Court Opinion

ID: 9903559
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-11-27 15:53:24.494564+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:21:27.788301
License: Public Domain

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
                     FIFTH DISTRICT

                                 NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO
                                 FILE MOTION FOR REHEARING AND
                                 DISPOSITION THEREOF IF FILED

DNS AUTO GLASS SHOP, LLC A/A/O
SELENE WASHINGTON,

           Appellant,

v.                                     Case No. 5D21-1894
                                       LT Case No. 2020-SC-004385

STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE
INSURANCE COMPANY, STATE FARM
FIRE AND CASUALTY COMPANY,
AND STATE FARM GENERAL INSURANCE
COMPANY,

            Appellees.

________________________________/

Opinion filed February 3, 2023

Nonfinal Appeal from the County
Court for Seminole County,
James J. DeKleva, Judge.

Chad A. Barr, of Chad Barr Law,
Altamonte Springs, for Appellant.

Kurt T. Koehler, of Cole, Scott &
Kissane, P.A., Jacksonville, for
Appellees.
PER CURIAM.

      The trial court’s order transferring venue under section 47.122, Florida

Statutes (2021), is affirmed.     Based upon the transcript that Appellee

submitted below of the deposition of its insured, who is a material witness,

the court did not abuse its discretion in granting Appellee’s motion to transfer

venue. See Cohen v. Scarnato, 270 So. 3d 410, 412 (Fla. 4th DCA 2019)

(applying the abuse of discretion standard of review to a trial court’s order

transferring venue under section 47.122).

      We do, however, remand this case to the trial court with directions that

the court amend its order to assess accrued costs against Appellee. See §

47.191, Fla. Stat. (2021) (“No change of venue shall be granted except on

condition that the movant, unless otherwise provided by the order of transfer,

shall pay all costs that have accrued in the action including the required

transfer fee.”). The amended order shall set forth a reasonable period of

time for Appellee to pay these costs.

      AFFIRMED; REMANDED with directions.

LAMBERT, C.J., EVANDER and EDWARDS, JJ., concur.

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