Case Name: Lance COOPER, Appellant, v. Gitte JENSEN, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2005-06-01
Citations: 903 So. 2d 273
Docket Number: No. 3D04-507
Parties: Lance COOPER, Appellant, v. Gitte JENSEN, Appellee.
Judges: Before COPE and SHEPHERD, JJ., and SCHWARTZ, Senior Judge.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 903
Pages: 273–273

Head Matter:
Lance COOPER, Appellant, v. Gitte JENSEN, Appellee.
No. 3D04-507.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
June 1, 2005.
McConnell Lipton and H. Hugh McConnell, Coral Gables, for appellant.
Billbrough & Marks and Geoffrey Marks, Miami, and Kiera O’Connell, for appellee.
Before COPE and SHEPHERD, JJ., and SCHWARTZ, Senior Judge.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Lance Cooper appeals a final judgment after jury trial in an action brought by Gitte Jensen to recover monies loaned to Cooper. We affirm.
The burden to establish the defense of payment remained on Cooper and the trial court correctly so instructed the jury. See Knauer v. Levy, 115 So.2d 776, 777 (Fla. 3d DCA 1959); see also Public Health Trust of Dade County v. Holmes, 646 So.2d 266 (Fla. 3d DCA 1994).
As to the claim for attorney's fees, the record supports the trial court's finding that the later-executed notes memorialized the parties' agreement and the notes included a fees provision. Alternatively we accept Jensen's claim to fees under the "tipsy coachman" rule. See Dade County School Bd. v. Radio Station WQBA, 731 So.2d 638 (Fla.1999).
Affirmed.