Court Opinion

ID: 9470035
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 02:55:37.243536+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:41:41.854781
License: Public Domain

JONES, Circuit Judge,
concurring specially:
For the reasons outlined below, I concur in the result.
Florida’s long-arm statute authorizes jurisdiction over any tortious act which results in injury within the state. Bangor Punta Operations v. Universal Marine Co., 5th Cir. 1976, 543 F.2d 1107, 1109. The appellant has alleged injury which falls within the statute. Therefore it is unnecessary to consider whether Florida has provided that its courts may extend their personal jurisdiction to the full extent allowable under the constitution. The majority seems to have departed from the accepted principle that the courts will not decide constitutional issues without first considering matters of state law. See Benham v. Edwards, 5th Cir.1982, 678 F.2d 511, 529. Since the appellant has the burden of proving contacts sufficient to meet the minimum due process standards regardless of compliance with state statutes, I concur in the result reached by the majority.