JOSEPH SCHONFELD, SOMETIMES KNOWN AS JOE SCHONFELD,
v.
MIRIAM SMITH, A MARRIED WOMAN, WHOSE HUSBAND HAS DESERTED HER FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS, BY LAURA KNOWLES, HER NEXT FRIEND, LELA PIZE, JOINED BY HER HUSBAND, ETC., ET AL.

Fla. | 1936-10-16
Ellis, P. J., and Terrell and Buford, J. J., concur., Whitfield, C. J., arid Brown and Davis, J. J., concur in the opinion and judgment.
125 Fla. 462 Florida Supreme Court (1936) Positive Treatment
Also reported at: 170 So. 129
Cited by 1 case

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Synopsis

The Florida Supreme Court affirmed an order denying a motion to dismiss a bill of complaint, holding that a bill of complaint will not be dismissed if it states a case entitling the plaintiff to any relief, including under the implied prayer for general relief.


Holding

No, a bill of complaint should not be dismissed if it states a case entitling the plaintiff to any relief, either under a specific prayer or the implied prayer for general relief.


Key Quotes

“Every bill of complaint shall be considered to pray for general, relief.”

This quote establishes the statutory basis for the implied prayer for general relief.

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Facts & Procedural History

The appeal stemmed from an order denying a motion to dismiss a bill of complaint. While the specific relief prayed for might not have been fully suppo…

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Opinion of the Court
Per Curiam.

Per Curiam.

— The’ appeal in this case is from an order denying motion to dismiss the bill of complaint.

We can see no good purpose to be served by promulgating an opinion in disposing of the appeal. It is sufficient to say that although the complainant may not have been entitled under the allegation's of the bill to the relief specifically prayed, Section 28 of the 1931 Chancery Practice Act provides:

“Every bill of complaint shall be considered to pray for general, relief.”

For application of this provision see McCarthy’s Annotated Florida Chancery Act, 2nd Ed. 75.

It appears to be well settled that no objection to the prayer of the bill of complaint may be raised by motion to dismiss because if the bill states a case entitling the plaintiff to any relief under any special prayer or under the implied prayer for general relief, it will not be dismissed. See Phifer v. Abbott, 73 Fla. 402, 74 So. 488; Fla. So. R. Co. v. Hill, 40 Fla. 1, 23 So. 566, 74 A. S. R. 124; Orlando v. Equ. Bldg,, etc., Assn., 45 Fla. 507, 33 So. 986; Brokaw v. McDougla, 20 Fla. 212; Isleworth Grove Co. v. Orange County, 79 Fla. 208, 84 So. 83; Raulerson v. Peeples, 79 Fla. 367, 84 So. 370; So. Fla. Citrus Land Co. v. Walden, 59 Fla. 606, 51 So. 554; White Engr. Co. v. Peoples St. Bank, 81 Fla. 35, *46487 So. 753; Hewitt v. Punta Gorda St. Bank, 108 Fla. 39, 145 So. 883.”

The allegations of the bill in this case are amply sufficient to warrant equitable relief.

Therefore, the order appealed from is affirmed.

Ellis, P. J., and Terrell and Buford, J. J., concur.

Whitfield, C. J., arid Brown and Davis, J. J., concur in the opinion and judgment.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Scussel v. Kelly, 152 So. 2d 767 (Fla. 2d DCA 1963)
    …tion to the attitude of mind of the judge to the defendant in the inferior court, and are not [*777] frivolous or fanciful, they are sufficient to meet the command of the statute.” Similarly, in the case of Peacock v. Frederick, 1936, 125 Fla. 414, 170 So. 129, which was an original proceeding by J. E. Peacock for a writ of prohibition directed to the Honorable Herbert B. Frederick, as Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit in and for Volusia County, Florida, the Supreme Court, in a Per Curiam opinion, sai…

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