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State ex Rel. Kovnot v. Ferguson

Supreme Court of Florida
Apr 9, 1975
313 So. 2d 710 (Fla. 1975)

Opinion

No. 46903.

April 9, 1975.

Jack R. Blumenfeld, Miami, for relator.


Relator has requested that we issue a writ of prohibition to prevent a judge of the Dade County circuit court from trying relator on an information charging him with false acknowledgment as a notary public. The petition for a writ of prohibition is denied.

Relator originally sought a writ of prohibition for the same purpose in the Third District Court of Appeal. His application to that court was denied. Nothing in the Constitution gives us jurisdiction to afford relator a second opportunity to obtain the same writ.

306 So.2d 226 (3d Dist.Ct.App.Fla. 1975).

See Fla. Const. art. V, §§ 3(b)(4) and 4(b) (3). Cf., State ex rel. Soodhalter v. Baker, 248 So.2d 468 (Fla. 1971) (construing the predecessor constitutional provision); State ex rel. Burns v. Amidon, 249 So.2d 22 (Fla. 1971).

Treating Relator's request as a petition for certiorari or a petition for a writ of mandamus, we also conclude that the petition should be denied. The petition was not filed within the time required for certiorari. The petition is improper as a request for mandamus since that remedy and prohibition are co-equal jurisdictional writs which would operate with identical effect to protect Relator. To grant a writ of mandamus when Relator has already been denied a writ of prohibition would be tantamount to according Relator two appellate opportunities, just as he sought two appellate forums, to obtain the same relief.

"[N]o cause shall be dismissed because an improper remedy has been sought." Fla. Const., art. V, § 2(a).

Fla.App. Rule 4.5(c).

ADKINS, C.J., and ROBERTS, DEKLE and OVERTON, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

State ex Rel. Kovnot v. Ferguson

Supreme Court of Florida
Apr 9, 1975
313 So. 2d 710 (Fla. 1975)
Case details for

State ex Rel. Kovnot v. Ferguson

Case Details

Full title:STATE EX REL. RONALD KOVNOT, RELATOR, v. RALPH B. FERGUSON, JR., JUDGE…

Court:Supreme Court of Florida

Date published: Apr 9, 1975

Citations

313 So. 2d 710 (Fla. 1975)

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