Case Name: OAKLAND PARK MRI, INC., Petitioner, v. USAA CASUALTY INSURANCE CO., Respondent
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2012-05-30
Citations: 89 So. 3d 1050
Docket Number: No. 4D11-3521
Parties: OAKLAND PARK MRI, INC., Petitioner, v. USAA CASUALTY INSURANCE CO., Respondent.
Judges: HAZOURI, DAMOORGIAN and CONNER, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Third Series
Volume: 89
Pages: 1050–1051

Head Matter:
OAKLAND PARK MRI, INC., Petitioner, v. USAA CASUALTY INSURANCE CO., Respondent.
No. 4D11-3521.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
May 30, 2012.
Rehearing Denied June 26, 2012.
John Beranek of Ausley & McMullen, Tallahassee, and Harley N. Kane of kane & Kane, P.A., Boca Raton, for petitioner.
Douglas H. Stein of Seipp & Flick, LLP, Miami, for respondent.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Oakland Park MRI, Inc. (Oakland), the appellee below, seeks certiorari review from an opinion of the Broward County circuit court, in its appellate capacity, which reversed a county court final money judgment in its favor, which had been appealed by the defendant USAA Casualty Insurance Co. The opinion reflects that the circuit court did not take into consideration Oakland's answer brief: "Having reviewed the brief [singular], the record on appeal, and the motions filed in this case, the Court dispenses with oral argument and finds and decides in the absence of the answer brief as follows:" (Emphasis added)
We grant the petition based on Oakland's argument that it was deprived of procedural due process by the circuit court's failure to consider its brief and direct the circuit court to reconsider the appeal, taking the answer brief into consideration. We do not reach Oakland's second argument, that the circuit court departed from the essential requirements of law in reversing the county court judgment in its favor. Such review now would be premature, because the circuit court's further proceedings could render that argument moot.
Granted in Part; Opinion Quashed.
HAZOURI, DAMOORGIAN and CONNER, JJ., concur.