Opinion ID: 78558
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Florida Law Controls

Text: Federal courts sitting in diversity apply the substantive law of the state in which the case arose. See Erie R. Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64, 58 S.Ct. 817, 82 L.Ed. 1188 (1938). In this diversity case, we review the enforceability of the class action waiver in Sprint's Terms and Conditions in accordance with Florida law. See Associated Mech. Contractors, Inc. v. Martin K. Eby Const. Co., 271 F.3d 1309, 1314 (11th Cir.2001). In instances where a state's highest court has not ruled on a point of state law, `federal courts are bound by decisions of a state's intermediate appellate courts unless there is persuasive evidence that the highest state court would rule otherwise.' Bravo v. United States, 577 F.3d 1324, 1325 (11th Cir.2009) (quoting King v. Order of United Commercial Travelers of Am., 333 U.S. 153, 158, 68 S.Ct. 488, 491, 92 L.Ed. 608 (1948)). Our precedent indicates that all other data may be considered to the extent they indicate how the Florida Supreme Court might rule on an issue. See id., 577 F.3d at 1326 (quoting Putman v. Erie City Mfg. Co., 338 F.2d 911, 917 (5th Cir.1964)) (`The Court is forced, therefore, to look to all available data; for example, to such sources as the Restatements of Law, treatises and law review commentary, and the majority rule, keeping in mind that it must choose the rule which it believes the state court, from all that is known about its methods of reaching decisions[,] is likely in the future to adopt.'). [12] `Where there is any doubt as to the application of state law, a federal court should certify the question to the state supreme court to avoid making unnecessary Erie guesses and to offer the state court the opportunity to interpret or change existing law.' CSX Transp., Inc. v. City of Garden City, 325 F.3d 1236, 1239 (11th Cir.2003) (quoting Mosher v. Speedstar Div. of AMCA Int'l, Inc., 52 F.3d 913, 916-17 (11th Cir.1995)).