Robinson's, Inc. v. Short

146 So. 2d 108
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedNovember 1, 1962
DocketD-253, D-255
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 146 So. 2d 108 (Robinson's, Inc. v. Short) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Robinson's, Inc. v. Short, 146 So. 2d 108 (Fla. Ct. App. 1962).

Opinion

146 So.2d 108 (1962)

ROBINSON'S, INC., a Florida Corporation, Appellant,
v.
Arthur SHORT, Appellee.
Ray E. GREEN, As Comptroller, of the State of Florida, Appellant,
v.
Arthur SHORT, Appellee.

Nos. D-253, D-255.

District Court of Appeal of Florida. First District.

November 1, 1962.
Rehearing Denied November 20, 1962.

*109 Leo L. Foster, of Parker, Foster & Madigan, Tallahassee, for appellant Robinson's, Inc.

Richard W. Ervin, Atty. Gen., and Edward S. Jaffry, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellant Ray E. Green.

William A. Hamilton, of Jennings, Watts, Clarke & Hamilton, Jacksonville, and J. Lewis Hall, Jr., of Hall, Hartwell & Hall, Tallahassee, for appellee.

RAWLS, Judge.

Arthur Short, a resident of Broward County and a taxpayer to the N.B. Broward Drainage District, brought this action for declaratory decree against Ray Green, Comptroller, and Robinson's, Inc. seeking to determine the legality of the specifications and bids upon which a class "B" printing contract was awarded to defendant Robinson's and to enjoin performance of the contract, or if performed, payment thereon.

In response to the Comptroller's advertisement for bids for the manufacture of the 1961 tax notices for Broward County and several special tax districts located in that county two Florida printing firms submitted the requisite samples and bid prices. Lewis Business Forms, Inc., submitted a bid of $13,337.79, and Robinson's submitted a bid of $19,507.63. As required by the *110 specifications samples were transmitted to the Tax Collector of Broward County for his approval and recommendation. Although he had no knowledge of the bid prices,[1] the Tax Collector after examination of the samples recommended on March 23, 1961, that the contract be awarded to Robinson's. On April 3, 1961, the Comptroller advised Lewis Business Forms that Robinson's was the successful bidder. Lewis Business Forms protested the award by letter dated April 4, 1961; the Tax Collector issued his purchase order to Robinson's by letter dated April 6, 1961; and the original complaint for this action was filed April 18, 1961, alleging that the contract was awarded in violation of Chapters 283 and 287, F.S., and in violation of the Printing Rules and Regulations promulgated by the State Purchasing Commission.

In an order dated June 9, 1961, the chancellor found that the statutory requirement of competitive bidding as a basis for awarding the contract to the lowest responsible bidder positively requires that there be adequate, reasonable and definite specifications which afford a reasonable basis for comparison of bids, but found that the specifications complied with this requirement by providing that the forms be "securely fastened" in the left and right control margins. However, the chancellor found that the reservation to the Tax Collector to determine from the samples submitted the paper and carbon etc. "best meeting his requirements" would permit only one bidder to qualify and was such a reservation as could permit favoritism; and, therefore, the, specifications failed to meet the requirements of F.S. § 287.081, F.S.A., relative to competive bids and the demands of §§ 283.01 and 283.10 requiring contracts to be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder. In his final decree of February 23, 1962, the chancellor adhered to his rulings announced in his June 9 order and in addition found that the Tax Collector's principal reason for selecting Robinson's was his favorable experience with that firm the previous year; that the contract was invalid; that the harsh rule of law which would prohibit a contractor from collecting under a void contract may, in equity, be tempered if the contractor acted in good faith and exercised reasonable care to comply with the law; that Robinson's may claim actual cost not exceeding reasonable market value on a quantum meruit basis for work performed; that the acceptance of the bid by the Purchasing Commission would constitute a determination that such printing could not be manufactured by one of two or more qualified firms in the state; and that actual costs incurred amounted to $14,394.00. Green and Robinson's appealed separately.

A summation of the numerous points raised by the parties is:

1. Is appellee Short such a taxpayer as to qualify him to bring this action, and, if so, whether an action for declaratory decree will lie?

2. Are the specifications adequate in light of applicable statutes and regulations?

3. If contract is found to be void, may Robinson's Inc. lawfully be awarded compensation under the theory of quantum meruit?

The appellants contend that plaintiff Short, a mere taxpayer, is not possessed of that special interest required of a plaintiff in declaratory decree proceedings. It is submitted that by his failure to proceed in injunction the State was without the protection of an adequate injunction bond and was placed in a position of being compelled to force Robinson's to perform the contract while it was the subject of attack. We cannot *111 agree with this contention. R.L. Bernardo & Sons, Inc. v. Duncan[2] held on page 302:

"If under these authorities a citizen and taxpayer has the right to injunctive relief to restrain the illegal disbursement of public funds, he would likewise have the right to declaratory relief adjudging that a disbursement of public funds already made was illegal and unauthorized, coupled with the right to have such illegal disbursement returned to the public treasury." [Emphasis supplied.]

It naturally follows that if a citizen and taxpayer, when suing as such, has the right to injunctive relief to protect tax funds against illegal disbursement which will result from the carrying out of an unauthorized or illegal contract and if such citizen and taxpayer has the right to declaratory relief adjudging that a disbursement already made was illegal and such right is coupled with the right to have such illegal disbursement returned to the public treasury, he would likewise have the right to declaratory relief at any stage of the awarding and performance of an illegal contract.

The elements essential to a declaratory proceeding have been stated in May v. Holley,[3] and reiterated in Grable v. Hillsborough County Port Authority[4] on page 425:

"Before any proceeding for declaratory relief should be entertained it should be clearly made to appear that there is a bona fide, actual, present practical need for the declaration; that the declaration should deal with a present, ascertained or ascertainable state of facts or present controversy as to a state of facts; that some immunity, power, privilege or right of the complaining party is dependent upon the facts or the law applicable to the facts; that there is some person or persons who have, or reasonably may have an actual, present, adverse and antagonistic interest in the subject matter, either in fact or law; that the antagonistic and adverse interest are all before the court by proper process or class representation and that the relief sought is not merely the giving of legal advice by the courts or the answer to questions propounded from curiosity."

Appellants urge that in the instant cause there is no present justiciable controversy and cite the cases of Grable v. Hillsborough County Port Authority[5] and Ashe v. City of Boca Raton[6] in support of this contention.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT ASSOC. v. Bitet
654 So. 2d 966 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1995)
Godheim v. City of Tampa
426 So. 2d 1084 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1983)
BAXTER'S ASPHALT, ETC. v. Liberty County
406 So. 2d 461 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1981)
Wolf Ridge Plastics v. Jacksonville Elec.
388 So. 2d 1298 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1980)
Ago
Florida Attorney General Reports, 1976
Department of Administration v. Horne
269 So. 2d 659 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1972)
Mayes Printing Company v. Flowers
154 So. 2d 859 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1963)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
146 So. 2d 108, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/robinsons-inc-v-short-fladistctapp-1962.