FLORIDA VENTILATED AWNING CO., INC., ET AL.
v.
DICKSON ET AL.
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Florida Ventilated Awning Company and others appeal a contempt order for violating an injunctive decree that prohibited use of the word 'ventilated' in their business name and advertising. The Florida Supreme Court reversed the contempt finding, holding that the defendants lacked the requisite intent to violate the order and promptly ceased violations once properly advised.
The contempt order is reversed. The defendants were not guilty of contempt because they lacked the requisite intent to violate the order, the injunctive decree was complex and comprehensive, the violations were unintentional and of no great importance, and defendants promptly ceased violations once properly advised by counsel.
“intention to be one of the elements of contempt”
The court establishes that willful intent is a necessary element of a contempt finding, which was absent here.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceA final decree enjoined defendants from using the word 'ventilated' or similar terms in their business name, advertising, or telephone listings. Defen…
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TERRELL, Justice.
This appeal is from a contempt order in Jack Dickson and Benjamin' Horrow, as-copartners, doing-business as Miami Ventilated Awning Shutter Company v. Florida Ventilated Awning Company, Inc., a Florida corporation, Drew Harris and Stanley S. Davidson. A final decree adjudging defendants in contempt for violating the terms, of said final decree was entered October 5, 1952. This appeal is from the contempt order. The point for determination is whether or not defendants were guilty of contempt.
That part of the final decree which is said to have been violated and on-which the contempt order was predicated is as follows t
(a) using the word “ventilated” or any word similar thereto or of similar meaning in the name of said defendant corporation or in connection with their awning an'd shutter business;
(b) from using the expressions “ventilated awning” and “ventilated awning shutter” or the word “ventilated” to describe or to identify any awning or awning shutter manufactured or sold by said defendants;
(c) from employing or using in any manner, directly or indirectly, any telephones, telephone service or telephone numbers listed now or hereafter in any telephone book or with any telephone company in any name containing the words “Ventilated Awning” or “Ventilated.” The rule to show cause alleges that on September 15, 17, 19, and 22, 1952 in violation of the injunctive order, defendants did (a) place advertisements using the name “Florida Ventilated. Awning Company, Inc.,” and the expression “Ventilated Awnings,” referring to exhibits attached in one of the local papers, (b) Continued to use and still uses the telephones, service and numbers listed under name of Florida Ventilated Awning Company, Inc. It appears from the evidence taken before the chancellor that an appeal was prosecuted from the injunctive order September 19, 1952, that copy of the final decree was received by counsel for appellant? late September 15th. It further appears that defendants had standing orders with the paper for advertisements of its goods on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of each week, that they learned of the injunctive order on the 15th of September 1952, and since an appeal was promptly taken they were of the view it would be proper to continue their advertising, that if they had committed a wrong it was not wilful, that defendants were served with a copy of the rule to show cause on September 24, 1952, at which time they were advised by counsel to cease advertising and since being so advised they avow that they had done all they knew to comply with the final decree.
To summarize, the evidence shows that the final decree was complex and comprehensive with a large number of directives and commands, there were three alleged violations by advertising and they had been long contracted for. Defendants had these cut off as soon as they were advised to do so. The chancellor stated that the effect of such unintentional violations was of no “great importance” yet he imposed a fine of $250 on each defendant and $500 on the company. Defendants were laymen and so far as this record shows, men of good repute. It certainly cannot be said that the injunctive order was simple as to terms. There was no intent to disobey the order and I understand intention to be one of the elements of contempt. They thought they had a good ground to appeal, they were not fully conscious of the effect of the injunctive order and apparently were doing all they could to comply with it. They stopped the alleged violations as soon as they were advised.
The contempt order is therefore reversed.
Reversed.
ROBERTS, C. J., and SEBRING and MATHEWS, JJ., concur.
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Citator
Cited By (24 total)
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Fla. Ventilated Awning Co., Inc. v. Dickson, 67 So. 2d 215 (Fla. 1953)
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Thomson v. State, 398 So. 2d 514 (Fla. 2d DCA 1981)…culated to lessen its authority or dignity constitutes a contempt, Clein v. State, 52 So. 2d 117, 119 (Fla.1950); Ex parte Crews, 127 Fla. 381, 173 So. 275 (1937). Intent is an essential element of contempt. Florida Ventilated Awning Co. v. Dickson, 67 So. 2d 218 (Fla.1953); Young v. Miami Beach Improvement Co., 46 So. 2d 26 (Fla.1950); Department of Health & Rehabilitative Services v. State, 338 So. 2d 220 (Fla. 4th DCA 1976). Although appellant’s conduct does appear, as a practical matter, to have hindered…
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Levine v. State, 650 So. 2d 666 (Fla. 4th DCA 1995)…ty Ins. Co. v. Henrion, 523 So. 2d 776, 777 (Fla. 4th DCA 1988)). Moreover, there must be proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the individual intended to disobey the court. Barnes, 588 So. 2d at 1077 (citing Florida Ventilated Awning Co. v. Dickson, 67 So. 2d 218 (Fla.1953)). In the instant case, Judge Goldstein sustained a prosecutorial negative impeachment objection to a question Levine asked of a witness. Levine then proposed one more question and Judge Goldstein simply denied this request. These two rul…
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- Fla. Ventilated Awning Co., Inc. v. Dickson, 67 So. 2d 215 (Fla. 1953)