Opinion ID: 1657257
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: administrative fines

Text: The second issue raised in the district court's certified question is whether the Department must prove that an applicant has violated provisions of chapter 517 by clear and convincing evidence in order to levy administrative fines against the applicant pursuant to section 517.221(3), Florida Statutes (1993). [5] This case is in somewhat of an unusual posture, since it involves the denial of registration based upon prior violations of a regulatory scheme. Nevertheless, we look to the nature of the proceedings and their consequences to determine the degree of proof required to justify the Department's imposition of administrative fines under section 517.221(3). Unlike the denial of an applicant's registration, an administrative fine deprives the person fined of substantial rights in property. Administrative fines, like the ones imposed upon respondents in this case, are generally punitive in nature. See Santacroce v. State, Department of Banking and Finance, 608 So.2d 134, 137 (Fla. 4th DCA 1992). Because the imposition of administrative fines under section 517.221(3), like license revocation proceedings, are penal in nature and implicate significant property rights, the extension of the clear and convincing evidence standard to justify the imposition of such a fine is warranted. Accordingly, we agree with the district court that, because the Department's final order imposing a $5,000 fine for each of the four statutes respondents allegedly violated does not indicate that it was based upon a clear and convincing evidence standard, the case must be remanded for the application of the proper burden of proof. Osborne, 647 So.2d at 249. While there is substantial evidence in the record to support the violations charged by the Department, the district court correctly noted that the existence of evidence in the record supporting the hearing officer's findings is irrelevant to whether the fact-finder held the Department to the correct standard of proof at the administrative proceeding. Id. In addition, we do not disturb the district court's unanimous holding that mitigating evidence was improperly excluded.