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Whiteside v. Joseph Harris Co., Inc.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District
Jul 18, 1986
491 So. 2d 1215 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1986)

Opinion

No. 85-2850.

July 18, 1986.

Appeal from the Circuit Court for Hillsborough County, John M. Gilbert, J.

Steven T. Northcutt, of Levine, Freedman, Hirsch Levinson, P.A., Tampa, for appellants.

Thomas J. Roehn, of Annis, Mitchell, Cockey, Edwards Roehn, P.A., Tampa, for appellee.


Appellee, defendant in the trial court, prevailed in a civil action instituted by appellants, plaintiffs below. Plaintiffs brought suit under section 817.41, Florida Statutes (1985), charging defendant with misleading advertising. The trial court awarded the prevailing defendant attorney's fees pursuant to section 817.41(6) which provides:

Any person prevailing in a civil action for violation of this section shall be awarded costs, including reasonable attorney's fees, and may be awarded punitive damages in addition to actual damages proven. This provision is in addition to any other remedies prescribed by law.

Appellants challenge the award of attorney's fees arguing that such an award to a prevailing defendant is contrary to the legislative intent of the statute. We reject this contention.

The legislative intent is evident from the plain language of the statute. See St. Petersburg Bank and Trust Co. v. Hamm, 414 So.2d 1071 (Fla. 1982). As the prevailing party in this action, defendant was entitled to an award of fees under section 817.41(6). Miami Lincoln Mercury, Inc. v. Kramer, 399 So.2d 1003 (Fla. 3d DCA), petition for review dismissed, 408 So.2d 1094 (Fla. 1981).

Affirmed.

FRANK, J., and PATTERSON, DAVID F., Associate Judge, concur.


Summaries of

Whiteside v. Joseph Harris Co., Inc.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District
Jul 18, 1986
491 So. 2d 1215 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1986)
Case details for

Whiteside v. Joseph Harris Co., Inc.

Case Details

Full title:CLAUDE WHITESIDE, D/B/A WHITESIDE FARMS, AND DON W. GOODSON, APPELLANTS…

Court:District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District

Date published: Jul 18, 1986

Citations

491 So. 2d 1215 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1986)