OLIN'S, INC., A CORPORATION, APPELLANT,
v.
EARL M. RADER ET AL., AS CO-PARTNERS DOING BUSINESS UNDER THE FIRM NAME AND STYLE OF RADER AND ASSOCIATES, APPELLEE

Fla. 3d DCA | 1964-03-17
No. 63-425
Before BARKDULL, C. J., and HORTON and HENDRY, JJ.
161 So. 2d 711 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (1964) Caution
Cited by 4 cases

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Synopsis

Olin's, Inc. appealed a bench trial judgment, arguing that the trial judge abused discretion by rescinding a prior judge's order granting a jury trial without showing changed circumstances. The Florida District Court of Appeal held that the prior order granting jury trial was properly reflected in court minutes and could not be set aside without a showing of different or special conditions.


Holding

The court held that it was an abuse of discretion to deny jury trial. The prior order granting jury trial was properly reflected in the court minutes, and a successor judge may only overturn or modify a prior order of equal jurisdiction upon a showing that different or special conditions and circumstances exist. No such circumstances were demonstrated in this case.


Key Quotes

“There is a duty on the clerk of the civil court of record (§ 33.04, Fla.Stat., F.S.A.) similar to that of the clerk of the circuit court (§ 28.21, Fla.Stat., F.S.A.) to maintain a minute book in which he shall keep regular and fair minutes of all the proceedings of the court. The judge is required to sign these minutes before the adjournment of each term of court. These records are as much a part of the proceedings in a cause as individual written orders.”

Establishes that court minutes are official records carrying the same evidentiary weight as written orders.

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Facts & Procedural History

Olin's, Inc. was one of two defendants in a civil action. On December 11, 1962, counsel for appellant orally moved before a judge for severance and ju…

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Opinion of the Court
HORTON, Judge.

HORTON, Judge.

The appellant here was one of two defendants in an action instituted in the civil court of record.

The sole issue on this appeal is whether or not it was an abuse of discretion for a judge of the civil court of record to set aside a prior order of another judge of the same court granting a jury trial.

Neither party to the cause requested a jury trial in accordance with the provisions of Rule 2.1, Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, 31 F.S.A. On December 11, 1962, the parties by their counsel appeared before one of the judges of the civil court of record as is reflected by excerpts from Minute Book 91, page 462, of the records of that court, at which time counsel for appellant orally moved the court for a severance of the cause and for a jury trial. The minutes reflect that the court denied the motion for severance and granted the motion for a jury trial. The court ordered that the cause be noticed for jury trial. *712Later, before the cause was tried, another judge of the same court entered an order directing that the cause proceed as a non-jury case. The cause was subsequently tried without a jury and resulted in a judgment adverse to the appellant from which this appeal is prosecuted.

The appellee simply contends that no jury trial was ever granted appellant. There is a duty on the clerk of the civil court of record (§ 33.04, Fla.Stat., F.S.A.) similar to that of the clerk of the circuit court (§ 28.21, Fla.Stat., F.S.A.) to maintain a minute book in which he shall keep regular and fair minutes of all the proceedings of the court. The judge is required to sign these minutes before the adjournment of each term of court. These records are as much a part of the proceedings in a cause as individual written orders. However, their effect, for all purposes, may not always be the .same.

Wc must assume in the absence of any other showing that the minutes of the civil court of record accurately reflect what took place at the hearing when the appellant requested and apparently received permission to try its case before a jury. There is no showing in the record before us the basis upon which the judge who tried the case concluded that the cause should be tried non-jury and, in effect, set aside and rescinded an existing order of another judge of the same court who had granted a jury trial. We are fully aware •of the rule that permits a successor or interim judge to overrule or modify prior orders of another judge of equal jurisdiction, but it is only upon the basis that different or special conditions and circumstances exist which warrant a modification or reversal. Such circumstances have not 'been made to appear in the cause at bar. See Groover v. Walker, Fla.1956, 88 So.2d 312, 314.

Since it is clearly apparent that a jury trial was granted in this case, we conclude that it was an abuse of discretion to deny a trial by jury and, accordingly, the judgment appealed should be and is hereby reversed and the cause is remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent herewith.

Reversed and remanded.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Sodikoff v. Allen Parker Co., 202 So. 2d 4 (Fla. 3d DCA 1967)
    …on the basis of the defenses tendered. Appellants rely upon the rule stated in Groover v. Walker, Fla.1956, 88 So. 2d 312. See also Lawyers Co-operative Pub. Co. v. Williams, 149 Fla. 390, 5 So. 2d 871 (1942); and Olin’s Inc. v. Rader, Fla.App.1964, 161 So. 2d 711. The rule cited, which is to the effect that a successor judge may not review, modify or reverse upon the merits on the same facts the final orders of his predecessor, is not applicable here. It is immediately apparent that no final order was enter…
  • In re Est. of Philip E. Lindsay, 207 So. 2d 736 (Fla. 4th DCA 1968)
    …App.1963, 157 So. 2d 844, upheld by the Supreme Court in Smoak v. Graham, Fla.1964, 167 So. 2d 559. . Fla.App.1965, 175 So. 2d 239. . 1942, 149 Fla. 390, 5 So. 2d 871. . Fla.1956, 88 So. 2d 312. . 1928, 95 Fla. 829, 116 So. 760. . Fla.App.1964, 161 So. 2d 711. . The material portions of this order are as follows: “The above styled cause coming on to be heard on the Petition For Determination of Rent of S. S. HENDERSON and BERTHA Y. HENDERSON and the Court having considered the evidence presented, the a…

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