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State v. Swatts

District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District
Aug 29, 2008
988 So. 2d 1284 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2008)

Opinion

No. 1D07-6313.

August 29, 2008.

Petition for Writ of Certiorari — Original Jurisdiction.

Bill McCollum, Attorney General, and William H. Branch, Assistant Attorney General, Tallahassee, for Petitioner.

No appearance for Respondent.


Inasmuch as the circuit court essentially construed the respondent's handwritten pro se request for DNA testing as a section 742.10(4), Florida Statutes, challenge to paternity based on fraud, duress, or material mistake of fact, we deny the petition for writ of certiorari. See Dade County School Bd. v. Radio Station WQBA, 731 So.2d 638 (Fla. 1999).

ALLEN, and BENTON, JJ., CONCUR; BROWNING, C.J., DISSENTS WITH OPINION.

BROWNING, C.J., dissents.

I respectfully dissent. Respondent's handwritten unsworn letter to the lower court does not constitute a lawful challenge under section 742.10(4), Florida Statutes, when read in pari materia with section 742.18, Florida Statutes. I would quash the lower court's order on the authority of Department of Revenue v. Price, 958 So.2d 1045 (Fla. 2d DCA 2007): a case, I might add, that the trial judge recognized as involving facts "essentially identical" to the facts at issue.


Summaries of

State v. Swatts

District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District
Aug 29, 2008
988 So. 2d 1284 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2008)
Case details for

State v. Swatts

Case Details

Full title:STATE of Florida, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, on behalf of Linda BARNES…

Court:District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District

Date published: Aug 29, 2008

Citations

988 So. 2d 1284 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2008)