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1 A Publication of the Orange County Bar Association The St. Johns River April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 4 Inside this Issue: President s Message It s not Easy Being Green... Or is it? Kristyne E. Kennedy, Esq. Professionalism Committee Heroes & Villains, Saints & Sinners James A. Edwards, Esq. Special Environmental Feature The Long Road From East Orange County to The United States Supreme Court: How a Dispute Over a St. Johns Wetland Permit Found its way to the United States Supreme Court Nick Dancaescu, Esq. Leadership Law 20132 There s nothing small about small business. It might be called a small business, but it s a big deal to you. BMO Harris Bank shares that mindset. And our full range of small business services can help your business succeed. Working together, we ll help keep your small business right where you want it. Visit your local BMO Harris branch or go to bmoharris.com/smallbusiness. Preferred Banking Institution and Proud Sponsor of the Orange County Bar Association Christopher Dale Premier Banker Tom Bacchus Business Banker BMO Harris Bank SM is a trade name used by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. bmoharris.com 2012_676_Orange_County.indd 1 12/10/12 1:13 PM3 4 880 North Orange Avenue Orlando, Florida PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID MID-FL FL PERMIT NO. 581 Helping F Profession BP Settle Helping Florida Businesses Professionals Navigate the BP Settlement Program ARE YOUR CLIENTS ELIGIBLE? IT S WORTH THE LOOK. ERG IS A STATEWIDE LAW FIRM REPRESENTING BUSINESS ALL ALONG FLORIDA S WEST COAST WHO SUFFERED D ECONOMIC LOSSES AFTER THE APRIL 20, 2010 B A Business and Consumer Law Firm Many west coast companies saw a more significant decline in their business in 2010 as compared to the rest of the country due to the trickle-down effects of the BP oil spill. A new class action Settlement Program, that received final Court approval on December 21, 2012, is working to provide financial relief to help Florida businesses recover. ERG is working in referral relationships with business, commercial litigation, and consumer law firms across the State of Florida that have clients located along Florida s Gulf Coast. All businesses should be evaluated for a potential BP claim, and ERG is here to help. indirect economic impacts of ERG IS A STATEWIDE LAW FIRM REPRESENTING BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIO businesses and consumers have ALL ALONG ERG IS FLORIDA S A STATEWIDE WEST LAW COAST FIRM WHO REPRESENTING SUFFERED DIRECT BUSINESSES OR INDIRECT AND ECONOMIC PROFESSIONALS LOSSES AFTER ALL ALONG THE APRIL FLORIDA S 20, 2010 WEST BP OIL COAST SPILL. WHO SUFFERED DIRECT OR INDIRECT ECONOMIC LOSSES AFTER THE APRIL 20, 2010 BP Beginning OIL SPILL. June 4, 2012, under a ne The BP spill was a disaster, businesses not only who for suffered Florida s financial environm Henry Hank Didier Henry Hank Didier Henry Hank Didier but also its economy. to Now, make after claims. 2 years The of Settlement litigation, the Pr b MARIANNA PENSACOLA indirect economic west coast businesses and profess JACKSONVILLE FT. WALTON BEACH TALLAHASSEE impacts of this disaster on all type PANAMA CITY Economic Loss Settlement Zones Zone A Zone B Zone C Zone D Jay M. Fisher The BP spill was a disaster, not o but also its economy. Now, after PERRY APALACHICOLA CROSS CITY GAINESVILLE ERG is dedicated to helping client ORMOND BEACH are working in referral relationsh OCALA Beginning June 4, 2012, litigation, under a new and class consumer action law settlemen firms businesses who suffered financial losses in 2010 are now SPRING HILL ORLANDO LAKELAND have CLEARWATER clients located along Florida MELBOURNE ST. PETERSBURG TAMPA to make claims. The Settlement to helping Program you. is broad in scope, SARASOTA west coast businesses and professionals should be evaluat CAPE CORAL FT. MYERS ERG is dedicated to helping clients who wish to be evaluat VISIT ERGLAWFIRM.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW WE FORT LAUDERDALE are working in NAPLES Gulf referral of Mexico relationships with business, com MIAMI litigation, and consumer law firms across the State of Flori Jay M. Fisher Jay M. Fisher businesses and consumers have finally been acknowled have clients located along Florida s Gulf Coast. We look f to helping you. 1 KEY WEST VISIT ERGLAWFIRM.COM VISIT ERGLAWFIRM.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FOR HOW MORE WE INFORMATION ARE HELPING ABOUT FLORIDA HOW RECOVER. WE ARE HELPING FLORIDA REC SERVING FLORIDA S WEST COAST Offices: Tampa St. Petersburg Sarasota Cape Coral Ft. Myers Naples Orlando Direct Mail to: 1936 Lee Road, Suite 105 Winter Park, FL Phone: (888)5 Our Neutrals Are Privileged To Serve At The Level Our Clients Demand John Upchurch Lawrence Watson Terrence White Rodney A. Max Michael Orfinger Michelle Jernigan Richard Lord Kimberly Sands The sole focus of Upchurch Watson White & Max is settling disputes anywhere. For over 20 years, the principals and panelists at our firm have guided clients and attorneys through the field of conflict resolution. Our experienced mediators will help you and your clients find the road to common ground. uww-adr.com MEDIATION ARBITRATION SPECIAL MASTERS Daytona Beach Maitland / Orlando Jacksonville Miami Birmingham thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 4 PAGE 16 Contents 3 President s Message It s not Easy Being Green... Or is it? Kristyne E. Kennedy, Esq. 4 Professionalism Committee Heroes & Villains, Saints & Sinners James A. Edwards, Esq. 5 April Luncheon Law Week Luncheon Realizing the Dream: Equality for All. 6 Special Environmental Feature The Long Road From East Orange County to The United States Supreme Court: How a Dispute Over a St. Johns Wetland Permit Found its way to the United States Supreme Court Nick Dancaescu, Esq. 8 Appellate Practice Committee What Do You Mean I Can t Say That? Avoiding Improper Opening Statements and Closing Arguments Part 2 The Hon. Thomas W. Sculco David C. Knapp, Esq. 10 Elder Law Committee Back to the Basics HBCS Waivers: The Process of Preserving the Dignity and Self-reliance of the Elderly Shaunda Brown, Esq. 11 Judicial News Judicial Investitures: The Hon. Mark S. Blechman The Hon. Leticia Marques The Hon. Keith A. Carsten The Hon. Andrew L. Cameron The Hon. Adam McGinnis ISSN Legal Aid Society News Florida Supreme Court Honors Orange County Attorneys 18 Legal Aid Society What We Do... Charitable Giving Reaps Rewards in the Here and Now Donna A. Haynes 22 Evening With the Judiciary 23 OCBA Luncheon, February Cars & Coffee 25 Leadership Law Hearsay Christine A. Wasula, Esq. 35 Paralegal Post The Paperless Writer Emily W. Andersen, RMR 38 Rainmaking Select Your Clients Wisely Michael Hammond, Esq. 40 New Members 41 Announcements 43 Classifieds 44 Calendar FACTOID: EARTH DAY The first Earth Day was held on April 22, Created as a day to demonstrate support for environmental protection and reform, it is now celebrated each year by more than 1 billion people in 192 countries. The theme of Earth Day 2013, April 22, 2013, is: The Face of Climate Change. Children, college students, and people in community and civic organizations will be among the masses who will participate in thousands of organized events around the globe. This year will be marked by an increased reliance on social media to share local images of climate change and network facts, commentary, and opinion. DEADLINE INFORMATION Advertising - 10th of the month prior to the month of publication Copy - 15th of the month six weeks prior to the month of publication If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline is the next business day. Publication of advertising herein does not imply any endorsement of any product, service or opinion advertised. The opinions and conclusions, including legal opinions and conclusions contained in articles appearing in The Briefs, are those of the authors and do not reflect any official endorsement of these views by the Orange County Bar Association or its officers and directors, unless specifically stated as such. All contents 2013 Orange County Bar Association. All rights reserved. Designer: Catherine E. Hebert Cover photo: Morguefile, St. Johns River the Briefs Co-Editors 2011 Nick Dancaescu, Esq. & Ian Forsythe, Esq. Associate Editors Vincent Falcone, Esq. & Laura Lee Shields, Esq. Hearsay Columnist Christine A. Wasula, Esq. Side Bar Columnist Sunny Lim Hillary, Esq. YLS Columnist Sunny Lim Hillary, Esq. PAGE 2 thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 4 w OFFICERS Kristyne E. Kennedy, Esq. President Paul J. Scheck, Esq. President-Elect Nicholas A. Shannin, Esq. Treasurer