STATE, EX REL. J. R. DURRANCE,
v.
CITY OF HOMESTEAD, ET AL.
AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.
This case clarifies that strict compliance with a peremptory writ of mandamus is required, with limited exceptions for supervening legal impossibilities. The court emphasized that parties must obey court orders and that failure to do so can result in contempt proceedings.
The only permissible response to a peremptory writ of mandamus is strict and literal performance of its commands, evidenced by a certificate of performance. Non-compliance can lead to contempt proceedings.
“Where a peremptory writ of mandamus issues out of a court of competent jurisdiction the only legitimate response to such writ is that of compliance wtih its command ad litteratam.”
Establishes the strict compliance requirement for peremptory writs of mandamus.
Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceThe City of Homestead and its officials failed to comply with a peremptory writ of mandamus previously issued by a court. The writ commanded specific …
The full statement of facts, procedural history, and disposition for this case are member content.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence© FLexlaw, Inc. — AI-generated enrichments are proprietary. All rights reserved.
Explore caselaw by topic → Browse Compliance With Court Orders cases and more on FLexlaw
— Where a peremptory writ of mandamus issues out of a court of competent jurisdiction the only legitimate response to such writ is that of compliance wtih its command ad litteratam.
The peremptory writ must strictly follow the alternative writ and is never granted unless the requirements of the alternative can be performed. State v. Atlantic Coast Line R. Co., 53 Fla. 650, 44 Sou. Rep. 213, 13 L. R. A. (N. S.) 320, Ann. Cas. 359; State v. Gibbs, 13 Fla. 55, 7 Am. Rep. 233; State, ex rel. Gillespie v. Thursby, 104 Fla. 103, 139 Sou. Rep. 372; State, ex rel. West, v. Florida Coast Line Canal, etc., Co., 73 Fla. 1006, 75 Sou. Rep. 582, L. R. A. 1917F 776.
Since a peremptory writ of mandamus is issued only when and if it can be enforced, and since the judgment awarding a peremptory writ is in the effect an adjudication by the court issuing it that respondents have it within their power, if they wish, to obey its commands, the only response that is permissible to a peremptory writ of mandamus when issued, is the return of strict and literal performance of what it commands. State v. McLin, 16 Fla. 17; State, ex rel. DuPont Ball, Inc., v. Livingston, 104 Fla. *10733, 139 Sou. Rep. 360. And as evidence of such performance a certificate showing the doing of the acts commanded to be done is the only permissible return to the peremptory writ. State v. Board of County Canvassers of Alachua County, 17 Fla. 9; State v. Tavares & G. R. Co., 78 Fla. 329, 82 Sou. Rep. 833.
- The only exception to the foregoing rule is where subsequent to a judgment awarding a peremptory writ of mandamus a supervening and superogatory authority has made 'the doing of the acts commanded unlawful or impossible thereby bringing about a change of conditions occurring after the issuance of the peremptory writ that thereupon make compliance with its commands improper to be exacted, in which case a special return in the nature of a petition for stay of execution of the peremptory writ is tolerated and allowed to be interposed for consideration by the court, in order that the innocent respondents may be enabled to protect themselves against conflicting requirements of two conflicting jurisdictions. In the latter instance, if the special return be ascertained to be well founded, the state court may stay the execution of its peremptory process of mandamus upon the same principal that it is allowed to stay under like circumstances the enforcement of any final process of execution that has been issued by its command or authority. State, ex rel. Davis, v. Atlantic Coast Line R. Co., 103 Fla. 1204, 140 Sou. Rep. 817, 824.
But all matters of law and fact that could have been pleaded in defense of compliance wtih the alternative writ prior to the award of a peremptory writ are foreclosed by the judgment awarding a peremptory writ of mandamus. And no evasive or dilatory allegations should be allowed to be set up in a return to a peremptory writ, as reasons why respondents have not obeyed the peremptory writ, *108since the granting of a peremptory writ of mandamus implies that the parties respondent have been fully heard, or ■have had lawful opportunity to be heard, as to all justifications and excuses for not doing the things sought by the alternative writ of mandamus to be ordered in a peremptory writ of the same legal tenor and effect. State, ex rel. Bisbee, v. Board of County Canvassers of Alachua County, 17 Fla. 9.
Where an injunction, mandamus or other like process of a court has been allowed or adjudged to a party plaintiff upon due procedure invoked in the judicial forum therefor, it is the inescapable duty of the court to act for the vindication of the court’s authority with respect to its outstanding and unrecalled writs and orders, and the party who has obtained such order or process has the legal right to demand and insist that such injunction, mandamus or other like process be enforced, and it is the duty of the court or judge having control over such process to see to it that the court’s process or order is not disregarded or violated to the injury of the party seeking and obtaining same as a matter of judicial right in the premises. Seaboard Air Line R. Co. v. Tampa Southern R. Co., 101 Fla. 468, 134 Sou. Rep. 529, and cases cited.
