Opinion ID: 77049
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Conducting Business in Florida

Text: 12 In order to establish that a defendant is `carrying on business' for the purposes of the long-arm statute, the activities of the defendant must be considered collectively and show a general course of business activity in the state for pecuniary benefit. Future Tech. Today, Inc. v. OSF Healthcare Sys., 218 F.3d 1247, 1249 (11th Cir.2000) (per curiam). Factors relevant, but not dispositive, to this analysis include the presence and operation of an office in Florida, see Milberg Factors, Inc. v. Greenbaum, 585 So.2d 1089, 1091 (Fla.Dist.Ct.App.1991), the possession and maintenance of a license to do business in Florida, see Hobbs v. Don Mealey Chevrolet, Inc., 642 So.2d 1149, 1153 (Fla.Dist.Ct.App.1994), the number of Florida clients served, see Milberg Factors, Inc., 585 So.2d at 1091, and the percentage of overall revenue gleaned from Florida clients, see id.; Sculptchair, Inc. v. Century Arts, Ltd., 94 F.3d 623, 628 (11th Cir.1996). 13 Based on this precedent, we reject Horizon's argument that the assertion of jurisdiction was proper because Kass was doing business in Florida as defined by FLA. STAT. ch. 48.193(1)(a). It is undisputed that neither Kass California nor Wolf maintained a Florida office or were licensed to conduct business in Florida. Horizon admitted that Kass performed all its work for Horizon out of its California offices. While Kass made telephonic and electronic communications from its California offices into Florida, these communications cannot constitute conducting business in Florida. See Sculptchair, Inc., 94 F.3d at 628 (finding that making telephone calls from Canada into Florida did not amount to conducting business in Florida). Moreover, the fact that Kass rendered in California professional services for the benefit of a Florida citizen was insufficient by itself to trigger the provisions of the Florida Long-Arm statute. See Carlyle v. Palm Beach Polo Holdings, Inc., 842 So.2d 1013, 1016 (Fla.Dist.Ct.App.2003) (finding allegations that Michigan-based attorney gave legal advice on Michigan law to a Florida client which was used in ancillary Florida litigation insufficient to satisfy FLA. STAT. ch. 48.193(1)(a)). In addition, Horizon admitted that Kass California had six Florida clients which accounted for, at most, less than five percent of Kass California's gross revenue. Accordingly, based on the factors relevant to a determination of jurisdiction under FLA. STAT. ch. 48.193(1)(a), the record does not support the contention that Kass California was engaging in a general course of business activity in Florida. 14 Additionally, we reject Horizon's suggestion that the assertion of jurisdiction was appropriate because Kass's ability to electronically access Horizon's Florida-based computer files allowed Kass to perform services as if it was in Florida. The Long-Arm provision requires that a defendant conduct business in Florida, and therefore conducting business from a California office as if in Florida is insufficient under the plain text of the statute. Moreover, Horizon's contention that a company's physical location is rendered irrelevant in this electronic age, Appellant's Br. at 30, belies the fact that state territorial boundaries remain relevant to jurisdictional inquiries. See Burnham v. Superior Court, 495 U.S. 604, 609-610, 110 S.Ct. 2105, 2109-2110, 109 L.Ed.2d 631 (1990) (citing Pennoyer v. Neff, 95 U.S. 714, 722, 24 L.Ed. 565 (1878)). Accordingly, while the advances of the electronic age have undoubtedly facilitated the practice of interstate and global commerce, they cannot nullify the explicit requirements of the Florida Long-Arm statute. Because Kass physically performed all its work from its California offices, it cannot be argued that its remote access to Horizon's files constituted conducting business in Florida as defined in FLA. STAT. ch. 48.193(1)(a).