Case ID: so2d_453/html/0447-02.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "GLICKSTEIN, Judge. ANSTEAD, Chief Judge,", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Margarita HERNANDEZ, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Rafael Hernandez, Jr., deceased; Margarita Hernandez, individually; Stanley Hernandez; Ahiza Hernandez; Gates Learjet Corp., a foreign corporation; and Linda Moyer, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Glenn Charles Moyer, deceased, Appellants, v. BASS AVIATION, INC., a foreign corporation; Titanic Aircraft Sales and Service, Ltd., a foreign corporation; and The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, a foreign corporation, Appellees.
    No. 83-366.
    District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
    July 11, 1984.
    Rehearing Denied Aug. 21, 1984.
    
      Ann Thomas and Carolyn Pickard of Thornton, David & Murray, P.A., Miami, for appellant, Gates Learjet Corporation.
    Michael K. McLemore of Kimbrell, Ham-ann, Jennings, Womack, Carlson & Knis-kern, P.A., Miami, for appellant, Linda Moyer.
    Thomas R. Trompeter of Casuso & Trom-peter, South Miami, for appellants, Margarita, Stanley and Ahiza Hernandez.
    Donna S. Catoe of Peters, Pickle, Flynn, Niemoeller & Downs, Miami, for appellees.
   GLICKSTEIN, Judge.

This is an appeal from an order which dismissed Bass Aviation from the action because of lack of in personam jurisdiction and insufficient minimum contacts by that defendant with the State of Florida. We reverse and remand.

We held in Cosmopolitan Health Spa, Inc. v. Health Industries, Inc., 362 So.2d 367, 368 (Fla. 4th DCA 1978):

In order to allow the assertion of in personam jurisdiction over a defendant outside the territorial reach of the courts of this state, a burden is imposed on the plaintiff to plead sufficient material facts to establish a basis for the exercise of such jurisdiction. If such jurisdiction over the person of the defendant is properly challenged by affidavit, the plaintiff must sustain its assertions by affidavit or other proof and may not rely on a mere reiteration of the allegations contained in the complaint. Georgia Savings and Loan Service Corp. v. Delwood Estates, Inc., 315 So.2d 237 (Fla. 1st DCA 1975). See also Dublin Company v. Peninsular Supply Co., 309 So.2d 207 (Fla. 4th DCA 1975). (Emphasis in original.)

Applying the foregoing requirements to the present case, we conclude that the allegations of the plaintiffs’ complaint and their subsequent proof were sufficient to meet the following test expressed by the United States Supreme Court and followed by the courts of Florida in Lacy v. Force V Corp., 403 So.2d 1050, 1054 (Fla. 1st DCA 1981):

Unquestionably the single most important factor to be considered is whether “the defendant’s conduct and connection with the forum ... are such that he should reasonably anticipate being haled into court there _” World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. v. Woodson, 444 U.S. [286] at 297, 100 S.Ct. [559] at 567, 62 L.Ed.2d at 501. It is essential that this circumstance be considered from the perspective of the defendant — not from that of the plaintiff. See Shaffer v. Heitner, 433 U.S. 186, 204, 97 S.Ct. 2569, 2580, 43 L.Ed.2d 683 (1977). The reasonable foreseeability factor is frequently applied to force a nonresident defendant to answer a suit within the forum if it “purposefully avails itself of the privilege of conducting activities within the forum .... ” Hanson v. Denckla, 357 U.S. 235, 253, 78 S.Ct. 1228, 1240, 2 L.Ed.2d 1283 (1958).

Paragraph 13 of the complaint alleged:

(13) Upon information and belief, Bass leased Learjet N211MB to persons and organizations residing and operating in the state of Florida, and leased and operated other aircraft in the state of Florida. Prior to March 3, 1980, Bass delivered Learjet N211MB into the custody of Glenn Charles Moyer with the knowledge that he would fly N211MB to various places within and without the United States of America including the state of Florida.

Bass Aviation moved to dismiss the complaint for lack of jurisdiction over its person and attached the affidavit of its president, attesting to the facts that Bass was a Mississippi corporation whose principal place of business is in Fairhope, Alabama; that it neither has nor had officers, agents, employees, jobbers, wholesalers or distributors in Florida; that it did not nor had not placed advertising in any publications in Florida nor sent direct mail nor broadcast advertising therein; that it does or did not use Florida banks as lenders; that it did not lease the aircraft in question to anyone in Florida, directly or indirectly; that it did not operate or maintain the subject aircraft here; that it had none of its products used or consumed here; that the lease for the aircraft was executed in Fairhope; that the aircraft left Fairhope for Denver; and that the pilot only mentioned Denver, Chicago and the northeast United States.

