THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA JURISDICTIONAL BRIEF

Transcription

1 THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA JOHNEE ANN ALLE HIRCHERT CASE NO.: SC v. Petitioner, 5DCA#:5D HIRCHERT FAMILY TRUST Respondent / 9 th Judicial Circuit Court Case No.: CI-06-OC-1397 PETITIONER JOHNEE ANN ALLE HIRCHERT=S JURISDICTIONAL BRIEF David S. Cohen, Esquire LAW OFFICES OF DAVID S. COHEN, LC 5728 Major Boulevard, Suite 550 Orlando, Florida Telephone (407) Facsimile (407) Florida Bar No Counsel for Petitioner Johnee Ann Alle Hirchert

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Citations... ii Introduction... 1 Statement of the Case and Facts... 1 Summary of the Argument... 4 Argument THE SUPREME COURT HAS JURISDICTION TO HEAR THIS CASE AS THE FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS DIRECTLY CONSTRUED THE HOMESTEAD PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE X, SECTION 4 OF THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION AND EXTENDED THE EXCEPTIONS TO FORCED SALE BEYOND THOSE SET FORTH IN THE CONSTITUTION AND BEYOND THOSE PREVIOUSLY ADDRESSED BY CASE LAW... 5 Conclusion Certificate of Service Certificate of Compliance i

3 TABLE OF CITATIONS CASES Bessmer Properties, Inc., v. Gamble, 27 So.2d 832 (Fla. 1946)... 7 Butterworth v. Caggiano, 605 So.2d 56 (Fla. 1992)... 6,7,9 Havoco of America, Ltd. v. Hill, 790 So.2d 1018 (Fla. 2001)... 7,8,9 CONSTITUTIONS Article X, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution... Throughout STATUTES '55.509, Florida Statutes... 2 RULES Rule 9.030(a)(2)(A)(iv), Fla. R. App. Pro ii

4 I. INTRODUCTION Petitioner, Johnee Ann Alle Hirchert, submits this Jurisdictional Brief in support of her request to invoke the discretionary jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to review a decision of the Fifth District Court of Appeal. Copies of the Fifth District Court of Appeal=s decision entered on June 17, 2011along with the Order denying the Petitioners= Motion for Rehearing and/or Motion for Rehearing En Banc dated July 19, 2011are contained in the Appendix attached hereto. II. STATEMENT OF THE CASE AND FACTS The Appellee, Johnee Ann Alle Hirchert, (hereinafter Hirchert) is the owner and occupant of the real property located in Osceola County, Florida at 1402 Sweet Bay Court, Kissimmee, Fl 34744, which property is and at all relevant times has been her homestead. Since its purchase, Hirchert has occupied the property and maintained the same as her primary residence. Further, there is no question that the property fits within the size and contiguity requirements set forth by Article X, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution. (R-110) Some seven months after Hirchert=s purchase of the property, the Respondent, Hirchert Family Trust, (hereinafter, the Trust) brought an action against Hirchert in the Superior Court of California seeking to collect monies which the Trust believed Hirchert=s deceased husband had misappropriated from the Trust. 1

5 (R-110) The California Court found no wrongdoing by Hirchert, and in fact found her to be innocent of wrongdoing, however, the California Court believed some of the funds from Hirchert=s deceased husband=s original home in California were traceable through various transactions to Hirchert=s Osceola County home. As a result of its ruling, the California Court entered a Judgment which created a constructive trust over the homestead real property of Hirchert located in Osceola County, Florida. (R-25) Although the California Court specifically found there was no fraudulent intent or wrongdoing on Hirchert=s part, it nonetheless found that since some of the funds from the sale of the California property were traceable to the homestead property, the Trust was entitled to an interest in the property. This judgment was recorded in Osceola County under the Florida Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act, '55.509, Florida Statutes, and will be referred to throughout this brief as the Foreign Judgment. Once the Foreign Judgment was recorded in Osceola County, Hirchert filed a Complaint contesting the Foreign Judgment in accordance with the provisions of '55.509, Florida Statutes. (R-29) The Complaint alleged that the Foreign Judgment was not enforceable in Florida as the California Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction to enter a judgment directly affecting Hirchert=s homestead real estate in Florida. The Complaint further sought a declaration of the Court that the Foreign Judgment could not create a constructive trust or lien on Hirchert=s Florida 2

