Boyd v. Oriole Homes Corp.

• Citation: 515 So.2d 300,12 Fla. L. Weekly 2493
• Decision Date: 28 October 1987
• Docket Number: 4-86-2150,Nos. 4-86-1835,s. 4-86-1835
• Parties: 12 Fla. L. Weekly 2493 Darwin Ray BOYD and Monica Lynn Boyd; Alan H. Bloom and Johanne L. Bloom, Stephen A. Cardullo, Ira E. Cohen and Elayne H. Cohen, Robert L. Elliott, Richard A. Fiandola and Alyce Fiandola, John H. LaChance, Rosemary Schmitz, Clifford R. Weiss and Denise N. Weiss, Appellants/Cross Appellees, v. ORIOLE HOMES CORP., et al., Appellees/Cross Appellants.
• Court: Court of Appeal of Florida (US)

Page 300

515 So.2d 300

12 Fla. L. Weekly 2493

Darwin Ray BOYD and Monica Lynn Boyd; Alan H. Bloom and Johanne L. Bloom, Stephen A. Cardullo, Ira E. Cohen and Elayne H. Cohen, Robert L. Elliott, Richard A. Fiandola and Alyce Fiandola, John H. LaChance, Rosemary Schmitz, Clifford R. Weiss and Denise N. Weiss, Appellants/Cross Appellees, v. ORIOLE HOMES CORP., et al., Appellees/Cross Appellants.

Nos. 4-86-1835, 4-86-2150.

District Court of Appeal of Florida,

Fourth District.

Oct. 28, 1987.

Rehearing Denied Dec. 2, 1987.

Dale F. Webner of Trenam, Simmons, Kemker, Scharf, Barkin, Frye & O'Neill, P.A., Miami, for appellants/cross appellees.

J. Cameron Story, III, and Asela M. Cuervo of McCune, Hiaasen, Crum, Ferris & Gardner, P.A., Fort Lauderdale, for appellee/cross appellant-Oriole Homes Corp.

PER CURIAM.

This is an appeal of an order deleting an award of punitive damages from an amended final judgment. The trial court below entered a directed verdict for compensatory damages in favor of appellants on their claims for breach of contract and violation of the condominium statute. After jury consideration of the issues of punitive damages and fraud, the trial court entered a final judgment awarding appellants compensatory and punitive damages. Appellee filed a motion seeking entry of judgment notwithstanding the verdict, claiming appellants neither pled nor proved the occurrence of any injury or damage as a basis for a separate tort claim of fraud in addition to the damages for the breach of contract claim. Pursuant to appellee's motion, the trial court further amended the final judgment by deleting the award of punitive damages.

Appellants filed this appeal, claiming the trial court erred in striking their award of punitive damages. Appellee cross appealed, claiming the trial court erred in directing a verdict in favor of appellants on their claims of breach of contract and violation of the condominium statute.

We affirm the award of compensatory damages and reverse the trial court's order striking the punitive damages award. Although this is partly an action for breach of contract, punitive damages are proper since appellee pled and proved the independent tort of fraud and the jury found appellee's actions constituted malice, moral turpitude, wantonness, willfulness or reckless indifference to the rights of others. Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company v. Hanft, 436 So.2d 40, 42 (Fla.1983); Lassitter v. International Union of Operating...