Opinion ID: 1692361
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Assignment by Error

Text: Necessity of. After the entry of an appeal, the assignments of error are indispensable at all stages, and the life of the appeal is dependent upon the assignment being true in fact as to some specified judicial act; and also dependent upon the specified judicial act being erroneous in point of law, and harmfully so. Furthermore, the assignment of error must be supported in point of fact by the record on appeal. Function of. An assignment of error is the ground or point relied on for reversal on appeal. The assignment of error performs the same function in the appellate court as the complaint or declaration in the court of original jurisdiction. Streeter v. State, 89 Fla. 400, 104 So. 858; Red Top Cab & Baggage Co. for Use and Benefit of Fontaine v. Dorner, 159 Fla. 538, 32 So.2d 321; Star Fruit Co. v. Eagle Lake Growers, 160 Fla. 130, 33 So.2d 858. It is an enumeration by the plaintiff in error of the errors alleged to have been committed by the court below for which a reversal of the judgment or decree is sought. Without a complaint in the trial court there will be no trial, and the action will be dismissed; and without an assignment of error the appellate court will not review, and the appeal will be dismissed. If a declaration contains numerous counts the plaintiff in the trial court will be permitted to recover only on the counts established as true in point of fact. If there are numerous assignments of errors, the review in the appellate court will extend only to those assignments sufficiently stated, argued and established as true in point of fact. The function of an assignment of error is to point the specific error claimed to have been committed by the court below, in order that the reviewing court and opposing counsel may see on what point the appellant seeks reversal and to limit argument and review to such point. Streeter v. State, 89 Fla. 400, 104 So. 858. Form of: An assignment of error need follow no particular form but they should be stated according to the facts and circumstances as they occurred. It is the substance of the assignment that is material and not the form.