The affidavit did not address most of the allegations of paragraph 13 of the complaint but conflicted with the allegation therein that Bass knew the aircraft was going to be flown to Florida and without the U.S. The complaint had also alleged the alleged unairworthy aircraft flew from Miami to Haiti where it crashed in the mountains on March 3, 1980 killing the occupants.

The deposition of Bass’ president revealed two discrepancies with his affidavit; namely, that the pilot had told him he would be flying from the northeast to Florida and that Bass had advertised in 1979 and 1980 in Florida pursuant to a written agreement with A/C Flyer, whose office was then, according to the printed agreement, in Miami. The deposition further reflected facts relevant to the jurisdictional inquiry. The subject aircraft was leased for seven days on February 29, 1980, by Bass to Titanic Aircraft Sales and Service, Ltd., a Bahamian corporation operating in Fort Lauderdale. Bass had previously entered into similar leases with the same party; and Mr. Bass testified as to another lease for other aircraft with another party operating in Fort Lauderdale. A long-term lease with this other party — for ten years commencing in late 1979 — reflects delivery to be in Fort Lauderdale; and the record reflects correspondence and invoices directed to Fort Lauderdale.

The statement of facts in the main brief of appellants, Hernandez, alleges that the certificate held by Bass which was required by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations was used by other entities who were renting or leasing aircraft from Bass, including a party in Fort Lauderdale. Ap-pellees’ brief did not dispute this fact.

In our opinion the trial court erred in not concluding that Bass, should have reasonably anticipated being haled into court.

LETTS, J., concurs.

ANSTEAD, C.J., dissents with opinion.

ANSTEAD, Chief Judge,

dissenting:

Bass Aviation, Inc., a Mississippi corporation with its main office in Alabama, the lessor of an aircraft, was sued in negligence as the result of the crash of the aircraft in Haiti. The aircraft was leased in Alabama to a Bahamian corporation that did business in a number of states, including Florida. Under these facts I do not believe we can say the trial court erred in ruling that Bass was not amenable to service of process under the provisions- of Section 48.193, Florida Statutes (1983), which provides:

48.193 Acts subjecting persons to jurisdiction of courts of state.—
(1)Any person, whether or not a citizen or resident of this state, who personally or through an agent does any of the acts enumerated in this subsection thereby submits that person and, if he is a natural person, his personal representative to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state for any cause of action arising from the doing of any of the following:
(a) Operates, conducts, engages in, or carries on a business or business venture in this state or has an office or agency in this state.
(b) Commits a tortious act within this state.
(c) Owns, uses, or possesses any real property within this state.
(d) Contracts to insure any person, property, or risk located within this state at the time of contracting.
(e) With respect to proceedings for alimony, child support, or division of property in connection with an action to dissolve a marriage or with respect to an independent action for support of dependents, maintains a matrimonial domicile in this state at the time of the commencement of this action or, if the defendant resided in this state preceding the commencement of the action, whether cohabiting during that time or not. This paragraph does not change the residency requirement for filing an action for dissolution of marriage.
(f) Causes injury to persons or property within this state arising out of an act or omission outside of this state by the defendant, provided that at the time of the injury either:
1. The defendant was engaged in solicitation or service activities within this state which resulted in such injury; or
2. Products, materials, or things processed, serviced, or manufactured by the defendant anywhere were used or consumed within this state in the ordinary course of commerce, trade, or use, and the use or consumption resulted in the injury.
(g)Breaches a contract in this state by failing to perform acts required by the contract to be performed in this state.
(2) Service of process upon any person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state as provided in this section may be made by personally serving the process upon the defendant outside this state, as provided in s. 48.194. The service shall have the same effect as if it had been personally served within this state.
(3) Only causes of action arising from acts or omissions enumerated in this section may be asserted against a defendant in an action in which jurisdiction over him is based upon this section, unless the defendant in his pleadings demands affirmative relief on other causes of action, in which event the plaintiff may assert any cause of action against the defendant, regardless of its basis, by amended pleadings pursuant to the rules of civil procedure.
(4) Nothing contained in this section shall limit or affect the right to serve any process in any other manner now or hereinafter provided by law.

Subsections (l)(a) through (g) and (3) speak for themselves. Under the evidence, Bass’ activities do not fall into any of these categories. I do not believe we can overturn the trial court’s ruling on the basis of evidence of some prior advertising in Florida or the fact that some other aircraft leased by Bass were used in Florida. 
      
      . Fairhope is on the east side of Mobile Bay, west of Pensacola, Florida.