Jamie Billotte Moses, Esq. Secretary w EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Wiley S. Boston, Esq. Philip K. Calandrino, Esq. Mary Ann Etzler, Esq. LaShawnda K. Jackson, Esq. Kristopher J. Kest, Esq. Elizabeth F. McCausland, Esq. Nichole M. Mooney, Esq. Eric C. Reed, Esq. Gary S. Salzman, Esq. William D. Umansky, Esq. William C. Vose, Esq. Thomas A. Zehnder, Esq. Ex Officio Anthony F. Sos, Esq. YLS President w EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Brant S. Bittner w Communications Manager Peggy Storch Marketing Manager Sheyla A. Asencios Marketing Assistant Marcel Evans Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Program North Orange Avenue Orlando, FL (407) Fax (407) Legal Aid Society Citizen Dispute Family Law Mediation Lawyer Referral Service Orange County Foreclosure Mediation Young Lawyers Section7 President smessage April 2013 Kristyne E. Kennedy, Esq. It s not Easy Being Green... Or is it? As this month s issue of The Briefs is dedicated to the environment, it seems fitting to take a moment to note a green movement that has been taking root (pun intended) at many law firms in Florida. Yes, folks going green is no longer just a hip buzz phrase. Actually, I think the hipper new phrase may be: Green is the new red, white, and blue! In response to factors such as global warming, economic pressure, and ecoconscious clients, many law firms and legal professionals have been establishing green initiatives to cut expenses, reduce their carbon footprint, and also, of course, to promote social responsibility. Here in Central Florida, many law firms have been taking steps to go green by participating in the ABA-EPA Law Office Challenge, a program designed to assist firms with managing their office paper and reducing their energy usage. Some of our local law firms and legal organizations that should be recognized for their participation as partners and/or leaders in the program are: Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC Barry University, Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law Bryant Miller Olive, P.A. Carlton Fields, P.A. Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A. Holland & Knight LLP Littler Mendelson, P.C. Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A. Of course, there are many ways law firms can go green short of formal enrollment in the program. One of the easiest ways to start is by curbing paper consumption. As we all know, a busy law practice can generate a tremendous amount of paper. What we may not realize is that paper use leaves a significant carbon footprint. In any case, it doesn t take an environmental expert to tell us that reducing your firm s paper consumption is a significant way to help the environment. Those who know me know that I am no tree-hugger. To the contrary, I confess that I have even been called a tree-killer by some because of my excessive old-school need to print everything. So, in an effort to try to do a little something to help the earth, here are a few easy tips someone shared with me to help minimize paper use in the office: Use recycled paper. Recycle discarded office paper. As a practical matter, a law office can implement this practice by establishing an office-wide policy to recycle office paper and ensure that all office personnel have ready access to recycling bins. Institute a policy of double-sided printing and copying for drafts and internal documents. Institute a policy of electronically saving and filing s as opposed to printing them out for a paper file. While the (probably accurate) perception may be that law firms have historically used more paper than other businesses, that doesn t have to be the case anymore thanks in part to technology. For example, our new service rules and mandatory e-filing requirements could end up having the effect of drastically reducing the number of printed documents currently preserved in law offices. As attorneys, we often strive to be leaders in our profession and in the community. We can also set an example by being leaders in the movement to go green through implementing environmentally friendly practices in our firms and organizations. (On that note, however, I will comment that while I may be close to giving up on my fight to bring back our paper OCBA directory and have also been working to refrain from printing each and every document that is ed to me, I will continue fighting against an electronic-only version of The Briefs. Some things are sacred.) These relatively simple changes in our policies and practices not only further lofty goals like helping to save the planet. They can also result in more immediate, self-serving benefits such as reducing business costs, increasing efficiency, boosting the bottom line, and perhaps even attracting new clients who favor enviro-friendly law firms. So, now as I am finishing this President s Message and about to push Send, ing the final version, it just occurred to me that I am dispatching it without having printed a hard copy to review. Wow, so maybe even I am evolving toward becoming paperless. (Wait a minute, I take that back I m now resisting the urge to print so I can see it on paper first...) Okay, urge resisted pushing Send! Kristyne E. Kennedy, Esq., Cole, Scott & Kissane, P.A., has been a member of the OCBA since thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 4 PAGE 38 ProfessionalismCommittee James A. Edwards, Esq. Heroes & Villains, Saints & Sinners It is truly an honor to receive the 2013 William Trickle, Jr. Professionalism Award from my fellow members of the Orange County Bar Association. I thank those involved in my nomination and selection, including the members of our Professionalism Committee, the prior recipients of the professionalism awards, and the Executive Council of the OCBA for this recognition. I got involved formally in legal professionalism through the Orange County Bar s Professionalism Committee in 2000 and later served for six years on The Florida Bar s Standing Committee on Professionalism. My decision to engage in the noble pursuit of professionalism was highly motivated by what some might consider a selfish reason: I enjoy litigating with highly professional, skilled trial lawyers and hate having to mess around with opposing counsel who act like jerks. I thought if I could encourage professionalism in the practice of law and achieve any degree of success in doing so, my own law practice and career would be more pleasant and fulfilling. It worked. But it is a team effort, and the job isn t finished. As a huge bonus, I have gotten to know other like-minded lawyers, judges, professors, and deans from around town and around the state. I have many, many more people to thank for helping me to learn what it means to behave professionally in the practice of law. After all, we aren t born knowing how to behave professionally any more than we are born knowing how to practice law. It is something that has to be learned. Over the last thirty-four years, I have learned many lessons on professionalism. Sometimes my lessons came from heroes, saints, and good role models. Other times I learned from the examples of villains, sinners, and jerks. If you don t learn from both the good and the bad, you are missing half your education, in my opinion. Here are some of the lessons I have learned from heroes, villains, saints, and sinners. Lesson one: Be thankful. I absolutely love being a lawyer and I am so thankful to everybody who has helped me so far and to all who will be helping me in the future to be a good lawyer. I didn t get here by myself, nor did anybody else. My heroes in this area are my parents, my wife, my children, and all those with whom I have practiced law who have cared enough about me and others to encourage, to guide, to praise, to prod, and when necessary, to scold. We should all be thankful that we made it into and out of law school, that we landed that first job, and that we got our first client. We should be thankful that there are so many wise, skilled, talented, and patient lawyers who become judges. Be thankful that witnesses come forward to testify and that concerned citizens actually sit as jurors. Don t be quietly or internally thankful. Tell your heroes thank you every chance you get. The poor old villains, sinners, and jerks are all quite certain that they earned and are entitled to everything good that has come their way, because after all, they are more worthy and better than the rest of us. Lesson two: Be prepared. How are you supposed to be prepared for something that you have never done before? Ask somebody who has gone before you. Get advice from somebody you trust. Read. Plan ahead for what you are going to be doing. Think about what will actually be