FL RULE STATEMENTS Flashcards
Establishment Clause
No state shall make any law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, and no money raised by taxation shall be under the control of a religious sect.
Free Exercise Clause
There shall be no law.. prohibiting or penalizing the free exercise thereof. Religious freedom shall not justify practices inconsistent with public morals, peace, or safety. To restrict, a compelling government interest must exist.
No Aid Clause & Test
No revenue of the state or any political subdivision or agency thereof shall ever be taken from the public treasury directly or indirectly in aid of any church, sect, or religious denomination or in aid of any secretariat institute.
Test
1. The statute must have a secular purpose
2. It’s principal or primary effect must be one that neither advances nor inhibits religion
3. The statute must not foster an excessive government entanglement with religion (lemon Test)
4. The statute must not authorize the use of public monies, directly or indirectly, in aid of a secretariat institution
Freedom of Speech and The Press
The FL Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and no state law may be passed abriding the freedom. There is a strong presumption in favor of access to court proceedings and records. The free speech and press provisions of the FL Constitution have generally been analyzed in the same manner as the US Constitution.
Content Based Restrictions
Narrowly tailored to serve copmpelling state interest
Freedom of Assembly
Freedom to assemble peaceably and petition for redress of grievances. FL also gives right to instruct their representatives. Cannot give local officials too much discretion
Organized Labor
FL is a right to work state. No person can be denied a job because of membership or nonmembership in labor union. Bother public/private have right to bargain collectively, but public do not have right to strike
Substantive Due Process
Substantive due process provides direct protection of fundamental rights. Examples - property, liberty, privacy, vote, travel, and marry.
Impairment of Contracts
Virtually prohibited. Will balance degree to which a party’s contract rights are statutorily impaired against evil the state is attempting to remedy through statute.
Test - serves important and legit government interest and is narrowly tailored.
Establishment Clause Test (Lemon Test)
The SCOTUS recently said that Lemon should not be applied. However, the FL Sup Ct has not yet ruled on whether Lemon still applies. SInce Lemon does not provide less protection than the new federal test, we will apply it here. The lemon test states that a law will be upheld against the establishment clause if
1. It has a primary secular purpose
2. Its primary effect neither advances/inhibits religion
3. The law does not produce excessive government entanglement with religion
Impairment of Contracts
Virtually prohibited. Will balance degree to which a party’s contract rights are statutorily impaired against evil the state is attempting to remedy through statute.
Test - serves important and legit government interest and is narrowly tailored.
Pretrial Release (Constitutional Statement)
FL Constitution provides general right to release on bail, but some exceptions
1. People charged with capital offenses or life imprisonment may be denied if evidence against them is strong
2. Bail can be denied if accused poses threat to public safety/judicial system integrity
Excessive Punishments
FL Constitution prohibits excessive punishments, which includes excessive fines, unusual punishment, forfeiture of estates, indefinite imprisonment and unreasonable detention of witnesses.
Access to Courts
FL provides that courts shall be open to everyone for redress and justice shall be administered without sale, denial, or delay
Kluger Doctrine
If the legislature abolishes a COA, a reasonable alternative must be provided unless legislature can demonstrate
1. overpowering public necessity and
2. No alternative method
Right to Privacy
FL expressly provides the fundamental right to be free from government intrusion into one’s life. Interference is permitted only when there is a compelling state interest and the least intrusive means are used to protect that interest
Sunshine Law
Public records and meetings must be open to the public and duly noticed
Exemptions:
1. law states necessity justifying exemption and
2. the law is no broader than necessary to accomplish the goal
Limitation of Lawyer’s Contingency Fee in Med Mal
30% of first $250k
10% of any above
Regular Session
Called annually and last for 60 days
Any subject may be enacted in session by majority vote
May extend by 3/5 vote
Special Session
Governor may call be proclamation
Limited to 20 days
Proclamation must state purpose and no other business w/o 2/3 vote
Requirements for Laws
- Not Vague
- Not overbroad
- Related to Public Welfare
- Single subject
- Adequate title
- Text must be set out in law
- Have an enacting clause
General Laws
Apply uniformly statewide
Special Laws
Relate to specific persons or things or specific part of state
Need public notice and approval by referendum
General Law of Local Application
Law that uses a classification scheme - based on population or some criteria - to restrict its application
Need nexus between classification scheme and purpose of act. I.e. must be reasonably related to classification.
Charter Counties
Chartered county has all powers that aren’t inconsistent with general and special laws or the FL and US Constitution
Non-chartered Counties
Not very powerful. May enact ordinances as provided by general or special law. I/e/ only enumerated powers
Municipalities
Established by legislative acts.
