Continental Motors, Inc. v. William Losner and Doylene Losner
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
Date FiledMarch 18, 2020
Docket3D19-1473
StatusPublished
📰 News Coverage: Read the LAWS.com news report on this case
Full Opinion
Third District Court of Appeal
State of Florida
Opinion filed March 18, 2020.
Not final until disposition of timely filed motion for rehearing.
________________
No. 3D19-1473
Lower Tribunal No. 18-28457
________________
Continental Motors, Inc.,
Appellant,
vs.
William Losner and Doylene Losner,
Appellees.
An Appeal from a non-final order from the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade
County, Jose M. Rodriguez, Judge.
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, and Douglas E. Winter (Washington, DC);
Wicker Smith O’Hara McCoy & Ford, P.A., and Alyssa M. Reiter (Fort Lauderdale);
Skinner Law Group, and Laurie A. Salita (Malvern, PA) and Will S. Skinner
(Woodland Hills, CA), for appellant.
The Ferraro Law Firm, P.A., and Leslie B. Rothenberg, Mathew D. Gutierrez
and James L. Ferraro, Jr., for appellees.
Before EMAS, C.J., and SCALES and GORDO, JJ.
PER CURIAM.
Affirmed. See Banco de los Trabajadores v. Cortez Moreno, 237 So. 3d 1127,
1133 (Fla. 3d DCA 2018) (explaining: “A Florida court may exercise ‘specific’
jurisdiction over a nonresident defendant in those cases in which it is alleged that
the nonresident defendant commits any of the specific acts enumerated in [section
48.193(1)(a)1.-9., Florida Statutes], so long as the cause of action arises from that
enumerated act committed in Florida”); Rudel v. Rudel, 111 So. 3d 285, 289 (Fla.
4th DCA 2013) (acknowledging that a trial court's determination of jurisdiction is a
question of law reviewed de novo; however, to the extent such a determination is
based on findings of fact, those findings are reviewed under a standard of competent,
substantial evidence) (citing Machtinger v. Inertial Airline Servs., Inc., 937 So. 2d
730, 734-35 (Fla. 3d DCA 2006)); § 48.193(1)(a)2., Fla. Stat. (2018) (providing that
a person, whether or not a citizen or resident of Florida, submits himself or herself
to the jurisdiction of the courts of Florida for any cause of action arising from his or
her act of “[c]ommitting a tortious act within this state”); § 48.193(1)(a)6.a.-b., Fla.
Stat. (2018) (providing that a person, whether or not a citizen or resident of Florida,
submits himself or herself to the jurisdiction of the courts of Florida for any cause
of action arising from his or her act of “[c]ausing injury to persons or property within
this state arising out of an act or omission by the defendant outside this state, if, at
or about the time of the injury, either: a. The defendant was engaged in solicitation
or service activities within this state; or b. Products, materials, or things processed,
2
serviced, or manufactured by the defendant anywhere were used or consumed
within this state in the ordinary course of commerce, trade, or use”). See also
Highland Stucco and Lime Prods., Inc. v. Onorato, 259 So. 3d 944, 950 (Fla. 3d
DCA 2018) (observing: “The constitutional prong of the analysis requires the trial
court to consider whether the defendant has sufficient minimum contacts with the
state so that the exercise of jurisdiction would not offend traditional notions of fair
play and substantial justice. Venetian Salami [Co. v. Parthenais], 554 So. 2d 499 at
502 (Fla. 1989) (citing Int'l Shoe Co. v. Washington, 326 U.S. 310, 316, 66 S. Ct.
154, 90 L. Ed. 95 (1945)). In this connection, the plaintiff must establish that the
defendant's contacts with the forum state are: (1) related to the cause of action or
gave rise to it; (2) involve some act by which the defendant purposefully availed
itself of the privilege of conducting business within the forum; and (3) the
defendant’s act is such that it should reasonably anticipate being haled into court in
that forum state”); Louis Vuitton Mallatier, S.A. v. Mosseri, 736 F.3d 1339, 1355
(11th Cir 2013) (holding: “In specific personal jurisdiction cases, we apply the
three-part due process test, which examines: (1) whether the plaintiff's claims ‘arise
out of or relate to’ at least one of the defendant's contacts with the forum; (2) whether
the nonresident defendant ‘purposefully availed’ himself of the privilege of
conducting activities within the forum state, thus invoking the benefit of the forum
state's laws; and (3) whether the exercise of personal jurisdiction comports with
3
‘traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice.’ The plaintiff bears the burden
of establishing the first two prongs, and if the plaintiff does so, ‘a defendant must
make a ‘compelling case’ that the exercise of jurisdiction would violate traditional
notions of fair play and substantial justice.’ The plaintiff bears the burden of
establishing the first two prongs, and if the plaintiff does so, ‘a defendant must make
a compelling case that the exercise of jurisdiction would violate traditional
notions of fair play and substantial justice.’”) (internal citations omitted.)
4