Case Name: John Thor WHITE, Appellant, v. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR PINELLAS COUNTY, a political subdivision of the State of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1988-01-15
Citations: 524 So. 2d 428
Docket Number: No. 87-1136
Parties: John Thor WHITE, Appellant, v. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR PINELLAS COUNTY, a political subdivision of the State of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: SCHOONOVER, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 524
Pages: 428–439

Head Matter:
John Thor WHITE, Appellant, v. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR PINELLAS COUNTY, a political subdivision of the State of Florida, Appellee.
No. 87-1136.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District.
Jan. 15, 1988.
Rehearing Denied Feb. 17, 1988.
John Thor White, pro se.
John E. Schaefer, Asst. Co. Atty., Clear-water, for appellee.

Opinion:
RYDER, Acting Chief Judge.
Appellant was court-appointed counsel in a first degree murder case. After conclusion of the case, appellant petitioned for attorney's fees. At a hearing on the matter, at which all interested parties were heard, there was no dispute that appellant performed 134 reasonable and necessary hours of high quality representation. The statutory maximum for this type of case is $3,500.00. § 925.036(2)(d), Fla.Stat. (1985). The trial court, in a lengthy, thoughtful order, discussed certain policy considerations in determining compensation for court-appointed counsel, then reluctantly limited the award of attorney's fees to the statutory maximum based upon what it perceived as the restrictions of the statutory provisions and the case of Makemson v. Martin County, 491 So.2d 1109 (Fla.1986), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 107 S.Ct. 908, 93 L.Ed.2d 857 (1987). Appellant filed a notice of appeal.
"The proper procedure for challenging an order awarding attorney's fees to court appointed counsel is by petition for certio-rari, not appeal." Schommer v. Bentley, 489 So.2d 40, 41 (Fla. 2d DCA), reversed on other grounds, 500 So.2d 118 (Fla.1986). Accordingly, we treat this appeal as a petition for certiorari. We hold that the trial court did not depart from the essential requirements of law in either substance or procedure.
Certiorari denied.
SCHOONOVER, J., concurs.
LEHAN, J., dissents with opinion.