Wilson v. Sandstrom

317 So. 2d 732
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedJuly 21, 1975
Docket47674, 47737
StatusPublished
Cited by64 cases

This text of 317 So. 2d 732 (Wilson v. Sandstrom) 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
Wilson v. Sandstrom, 317 So. 2d 732 (Fla. 1975).

Opinion

317 So.2d 732 (1975)

Jack WILSON et al., Petitioners,
v.
Jack SANDSTROM, Director, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Dade County, Florida, et al., Respondents.
FLORIDA GREYHOUND OWNERS & BREEDERS ASSOCIATION, INC., a Florida Corporation, et al., Appellants,
v.
WEST FLAGLER ASSOCIATES, LTD., a Florida Limited Parnership, Appellee.

Nos. 47674, 47737.

Supreme Court of Florida.

July 21, 1975.
Rehearing Denied July 29, 1975.

*734 Richard A. Pettigrew and Guy B. Bailey, Jr. of Pettigrew & Bailey, Miami, for petitioners-appellants.

Robert L. Shevin, Atty. Gen., and James Dudley Whisenand, Asst. Atty. Gen., and Marion Sibley of Sibley, Giblin, Levenson & Ward, Miami Beach, and Patton, Kanner, Nadeau, Segal, Zeller & LaPorte, Miami, for respondents-appellees.

ADKINS, Chief Justice:

This is an original proceeding in habeas corpus wherein 18 owners of racing greyhounds seek relief from incarceration resulting from violation of an injunctive order of the circuit court entered July 8, 1975. A return to the petition has been filed.

We also have under consideration a review by interlocutory appeal of an order of the circuit judge entered July 3, 1975, granting a mandatory temporary injunction. Our jurisdiction was determined in Wilson v. Sandstrom, Case No. 47,674, opinion filed July 17, 1975.

For clarity, West Flagler Associates, Ltd., the owner and operator of the race track is hereinafter referred to as Flagler; the owners of the greyhounds used at the race track are referred to as the kennel owners.

Flagler instituted suit against the kennel owners and a kennel owners' association seeking a temporary and permanent mandatory injunction requiring the defendants to comply with contracts for furnishing greyhounds to the race track commencing July 3, 1975. The State of Florida and Metropolitan Dade County were allowed to intervene as parties-plaintiff.

Flagler alleged that under the contract it granted exclusive right to the named kennel owners to race their dogs and agreed to furnish purses, and that Flagler has complied with the contract. Flagler was licensed to operate from July 3, 1975, through September 4, 1975, from November 1, 1975, to January 9, 1976, and from May 1, 1976, to July 2, 1976. The contracts between Flagler and the kennel owners *735 encompass these dates and were identical as to form.

Under the contracts the kennel owners agreed not to take any action which would be detrimental to the race track and greyhound racing. It was specifically provided that the kennel owners would not do any act which would bring about a temporary or permanent cessation or suspension of racing during the period of time covered by the contract.

It was alleged that under the rules of the Department of Business Regulation the kennel owners were required to present their dogs for schooling in June for the race meet commencing July 3, 1975. On June 10, 1975, the kennel owners threatened Flagler with indeterminate action. As a result, Flagler alleges it would be unable to conduct its race meet; that the kennel owners are required to supply "chattel of unusual and unique character; namely racing greyhounds which are not readily obtainable in the ready market". Flagler alleges that it will not be able to get the owners to supply greyhounds and suffers irreparable damage for each day it is not open. It was also alleged that, if notice were given the dog owners, the dogs may be removed from the jurisdiction.

Pursuant to the sworn complaint, the court, on June 30, 1975, without notice, issued a temporary injunction restraining removal of the dogs from the jurisdiction and ordered a hearing to be held on July 3, 1975. On July 3, 1975, the kennel owners appeared and announced that a petition for removal to the Federal court had been filed. Therefore, they would not participate in the hearing. Their request for permission to withdraw from the hearing was granted.

At 5:55 p.m. on July 3, 1975, the Federal court of its own motion remanded the cause to the State court. The State court was still in session at the time of the entry of the order of remand and at 6:10 p.m. on July 3, 1975, an order was entered granting the temporary mandatory injunction. This order recited that the State of Florida was suffering a loss of tax revenue of $64,000 per day, and that Flagler was suffering irreparable damage because of the kennel owners' refusal to supply dogs. The court ordered immediate compliance with the contracts by the filing of entries not later than July 4, 1975, at 10:00 a.m.; that upon refusal of the kennel owners to file entries that Perrine Palmer take custody and control of the dogs for the purpose of running them.

The kennel owners refused to submit their entry and Palmer attempted to take control of the dogs. Because of the number of dogs and inability to get adequate help, a hearing was held at the request of the receiver on July 5, 1975. Custody of the dogs was thereupon returned to the kennel owners, who were informed that a contempt hearing would be held on Monday, July 7, 1975.

On the morning of July 7, 1975, prior to the contempt hearing, the kennel owners filed a notice of interlocutory appeal seeking review of the order of July 3, 1975. This appeal has been transferred to this Court.

At the hearing on July 7, 1975, each kennel owner was called to the stand and interrogated concerning his knowledge of the order and whether he had willfully and deliberately refused to comply with the order of July 3, 1975. On July 8, 1975, the kennel owners were adjudged guilty of contempt and 18 of them were incarcerated in the Dade County penal facilities. These are the petitioners in the habeas corpus proceeding.

The kennel owners say that the order of July 3, 1975, imposing a mandatory injunction exceeded the jurisdiction of the circuit court. It is contended the mandatory injunction could not be granted until after final hearing, citing F.E.C. Railway Co. v. Taylor, 56 Fla. 788, 47 So. 345 (1908), and Montgomery Pipe & Tube Company v. Mann, 205 So.2d 660 (Fla.App.3d 1968). Flagler says that temporary mandatory injunction *736 may be granted where it appears that plaintiff has a clear right to invoke the remedy free from reasonable doubt.

In Kellerman v. Chase & Co., 101 Fla. 785, 135 So. 127 (1931), Chase & Co. had purchased a crop of tomatoes by contract from Kellerman and others. Upon the failure to deliver, Chase & Co. applied to the circuit court and secured a temporary mandatory injunction requiring Kellerman to deliver the tomatoes. In upholding the validity of the temporary mandatory injunction, this Court said:

"It is a general rule that a mandatory injunction can only be properly granted on a final hearing, as its effect before that time is like awarding execution before trial and judgment. See Fla. East Coast Rwy. Co. v. Taylor, 56 Fla. 788, 47 So. 345, and cases there cited. However, in this case it not only appears that the plaintiff has a clear right free from reasonable doubt to invoke the remedy, but it also appears that to delay the remedy would necessarily involve a denial of the right because it is shown positively by both the allegation of the bill and the proof submitted that the tomato season covers a period of only some five or six weeks, and it is a matter of common knowledge that the tomato crop is of the most perishable character.
"In Zetrouer v. Zetrouer, 89 Fla. 253, 103 So. 625, 626, this court, speaking through Mr.

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