Have home rule powers – can govern themselves by ordinances.
Municipality is a creature of the state while county is a political subdivision of the state.
Limits on Powers
State preemption
Forbidden by City or County Charter
County Preemption (for regulatory matters, need supremacy statement)
Inordinate Burden
Mere regulation or exercise of the state’s police powers does not constitute a taking but may give rise to a statutory action for damages for property that is inordinately burdened.
Sovereign Immunity
State has waived and suits may be brought against state/local govts. Damages capped at $200k per person and $300k per incident.
Planning vs Operational
May be liable for operational decisions but NOT planning decisions
Vote Required for New State Tax or Fee
2/3 super majority
Ad Valorem Taxes
Assessed based on value of property
Only local governments may levy on real estate or tangible person property (other than boats, airplanes, motor homes)
Counties, municipalities, school districts, and special districts have authority to tax real/personal prop – each level may so there may be multiple taxes.
$10 mil cap
Special Districts
District that is a geographically defined unit that performs a specific function. Established by referendum and voters agree to tax themselves for special services.
Special Districts
District that is a geographically defined unit that performs a specific function. Established by referendum and voters agree to tax themselves for special services.
Finance Bonds
State must balance its budget and raise revenue to pay operating expenses. Can borrow by issuing bonds.
Requirements for all Bonds
- Public purpose
- Pay for capital project
- Incidental private benefit permissible
- Validation (court must make sure properly issued)
General Obligation Bonds
Pledge the full faith and credit of the government and paid through taxes.
State govt may issued but most must be approved by electors
Local governments can issue – referendum required if bonds mature more than 12 months after issuance - no referendum needed for local revenue bonds (paid with money it already has/from underlying project)
Revenue Bonds
Paid off using revenue from underlying project
No referendum required b/c paid back from sources other than taxes.
FL Sup Ct Mandatory Jdx
DP Cases
Bond Validation proceedings
Statewide Utility Rate Decisions
Decisions by Dist Ct of Appeal declaring statutes or constitutional provisions invalid
FL Sup Ct Discretionary Jdx
Decisions affecting officers of state
Conflicting decisions btwn Dist Ct of App
Decisions from Dist Ct of App on validity of state statute or constitutional provisions
Decisions Dist Ct of App certified as issue of great importance
Bypass certs
Federal Certifications
Dist Ct of Appeal Mandatory Jdx
Final orders and judgments (except those directly appealed to Sup Ct or Circuit Ct)
Final orders of state agencies (except those relating to utility rates or services) and
Appeals of certain nonfinal orders and administrative actions
Discretionary Jdx of Dist Ct of Appeal
Review final orders of circuit courts acting in their appellate capacity
Nonfinal orders from circuit courts that depart from requirements of law & no appeal provided
Nonfinal orders of state agencies if review of the final order would not provide adequate remedy
Common law writs
Amending the Constitution
Proposal by legislature
Proposal by revision commission
Proposal by constitutional convention
Proposal by initiative (signature req, single subject, economic impact statement, accurately rep on ballot)
Proposal by taxation & budget reform commission
Abnormally Dangerous Activities
Activity must create foreseeable risk of serious harm even when reasonable care is exercised by all actors
Activity is not matter of common usage
Remember reasonable care will NOT relieve D of liability in strict liability
Products Liability
- D is a merchant (commercial supplier)
- Product is defective
- Product was not substantially altered
- P was making foreseeable use
Remember any foreseeable P can sue, do not need K privity
Manufacturing Defect
Emerges different from and more dangerous than the products made properly
P must show it failed to perform as safely as ordinary consumer would expect
Design Defect
All products of a line are same but have dangerous propensities
Test - same as manufacturing, “design is defective if it was dangerous beyond the expectation of ordinary consumer
Design Defect
All products of a line are same but have dangerous propensities
Test - same as manufacturing, “design is defective if it was dangerous beyond the expectation of ordinary consumer
Rebuttable Presumption of Defective Product
If the product does not comply with government safety standards. And vice versa
Information Defects
May be defective as a result of the failure to give adequate warning or instructions as to risks
Disclaimers ineffective in strict liability
Implied Warranty of Merchantability
Refers to whether the goods are of average and acceptable quality and are generally fit for the ordinary purpose for which the goods are used
Most Courts no longer require vertical privity - buyer, family, household, and guests can sue
Implied Warranty of Fitness for Particular Purpose
Seller knows or has reason to know the particular purpose for which the goods are required and that the buyer is relying on the seller’s skill and judgment in selecting the goods
Defenses to Warranty Claims
Assumption of risk
Contributory negligence
Failure to give notice of breach is defense under UCC
Private Nuisance
Substantial, unreasonable interference with another private individual’s use or enjoyment of property that the other individual actually possesses or has right of immediate possessions
Offensive, inconvenient, or annoying to the average person in the community
Severity of inflicted injury must outweigh utlity in Ds conduct
Public Nuisance
Act that unreasonably interferes with the health, safety, or property rights of the community
Dangerous Instrumentality Doctrine
Owner who consents to use of their car by another person is liable for negligent damage done by the car
If loan or lease out (and dont normally do that) damages limited.
