Opinion ID: 1919200
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Pleading Preemption in a Motion to Dismiss

Text: We next discuss whether the defense of federal preemption may properly be asserted in a motion to dismiss. The district court held that Boca Burger could only plead the preemption defense as an affirmative defense, and therefore the issue could only be resolved on motion for summary judgment. 788 So.2d at 1062. On this point we disagree. Florida courts, including this Court, have held that the issue of federal preemption is a question of subject matter jurisdiction. See Jacobs Wind Elec. Co. v. Dep't of Transp., 626 So.2d 1333, 1335 (Fla.1993); Bankers Risk Mgmt. Servs., Inc. v. Av-Med Managed Care, Inc., 697 So.2d 158, 160 (Fla. 2d DCA 1997); Fla. Auto. Dealers Indus. Benefit Trust v. Small, 592 So.2d 1179, 1183 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992). Lack of subject matter jurisdiction may be properly asserted in a motion to dismiss. See Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.140(b). Florida courts regularly review arguments concerning subject matter jurisdiction on motions to dismiss. See, e.g., Bradshaw v. Ultra-Tech Enters., Inc., 747 So.2d 1008, 1009 (Fla. 2d DCA 1999) (affirming dismissal of complaint based on ERISA preemption of state law); Doe v. Am. Online, Inc., 718 So.2d 385, 388 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998) (rejecting the argument that a federal preemption defense constituted an affirmative defense that should have been raised in an answer, not on a motion to dismiss); Bankers, 697 So.2d at 160 (addressing an issue raised in defendant's motion to dismiss regarding federal preemption of plaintiff's claims). Therefore, we reject the Fourth District's holding in this case that Boca Burger could not raise its preemption defense in a motion to dismiss. A defendant may, at its option, raise any affirmative defense, including the defense of federal preemption, in a motion to dismiss. Of course, when a defendant asserts such a defense in a motion to dismiss, a trial court must determine the issue as a matter of law based only on the well-pleaded allegations in the complaint, assuming the truth of the facts asserted. See Hanft v. Phelan, 488 So.2d 531, 532 n. 1 (Fla.1986).