SNEAD CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION, A FLORIDA CORPORATION, APPELLANT,
v.
PARKWAY EAST, INC., AN INSOLVENT FLORIDA CORPORATION, ET AL., APPELLEES

Fla. 3d DCA | 1975-11-25
No. 74-1750
Before BARKDULL, C. J., HENDRY, ]., and PIERCE, WILLIAM C, Associate Judge.
324 So. 2d 206 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (1975) Positive Treatment
Cited by 4 cases

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Synopsis

Snead Construction Corporation appealed the dismissal of its third amended complaint alleging breach of contract, negligence, and fraud by defendants in connection with an apartment complex construction project. The appellate court reversed, holding that the complaint contained sufficient factual allegations to state a cause of action and should not have been dismissed for failure to state a claim.


Holding

The court held that the third amended complaint, though inartfully drawn, contained sufficient factual allegations to indicate that a cause of action exists and should not have been dismissed. The trial court erred in dismissing the complaint and in imposing restrictive conditions for any fourth amended complaint.


Headnotes

[1] A complaint is sufficient if it contains a short and plain statement of the ultimate facts showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.

[2] A trial court errs in dismissing a complaint with prejudice if it contains facts sufficient to indicate that a cause of action exists.

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Key Quotes

“The complaint, even if inartfully drawn, contains facts sufficient to indicate that a cause of action exists.”

Establishes that formal perfection in pleading is not required; sufficient factual allegations support the complaint

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Facts & Procedural History

Snead Construction contracted to build a 100-unit apartment complex for Parkway East, Inc. for $1,100,400. Snead incurred extra expenses authorized by…

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Opinion of the Court
PIERCE, WILLIAM C., Associate Judge.

PIERCE, WILLIAM C., Associate Judge.

Snead Construction Corporation, plaintiff in the trial court, appeals an adverse order of dismissal with prejudice of its third amended complaint for failure to state a cause of action against the defendants who are Parkway East, Inc., J. T. Stewart Mortgage Company, Inc., and Abe Schiff, Robert L. Frank, John W. Roberts, Jr., Jack H. Stein, individually, and as directors and trustees of Parkway East, Inc. Snead filed a lengthy complaint against the named defendants, alleging that Snead constructed a 100-unit apartment complex for defendant, Parkway East, Inc., for a basic contract price of $1,100,400; that during construction extra expenses were incurred at the request or with the authorization of, the defendants; that Snead signed an FHA cost certification with the understanding that the defendants would pay the balance owing on the construction contract, but that it was never paid; that defendant Stewart Mortgage Company negligently released the final loan funds to Parkway knowing that there was a dispute over these funds; that Frank, with intent to defraud, embezzled the funds in conspiracy with Roberts and Stein; that, in fact, these three paid themselves with the money and left Snead’s claim unsatisfied. Actual and punitive damages were sought.

Following Snead’s filing of a third amended complaint, the trial court dismissed with prejudice the claims against all defendants except Stein and Parkway East, Inc. As to these defendants, Snead was given leave to amend a fourth time, but with strict conditions :

“Said amended complaint shall be allegations as to all acts that took place prior to the 27th day of July, 1972, and such complaint shall be required to set forth with explicit and specific language that the Plaintiff corporation had performed any and all requisite conditions precedent; to show that the Plaintiff corporation was ready, willing, able and had complied with all the rules and regulations of the FHA and of the closing documentation, and that Plaintiff did perform according to such conditions; that in the absence of performance, the Plaintiff did notify each and every party of its failure or refusal to perform; that said failure and refusal relieved the Plaintiff corporation from executing any and all papers required of it at the time of closing.”

Snead refused to amend under these conditions, whereupon final judgment was entered in favor of" the defendants and this appeal ensued.

Snead contends, and we agree, that the trial judge erred in dismissing the third amended complaint and imposing the above requirements if it chose to amend a fourth time. The complaint, even if inartfully drawn, contains facts sufficient to indicate that a cause of action exists. Rule 1.-110(b), RCP, states that a complaint shall contain

“(1) a short and plain statement of the grounds upon which the court’s jurisdiction depends, unless the court already has jurisdiction and the claim needs no new grounds of jurisdiction to support it, (2) a short and plain statement of the ultimate facts showing that the pleader is entitled to relief and (3) a demand for judgment for the relief to which he deems himself entitled. Relief in the alternative or of several different types may be demanded. Every complaint shall be considered to pray for general relief.

Since we find the plaintiff’s claims to be well pled, they should not have been dismissed. See Keller v. Eagle Army-Navy Department Stores, Inc., Fla.App. 1972, 256 So. 2d 248; also see Hammonds v. Buckeye Cellulose Corporation, Fla.1973, 285 So. 2d 7. It is to be noted that this decision deals only with pleadings and is not to be construed as a disposition on the merits.

Reversed and remanded with directions to reinstate the complaint as against all defendants.

Reversed.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Snead Constr. Corp. v. J. T. Stewart Mortg. Co., Inc., 350 So. 2d 573 (Fla. 3d DCA 1977)
    …PER CURIAM. Reversed and remanded for further proceedings based on the following authorities: Reinhard v. Bliss, 85 So. 2d 131 (Fla.1956); Snead Construction Corp. v. Parkway East, Inc., 324 So. 2d 206 (Fla. 3d DCA 1975).…
  • Ward AIR Conditioning Co. v. Mogul, 352 So. 2d 528 (Fla. 4th DCA 1977)
    …PER CURIAM. We believe the second amended complaint of the appellant stated a cause of action and should not have been dismissed. See Snead Construction Corp. v. Parkway East, Inc., 324 So. 2d 206 (Fla.3d DCA 1975). Accordingly, the order of dismissal entered by the trial court is reversed. [*529] ANSTEAD and DAUKSCH, JJ., concur. CROSS, J., dissents without opinion.…

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