Case Name: AETNA CASUALTY AND SURETY COMPANY, Appellant, v. The WACKENHUT CORPORATION, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1982-05-25
Citations: 418 So. 2d 1013
Docket Number: No. 81-764
Parties: AETNA CASUALTY AND SURETY COMPANY, Appellant, v. The WACKENHUT CORPORATION, Appellee.
Judges: Before SCHWARTZ, NESBITT and FERGUSON, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 418
Pages: 1013–1013

Head Matter:
AETNA CASUALTY AND SURETY COMPANY, Appellant, v. The WACKENHUT CORPORATION, Appellee.
No. 81-764.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
May 25, 1982.
Rehearing Denied Sept. 28, 1982.
Ress, Gomez, Rosenberg & Howland and Mark J. Mintz, North Miami, Papy, Poole, Weissenborn & Papy, and Sheridan K. Weissenborn, Miami, for appellant.
Richard H. W. Maloy & Associates, Coral Gables, for appellee.
Before SCHWARTZ, NESBITT and FERGUSON, JJ.

Opinion:
SCHWARTZ, Judge.
On the authority of Sterling Ins. Co. v. Hughes, 187 So.2d 898 (Fla. 3d DCA 1966), cert. denied, 194 So.2d 622 (Fla.1966) and Travelers Ins. Co. v. Wilson, 261 So.2d 545 (Fla. 4th DCA 1972), we affirm the conclusion that Wackenhut's liability carrier is liable for the punitive damages recovered in Canty v. Wackenhut Corp., 311 So.2d 808 (Fla. 3d DCA 1975), cert. discharged, 359 So.2d 430 (Fla.1978). See also, Duke v. Hoch, 468 F.2d 973 (5th Cir. 1972); Morrison v. Hugger, 369 So.2d 614 (Fla. 2d DCA 1979).
Since the Canty case was tried and the insured's liability for punitive damages was fixed without reference to the later decided case of Mercury Motors Express, Inc. v. Smith, 393 So.2d 545 (Fla.1981), we conclude, although Aetna argues otherwise, that that decision has no effect upon the coverage issue before us. Cf. Jessup v. Redondo, 394 So.2d 1031 (Fla. 3d DCA 1981).
Affirmed.