Case ID: so2d_450/html/0562-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "PER CURIAM.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Steve EDELSTEIN, City of Miami, Michael J. Murphy and Fowler, White, Burnett, Hurley, Banick & Strickroot, Appellants/appellees, v. Miriam DONNER and Arthur J. Morburger, Appellees/appellants.
    Nos. 83-1504, 83-2005.
    District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
    May 8, 1984.
    See also, 425 So.2d 1220.
    Fowler, White, Burnett, Hurley, Banick & Strickroot and Michael J. Murphy, Jose Garcia-Pedrosa, Miami, and Leon M. Firtel, Miami Beach, for appellants/appellees.
    Arthur J. Morburger and Miriam Donner, in pro. per.
    Before SCHWARTZ, C.J., and NESBITT and BASKIN, JJ.
   PER CURIAM.

We affirm the trial court’s issuance of a Peremptory Writ of Mandamus insofar as it requires the production of materials claimed to be protected by a non-existent work product exemption to the Public Records Act, Chapter 119, Florida Statutes (1981). Parsons & Whittemore, Inc. v. Metropolitan Dade County, 429 So.2d 343 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983); Donner v. Edelstein, 423 So.2d 367 (Fla. 3d DCA 1982); Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. City of North Miami, 420 So.2d 653 (Fla. 3d DCA 1982); Tober v. Sanchez, 417 So.2d 1053 (Fla. 3d DCA 1982), review denied, 426 So.2d 27 (Fla.1983); Donner v. Edelstein, 415 So.2d 830 (Fla. 3d DCA 1982).

We reverse the trial court’s ruling approving an attorney-client privilege as a ground for denying production under the Public Records Act. Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. City of North Miami, No. 83-688, 452 So.2d 572 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983) (City of North Miami II). As in City of North Miami II, we certify that this decision passes upon a question of great public importance:

Does the attorney-client privilege section of the Florida Evidence Code exempt from the disclosure requirements of the Public Records Act written communications between a lawyer and his public-entity client?

Orders pertaining to the grant of production affirmed; orders pertaining to the denial of production reversed; question certified. 
      
       The trial court did not have the benefit of City oj North Miami II when it made its ruling.