Title: Patricia J. Nale v. Robert M. Montgomery, Jr.

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

Supreme 
Court 
of 
Florida
 
____________
No. SC00-2487
____________
PATRICIA J. NALE, etc., et al.,
Petitioners,
vs.
ROBERT M. MONTGOMERY, JR., et al.,
Respondents.
[March 7, 2002]
PER CURIAM.
We granted review of Nale v. Montgomery, 768 So. 2d 1166 (Fla. 4th DCA
2000), based on apparent conflict with Silvestrone v. Edell, 721 So. 2d 1173 (Fla.
1998).  See art. V, § 3(b)(3), Fla. Const.  Upon closer examination, however, we
find that jurisdiction was improvidently granted in this case.  Therefore, we dismiss
review of this cause.
It is so ordered.
WELLS, C.J., and SHAW, ANSTEAD, PARIENTE, LEWIS, and QUINCE, JJ.,
concur.
1. Silvestrone v. Edell, 721 So. 2d 1173 (Fla. 1998).
-2-
HARDING, J., dissents with an opinion.
NO MOTION FOR REHEARING WILL BE ALLOWED.
HARDING, J., dissenting.
I would grant jurisdiction in this case in order to resolve the conflict between
the case below and Blumberg v. USAA Casualty Insurance Co., 790 So. 2d 1061
(Fla. 2001).  The district court stated that Silvestrone1 only applies to malpractice
actions, not common law negligence actions.  See Nale v. Montgomery, 768 So. 2d
1166, 1167-68 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000).  However, In Blumberg, this Court recently
held that “a negligence/malpractice cause of action accrues when the client incurs
damages at the conclusion of the related or underlying judicial proceedings or, if
there are no related or underlying judicial proceedings, when the client's right to sue
in the related or underlying proceeding expires.”  790 So. 2d at 1065.  Hence,
pursuant to Blumberg, when determining whether a cause of action has accrued, the
same rule applies regardless of whether the action is for malpractice or common
law negligence.  By dismissing this case and allowing the analysis in the case below
to stand, the majority calls into question the viability of this Court’s opinion in
Blumberg. 
-3-
Application for Review of the Decision of the District Court of Appeal - 
Direct Conflict
Fourth District - Case No. 4D99-4228 
(Palm Beach County)
Paul Richard Bloomquist, Palm Springs, Florida,
for Petitioners
Shelley H. Leinicke of Wicker, Smith, O’Hara, McCoy, Graham & Ford, P.A., Fort
Lauderdale, Florida,
for Respondents