taking place, whether it is a hearing, a deposition, an inspection, a real estate closing, or a meeting. Heroes spend some time thinking about what they should know about and what they should have with them. Saints do likewise, and bring extra copies for the rest of us. Villains just roll on in, without giving any thought to what will take place and how to participate meaningfully and intelligently. Villains can t understand why the judge won t take the time to do a little research so that he/she can come up with the right answer. My heroes know the law, read and follow the applicable rules, understand the facts, and are ready to explain the issues clearly to the judge or jury. Lesson three: Stop, look, and listen. Lawyers who practice with professionalism are not know it alls. They don t act like the proverbial bull in the china shop. Before they have their first hearing or trial before a judge, our heroes may go watch a couple of hearings, or sit in on jury selection in the case ahead of theirs. Did you ever notice how much more you can learn by listening than by talking? Does the lawyer who chatters non-stop really have that much to say? Take a moment to reflect on what you are getting ready to do, look at how it is being done by others who seem knowledgeable, and listen to what they have to say. Don t try to be a clone or a parrot, but do take advantage of what can be learned so easily. Lesson four: Play nicely. Life is too short to fight with everybody about everything, even if you are a trial lawyer. Be considerate of others schedules whenever possible. If continued page 33 PAGE 4 thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 49 OCBA LuncheonThursday, April 25, 2013 Law Week Luncheon Realizing the Dream: Equality for All. Please join us as we acknowledge the work of outstanding students, parents, and community leaders during our annual Law Week Luncheon, hosted by the OCBA s Law Week Committee. Law Week at the OCBA spans several months and includes: Goldilocks Mock Trial, Pathways in Law program, A Day in the Life of a Judge, DUI mock trials, a poster and speech contest, the presentation of the Liberty Bell Award, and a naturalization ceremony. The year 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. s inspirational I Have a Dream speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial. The OCBA s Law Week activities have provided participants an opportunity to explore the movement for civil and human rights in America and the impact it has had in promoting the ideal of equality under the law. We hope it has provided a forum for each of us to reflect on the work that remains to be done in rectifying injustice, eliminating all forms of discrimination, and putting an end to human trafficking and other violations of our basic human rights. As Rev. Dr. King pointed out in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We hope that through our Law Week programs, participants will continue to grow and become effective participants in our nation s civic life. Exhibiting sponsors: DEX Imaging and Protechnica The Ballroom at Church Street 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 225 S. Garland Avenue Orlando, FL Co-hosted by the OCBA Law Week Committee Please RSVP by Friday, April 19, 2013 to Main Entrance: Garland Avenue between Church Street and South Street To ensure a proper luncheon count, RSVPs and CANCELLATIONS are requested no later than Friday, April 19, The OCBA is happy to provide 10 luncheons as part of your member benefi ts, but no-shows incur additional charges for the Bar and walk-ins cannot be guaranteed a seat. Please keep us up-to-date on your reservation status! thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 4 PAGE 510 SpecialEnvironmental Feature Nick Dancaescu, Esq. The Long Road From East Orange County to The United States Supreme Court: How a Dispute Over a St. Johns Wetland Permit Found its way to the United States Supreme Court A block east of the intersection of S.R. 417 and Colonial Drive sits a partially wooded parcel of property measuring about 15 acres. If you leave that property and head north on S.R. 417, it will take you to I-4, which eventually merges onto I-95. Follow I-95 north for about 700 miles to I-395, and a few turns later you will find yourself standing before the United States Supreme Court. Google Maps estimates it will take you about 12 hours. There is another way to get to the United States Supreme Court from this property a much longer and more tortuous route. This route stretches over 20 years and involves numerous stops at the Fifth District Court of Appeal in Daytona Beach and a detour to the Florida Supreme Court. BACKGROUND The facts leading up to this 20-year battle pitting private property rights against environmental concerns began in December 1993, when Coy Koontz, Sr. petitioned the St. Johns River Water Management District (St. Johns) for a permit to develop 3.4 acres of his 15-acre property. All but 1.4 acres of his property had been designated a State Riparian Habitat Protection Zone by the St. Johns. Koontz sought to convert 3.4 acres of wetlands and 0.3 acres of protected uplands closest to Colonial Drive into developable land. St. Johns staff agreed to recommend approval if Koontz would dedicate the remaining property to a conservation area and do off-site mitigation by either replacing culverts on St. Johns property four and one-half miles southeast... or by plugging canals on property seven miles away owned by St. Johns. 1 Koontz agreed to the conservation easement on his property, but refused the offproperty demands. In turn, St. Johns denied the permit and Koontz filed suit in 1993 claiming inverse condemnation under a line of U.S. Supreme Court cases known as the exaction cases. What is an exaction? Exaction law appears relatively straightforward, but the devil, as always (and as evidenced by this case), is in the details. Two primary U.S. Supreme Court cases frame the exaction law. First, in Nollan v. California, 483 U.S. 825 (1987), the California Coastal Commission conditioned approval of a permit to rebuild a home on a public easement being placed across the Nollans private beach. Despite the owner s objections, the permit was issued and the owners then filed suit to avoid the condition. The U.S. Supreme Court held that conditioning the permit on the easement was a violation of the owners constitutional property rights because the condition did not serve the same governmental purpose as the development ban. In effect, the Court held, this was nothing more than an out and out plan of extortion. Nollan 483 U.S. at 837. The test created by Nollan became known as the essential nexus test. The next case, Dolan v. City of Tigard, 512 U.S. 374 (1994), was the result of the City of Tigard requiring that approximately 10% of Ms. Dolan s property be dedicated for improvement of storm drainage. It also required she develop a bicycle path as a condition of the city approving her application to expand her store and pave the driveway. Ms. Dolan argued that the city s refusal to issue the permit was an exaction under Nollan. The city responded (and the Oregon Supreme Court agreed) that the bike path and improvements were to assist with traffic congestion and stormwater management which the additional store traffic may increase, thus meeting the essential nexus requirement. The Supreme Court rejected the city s argument, holding that the requirement that the owner give up over 10% of her property dwarfed any minor additional impacts the store and parking lot expansion might cause. In doing so, the Court expanded the exaction test to include a second prong known as the rough proportionality test, which holds that if the conditions required are not proportional to the impacts which might be caused by granting the permit, there is an unconstitutional exaction. The long journey begins Koontz s first trip up I-4 to the Fifth District was in 1998 to challenge the trial court s determination that Koontz s claim was not yet ripe. St. Johns had argued that since there was a chance that a modified application might be approved, there was no final agency action. Koontz 1, 720 So.2d at 562. The Fifth District, after expressing discomfort with St. Johns application of its rules, 2 held that the claim was clearly ripe: [T]he owner in this case drew a line in the sand and told St. Johns: I can go no further. Whether the owner can now convince the court that there has, in fact, been a taking is an issue properly before the trial court. 3 PAGE 6 thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 411 The case churned on and in 2003 reemerged at the Fifth District, this time with St. Johns as Appellant (Koontz 2). 