Case Name: FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, Appellant, v. HOLMES DIRT SERVICE, INC., and William H. Holmes, Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2004-01-08
Citations: 864 So. 2d 507
Docket Number: No. 1D03-1125
Parties: FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, Appellant, v. HOLMES DIRT SERVICE, INC., and William H. Holmes, Appellees.
Judges: BOOTH and LEWIS, JJ., CONCUR; BENTON, J. DISSENTS WITH WRITTEN OPINION.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 864
Pages: 507–508

Head Matter:
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, Appellant, v. HOLMES DIRT SERVICE, INC., and William H. Holmes, Appellees.
No. 1D03-1125.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
Jan. 8, 2004.
Lisa G. London, Senior Assistant General Counsel, Department of Environmental Protection, Tallahassee, for Appellant.
Frank T. Gaylord, Eustis, for Appellee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has appealed a Final Order of the Division of Administrative Hearings, which reduced penalties assessed against Holmes Dirt Service, Inc. and William J. Holmes by more than fifty percent of the statutory schedule. We affirm.
Section 403.121(10), Florida Statutes (2002), allows an ALJ to reduce up to fifty percent for mitigating circumstances and upon an affirmative finding that the "violation was caused by circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the respondent and could not have been prevented by respondent's due diligence, the administrative law judge may further reduce the penalty."
The ALJ had before it competent, substantial evidence that the violations were beyond Appellees' control; accordingly, we affirm the ALJ's decision to mitigate damages. See § 120.68(10), Fla. Stat. (2002).
AFFIRMED.
BOOTH and LEWIS, JJ., CONCUR; BENTON, J. DISSENTS WITH WRITTEN OPINION.