Armellini Exp. Lines, Inc. v. Sexton, 79-778

Decision Date11 June 1980
Docket NumberNo. 79-778,79-778
Citation384 So.2d 310
PartiesARMELLINI EXPRESS LINES, INC. et al., Appellants, v. Darrell T. SEXTON, Jr., etc., et al., Appellees. /T4-485.
CourtFlorida District Court of Appeals

Dennis J. Wall of Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell, Orlando, for appellants.

Miles B. Mank, II, Vero Beach, for appellees.

COBB, Judge.

This case arose from a three-vehicle accident that occurred on I-95 at night with smoke or fog covering the highway. William Carver was driving an Armellini tractor-trailer rig and stopped in the smoke or fog while on the highway. Royce Stone was driving a Ploof truck and ran into the rear of the Armellini tractor-trailer. Irene Mackey, now Irene Sexton, was driving an automobile with her son, Darrell Sexton, Jr., as a passenger in the middle front seat. Patrick White was also a passenger in the Sexton vehicle. The Sexton automobile slid underneath the Armellini tractor-trailer.

Patrick White filed suit against Armellini, Carver, Ploof, and Stone in a prior suit. Irene Mackey (Sexton) was apparently added as a party plaintiff in that suit. In that prior suit, the jury returned a verdict which found that William Carver was one hundred percent negligent for any damage caused to Irene Mackey (Sexton), and that she herself was zero percent negligent. Armellini and Carver then settled the claim in return for a release and voluntary dismissal prior to the entry of a final judgment against them. Therefore, the final judgment entered in that case included the verdict findings with regard to Irene Mackey (Sexton) and William Carver, but did not enter judgment against Armellini and Carver in favor of Irene Mackey (Sexton).

Subsequently, Darrell Sexton, Jr., filed this suit against Armellini, William Carver, Bankers & Shippers Ins. Co., Ploof Truck Lines and Royce Stone for the injuries he sustained in the accident. His mother, Irene (Mackey) Sexton, sued for loss of services and medical expenses arising from the injuries to her son, Darrell Sexton, Jr.

Darrell Sexton, Jr., moved for a partial summary judgment on the issue of negligence based on estoppel by judgment due to the verdict in the prior suit. The trial court granted the partial summary judgment for Darrell Sexton, Jr., against Armellini, Carver and Bankers & Shippers. It is this final partial summary judgment which is being appealed.

There was no judgment in the prior suit against the appellants that could serve as the basis for estoppel by judgment in ...

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7 cases
  • New Port Largo, Inc. v. Monroe County
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Southern District of Florida
    • November 21, 1988
  • Graham v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Eleventh Circuit
    • May 18, 2017
    ...and findings without a judgment are inadequate as a basis for either issue or claim preclusion. Armellini Express Lines, Inc. v. Sexton, 384 So.2d 310, 310 (Fla 5th Dist. Ct. App. 1980) ; see also Fla. Dep't of Transp. v. Juliano, 801 So.2d 101, 105 (Fla. 2001) (listing "a final judgment on......
  • Bryan v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.
    • United States
    • Court of Special Appeals of Maryland
    • June 7, 2012
    ...78 (1991)). The rule that Plaintiffs urge be applied here appears to be the current law in Florida. See Armellini Express Lines, Inc. v. Sexton, 384 So.2d 310 (Fla.App.1980). There, successive litigation arose out of a three-vehicle accident. A jury had returned a verdict in an earlier case......
  • Robinson v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 90-367
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • July 3, 1991
    ...cogently point out that this interlocutory order cannot be infused with such res judicata effect. See Armellini Express Lines, Inc. v. Sexton, 384 So.2d 310 (Fla. 5th DCA 1980). At most, this order might serve as some evidence that State Farm's position in the underlying case was not utterl......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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