4 Koontz 2 was an appeal of the trial court s declaration that the actions of St. Johns were an unreasonable exercise of police power. The Fifth District found that such a determination was a non-appealable, non-final order, and dismissed the appeal. 5 Two years later, St. Johns again appealed, this time challenging the trial court s ruling that St. Johns actions were a taking. The Fifth District again found lack of jurisdiction, making clear that without a final jury verdict determining the amount of damages, a finding of liability in an inverse condemnation action is not appealable in Florida. Id. at 518. An appealable final order On February 21, 2006, the trial court entered the jury s verdict, finding $327,500 in damages as compensation for St. Johns taking of the Koontz s property rights. With a final order now issued (and despite having already had no less than five of the judges on the Fifth District express their displeasure with St. Johns actions towards Koontz 6 ), St. Johns appealed yet again. Not surprisingly, the Fifth District affirmed the award, but in an unusual split opinion, with each judge writing separately (Koontz 4). 7 Judge Torpy went first, voicing some of his previous concerns set forth in Koontz 3. He noted that the facts showed the property was not ideal plant and animal habitat, contained a mowed transmission line corridor, adjacent to both Colonial Drive and S.R. 417 (which had each taken a portion of the previous parent tract), and was in an area of intense development that had severely reduced the site s environmental usefulness. Id. at 9. The opinion affirmed the trial court s finding that St. Johns violated both the essential nexus test and the rough proportionality test set forth in Nollan and Dolan. Judge Orfinger concurred, but expressed some real concerns about unsettled issues in exaction and takings jurisprudence, pointing out that the lack of a universally accepted definition of an exaction created confusion among federal and state courts. He further suggested that two other unsettled issues whether an exaction can occur when the landowner refuses to meet the exaction and whether monetary demands can be exactions make the analysis more complex. Finally, he examined the real world implications of exactions case law, namely that a broad reading of Nollan and Dolan may encourage government agencies to flat out deny permits rather than risk exaction claims by setting conditions. Judge Griffin, the first appellate judge to side with St. Johns in the case s long life, attacked the majority s position and reasoned that St. Johns was correct that there was no taking here because, since Koontz had not given in to the condition, nothing had been taken: In what parallel legal universe or deep chamber of Wonderland s rabbit hole could there be a right to just compensation for the taking of property under the Fifth Amendment when no property of any kind was ever taken by the government and none ever given up by the owner? Koontz 4 at 20. While stating that there was no exaction and therefore no taking, Judge Griffin did set forth what she saw as Koontz s alternative remedies: In this case, if Mr. Koontz had given in to the District s condition, gotten his development permit and done the off-site mitigation, he would be entitled to recover the value of the offsite mitigation. If he elected to refuse the offer, he had a judicial remedy to invalidate the condition, just as Mrs. Dolan did. The parcel of land for which he sought the development permit was not, however, in any wise taken by the District. The only way a taking can even be conceptualized in such a circumstance is by adopting the view that by proposing an unconstitutional condition that was rejected, the District forfeited its right (and duty) to protect the public interest to refuse the permit at all. Id. at Given this strong disagreement, it is not surprising that the Fifth District certified a question of great public importance to the Supreme Court of Florida. The Florida Supreme Court (Koontz 5) In 2009, the Florida Supreme Court granted jurisdiction based on the certified question: Do the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article X Section 6(a) of the Florida Constitution recognize an exactions taking under the holdings of [Nollan and Dolan] where there is no compelled dedication of any interest in real property to public use and the alleged action is a non land-use monetary condition for permit approval which never occurs and no permit is ever issued? The Court ruled unanimously in favor of St. Johns. 8 The Court reviewed the sparse U.S. Supreme Court case law interpreting exactions and concluded that two primary issues precluded a finding for Koontz. First, the Court held that exaction case law applied only where the condition/exaction sought by the government involves a dedication of or over the owner s interest in real property in exchange for permit approval, meaning conditions that amounted to a land swap or mandatory easement, like in Nollan and Dolan. Second, the Court held that Koontz had no viable exaction claim, since St. Johns never issued the permit sought and essentially nothing was ever exacted from Koontz. Id. at The Court pointed to the strong public policy considerations it felt mandated such a holding: It is both necessary and logical to limit land-use exactions doctrine to these narrow circumstances. Governmental entities must have the authority and flexibility to independently evaluate permit applications and negotiate a permit award that will benefit a landowner without causing undue harm to the community or the environment. If a property owner is authorized to file an inverse condemnation claim on the basis of the exactions theory any time regulatory negotiations are not successful and a permit is denied, two undesirable outcomes inevitably ensue. First, the regulation of land use, deemed by the United States Supreme Court to be peculiarly within the province of state and local legislative authorities, would become prohibitively expensive. Second, and as a result of the first consequence, agencies will opt to simply deny permits outright without discussion or negotiation rather than risk the crushing costs of litigation. Property owners will have no opportunity to amend their applications or discuss mitigation options because the regulatory entity will be unwilling to subject itself to potential liability. Land development in certain areas of Florida would come to a standstill. We decline to approve a rule of law that would place Florida land-use regulation in such an unduly restrictive position. Id. at (internal citations omitted) The Crystal Ball The United States Supreme Court granted Koontz s petition for writ of certiorari on October 5, Oral argument was held on January 15, continued page15 thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 4 PAGE 712 Appellate PracticeCommittee The Hon. Thomas W. Sculco David C. Knapp, Esq. What Do You Mean I Can t Say That? Avoiding Improper Opening Statements and Closing Arguments Part 2 In Part 1 of this article, which appeared in the March 2013 issue of The Briefs, we discussed opening statements, one of the two most important parts of any trial. In Part 2, we present the second most important part of a trial improper closing arguments and the need to object. We hope this article will prevent you from having to turn one day to your client, partner, opposing counsel, or even the judge and say, What do you mean I can t say that? CLOSING ARGUMENT While opening statement provides counsel with one of the first occasions to sway the jury, closing argument is the last and best opportunity trial counsel have to directly address the jury on what they should or should not decide. 1 Unlike an opening statement, a final argument may be possessed of partisan zeal. 2 In fact, [c]ourts are conscious of the fact that without partisan zeal for the cause of [a] client, counsel in many instances could have little success in properly representing litigants in sharply contested cases. 3 However, closing arguments are not a win-at-all-costs proposition. [T]he signal caveat [is] that the zeal must be confined to the evidence in the case and to the issues and inferences that can be drawn therefrom. 4 While attorneys are afforded wide latitude in presenting their closing argument, they are still required to confine their argument to the facts and evidence presented to the jury and all logical deductions from the facts and evidence. 5 All of these guiding principles support the purpose of closing argument, which is to help the jury understand the issues in a case by applying the evidence to the law applicable to the case, and to explicate those inferences which may reasonably be drawn from the evidence. 