Court Opinion

ID: 9375992
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-03-01 16:03:08.355109+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:17:03.481443
License: Public Domain

DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
                                  FOURTH DISTRICT

                              RUTH A. GREEN,
                                 Appellant,

                                        v.

                    RICHARD ROCKEFELLER-SILVIA,
                              Appellee.

                                  No. 4D22-226

                                  [March 1, 2023]

  Appeal from the Circuit Court for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, Palm
Beach    County;    James      Nutt,     Judge;    L.T.     Case     No.
502018CA004256XXXXMB.

  Richard S. Lubliner of Lubliner Law PLLC, West Palm Beach, for
appellant.

   No brief filed for appellee.

PER CURIAM.

   Appellant Ruth Green sued multiple defendants in the circuit court over
a failed investment in a horse. Her fourth amended complaint alleged ten
counts, such as breach of contract, fraud in the inducement, breach of
fiduciary duty, and civil theft.      Representing himself, one of the
defendants, appellee Richard Rockefeller-Silvia, moved for summary
judgment.

   The circuit court granted Rockefeller-Silvia’s motion for summary
judgment, ruling that he had “provided evidence of non-liability and
refuting plaintiff’s claims against him. Plaintiff in turn has failed to provide
any record evidence to support her allegations.”

   On appeal, Green contends that genuine issues of material fact
precluded summary judgment. She points to record evidence which she
refers to as “sworn statements” in opposition to the motion. However, they
were not sworn statements, just a “Statement of Facts as to Which it is
Contended Genuine Issues of Material Fact Exist,” which was signed only
by her attorney. At the time the court ruled on the motion for summary
judgment, nothing in the record amounted to a supporting factual position
contemplated by Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.510(c)(1). See Mane FL
Corp. v. Beckham, 48 Fla. L. Weekly D86, at *8 (Fla. 4th DCA Jan. 4, 2023)
(finding no abuse of discretion in trial court’s determination “that a
counter-affidavit presented for the first time on rehearing of a summary
judgment is too late”) (quoting Pangilinan v. Broward Cnty., 914 So. 2d
1094, 1097 (Fla. 4th DCA 2005)).

    The circuit court’s ruling, based on the absence of record evidence, was
correct. In affirming, we do not pass on the viability of any of the causes
of action as to the remaining defendants.

   Affirmed.

GROSS, CONNER and ARTAU, JJ., concur.

                           *         *         *

   Not final until disposition of timely filed motion for rehearing.

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