The judgment below refusing to compel lawful obedience to the peremptory writ of mandamus issued in plaintiff in error’s behalf should, for the reasons set forth in this opinion, now be reversed, and the cause thereupon remanded to the Circuit Court with directions to issue an order repeating the mandate of the peremptory writ, and directing strict compliance with the directions and order of the court in that regard, and requiring that the respondents therein named do perfectly execute the duty therein and thereby commanded by a specified reasonable date and hour to be *109designated therein and that a rule be issued contemporaneously therewith, returnable at the same time, requiring the respondents to show cause why they should not be attached for contempt for their existing default in performance of the original peremptory writ as served upon them and not by them heretofore obeyed, as complained of in these proceedings. See: State, ex rel. Drew, v. State Canvassing Board, 16 Fla. 17; President, ex rel. Moran, v. Mayor of Elizabeth, 40 Fed. 799; United States v. Justices of Lauderdale County, 10 Fed. 460; United States, ex rel. Huidekopper, v. Buchanan County, 24 Fed. Cas. p. 1288, Case No. 14,679, 5 Dill. 285; In re Delgado, 140 U. S. 586, 35 L. Ed. 578, 11 Sup. Ct. 874.
In view of the fact that this was obviously a test case wherein the action of the respondents in subjecting themselves to attachment for contempt for disobeying the peremptory writ does not evidence any disrespectfully intentional disregard of the Court’s judgment, nothing in this opinion is to be taken as inhibiting the Court below from discharging the attachments herein directed to be issued, without inflicting punishment thereon other than the payment of the costs occasioned by same, if the Circuit Court should be so advised.
Reversed and remanded with directions.
Whitfield, C. J., and Brown, J., concur.
Ellis, P. J., and Terrell, and Buford, J. J., concur in the opinion and judgment.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
-
BAL Harbour Vill. v. State of Fla. ex rel. V. E. Giblin, 299 So. 2d 611 (Fla. 3d DCA 1974)…mend their return. While mandamus is subject to the ordinary rules of pleading, it is a direct and speedy remedy. The petitioners were entitled to a decision upon the [*618] sufficiency of the return. Cf. State ex rel. Durrance v. City of Homestead, 125 Fla. 105, 169 So. 593 (1936). No error is demonstrated upon the refusal to grant leave to file an amended or supplemental return. We find no error under appellants’ fifth point which urges that the commands of the alternative and the peremptory writs T$r,er…
-
State of Fla. Ex rel. Cora H. Warren v. City of Miami, 153 Fla. 644 (Fla. 1943)…he several issues of law and all matters of fact directly involved and determined and stands as the law of the case until reversed or set aside. See Sauls v. Freeman, 24 Fla. 225, 4 So. 577; State ex rel. Durrance v. City of Homestead, 125 Fla. 105, 169 So. 593; State ex rel. Neafie v. Butler, 151 Fla. 686, 10 So. (2nd) 572. There is, however, an exception to the rule, as expressed in State ex rel. Davis v. A.C.L. RR. Co., 103 Fla. 1204, 140 So. 817, 824, but the instant case does not fall within the excep…
-
State v. Butler, 151 Fla. 686 (Fla. 1942)…and trickery was in accord wtih the previous rulings of this Court and within the exception referred to in State ex rel. Davis v. Atlantic Coast Line R. Co., 103 Fla. 1204, 140 So. 817, 824; State ex rel. Durrance v. City of Homestead, 125 Fla. 105, 169 So. 593, and Pomeroy’s Equity Jurisprudence, Vol. 4 (5th Ed.) par. 1361, p. 975. The answer to this contention is that the peremptory writ of mandamus is not a brutum fulmen, subject to collateral attack and not within the rule enunciated in Kroier v. Kroie…1 / 4
Previewing 3 of 7 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited (12 total)
- Seaboard Air Line Ry. Co. v. Tampa S. R.R. Co., 101 Fla. 468 (Fla. 1931)
- The State of Fla. ex rel. W. H. Ellis v. Atl. Coast Line R.R. Co., 53 Fla. 650 (Fla. 1907)
- State v. Livingston, 104 Fla. 33 (Fla. 1932)
- The State of Fla. ex relatione J. W. Gillespie v. Thursby, 104 Fla. 103 (Fla. 1932)
- State v. McLin, 16 Fla. 17 (Fla. 1876)
- The State of Fla. ex rel. William D. Bloxham v. Gibbs, 13 Fla. 55 (Fla. 1869)
- State v. The Tavarse & Gulf R.R. Co., 78 Fla. 329 (Fla. 1919)
- State v. Fla. Coast Line Canal & Transp. Co., 73 Fla. 1006 (Fla. 1917)
- State of Fla. ex rel. H. Bisbee, Jr. v. The Bd. of Cnty. Canvassers of Alachua Cnty., 17 Fla. 9 (Fla. 1878)
- In re Delgado, 140 U.S. 586 (U.S. 1891)