Smith v. City of Fort Lauderdale

39 Fla. Supp. 2d 31
CourtCircuit Court for the Judicial Circuits of Florida
DecidedFebruary 15, 1990
DocketCase No. 89-24AC10 (County Court Case No. 88-7961MO10)
StatusPublished

This text of 39 Fla. Supp. 2d 31 (Smith v. City of Fort Lauderdale) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Circuit Court for the Judicial Circuits of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Smith v. City of Fort Lauderdale, 39 Fla. Supp. 2d 31 (Fla. Super. Ct. 1990).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

MARK A. SPEISER, Circuit Judge.

[32]*32THIS CAUSE comes before the Court on appeal of a conviction entered against Appellant, Barry Smith for various violations of the South Florida Building Code (the “Code”) and Code of Ordinances of the City of Fort Lauderdale (the “Ordinances”). The Appellant was arrested in Fort Lauderdale on the premises where the violations were found and he was charged under said Code and Ordinances. A non-jury trial was conducted wherein the Appellant was found guilty of the crimes charged by virtue of his being an agent of the property owner and therefore liable pursuant to the Code and Ordinances under which he was charged. Appellant subsequently filed this appeal.

The following issues were presented on appeal by the Appellant:

1.
Whether the trial judge erred in the interpretation of agency law.
2.
Whether the South Florida Building Code and Code of Ordinances of the City of Fort Lauderdale are unconstitutionally vague and overbroad.
3.
Whether the South Florida Building Code and Code of Ordinances of the City of Fort Lauderdale are unconstitutional only as applied to Appellant.
4.
Whether the information by which Appellant was charged was insufficient and should have been dismissed by the trial court.
5.
Whether Appellant received ineffective assistance of counsel at the trial court level.

This Court has reviewed the record and the briefs and makes its determination with respect to the issues presented.

I

This Court makes the following findings with respect to the first issue presented by the Appellant.

Appellant contends that the trial judge erred in her interpretation of agency law. This case turned on whether Appellant was an agent of the property owner thereby subjecting him to liability for violations found on the property where the Appellant worked. Appellant argues that a proper analysis of agency law would have revealed that the Appellant [33]*33was an employee of the property owner in a master/servant relationship, rather than an agent/principal relationship. Appellant states that it was error for the trial court to “embark on an expedition through civil case law” in determining agency.

It is well settled law that the existence of an agency relationship is ordinarily a question to be determined by the trier of the fact based on the evidence presented at trial. Orlando Executive Park, Inc. v Robbins, 433 So.2d 491 (Fla. 1983). According to the record, the trial court determined that agency is defined as “a contractor undertaking by which a party confines (sic) to the other the management of some business to be transacted in the former’s name or on his account and by which the latter assumes to do the business and render an accounting of it.” The trial court went on to state that the agency relationship can be inferred and an agency is not only an employee of the principal, but that an agent represents the principal and contemplates contractual liability based on the agent’s acts.

This Court is aware of no authority which forbids the use of civil law in determining the definition of agency in a criminal case, an assertion made by Appellant. The Code Section 47.58.11 holds agents liable, Section 48-47 holds the owner or operator liable, operator defined as one in charge, care, or control of the property and the Ordinances make agents liable for violations thereunder pursuant to Sections 205 and 401.

The situation in the instant case is different than the case where an unknowing principal is being charged with liability for the acts of his agent. Indeed, in that case, civil doctrine would not be applicable because in order for a person to be criminally hable, he must have the requisite criminal intent at the time the alleged crime was committed. Specific intent cannot be imputed to a person through an agent without directed participation by the principal. 22 C.J.S. § 84. We have no such circumstances in the case under review. It was found in the trial court that the Appellant knew of the condition of the property and failed to take steps to correct it.

The findings of the trial judge are presumed to be correct and will not be disturbed unless it can be shown that there is a lack of substantial evidence to support the court’s determination. Strawgate v Turner, 339 So.2d 1112 (Fla. 1976) See also Marsh v Marsh, 419 So.2d 629 (Fla. 1982); Marcoux v Marcoux, 475 So.2d 972 (Fla. 4th DCA 1985). In the instant case, the trial judge went beyond the law and cases presented to her by counsel in order to make a thorough, fair and reasoned decision with respect to the question of the definition of [34]*34agency. Accordingly, this Court finds no reason to reverse the decision of the lower court based on its use of civil law to arrive at a threshold definition of agency and its subsequent application of the burden of proof standard in the criminal law context to determine that Appellant was beyond and to the exclusion of every reasonable doubt an agent of the owner and therefore liable for the crimes charged.

II

The second and third issues presented by the Appellant can be jointly addressed as they are intertwined.

Case law states that the appellate court may not permit the presentation of points, grounds or objections for the first time in the appellate proceeding. Radiation Inc. v Campbell, 200 So.2d 192 (Fla. 4th DCA 1967). Such points, grounds and objections must be preserved in the record of the trial court, with the limited exception of jurisdictional issues and issues involving fundamental error. Steinhorst v State, 412 So.2d 332 (Fla. 1982). Constitutional error is not necessarily fundamental errror. Ray v State, 403 So.2d 956 (Fla. 1981). However, conviction for a facially invalid statute would constitute fundamental error, including an assertion based on overbreadth, and could therefore be raised for the first time on appeal. Trushin v State, 425 So.2d 1126 (Fla. 1982). Fundamental error is error going to the foundation of the case or to the merits of the action. Sanford v Rubin, 237 So.2d 124 (Fla. 1970). The error must rise to the level of a denial of due process. Castor v State, 365 So.2d 701 (Fla. 1978), See also Ray, 403 So.2d 956.

The Appellant has asserted as issue number two for the first time on appeal that the Code and Ordinances under which Appellant was charged were vague and overbroad. The issue of vagueness does not rise to the level of fundamental error and must have been raised at the trial level in order for it to be reviewed by this Court. Baldwin v State, 498 So.2d 1385 (Fla. 5th DCA 1985). On the other hand, the issue of overbreadth may in some cases be raised for the first time on appeal. Trushin, 425 So.2d 1126. The overbreadth doctrine applies when legislation is potentially applicable to innocent conduct protected by the First Amendment. Southeast Fisheries Assn, Inc. v Dept. of Natural Resources, 453 So.2d 1351 (Fla. 1984), See also, Street v Florida, 383 So.2d 900 (Fla. 1980).

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Related

Street v. State
383 So. 2d 900 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1980)
Peters v. State
76 So. 2d 147 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1954)
Steinhorst v. State
412 So. 2d 332 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1982)
SE FISHERIES v. Dept. of Nat. Resources
453 So. 2d 1351 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1984)
Trushin v. State
425 So. 2d 1126 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1982)
Radiation, Inc. v. Campbell
200 So. 2d 192 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1967)
Castor v. State
365 So. 2d 701 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1978)
State v. Bolyea
520 So. 2d 562 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1988)
Marcoux v. Marcoux
475 So. 2d 972 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1985)
Orlando Executive Park, Inc. v. Robbins
433 So. 2d 491 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1983)
Alexander v. State
450 So. 2d 1212 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1984)
Strawgate v. Turner
339 So. 2d 1112 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1976)
State v. Taylor
283 So. 2d 882 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1973)
Marsh v. Marsh
419 So. 2d 629 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1982)
Potts v. Montgomery
237 So. 2d 124 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1970)
Ray v. State
403 So. 2d 956 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1981)
Baldwin v. State
498 So. 2d 1385 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1986)

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Bluebook (online)
39 Fla. Supp. 2d 31, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smith-v-city-of-fort-lauderdale-flacirct-1990.