Supreme Court of Florida

In an insurance bad faith case involving the obligee of a surety contract and its ability to sue a surety for bad faith refusal to settle claims pursuant to Florida Statutes section 624.155(1)(b)(1), as well as issues relating to arbitration, res judicata, and collateral estoppel, the court answers four certified questions from the Eleventh Circuit in the affirmative, and one in the negative.

Appellate Information

• Decided 12/21/2006
• Published 12/21/2006

Judges

• LEWIS, C.J.

Court

• Supreme Court of Florida

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Philip M. Burlington of Philip M. Burlington, P.A., Jeffrey M. Liggio and Richard Benrubi of Liggio, Benrubi and Williams, P.A., West Palm Beach, FL, for Appellant., Stephen A. Marino, Jr. of Ver Ploeg and Lumpkin, P.A., Miami, FL, on behalf of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers;  E.A. “Seth” Mills, Jr. and Brett D. Divers of Mills, Paskert, Divers, P.A., Tampa, FL, on behalf of the Surety Association of America;  and Bruce G. Alexander and Ronald E. Crescenzo of Boose, Casey, Ciklin, Lubitz, Martens, McBane and O'Connell, West Palm Beach, FL, on behalf of Florida AGC Council, Inc., Florida Transportation Builders' Association, Inc., and Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida, for Amicus Curiae.


• For Appellees:
  
• Lee Craig and Veronica D. Vellines of Butler, Pappas, Weihmuller, Katz and Craig, LLP, Tampa, FL, for Appellee.