6 homestead. The Circuit Court entered a Summary Final Judgment wherein it held the Foreign Judgment of the California Court was not an attempt to transfer title to the Florida real property. Rather, the Circuit Court held the Foreign Judgment only indirectly affected the property. (R-55) As such, the Foreign Judgment became a judgment of the State of Florida. The Circuit Court=s ruling which allowed the recording of the judgment was upheld by the Fifth District Court of Appeal in an earlier appeal, however, as the Circuit Court did not rule on the request for declaratory judgment, the matter was remanded to the Circuit Court for the express purpose of making a judicial determination of homestead status and the legal effect, if any, of the California Judgment on Hirchert=s property. The Circuit Court on remand held that the breach of fiduciary duty by the Petitioner=s husband was not of such an egregious or outrageous nature to bring it within an exception to the constitutional homestead protections against forced sale. As such, although the Foreign Judgment was entitled to be recorded in Florida, as there was no wrongdoing on Hirchert=s part, and as Hirchert had her own funds invested in the property, the Circuit Court did not permit the Foreign Judgment to be used to force Hirchert from her homestead real property. (R-164) The Trust appealed that decision, which was reversed by the Fifth District Court of Appeal in the decision leading to this request for review. In reversing the Circuit Court, the 3

7 Fifth District Court of Appeal ordered the case again to be remanded so that the Circuit Court could enforce an injunction entered by the California Court which would dispossess Hirchert of her homestead. (See Appendix hereto) Hirchert timely filed her Notice to Invoke the Discretionary Jurisdiction of this Court as the District Court of Appeal=s decision specifically construed a provision of the Florida Constitution. III. SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT THE SUPREME COURT HAS JURISDICTION TO HEAR THIS CASE AS THE FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS DIRECTLY CONSTRUED THE HOMESTEAD PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE X, SECTION 4 OF THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION AND EXTENDED THE EXCEPTIONS TO FORCED SALE BEYOND THOSE SET FORTH IN THE CONSTITUTION AND BEYOND THOSE PREVIOUSLY ADDRESSED BY CASE LAW. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction to hear this case as the decision of the Fifth District Court of Appeal expressly construed the provisions of Article X, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution. Except for only a few enumerated exceptions, Article X, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution protects a person=s homestead from forced sale. Despite the fact, none of the express exceptions applied to the facts of the instant case, the Fifth District Court of Appeal construed the Florida Constitution, and a narrow judicial exception which has been utilized in certain cases involving fraud or egregious conduct, to order the forced sale of the Petitioner=s homestead. 4

8 IV. ARGUMENT THE SUPREME COURT HAS JURISDICTION TO HEAR THIS CASE AS THE FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS DIRECTLY CONSTRUED THE HOMESTEAD PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE X, SECTION 4 OF THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION AND EXTENDED THE EXCEPTIONS TO FORCED SALE BEYOND THOSE SET FORTH IN THE CONSTITUTION AND BEYOND THOSE PREVIOUSLY ADDRESSED BY CASE LAW. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction to hear this action pursuant to Rule 9.030(a)(2)(A)(iv), Fla. R. App. Pro. in that the decision of the Fifth District Court of Appeal expressly construes a provision of the Florida Constitution, to wit: Article X, Section 4 which provides homestead protection. Rule 9.030(a)(2)(A)(iv), Fla. R. App. Pro. provides the Supreme Court with the discretionary jurisdiction to review decisions of the District Courts of Appeal that expressly construe a provision of the Florida Constitution. As will be demonstrated in this Jurisdictional Brief, the decision of the Fifth District Court of Appeal in the instant case directly addressed the provisions of Article X, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution. The Fifth District Court clearly acknowledged that it was expressly construing the Florida Constitution. In fact, the introductory paragraph of the Court=s opinion states: The specific issues we must resolve are whether the Florida Court... (2)erred as a matter of law in finding that an equitable exception to Florida=s Homestead exemption under Article X, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution was inapplicable. 5

9 Article X, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution sets forth three, and only three, exceptions to the constitutional homestead protection against forced sale. That section provides in relevant part: Section 4. Homestead; exemptions.- (a) There shall be exempt from forced sale under process of any court, and no judgment decree or execution shall be a lien thereon, except for the payment of taxes and assessments thereon, obligations contracted for the purchase, improvement or repair thereof, or obligations contracted for house, field or other labor performed on the realty... The Florida Supreme Court has held that these exceptions are unqualified and that the Florida constitutional exemptions of homestead protects the homestead against every type of claim and judgment except those specifically mentioned in the constitutional provision itself. See Butterworth v. Caggiano, 605 So.2d 56 (Fla. 1992). There was no debate or question that the Trust=s claim falls under none of the express exceptions. The constructive trust created by the California Court is not related to the payment of taxes and assessments, contracted for purchase, improvement or repair, nor field or other labor. Rather the issue addressed by the Court was whether an equitable exception to the protections under the Florida Constitution was available to the Trust. The Florida Supreme Court has held that the homestead guarantee uses broad 6

