Opinion ID: 2686878
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: We have granted discretionary review under our jurisdiction to consider express and direct conflict of decisions, see art V, § 3(b)(3), Fla. Const., because the Third District’s decision in Basulto has created misapplication conflict with our decision in Seifert. See generally Ascensio v. State, 497 So. 2d 640, 641 (Fla. -7- 1986) (“Based on the conflict created by [the] misapplication of law, we have jurisdiction under article V, section 3(b)(3), Florida Constitution.”); State v. Stacey, 482 So. 2d 1350, 1351 (Fla. 1985) (exercising jurisdiction because the district court “misapplied controlling case law to the facts of the case”). In its decision below, the Third District misapplied the unconscionability standard in spite of the trial court’s explicit ruling denying the dealership’s motion to dismiss and/or compel arbitration. The cause on appeal before the Third District required an application of the Seifert standard. In Seifert, we previously provided guidance for evaluating motions to compel arbitration agreements. See Seifert, 750 So. 2d at 636 (“Under both federal statutory provisions and Florida’s arbitration code, there are three elements for courts to consider in ruling on a motion to compel arbitration of a given dispute: (1) whether a valid written agreement to arbitrate exists; (2) whether an arbitrable issue exists; and (3) whether the right to arbitration was waived.”). In denying the dealership’s motion to compel arbitration, the trial court concluded “as a matter of law that no valid agreement to arbitrate exists in this case,” which relates to the first prong of the Seifert standard. However, the Third District neglected to perform a Seifert analysis in making its decision on review. Accordingly, we determine that the Third District’s Basulto decision misapplied the Seifert standard, which governs the evaluation of motions to compel arbitration agreements in Florida courts. -8-