Case Name: Gary F. KASKISTO, Appellant, v. NORTH AMERICAN EQUITABLE LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY and Edward Weeks, Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1981-10-27
Citations: 405 So. 2d 248
Docket Number: No. 80-2403
Parties: Gary F. KASKISTO, Appellant, v. NORTH AMERICAN EQUITABLE LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY and Edward Weeks, Appellees.
Judges: Before HENDRY, BASKIN and FERGUSON, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 405
Pages: 248–249

Head Matter:
Gary F. KASKISTO, Appellant, v. NORTH AMERICAN EQUITABLE LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY and Edward Weeks, Appellees.
No. 80-2403.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
Oct. 27, 1981.
Jerry B. Schreiber, Miami, for appellant.
Britton, Cohen, Kaufman, Benson & Schantz and J. Robert Olian, Miami, for appellees.
Before HENDRY, BASKIN and FERGUSON, JJ.

Opinion:
BASKIN, Judge.
Because we find no evidence of appellant's acceptance of the changed contract terms submitted by appellee, we reverse the final judgment entered by the trial court. The court's announcement that its decision resulted from appellant's failure to object to the altered mortgage interest rate conflicts with the principle of law that silence does not constitute an acceptance of an offer unless a duty to speak has arisen from a past relationship of the parties, their previous dealings, or other circumstances. 17 C.J.S., Contracts, § 41(e) (1963). Appellant neither initialed the changes in the contract nor performed any act which might operate as an estoppel. See Mayer v. First National Co. of Sarasota, 99 Fla. 173, 125 So.2d 909 (Fla.1930). The requirement that acceptance of an offer to sell realty must be absolute and unconditional, Koplin v. Bennett, 155 So.2d 568 (Fla. 1st DCA 1963), was not met.
Reversed and remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.