN and KUNTZ, JJ., concur.

2

* * * Not final until disposition of timely filed motion for rehearing.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Rhoda Mann v. Animal Aid, Inc., 335 So. 3d 743 (Fla. 4th DCA 2024)
    …nd charges which shall be included in the judgment . . . .” And, “[w]here costs are sought based on section 57.041(1), a trial court has no discretion to deny the party obtaining judgment its lawful costs.” Tower Hill Signature Ins. Co. v. Kushch, 335 So. 3d 743, 753 (Fla. 4th DCA 2022) (quoting Roberts v. Third Palm, LLC, 300 So. 3d 1216, 1217 (Fla. 4th DCA 2020)). Because Mann was the “party recovering judgment,” the court erred when it denied her request to tax costs. On remand, the court shall tax cos…
    1 / 2
  • United Cab of Broward, LLC v. Nathalia Muller, 397 So. 3d 80 (Fla. 4th DCA 2024)
    …ion.” State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Nichols, 932 So. 2d 1067, 1079 (Fla. 2006). Both the statute and rule require all conditions and nonmonetary terms within the PFS to be stated with particularity. Tower Hill Signature Ins. Co. v. Kushch, 335 So. 3d 743, 748 (Fla. 4th DCA 2022). However, not every ambiguity will invalidate a PFS: only ambiguities that “could reasonably affect the offeree’s decision” to accept. Nichols, 932 So. 2d at 1079. Courts should not “nitpick” PFSs for ambiguities, as…
  • Porath v. Nugent, 408 So. 3d 783 (Fla. 4th DCA 2025)

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