Title: Heath v. Becktell

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

327 So. 2d 3 (1976)
Clyde L. HEATH, Clerk of Circuit Court of Broward County, Florida, Petitioner,
v.
Wada Sue BECKTELL, Respondent.
No. 47240.

Supreme Court of Florida.
January 14, 1976.
Philip S. Shailer, State Atty., and Jon H. Gutmacher, Asst. State Atty., for petitioner.
Warner S. Olds, Public Defender, and William W. Herring, Asst. Public Defender, for respondent.
ROBERTS, Justice.
This cause is before us on certiorari granted to review the decision of the District Court of Appeal, Fourth District, which affects a class of constitutional officers, thus vesting jurisdiction in this Court pursuant to Article V, Section 3(b)(3), Constitution of Florida.
On November 18, 1974, the Chief Judge of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit entered an administrative order which provides, as follows:
Respondent was the defendant in a criminal case in Broward County. She was acquitted of the criminal charges against her before the decision of the District Court here under review was rendered. The instant cause revolves around the following facts. After being informed against, respondent filed and served the State Attorney with notice of taking the deposition of Lt. Farinato of the Broward County's Sheriff's Department, and also attempted to file a praecipe for the issuance of a subpoena duces tecum directed to Lt. Farinato commanding him to bring with him to the deposition certain statements of the defendant. Petitioner, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Broward County, refused to accept the praecipe for filing and refused to issue a subpoena duces tecum. Respondent then filed a petition for writ of mandamus with the District Court of Appeal, Fourth District, in which she requested the court to require petitioner to accept the filing of the praecipe and to issue the subpoena.
Meanwhile, pursuant to normal discovery channels of Rule 3.220(a)(1)(iii), Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, respondent was able to obtain the information which he sought.
Specifically declining to rule as to whether the legal position taken in the administrative order is correct or not, the District Court of Appeal, Fourth District, granted the peremptory writ of mandamus requiring that upon proper filing of a notice to take a deposition and upon tender of a proper praecipe for issuance of witness subpoena duces tecum, Heath receive and file same and issue said subpoena.
Initially we find that the District Court erred in granting the petition for writ of mandamus. Under the circumstances of this cause, mandamus was not an appropriate remedy. Mandamus is an original proceeding to enforce a clear legal right to the performance of a clear legal duty, and will not ordinarily issue when other legal remedies are available. Sub judice respondent failed to show a clear legal right to the issuance of the writ and, further, failed to show that no other adequate remedy existed. The Clerk would have placed himself in jeopardy of contempt of *5 court by refusing to obey the administrative order of the Chief Judge of his circuit and, accordingly, the action requested by respondent which contradicted the administrative order could not be considered a ministerial duty of petitioner so as to be subject to requirement of performance through a mandamus action. Cf. Somylo v. Scott, 45 So. 2d 502 (Fla. 1950); Dickey v. Circuit Court, Gadsden County, 200 So. 2d 521 (Fla. 1967). Not only was relief available to respondent through ordinary discovery methods set out in Rule 3.220, Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, but also respondent could have simply made application with the trial judge for the matter requested.
Obviously, the administrative order was intended as a construction of a statewide rule and, as such, we find the construction expressed therein to be appropriate and correct.
Accordingly, the decision of the District Court is quashed and the cause remanded with directions to dismiss the petition for writ of mandamus.
It is so ordered.
ADKINS, C.J., and BOYD, OVERTON, ENGLAND and SUNDBERG, JJ., concur.