BERNARD MARKO & ASSOCIATES, INC., A FLORIDA CORPORATION, APPELLANT,
v.
MORTON STEELE AND LESTER SEGERMAN, APPELLEES
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Bernard Marko & Associates sued officers of Seaboard Beverages for fraud after the company failed to encumber equipment as promised in a settlement agreement. The trial court granted summary judgment for the defendants, and the appellate court affirmed, holding that the complaint failed to allege the essential elements of fraud based on future representations.
The court affirmed summary judgment because the complaint failed to allege the essential elements of fraud for future representations—namely, that the representations were made without any intention of performing them. The trial court properly denied amendment because no evidence was offered at the hearing revealing a misstatement of position, and appellant's failure to object to co-defendant Segerman's joinder in the motion constituted waiver of procedural defects.
[1] A claim for fraud based upon a representation of a future occurrence requires allegations that the representation was made without any intention of performing it or with…
[2] A trial court should allow a plaintiff to amend a complaint during a summary judgment hearing if evidence reveals the plaintiff has misstated their position.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“In order to state a claim for fraud based upon representation of a future occurrence, a plaintiff must allege that the representation was 'made without any intention of performing it, or made with the positive intention not to perform it'”
Establishes the legal standard for fraud based on future representations, which the complaint failed to satisfy
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAppellant Bernard Marko & Associates had garnished Seaboard Beverages' assets. Under a settlement stipulation, Seaboard agreed to pay money, give note…
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This appeal is from a summary final judgment entered for the defendants upon appellant’s claim of damages for fraud and deceit. The appellees, Steele and Seger-man, were officers and directors of a corporation known as Seaboard Beverages, Inc.
Appellant’s complaint sought to -impose individual liability upon the appellees for allegedly fraudulent representations they made in order to have appellant dissolve a garnishment the appellant had filed against Seaboard. Appellant dissolved the garnishment upon a stipulation whereby Seaboard agreed to give the appellant a sum of money plus six notes and to secure the notes by an encumbrance upon “all its mixing and refrigeration equipment.” Seaboard gave appellant the agreed sum and the notes but gave no instrument encumbering the mixing and refrigeration equipment. Seaboard made payment on one of the notes and went into voluntary bankruptcy in October 1967. Appellant instituted the present cause in August 1968.
Appellant’s complaint alleged that the appellees were guilty of fraud in that they represented to the appellant that all of Seaboard’s mixing and refrigeration equipment was clear of all liens and encumbrances while this representation in fact was untrue and known by the appellees to be untrue. The trial court entered summary judgment in favor of the appellees after he correctly found (upon the pleadings and the discovery proceedings) appellees’ representation that the mixing and refrigeration equipment was unencumbered was in fact true.
Appellant does not dispute the correctness of this finding. It urges however that its complaint should be construed to present an alternative statement of fraud and deceit in that it contains allegations that the appellees made the representation *44that an encumbrance upon the refrigeration and mixing equipment would be given when they never intended to give any type of security and knew that the security would not be given.
In order to state a claim for fraud based upon representation of a future occurrence, a plaintiff must allege that the representation was “made without any intention of performing it, or made with the positive intention not to perform it * * Home Seekers’ Realty Co. v. Menear, 102 Fla. 7, 135 So. 402 (1931). These essential allegations are completely lacking in appellant’s complaint. But appellant contends that since the summary judgment may have been based upon the insufficiency of the allegations, it should have been given an opportunity to amend its complaint. This contention was not presented to the trial court; it was first raised on appeal. It is unavailing in any event. A trial court should allow a plaintiff to amend his complaint if during the hearing on a motion for summary judgment evidence is offered which reveals the plaintiff has misstated his position. Hart Properties, Inc. v. Slack, Fla. 1959, 159 So.2d 236, 240; McClendon v. Key, Fla.App.1968, 209 So.2d 273, 277. However in the present case no party offered such evidence. The court therefore properly entered summary judgment for the appellees without granting the appellant leave to amend its complaint.
The appellant has presented an additional point urging that the summary judgment in favor of defendant Segerman was procedurally incorrect because Seger-man did not serve and file a motion for summary judgment pursuant to the time requirement of Rule 1.510(c), Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, 31 F.S.A. At the hearing on Steele’s timely filed and served motion for summary judgment, Segerman’s counsel orally requested permission of the court to join in Steele’s motion for summary judgment. The appellant made no objection. The court permitted the joinder because the defendants occupied the same legal position relative to the grounds of the motion for summary judgment. It followed as a matter of law that if defendant Steele was entitled to a summary judgment upon the grounds asserted, defendant Segerman would also be entitled to a summary judgment. Therefore appellant was in no way prejudiced by defendant Seger-man’s failure to follow the provision of Rule 1.510(c). In addition we think that appellant’s failure to object to Segerman’s motion to join in the motion for summary judgment filed by Steele amounted to a waiver by the appellant of the time requirements of Rule 1.510(c), Florida Rules of Civil Procedure.
Affirmed.
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Burns v. Consol. Am. Ins. Co., 359 So. 2d 1203 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978)…urt the question of whether Consolidated’s motion complied with the requirements of the rule, and never objected to the entry of summary judgment on this ground, any error pertinent thereto was waived. See Bernard Marko & Associates, Inc. v. Steele, 230 So. 2d 42 (Fla.3d DCA 1970); Frank v. Pioneer Metals, Inc., 121 So. 2d 685 (Fla.3d DCA 1960). Moreover, the purpose of the rule is to put the opposing party on notice as to the grounds which will be asserted against him. In the instant case, plaintiff was aw…
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Bank OF Wessington & Arnold Domke v. Winters Gov't Sec. Corp., 361 So. 2d 757 (Fla. 4th DCA 1978)…was directed to Counts IV and V of the complaint, alleging fraud and securities law violations. We find no error in the court’s ruling as regards said counts. Alechman v. Edwards, 56 So. 2d 327 (Fla.1952); Bernard Marko & Associates, Inc. v. Steele, 230 So. 2d 42 (Fla. 3rd DCA 1970); Section 517.301, Florida Statutes (1975). In view of the foregoing, that part of the Order dealing with the Motion to Dismiss is affirmed and that part of the Order dealing with the Motion to Quash is affirmed as to appellant B…
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Telesphere Int'l, Inc. v. Scollin, 489 So. 2d 1152 (Fla. 3d DCA 1986)…er, 5 Fla. 478 (1854), failed to inform him both of the potential difficulties of developing the system and of its own then-existing intention to terminate him if the adversities actually came to pass. See Bernard Marko & Associates, Inc. v. Steele, 230 So. 2d 42 (Fla. 3d DCA 1970); Bissett v. Ply-Gem, Industries, Inc., 533 F. 2d 142 (5th Cir.1976). See generally W. Prosser 6 W. Keeton, The Law of Torts § 109 Prediction and Intention (5th ed. 1984). (b) At the time, Telesphere had knowledge superior to Scol…
Previewing 3 of 24 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Duarte v. Stevens Mkts., Inc., 159 So. 2d 236 (Fla. 1963)
- Home Seekers Realty Co. v. Mrs. D. C. Menear, 102 Fla. 7 (Fla. 1931)
- Lampman v. City OF N. Miami, 209 So. 2d 273 (Fla. 3d DCA 1968)