6 Closing argument should never be used to inflame the minds and passions of the jurors so that their verdict reflects an emotional response to the crime or the defendant rather than the logical analysis of the evidence in light of the applicable law. 7 Counsel s conduct during a case must always be so guarded that it will not impair or thwart the orderly processes of a fair consideration and determination of the cause by the jury. 8 In fact, lawyers have an ethical duty pursuant to R. Regulating Fla. Bar 4-3.4(e) to refrain from stat[ing] a personal opinion about the credibility of a witness unless the statement is authorized by current rule or case law, allud[ing] to any matter that the lawyer does not reasonably believe is relevant or that will not be supported by admissible evidence, assert[ing] personal knowledge of facts in issue except when testifying as a witness, or stat[ing] a personal opinion as to the justness of a cause, the culpability of a civil litigant, or the guilt or innocence of an accused. Further, Rule 4-3.5(a) mandates that [a] lawyer shall not seek to influence a... juror... except as permitted by law or the rules of court. An attorney who knows the parameters and purpose of closing argument is better able to spot an improper statement when it is made during trial, and act accordingly. However, sometimes it is difficult to conceptualize exactly what a specific improper argument might sound like. Below is a non-exhaustive list of several of the most common categories of improper arguments, along with some concrete examples of how each might actually be stated during a trial. Hopefully this list will reinforce your ability to quickly identify improper closing arguments made against your client, and help you to recognize and refrain from making improper arguments yourself. 1. Golden Rule Argument A Golden Rule argument asks the jurors to place themselves in the plaintiffs position and urge[s] them to award an amount of money they would desire if they had been the victims. 9 Chin v. Caiaffa, 42 So. 3d 300 (Fla. 3d DCA 2010), contains a straightforward example of an improper Golden Rule argument. In Chin, plaintiff s counsel specifically asked the jurors to place themselves in his client s shoes when he made the following closing arguments: It s difficult to comprehend in many ways because we can t feel his pain. We can only guess, only imagine. We seem to accept other people s pains and problems and disability, because that s how we have to live. That old expression Scars are only tiny on somebody else s face. So I ve said embrace him [plaintiff] for the time you re here so that you can do justice. The defendant wrote a blank check [when they admitted liability for the automobile/ motorcycle accident]. 10 The court concluded that these comments, along with the statement that [i]n two and a half years we haven t heard I m sorry I caused the acci- PAGE 8 thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 413 dent, were a violation of the Golden Rule and had no conceivable purpose but to suggest that the jurors place themselves in the claimant s shoes and thwart a fair consideration of the cause. 11 In Chin, the invitation for jurors to place themselves in the claimant s shoes was explicit. However, a Golden Rule violation can also be implicit. 12 In SDG Dadeland, plaintiff s counsel told the Puppy Story during closing argument. The Puppy Story went as follows: A little boy got $8, and he wants a puppy, and he goes into a puppy store because it has a big sign that says puppies for sale. And the owner comes out, and the boys [sic] says, I only have $8. And the owner says, Let me show you the puppies. And he opens up the door, and five or six little white puffy puppies come running out except the one in the back. The one in the back comes limping out, and the owner goes, Which one of these do you want? The little boy says, I want the one in the back that s limping. And the owner says, Why would you want the one in the back that s limping? Take one of these healthy puppies. That one has a bad leg. He s been injected. He s had surgery. It is no good. The little boy says, I want that one. And the owner says, Why? And the boy lifted up his pant leg with a brace on it. Because, he says, that puppy is going to need somebody that knows what it is like to feel that bad. 13 The court concluded that although the Puppy Story did not explicitly ask the jurors to place themselves in the plaintiff s shoes, there was no conceivable purpose behind the story other than to implicitly ask the jurors to imagine themselves in the claimant s position. 14 An analogous decision was reached in Bocher v. Glass, 874 So. 2d 701, 703 (Fla. 1st DCA 2004), where plaintiff s counsel referred to a magic button. In Bocher, plaintiff s counsel stated: if plaintiffs were given the choice between millions of dollars and a magic button that could bring their child back, the plaintiffs would quickly push the button. 15 The court concluded that the statement violated the Golden Rule, because it implicitly invited the jurors to place themselves in the parents /claimants position. 2. The Value-of-Life It is clear error to ask a jury to place a monetary value on the life of a decedent. 16 The value of a human life is not an element of damages and is not the proper topic for closing argument. 17 Therefore, any closing argument that asks jurors to place a value on life is an improper and objectionable closing argument. In Pineiro, the 5th DCA held that comparing a claimant s pain and suffering to that of basketball star Dwight Howard was an improper value of life argument. 18 Specifically, plaintiffs counsel had improperly argued: We live in a very strange society. If someone is at fault in a crash, ran a red light and injured Dwight Howard, and Dwight Howard broke a bone and couldn t play basketball for a year, no jury in the world would have any problem compensating Dwight Howard $20 million or whatever the value of one year s salary is for Dwight. But we re all here today trying to evaluate Mom and Dad s pain and suffering for the loss of their son. Edwin was not famous. He was not a star. Very few people even knew who he was. Edwin was one of many faces in the crowd, but to Mom and Dad, he was the most important person in the world. 19 A similar conclusion was reached by the 3d DCA in Pub. Health Trust v. Geter, 613 So. 2d 126, 127 (Fla. 3d DCA 1993), where plaintiff s counsel compared the value of a decedent s life to the price of an $18 million Boeing 747 or an $8 million SCUD missile. The court held that the comment made during closing argument was improper, highly inflammatory, and deprived the defendant of a fair trial on the issue of damages. 20 Attorneys are also precluded from comparing a client s life to a painting. In Fasani v. Kowalski, 43 So. 3d 805 (Fla. 3d DCA 2010), the 3d DCA held that it was improper to compare claimant s alleged head injury to a Picasso painting. Plaintiff s counsel improperly argued: If that was a Picasso painting that was in the elevator and it got ripped, no one would argue with paying $80 million to replace it. Why is it any different when it s a man s brain? Why is it any different when it s a man s brain who s had an injury the equivalent to a stroke who s had post-concussion syndrome, posttraumatic stress disorder. 21 Plaintiff s counsel in Chin v. Caiaffa, 42 So. 3d 300, 305 (Fla. 3d DCA 2010) also compared his client s injuries to a Picasso painting, with the same result. In Chin, plaintiff s counsel stated: Folks, only in a courtroom, only in a courtroom is the value of human life cheap. As I submit to you, if Mr. Chin ran into Mr. Adams car that had a beautiful magnificent Picasso painting worth $10 million and it got ripped from that accident or it got shredded from that accident, he d [Mr. Adams] tell you to go back there and take your time When you consider the value of this claim, if there were a Picasso, ladies and gentlemen, that was torn by a result of an impact between a car and another car and the value of the painting was worth $10 million dollars in this case and it wasn t [the claimant], it was Picasso s painting, you would go back and in five minutes you would write out a $10 million check. 22 Counsel in Fasani and Chin apparently never read the 3d DCA s earlier decision in Carnival Corp. v. Pajares, 972 So. 2d 973, 979 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007), where the court held that comparing the value of plaintiff s life, created by the greatest creator there is, to a $20 million Van Gogh painting, created by one of the greatest artists in history, was highly improper. 3. Punishment v. Compensation/Send-a- Message It is improper to argue that a party should be punished in a case that does not involve punitive damages. 