Court Opinion

ID: 9919058
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-01-17 15:02:47.060301+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:04:22.429161
License: Public Domain

DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA
                       SECOND DISTRICT

                              BEN VITALE,

                               Appellant,

                                   v.

      PALMETTO CHARTER SCHOOL, INC., and EVAN R. GUIDO,

                               Appellees.

                             No. 2D22-1954

                           January 17, 2024

Appeal from the Circuit Court for Manatee County; Edward Nicholas,
Judge.

Andrea Flynn Mogensen of Law Office of Andrea Flynn Mogensen, P.A.,
Sarasota, for Appellant.

Braxton A. Padgett and Shawn A. Arnold of The Arnold Law Firm, LLC,
Jacksonville, for Appellee Palmetto Charter School, Inc.

George T. Levesque and Stephen K. Varell of Gray Robinson, P.A.,
Tallahassee, for Appellee Evan R. Guido.

NORTHCUTT, Judge.

     We affirm without further comment the circuit court's final order
denying Ben Vitale's petition for a writ of mandamus to compel
production of public records. We write solely to explain that we cannot
yet address the portion of the order that finds that the appellees are
entitled to recover their attorneys' fees and costs.
      The circuit court premised the latter determination on its finding
that Vitale's records request was motivated by an "improper purpose."
See § 119.12(3), Fla. Stat. (2021) (providing an award of attorneys' fees
and costs to a responding party when "the complainant requested to
inspect or copy a public record or participated in the civil action for an
improper purpose"). This issue is collateral to the underlying dispute.
See Ulrich v. Eaton Vance Distribs., Inc., 764 So. 2d 731, 733 (Fla. 2d
DCA 2000) ("Issues regarding attorney's fees are considered collateral to
the main dispute."). We lack jurisdiction to consider this collateral fee
issue until the circuit court renders a final order determining both
entitlement to a fee award and its amount. See id. ("[N]otwithstanding
the finality of the judgment as it relates to the underlying dispute, the
attorney's fee issue is not finally resolved or ripe for appellate review until
both entitlement and amount have been determined."). Thus, Vitale may
seek appellate review of the finding that he had an "improper purpose"
only after the circuit court renders an order finally establishing the
amount of the fee award under section 119.12(3).
      Affirmed.

SILBERMAN and VILLANTI, JJ., Concur.

Opinion subject to revision prior to official publication.

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