10 language protecting the homestead from involuntary divestiture by the courts and the court has refrained from creating additional exceptions, except in rare cases where equity demanded it. See Havoco of America, Ltd. v. Hill, 790 So.2d 1018 (Fla. 2001). The Supreme Court specifically held that the courts are not free to go beyond the literal exceptions set forth specifically in the Constitution, except in the case where funds obtained through fraud or egregious conduct were used to invest in, purchase, or improve the homestead. Havoco, supra at As such, based on the holding in the Havoco, absent one of the three enumerated exceptions set forth in the Constitution, or a situation where the funds were obtained through fraud or egregious conduct, there is no basis to encumber or lien a homestead property. It is well settled law in Florida that the provisions of the Constitution relating to homestead should be liberally construed in the interest of the home. See Bessmer Properties, Inc., v. Gamble, 27 So.2d 832 (Fla. 1946), and Havoco of America, Ltd. v. Hill, 790 So.2d 1018 (Fla. 2001). The Supreme Court has refused to violate the homestead protections afforded the family home under circumstances where people were taking affirmative efforts to defraud creditors (Havoco), using the homestead for criminal purposes (Butterworth) and otherwise engaging in bad deeds. In doing so, the Supreme Court has found the homestead exemptions set forth in the Constitution to be unqualified. The Court specifically stated: 7

11 They create no personal qualifications touching the moral character of the resident nor do they undertake to exclude the vicious, the criminal, or the immoral from the benefits provided. Havoco, supra at In the instant case, not only does the Trust=s claim fall under none of the enumerated exceptions, it does not fall within the judicially created fraud exception. The California Court found that Hirchert was an Ainnocent giftee or transferee. That Court similarly held that as Aan innocent transferee, it would be inequitable to punish Based on the foregoing, the Circuit Court properly held that the fraud exception would not apply. In its opinion overturning the decision of the Circuit Court, however, the Fifth District Court of appeal, specifically construed the provisions of the Florida Constitution, and held: Contrary to the trial court=s conclusion, we believe that a breach of fiduciary duty is Aconstructive fraud@ and thus may form the basis to apply the exception to the homestead protection The Court believed that it did not matter whether the breach of fiduciary duty was committed by Hirchert or her deceased husband in addressing the constitutional homestead protection from forced sale. Rather, the Court concluded its opinion by stating: 8

12 We conclude that institution of a constructive trust and/or the placement of an equitable lien over the Kissimmee Property, as the California court did based on Richard Hirchert=s constructive fraud emanating from his breach of fiduciary duty, fits within the equitable exception to the homestead protections afforded by the Florida Constitution. The Fifth District Court of Appeal construed Florida=s Constitution to create an exception to the homestead protections, which did not previously exist. There is no exception to the homestead protection for claims emanating from a breach of fiduciary duty, or for claims of the beneficiary of a constructive trust, and the court is not free to create one. See Butterworth, supra at 60 (Where the homestead provision contains no exception, neither the legislature or the court has the power to create one). The Constitution=s express inclusion of the three exceptions acts to exclude all othersbaexpressio unis est exclusio alterious.@ See Havoco, supra at As the Court ignored this mandate, and expressly construed the Florida Constitution in extending the otherwise limited exceptions to forced sale, the Petitioner seeks review. Based on the Fifth District Court of Appeals= express construction of Florida=s Constitution, and the Court=s extrapolation of the fraud exception to extend beyond the three specifically enumerated exceptions under Article X, Section 4, this Court has jurisdiction to hear this appeal. 9

13 V. CONCLUSION There is no question the District Court of Appeals expressly construed the provisions of Article X, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution in its holding. To that end, it extended the narrow judicially created fraud exception, previously reserved for egregious or fraudulent conduct, to include a breach of fiduciary duty, and further extended the exception to the constitutional protection against forced to include a breach of fiduciary duty of the spouse of an innocent owner. Based on the Court=s express construction of the Florida Constitution, this Court has jurisdiction to review that decision. WHEREFORE, the Petitioner, Johnee Ann Alle Hirchert, respectfully request this Honorable Court to exercise its discretionary jurisdiction and review the decision of the Fifth District Court of Appeal. 10

14 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I HEREBY CERTIFY that on this day of August, 2011, a true and correct copy of the foregoing instrument was furnished via U.S. Mail and Facsimile (407) to Linda C. Hankin, Esquire, LOWNDES, DROSDICK, DOSTER, KANTOR & REED, P.A., 215 North Eola Drive, Orlando, Florida LAW OFFICES OF DAVID S. COHEN, LC By: David S. Cohen, Esquire 5728 Major Boulevard, Suite 550 Orlando, Florida Tel: (407) Fax: (407) Florida Bar No Counsel for Johnee Ann Alle Hirchert CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE This computer generated brief was prepared using Times New Roman 14-point font in compliance with Rule 9.210, Fla. R. App. Pro. David S. Cohen, Esq. Counsel for Johnee Ann Alle Hirchert 11

15 APPENDIX INDEX TO APPENDIX Decision of Fifth District Court of Appeals dated June 17, 2011, along with Order Denying Motion for Rehearing and Motion for Rehearing En Banc dated July 19, 2011.