23 In Health First, Inc. v. Cataldo, 92 So. 2d 859, 864 (Fla. 5th DCA 2012), the 5th DCA concluded that plaintiff s counsel had improperly exhorted the jury to punish the defendants by talking about repentence. 24 Specifically, counsel stated: And I was reading about the concept of repentance. And it applies here, folks, because part of what you re going to be doing in this case, through your verdict, is to make sure that the Defendants who caused the wrong we re here on, really have repented for what they ve done. 25 A similar result was reached in Intramed, where counsel for plaintiff argued: They have never taken responsibility. They have been forced to admit they sent the wrong medication and they still take zero responsibility. How did they respond? Have you heard sorry once in this courtroom, we are sorry we sent you the wrong medication? Not one time have you heard that, not from there, not anywhere. There are things your verdict cannot fix But you can fix the harms that continued page 36 thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 4 PAGE 914 Elder LawCommittee Back to the Basics HBCS Waivers: The Process of Preserving the Dignity and Self-reliance of the Elderly Shaunda Brown, Esq. Seniors, specifically those who depend on government assistance, face decisions such as how to maintain their health, medical, and financial independence, particularly if they have been independent for many years. They must decide whether to apply for assisted living services, stay in a nursing home, or live in a group home with others who are similarly situated. Seniors who choose to remain in their homes often face the reality that it may not be feasible to maintain their standard of living as well as meet everyday medical expenses and other financial obligations. The decision to remain in the home is compounded by the challenges seniors encounter when they try to obtain the assistance they need. Medicaid funding is difficult even if seniors meet the medical qualifications to receive assisted living facility (ALF) care or long-term care services. Since funding is limited but critical to most seniors, the questions are: What are the eligibility requirements for government assistance resources? What is the availability of these resources? How accessible are they? To qualify for an ALF or long-term care services under the Medicaid Home and Community- Based Services Waiver Program (HCBS) in the state of Florida, a two-prong evaluation must be met. Medical Assessment Evaluation The first step in determining a senior s eligibility for waiver programs is the medical assessment evaluation. If the senior is seeking a HCBS waiver, then a medical need assessment must be administered. If the senior is seeking nursing home placement, then a Pre-Admission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) must be administered. The PASRR is a federally mandated review designed to ensure that the applicant and potential resident is placed in the least restrictive environment possible according to the level of specialized care he or she needs. Prior to placing an individual in residential care in a nursing home, Comprehensive Assessment and Review for Long-Term Care Services (CARES), a Florida-based entity that operates within the Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA), administers the PASRR. If the senior is seeking a Medicaid HCBS waiver, a medical need assessment is necessary. This assessment is also administered by CARES, and it must be implemented in order for the individual to qualify for Medicaid long-term care services. Assisted Living Medicaid Waivers apply to seniors who have a social security number, are citizens of the United States or are qualified non-citizens, are sixty-five years or older, or are individuals who are blind or disabled. They must meet Florida residency requirements, and their ability to physically function must meet the program s eligibility requirements. If those requirements are not met, the individual may be at risk of nursing home placement. For example, to qualify for an Assisted Living for the Elderly (ALE) waiver, the senior must meet the basic requirements of age, citizenship, and Florida residency, and have a social security number. In addition, the ALE waiver requires that the senior have a diagnosis of Alzheimer s, other dementia disease, or a chronic disease that requires nursing care; lack of the ability to independently perform two or more of the basic activities of daily living (ADL), such as bathing, feeding, and getting dressed; need assistance with the administration of medication as well as lack the ability to perform at least three ADL; need total help with one or more ADL; or require assistance with four or more ADL. In contrast to the ALE, the Nursing Home Diversion (NHD) waiver, which is known to have the strictest requirements of the various waiver programs, is an alternative to nursing home placement for frail, elderly seniors. To meet eligibility requirements, the senior applicant must meet the basic requirement of age, citizenship, and Florida residency requirements; have a social security number; and be Medicaid eligible. The senior applicant must also be Medicare Parts A and B eligible and meet nursing home level of care criteria. Furthermore, the senior must reside in his or her own home, in a caregiver s home, or in an assisted living facility, as well as meet one or more of the following: lack the ability to independently perform five or more ADL; need supervision with medication management as well as require assistance completing four to five ADL; be totally dependent on another for the completion of two or more ADL; be diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer s disease and be dependent upon another for the completion of three or more ADL; or require nursing home care services. Even though each waiver program requires the continued page12 PAGE 10 thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 415 JudicialNews Judicial Investitures: Blechman, Marques, Carsten, Cameron, and McGinnis The Honorable Mark S. Blechman Conferring the authority and symbol of the high office, the Honorable Mark S. Blechman, the Honorable Leticia Marques, and the Honorable Keith A. Carsten as circuit judges, and the Honorable Andrew L. Cameron and the Honorable Adam McGinnis as county judges took their oaths of office during a judicial investiture ceremony February 22, 2013, at Jones High School in Orlando. Judge Mark S. Blechman received his juris doctor degree from the University of Florida. Prior to being elected to the circuit bench, Judge Blechman worked as a prosecutor with the Ninth Circuit s State Attorney s Office and then subsequently operated his own firm. He is a member of the Florida, Colorado, and United States Supreme Court bars and has practiced as a trial lawyer for more than 30 years. He was also awarded the 2007 Supreme Court Pro Bono Award. Judge Leticia Marques majored in political science at Loyola University and then received her juris doctor degree, with honors, in 1983 from the Georgetown University Law Center. She is a member of The Florida Bar as well as the Orange and Osceola County bars, and is among the first female Hispanic judges in the Central Florida area. She worked for 16 years in several law firms before starting her own firm in She won the general election in 2012 and sits on the circuit bench. Judge Keith A. Carsten received his juris doctor degree in 1997 from Stetson University College of Law. Prior to starting his own firm, he worked for the State Attorney s Office from 1998 to Judge Carsten was appointed to the circuit bench by Governor Rick Scott on January 4, 2013, to fill the vacancy left by Judge Fleming. He is a former chairman of the Orange County Bar Association Criminal Law Section and is also a former volunteer Teen Court judge and legal advisor. Judge Andrew L. Cameron majored in political philosophy, with honors, from James Madison College at Michigan State University and then received his juris doctor degree from Indiana University School of Law in Before being elected to the Orange County bench, he practiced law for 26 years, handling civil and criminal matters at both the state and federal court level. He was named the Seminole County Prosecutor of the Year in Judge Adam McGinnis received his juris doctor degree from Barry University School of Law and is its first graduate to become a member of the judiciary. He began his own firm in 2005, where he specialized in criminal and traffic defense cases. Judge McGinnis has also served as a county court mediator as well as a professor of business law at Valencia College. Judge McGinnis