AB CTC v. Morejon

324 So. 2d 625, 18 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 981
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedJuly 24, 1975
Docket45903
StatusPublished
Cited by43 cases

This text of 324 So. 2d 625 (AB CTC v. Morejon) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
AB CTC v. Morejon, 324 So. 2d 625, 18 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 981 (Fla. 1975).

Opinion

324 So.2d 625 (1975)

AB CTC, a Swedish Corporation, Petitioner,
v.
Victoria MOREJON, Respondent.

No. 45903.

Supreme Court of Florida.

July 24, 1975.
Rehearing Denied January 27, 1976.

*626 David Yelen, Yelen & Yelen, Coral Gobles, for petitioner.

Norman S. Segall, High, Stack, Davis & Lazenby, Miami, for respondent.

ADKINS, Chief Justice:

Conflict is the basis for our jurisdiction. Fla. Const., Article V, § 3(b) (3), F.S.A. 1973. In Foley v. Weaver Drugs, Inc., 177 So.2d 221 (Fla. 1965), we held that this Court may review by conflict certiorari a per curiam affirmance without opinion where an examination of the record proper discloses the legal effect of such per curiam affirmance is to create conflict with a decision of this Court or another District Court of Appeal. Under the provisions of Fla. Const., Article V, § 3(b)(3), F.S.A., as amended in 1973, a direct conflict with decisions of the same District Court of Appeal vests this Court with jurisdiction.

Where, as here, the per curiam affirmance without opinion could have been based on more than one statute, the petitioner must show that a conflict would be created between the decision sub judice and a decision of a District Court of Appeal or of the Supreme Court, regardless of which statute may have been the basis for the decision sub judice. Since petitioner has shown that the decision sub judice had to be based on either Fla. Stat. § 48.181 or § 48.182, and such decision if based upon § 48.181 would conflict with Fawcett Publications, Inc. v. Rand, 144 So.2d 512 (Fla. 3d DCA 1962), and if based upon Fla. Stat. § 48.182, would conflict with Gordon v. John Deere Co., 264 So.2d 419 (Fla. 1972), we have conflict jurisdiction.

Respondent filed a complaint against petitioner and Bermil Industries for damages as a result of an accident occurring in 1971. The accident, which resulted in serious personal injury to respondent, was alleged to have been caused by the negligent and careless manufacture of a washing machine by petitioner. Service of process on petitioner was attempted by substitute service of process on the Secretary of State.

Petitioner moved to dismiss and to quash based upon lack of jurisdiction over the person. Petitioner's motion to dismiss was supported by an affidavit of its director, wherein it was declared that petitioner is a Swedish corporation having its offices in Sweden; that petitioner does not conduct business in the United States; that all sales are made in Sweden to its distributor, Bermil Industries, an independent contractor, and sent by petitioner to Bermil Industries F.O.B. Gothenburg, Sweden; that the washing machine in question was sold to Bermil Industries in 1968.

The trial court permitted respondent to incorporate into this record the record of a prior law suit including affidavits, depositions, and trial testimony. The facts therein revealed that petitioner shipped all of its products, including the washing machine in question, to Bermil Industries, the exclusive representative of petitioner in the United States. Furthermore, a service manual printed in Sweden in the English language was delivered by petitioner to Bermil Industries for distribution with the machines in the United States. Bermil Industries sent the washing machine in question to Laundry Equipment Company in Florida. In 1969 the machine was sold in Florida by Laundry Equipment Company to Washwell, Inc., a laundromat. Respondent sustained personal injuries while using the washing machine in the laundromat in April, 1971.

The motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction over the petitioner was denied. An interlocutory appeal was taken and the Third District Court of Appeal by a two to one vote per curiam affirmed without opinion.

In Dinsmore v. Blumenthal, 314 So.2d 561, opinion filed May 21, 1975, this Court adopted the views expressed in Fawcett Publications, Inc. v. Rand, supra, requiring *627 control by the nonresident defendant over brokers, jobbers, wholesalers or distributors, or control over the personal property in the hands of brokers, jobbers, wholesalers or distributors, before a nonresident can be held to be doing business in this State through brokers, jobbers, wholesalers or distributors, pursuant to Fla. Stat. § 48.181(1) or § 48.181(3).

One seeking to effect substituted service of process under a long-arm statute has the burden of presenting facts which clearly justify the applicability of the statute. Fawcett Publications, Inc. v. Rand, supra. In the record before this Court, respondent failed to prove that petitioner exercised any control over the brokers, jobbers, wholesalers or distributors, or any control over the washing machine in the hands of the brokers, jobbers, wholesalers or distributors. The decision sub judice conflicts with Fawcett Publications, Inc. v. Rand, supra, and Dinsmore v. Blumenthal, supra.

Whereas a parent company has "control" over a subsidiary, a manufacturer does not necessarily have "control" over a sole distributor. Fla. Stat. § 47.16(2) [now § 48.181(3)] was enacted as a legislative response to Berkman v. Ann Lewis Shops, Inc., 246 F.2d 44 (2d Cir.1957) affg., 142 F. Supp. 417 (S.D.N.Y. 1956), wherein it was held that Fla. Stat. § 47.16(1) [now § 48.181(1)] was inadequate to serve as a basis to assert jurisdiction in this State over a parent company whose subsidiary was doing business in this State.

We do not hold that respondent cannot, by appropriate proof, meet its burden of proof to show applicability of Fla. Stat. § 48.181(1) or § 48.181(3). We merely hold that respondent has failed to do so. Upon a proper showing, respondent should be afforded a further opportunity to attempt service.

Having reached the conclusion that petitioner failed to sustain the propriety of substitute service pursuant to § 48.181, we must decide whether petitioner is subject to jurisdiction under § 48.182 which provides:

"48.182 Service on nonresidents committing a wrongful act outside the state which causes injury within the state. — Any nonresident person, firm, or corporation who in person or through an agent commits a wrongful act outside the state which causes injury, loss, or damage to persons or property within this state may be personally served in any action or proceeding against the nonresident arising from any such act in the same manner as a nonresident who in person or through an agent has committed a wrongful act within the state.

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Bluebook (online)
324 So. 2d 625, 18 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 981, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ab-ctc-v-morejon-fla-1975.