Case ID: so2d_485/html/0871-01.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

GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL, INC., Appellant, v. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, Boca Raton Community Hospital, Inc., and St. Mary’s Hospital, Inc., Appellees.
    No. 85-1577.
    District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
    March 26, 1986.
    Rehearing Denied April 25, 1986.
    Catherine A. Gaudreau of McDermott, Will & Emery, Miami, for appellant.
    R. Bruce McKibben, Jr. and Richard A. Patterson, Tallahassee, for appellee Dept, of Health and Rehabilitative Services.
    Charles A. Stampelos of McFarlain, Bobo, Sternstein, Wiley & Cassedy, P.A., Tallahassee, for appellee Boca Raton Community Hosp.
    Sydney H. McKenzie and M. Christopher Bryant of Oertel & Hoffman, P.A., Tallahassee, for appellee St. Mary’s Hosp., Inc.
   PER CURIAM.

We affirm and, in doing so, acknowledge that we have approved the appellee administrative agency’s interpretation of its rule, Rule 10-5.08(l)(e), to allow for a grace period for competing applicants for a certificate of need only where no other letter of intent has been filed more than five working days prior to the filing deadline. In other words, the agency permits a grace period for seeking certificates of need for competing applicants when the only other applications have been filed within five days of the deadline. We believe this to be a fair and reasonable interpretation of the rule. An agency’s interpretation of its own rule is entitled to deference and the party challenging the agency’s interpretation must establish that the interpretation * is clearly erroneous. Pan American World Airways, Inc. v. Florida Public Service Commission, 427 So.2d 716 (Fla.1983).

ANSTEAD and WALDEN, JJ., and CO-WART, EDWARD D., Associate Judge, concur.