was elected to the county bench in August of The Honorable Andrew L. Cameron The Honorable Leticia Marques being enrobed by Thomas A. Ginther The Honorable Keith A. Carsten The Honorable Mark S. Blechman, Ninth Judicial Circuit, swears in Adam McGinnis, attended and enrobed by Katy McGinnis and Judy Fraser. thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 4 PAGE 1116 Elder LawCommittee continued from page 10 enrollee to meet basic qualifications in addition to specific eligibility requirements, the services provided are general or comparable to other waiver programs, with few exceptions. For example, both the ALE and NHD program waivers provide services such as living assistance, case management, chore and companion services, personal care, and physical, occupational, and speech therapy services. However, each offers discrete services, too. The ALE waiver program offers medication administration, homemaker services, and intermittent nursing care along with additional services. In contrast, the NHD waiver program offers the services listed above plus family training, home health care, nutritional assessment and risk reduction, respite care, and several other services. Thus, seniors must meet the criteria that are functionally equivalent to the waiver services of the program in which they seek to enroll. The purpose of the waiver is to determine eligibility criteria for the particular service that will best supplement the enrollee s deficiencies, thereby allowing the individual to live in the least restrictive environment possible and preserve his or her dignity as much as possible. Additional HCBS waivers include, but are not limited to: Aged/Disabled Adult Assisted Living for the Elderly Channeling for the Frail Elder Nursing Home Diversion (NHD), known as Long-Term Care Community Diversion Pilot Project Adult Day Health Care Medicaid Financial Assessment The second step of the two-prong evaluation is the Medicaid financial assessment requirement. The Florida Department of Children and Families determine the financial eligibility for Medicaid waiver services to low-income children and families, persons with disabilities, and those seeking institutional care for the elderly. Those who apply for Medicaid assistance must consider that the financial assessment includes evaluation of the individual s assets and income. Some of the resources that are considered are real property (other than homestead), bank accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs), money market accounts, trusts, stocks, bonds, and life insurance cash value. Property and assets that are generally excluded are: homestead (residence), vehicle, burial funds up to $2500, prepaid burial contracts that are irrevocable, and life insurance policies up to a particular amount. For life insurance policies, the requirements vary depending on acquired funds. Income sources that are considered and calculated are veteran, income from mortgages, social security, pensions, interest, and contributions. Therefore, to become a recipient of and qualify for Medicaid financial assistance, the recipient must have assets within the prescribed limits. SSI-related Medicaid programs that offer full benefits include, but are not limited to: Hospice Aged/Disabled Adult Waiver Program Medicaid for the Aged and Disabled (MEDS-AD) Assisted Living for the Elderly Waiver Program Institutional Care Program (ICP) Channeling Waiver Program Long-Term Care Community Diversion Waiver Program Eligibility requirements can and may change each year; additionally, it is important to note that seniors must meet the technical requirements of Medicaid in addition to specific criteria and limitations to that particular program to receive program benefits. Equally important, seniors who are eligible to receive SSI from Social Security can automatically receive Medicaid. If Medicaid with full benefits Contests is not available to the senior, other options are available. Medicaid service programs with limited benefits may be beneficial to the senior, including services such as Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (QMB), Special Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries (SLMB), Qualifying Individuals 1(QI-1), and Medically Needy. Similarly, there are optional services that are non-medicaid such as Optional State Supplementation, OSS, Home Care for the Disabled HCDA, or Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs. The caveat, however, is that these service programs do not apply to the HCBS waiver programs. Thus, if you are working with a senior who is preparing to enroll in a waiver program, be sure to determine whether the senior meets the eligibility criteria of the HCBS waiver, then check to see whether a limited Medicaid benefits or non-medicaid option will be effective on behalf of the senior. If the total waiver-approved enrollment is fixed for each program and enrollment has reached its maximum capacity, or if Medicaid dollars are a depleted resource, seniors may be placed on a waitlist and thereby not be able to make immediate use of HCBS services or Medicaid resources. If, however, the senior has been residing in a qualified assisted living facility for a minimum of sixty days, there is a possibility the senior can bypass the waitlist for the HCBS waiver and begin to receive services after the nursing home stay. Designing a long-term care plan for the senior and a plan of attack is imperative. The plan must consider the geographical area of operation of the waiver for which the senior seeks to enroll (ALE, NHD, etc.). Every waiver program does not apply statewide; some waivers are locale-specific, and some phase out. For instance, as of 2012 the NHD waiver now applies statewide instead of in only 40 counties as it had previously; the Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) waiver applied to Lee County and expired March 31, 2012; the Channeling for the Frail Eldery is served only in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Each program has specific asset and income limits. Hence, the plan must consider the income, asset, and limitations criteria of each program. Shaunda Brown, Esq., has been a member of the OCBA since Put my experience to work for you today Estate, Trust, Probate & Guardianship Over 10 years Litigation Experience Certified Public Accountant 501 N. Magnolia Ave Orlando, FL Ph:(407) Fax:(407) Put my experience to work for you today Certified Family Mediator Certified Circuit Civil Mediator Approved Ninth Circuit Residential Mediator Certified Mediator for Middle District of Florida Qualified State Arbitrator 501 N. Magnolia Ave Orlando, FL Ph:(407) Fax:(407) PAGE 12 thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 417 thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 4 PAGE 1318 COMMERCIAL LITIGATION REAL ESTATE LITIGATION PROBATE LITIGATION DOMESTIC LITIGATION APPEALS The DeWitt Law Firm has over 30 years of experience in commercial, real estate, probate and family law litigation. We have argued and prevailed in cases in front of the Florida Supreme Court, U.S. District Courts, as well as state trial and appellate courts. When faced with complex litigation, attorneys and clients turn to the DeWitt Law Firm. ATTORNEY SHERRI K. DEWITT ATTORNEY MOSES R. DEWITT 37 N. ORANGE AVENUE, SUITE 840, ORLANDO, FL Tel: Fax: Division of fees paid in accordance with the Florida Bar Rules PAGE 14 thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 419 SpecialSt. Johns Wetland Permit continued from page 7 Gazing into the crystal ball, the questions asked by the U.S. Supreme Court s justices suggest the Koontz family may not like where this road has taken them. First, Justice Ginsburg pointed out that an outright denial of the permit with no conditions attached would not be a taking. Justice Scalia, who authored the Nollan opinion, expressed concern that Koontz never accepted the conditions, or had them imposed upon him, and therefore no land or property rights were actually taken as they were in Nollan and Dolan. I can t see where there s a taking here, he said. Justice Kagan s questions seemed to point to the same issue: So then you need a taking someplace in the picture, isn t that right... where is the taking? Justice Sotomayor asked why, where Florida policy is working to prohibit a net loss of wetlands, the conditions here do not meet essential nexus and rough proportionality. Justice Ginsburg pointed to the numerous possible options St. Johns had given Koontz and that the district didn t come back and say take it or leave it, suggesting she may feel this case is not even ripe. Justice Breyer s questions suggested other causes of action, relying on other constitutional case law, may have been the