Opinion ID: 498022
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Fitzgerald's failure to comply with Fla.Stat. Sec. 768.28(6).

Text: 14 McDaniel and Morris contend that Fitzgerald's state law claims should have been dismissed because he failed to comply with the notice provisions of section 768.28(6). Fla.Stat. Sec. 768.28(6) provides: 15 (6)(a) An action may not be instituted on a claim against the state or one of its agencies or subdivisions unless the claimant presents the claim in writing to the appropriate agency, and also, except as to any claim against a municipality, present such claim in writing to the Department of Insurance, within three years after such claim accrues and the Department of Insurance or the appropriate agency denies the claim in writing; ... The failure of the Department of Insurance or the appropriate agency to make final disposition of a claim within six months after it is filed shall be deemed a final denial of the claim for purposes of this section.... 16 (b) For purposes of this section, the requirements of notice to the agency and denial of the claim are conditions precedent to maintaining an action but shall not be deemed to be elements of the cause of action and shall not affect the date on which the cause of action accrues. 17 These provisions, popularly known as the waiver of sovereign immunity provisions, are a condition precedent to the maintenance of an action against a state agency or subdivision, including the office of sheriff. McDaniel and Morris contend that the agencies with which Fitzgerald filed his claim were entitled by statute to a six-month period after filing to determine its course of action. Because the six-month period had not expired at the time Fitzgerald filed his complaint, McDaniel and Morris argue that the state was deprived of the required notice period; consequently, Fitzgerald's complaint should have been dismissed. 18 The district court held that the issue of Fitzgerald's noncompliance with the statute is moot. Although Fitzgerald failed to comply with section 768.28(6) by bringing this action before either a written denial of his claim had been issued, or before six months had passed, by the time the district court ruled on this issue, six months had passed since the filing of the claim. On the date of the district court's order, no written denial or other final disposition of the claim had been issued by Sheriff McDaniel or the Department of Insurance. The district court determined that the notice function of section 768.28(6) had been served, and the conditions precedent to filing a complaint had been met. 19 The purpose of section 768.28(6) is to provide the state and its agencies with sufficient notice of claims filed against them. It is clear that on these facts, both Sheriff McDaniel and the Department of Insurance had ample time to respond to Fitzgerald's claim. Although Fitzgerald failed to wait six months to file this action, more than six months elapsed before the district court finally disposed of the issue. Since Sheriff McDaniel was duly notified of Fitzgerald's claims and had time to respond, the purpose underlying section 768.28(6) was adequately served. 20 The district court relied for its reasoning on Askew v. County of Volusia, 450 So.2d 233 (Fla. 5th D.C.A.1984). We find this reasoning persuasive. 2 Therefore, we affirm the district court on this issue. 21