Opinion ID: 694389
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Historical Background: The Florida Statute of Repose

Text: 13 Florida's statute of repose, section 95.031(2), was enacted in 1975 and repealed by way of amendment in 1986. While in effect, the statute barred products liability claims that were instituted more than twelve years from the date the product was delivered to its original purchaser, regardless of when the plaintiff's injury actually occurred. In 1980, the Florida Supreme Court in Battilla v. Allis Chalmers Manufacturing Co., 392 So.2d 874 (Fla.1980), held that the statute of repose was unconstitutional as applied to this case. In 1985, the Florida Supreme Court receded from Battilla in Pullum v. Cincinnati, Inc., 476 So.2d 657, 659 (Fla.1985), and held that the statute of repose was not unconstitutional. Thus, from 1980 until 1985, the only time constraint applicable to a products liability lawsuit in Florida was the four-year statute of limitations. Later, in 1987, the Florida court held that causes of action previously barred under the statute of repose could not be resurrected due to the repeal of the statute. Melendez v. Dreis & Krump Mfg. Co., 515 So.2d 735, 736 (Fla.1987). Thus, because Mosher did not file his claim until 1988, it would appear that his cause of action is barred. 14 Mosher argues, however, that his case falls into a recognized exception to the rule protecting plaintiffs who relied on the Battilla decision that the statute of repose was unconstitutional. This reliance doctrine is based on the early case of Florida Forest and Park Service v. Strickland, 18 So.2d 251 (Fla.1944). In Strickland, the court set forth a certain well-recognized exception that where a statute has received a given construction by a court of supreme jurisdiction and property or contract rights have been acquired under and in accordance with such construction, such rights should not be destroyed by giving to a subsequent overruling decision a retrospective operation. Id. at 253. In Frazier v. Baker Material Handling Corp., 559 So.2d 1091, 1093 (Fla.1990), the Florida Supreme Court applied the Strickland exception to the statute of repose, holding that Pullum would not be applied retroactively to plaintiffs who, relying on Battilla, failed to bring their actions within the period allowed by the statute of repose. Mosher contends that his case falls squarely within the reliance exception and therefore is not barred by the statute of repose. 15 Speedstar based their second motion for summary judgment on the Florida Supreme Court's more recent decision in Acosta. In that case, the plaintiff's injury had occurred after the expiration of the twelve-year repose period in the statute of repose. Thus, the issue before the court was whether the repeal of the statute of repose could have the effect of re-establishing a cause of action that had been previously extinguished by operation of law. The court held that it could not, focusing on a party's right to have the repose period become vested once it has completely run and barred the action. Acosta, 612 So.2d at 1364. The court elaborated: 16 We emphasize that our holding in these cases is controlled by the fact that the statute of repose periods in issue had expired prior to the statute's repeal. We also emphasize that this decision does not affect causes of action brought against manufacturers of products where the statute of repose period had not expired at the time the statute was repealed. 17 Id. (emphasis in original). Speedstar argues that Acosta established that the statute of repose barred Mosher's claim regardless of his reliance on Battilla. Mosher counters that Acosta made no mention of the reliance exception, and that the exception would still preserve his claim even after the Acosta decision. Thus, the real issue here boils down to the effect of Acosta on the reliance exception recognized by the Florida Supreme Court in Frazier.