appropriate cause of action given these facts, like equal protection (Koontz was treated differently than others), due process, or a claim for a regulatory taking under the Penn Central Test. Justice Kennedy seemed to agree, suggesting through his questions that he may feel that a due process violation occurred, but that that was not properly before the Court. Justice Roberts, Kennedy, Alito and, to a lesser extent, Scalia, seemed to offer Koontz at least a glimmer of hope. Chief Justice Roberts expressed concerns with what he perceived as the government s position that the takings clause does not limit what the agency can demand as a condition for a permit. Justice Kennedy and Scalia joined in this line of questioning, inquiring whether a city demanding money for a football stadium in order to approve a permit would implicate the takings clause of the Constitution. Justice Alito, seemingly the most pro- Koontz of the Justices, expressed a serious concern that if a bright line is placed suggesting monetary conditions or conditions not exacting property rights are not compensable under the takings clause, Nollan and Dolan will become nothing more than a trap for really stupid districts. Given these questions, it appears the court will likely rule for St. Johns but most likely not as an outright victory. Perhaps the Court will use this case to set forth more comprehensive exaction, regulatory takings, and due process/equal protection law, more clearly setting the boundaries of what is or is not a permissible condition set by the government in a permit approval and whether an exaction must involve demands for land, or whether money and actions also qualify. Alternatively, the Court could head in an entirely new and unpredicted direction. The only thing we can know for sure is that the Koontz family and St. Johns will soon reach the end of this long and unusual journey. Nick Dancaescu, Esq., GrayRobinson, P.A., is the co-editor of The Briefs. He has been a member of the OCBA since See Koontz v. SJRWMD, 720 So.2d 560, 561 (Fla. 5th DCA 1998) (hereinafter Koontz 1 ). 2 See Koontz So.2d at 561 FN 1: why was offsite mitigation necessary and... [h]ow does a landowner or a prospective buyer reasonably assess what the District is likely going to require in order for development to take place in areas regulated by the district[?] 3 The Florida Supreme Court denied St. Johns petition for review. 729 So.2d SJRWMD v. Koontz, 861 So.2d 1267 (Fla. 5th DCA 2003). Sadly, the land owner, Coy Koontz, Sr. died between Koontz 1 and Koontz 2. His son as personal representative carried the case forward. 5 In a scathing concurrence, Judge Pleus described the extortionate actions of [St. Johns]... in hope[s] that the [St. Johns] District will stop the extortionate demands on property owners which this case demonstrates. (Id. at ) He felt as Justice Scalia did in Nollan, that [St. Johns ] demands for offsite mitigation were nothing more than an out-and-out plan of extortion. Id. at Justice HARRIS in Koontz 1 (with J. DAUKSCH and J. SHARP concurring), J. PLEUS special concurrence in the first denial of jurisdiction and J. TORPY s special concurrence in the second denial of jurisdiction. 7 SJRWMD v. Koontz, 5 So.3d 8 (Fla. 5th DCA 2009) 8 77 So.3d Justice Lewis wrote for the Court with Pariente, Labarga, and Perry joining in the opinion. Justice Quince concurred in result only and Justices Polston and Canady felt that Koontz had not exhausted his administrative remedies and therefore there was no reason to reach the certified question. Certified Electronic Discovery Specialist by Association of Certified Electronic Discovery Specialists. The George C. Young First Central Florida American Inn of Court is currently accepting nominations for the 2013 Arnie Wilkerson Memorial Court Service Award. This award honors individuals (excluding lawyers and judges) working in the judicial system who display the highest standards of character, integrity, and ongoing dedication to the judicial system. Past recipients have been long-term models of excellence in their work within the judicial system and have also been extremely active in some dimension of community service outside of the judicial system. The winner of this award will receive a plaque and $500, and will have his/her name added to a plaque hanging outside the Roger Barker Memorial Courtroom on the 23rd floor of the Orange County Courthouse. The due date for nominations is April 15, If you are interested in submitting a nomination, please contact Roger Handberg at or go to our website (www.innsofcourt.org/content/inncontent.aspx?id=6085) to obtain a nomination form. thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 4 PAGE 1520 Legal Aid SocietyNews Aaronson, Austin Adams, Glenn A. Adams, Scott C. Allen, Herbert L. Anderson, Victoria L. Antoine, Marc J. Arango, Eduardo D. Arnold, Sarah E. Aschenbrenner, Kate Augspurger, Lisa J. Ayers, Grady G. Azcunaga, Ileana Hazel Badgley, Jeffrey Scott Barber, Bethanie A. Barker, J. John Barrett, Richard Lee Bartholomew, Krista M. Baumgardner, Theodore R. Beauchaine, Amy L. Beaudine, Michael J. Becker, Wayne B. Bello-Billini, Angel M. Beechner, Laurie D. Benitez, Alyssa N. Benjamin, Walter G. Benton, Alvin F. Berglund, Michelle A. Berman, Jed Bernbaum, Lee N. Biecker, Michele A. Bishop, Randall B. Blaher, Neal J. Blevins, Jonathon C.A. Bloom, Gwen D. Blucher, Jamie M. Bogle, Richard B. Bonnett, Erik N. Bonus, Philip F. Boothe-Perry, Nicola A. Florida Supreme Court Honors Orange County Attorneys The Florida Supreme Court, The Florida Bar s Young Lawyers Division (YLD), and the Florida Pro Bono Coordinators Association announced the attorneys who were recognized for their 2012 pro bono work. The annual project is funded by YLD and was established to encourage participation with local organized pro bono programs. Each year, attorneys who contribute 20 or more hours receive a letter from the Chief Justice and a pin recognizing their contribution. The donation of time is based on Boulden, John D. Boyles, Jeffrey S. Brams, Craig L. Branham, Jeffry J. Brehmer-Lanosa, Linda Sue Brewer, Trevor K. Brown, Steen James Brown, Michael S. Budowski, Susan M. Buie, Carsandra Denyce Bussey, Teri Ann Callahan, Jane Dunlap Cameron, Andrew L. Cannella, David E. Carbone, Sandra Caro, Andrea Caron, Richard M. Catania-Pratt, Annabelle S. Channell, Warren T. Chapin, Bruce E. Chumley, J. Giffin Collins, Viktoria Cook, Deborah Cook, Youndy C. Cooper, Mark O. Cotto, Vanessa Counts, Jr., Clarence W. Cowan, Amanda Aubry Crichton, Carolyn S. Cruzada, Kristopher M. Cullen, Kim Michael Damaso, II, Michael J. Darr, D. Joseph Davis, Keshara D. Davis, Jr., William A. Davis, Amber Neilson de Armas, R. David Dellinger, Richard S. Demers, Shawn L. hours contributed in cases closed during 2012 and project work in Only attorneys who close a case with 20 or more hours, or provide 20 or more hours in a project, are included on the list. This year, the 342 attorneys who participated in pro bono work through Legal Aid will receive a letter from Chief Justice Ricky Polston and pin at the May 30th OCBA Installation of Officers and Pro Bono Awards Dinner. The attorneys recognized are listed below: Demps, Melanie M. Desai, Tushaar V. DeVoe, Michael P. DeYoung, Erin L. Dierking, John Dietz, Robert Diglio-Benkiran, Michele Dimayuga, Edward Dixon, Rebecca L. Dobrev, Cara M. Dolney, Thoma, S. Doppelt, Ava K. Dowling, Brian C. Downs, Mayanne Ducker, Aubrey Harry Earle, Steven Edward Edwards, Ted, B. Edwards, James A. Egan, Thomas F. Eggebrecht, Mariavittoria Eichenblatt, Steven S. Etzler, Mary Ann Ezzo, Elise Faddis, Tiffany M. Faddis, Eric H. Fenderson, Matthews Ferguson, Angela G. Fisher, Andrew M. Fitzgerald, Ashley L. Foels, Pamela L. Fox, Roberta J. Francolin, Ana C. Frey, Julia L. Furbush, Michael J. Gabrielson, W. Scott Gangitano, James Garcia, Ericka S. Gay, Michael Geismar, Clifford J. Gibbs, Eric P. Gillham, Elizabeth Stevens Giordano-Gilden, Ann Marie Gluck, Andrew M. Gluckman, Kenneth S. Goldstein, Joseph I. Gordon, Charles E. Gottlieb, Daryl P. Green, Dorothy F. Gridley-Hetz, Shannon C. Griffith, Wendy S. Gutmacher, Jon H. Hale, Maria DiBlasio Hall, Tenesia C. Hammond, Mark L. Hanafin, Sarah Hankins, Dana H. Hankins, Linda C. Haque-Bolet, Sultana L. Hayes, Ryan James Healy, Kimberly D. Hepner, Barry W. Herman, Patricia K. Hess, Les A. Hilado, Alfred J. Hinckley, James C. Hinden, Michelle Gomez Hixson, Carrie L. Holland, Allen D. Homer, Kimberly A. Hurd, Rusten C. Ingram, J. Charles Innes, Alyson M. Isenhart, Heidi Israel, Gary S. Jackson, Blair T. Jeffery, Jerry H. Jewell, Shawn Thomas Johnson, JoAnn PAGE 16 thebriefs April 2013 Vol. 81 No. 4 View more
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