Discovered Trespasser
Person who enters without permission and physical presence was detected within 24 hrs preceding accident.
Landowner must refrain from gross negligence or intentional misconduct that proximately causes injury, and must warn of dangerous conditions known but not readily observable.
If trespasser under influence, no duty to warn but liable for gross/intentional conduct
Univited Licensees
Treated like discovered trapassers
Licensees by Invitation
i/e/ social guests. Treated like invitees
Invitees
Enter for purpose connected with the business or as members of public Landowner owes duty regarding hazardous conditions that are
- Concealed
- Known to the land possessor in advance or could have been discovered by reasonable inspection
FL requires also keep business free from transitory foreign objects or substances that might foreseeably give rise to injury
Constructive Knowledge
- existed for such a length of time, that in the exercise of ordinary care, business establishment should have known of the condition or
- condition occurred with regularity and was therefore foreseeable
Attractive Nuisance Doctrine
Exercise ordinary care to avoid reasonably foreseeable risk of harm to children caused by artificial dangerous condition on property.
- owner should be aware of
- owner knowns or should know children might trespass
- condition is likely to cause injury (children cannot appreciate risk)
- expense of remedying is slight
FL requires P to have been lured onto premises by the dangerous condition
Firefighters or LEO - invitee or licensee?
Treated as invitee in FL
Self Defense
A person not engaged in criminal activity and who is attacked in any place where they have a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to use or threaten to use force, including deadly, if they reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm to themselves or another or prevent commission of forcible felony
Presumed to have reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm when
1. person against who force was used unlawfully entered dwelling, residence, or vehicle or was in the process of doing so and
2. person who uses or threatens to use defensive force knew or had reason to believe that an unlawful and forcible entry or act had occurred or was occurring
Intentional Infliciton of Emotional Distress
- Act by the D amounting to extreme and outrageous conduct
- P suffers severe emotional distress
Outrageous if transcends all bounds of decency
Can become outrageous if :
Done by common carriers, inkeepers or against certain type of P (children, elderly)
only intentional tort that requires damages
BystandersIIED
Ds conduct directed at 3rd perosn
P suffers severed ED b/c of it
Can recover by showing either:
Prima facie elements of emotional distress OR that
- they were present when injury occurred
- distress resulted in bodily harm or P is close relative of the 3rd person and
- D knew of these facts
Bystander in NEID
Bystander outside the zone of danger who sees D negligently injuring another can recover as long as
- P and person injured closely related
- P was present at scene and personally observed or perceived
FL requires P must suffer demonstrable physical injury directly related to psychological trauma
If P is involved in injury causing event, can recover even for P arriving on the scene immediately after rather than being present
Near Miss Cases
Duty to avoid negligent infliction of ED may be breached when D creates foreseeable risk of physical injury to P
- P is w/n zone of danger
- P must suffer physical symptoms
FL does not require physical symptoms if P establishes physical impact, however slight that causes distress
Defenses to Intentional Torts
Consent
Protective Privileges
Necessity
Assault
- Act by D
- with the intent to place P in reasonable apprehension of harmful/offensive contact
- which does place P in reasonable apprehension
- P need not be in actual fear
- Usually words wont suffice, need volitional act
- Apparent ability to inflict the contact is all that is needed
- transferred intent
Battery
- Act by the D that brings about harmful and offensive contact
- With the intent to inflict a harmful/offensive contact to the Ps person and
- Causation
- D need not intend injury, just intent to do the act that brings about harmful/offensive contact
- Liable when directly causing or settling a force in motion that brings about the harmful or offensive contact
False Imprisonment
- Act or omission by the D that confines or restrains the P
- P must be confined to bounded area
Trespass to Land
- Physical Invasion
- Of P’s real property
D need intend only to enter, not know that its someone else’s land
Damages not required