The Lake Hamilton Lakeshore Owners Association, Inc. v. Neidlinger , 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 2665 ( 2016 )


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  •                NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING
    MOTION AND, IF FILED, DETERMINED
    IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL
    OF FLORIDA
    SECOND DISTRICT
    THE LAKE HAMILTON LAKESHORE                    )
    OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., a Florida            )
    not-for-profit corporation, on behalf of its   )
    Members,                                       )
    )
    Appellant,                       )
    )
    v.                                             )      Case No. 2D15-1402
    )
    WAYNE L. NEIDLINGER, d/b/a Captain             )
    Fred's Airboat Nature Tours; and LAKE          )
    HAMILTON COMMERCE & STORAGE                    )
    CENTER, INC., a Florida corporation,           )
    )
    Appellees.                       )
    )
    Opinion filed February 24, 2016.
    Appeal from the Circuit Court for Polk
    County; John M. Radabaugh, Judge.
    Douglas A. Lockwood, III, and Alexander M.
    Landback of Straughn & Turner, P.A.,
    Winter Haven, for Appellant.
    Daniel P. Rooney of the Law Office of Allan
    L. Casey, Winter Haven, for Appellee
    Wayne L. Neidlinger.
    No appearance for Appellee Lake Hamilton
    Commerce & Storage Center, Inc.
    LaROSE, Judge.
    The Lake Hamilton Lakeshore Owners Association (the Association) sued
    Wayne Neidlinger, d/b/a Captain Fred's Airboat Nature Tours (Mr. Neidlinger), alleging
    that his airboat activities on Lake Hamilton constituted a nuisance. The trial court
    dismissed the complaint with prejudice, finding that state law preempted the claim. The
    trial court also awarded Mr. Neidlinger attorney's fees pursuant to section 57.105,
    Florida Statutes (2014). The Association appealed the order dismissing the complaint
    and, in this case, separately appealed the order granting attorney's fees.
    We reversed the order of dismissal in Lake Hamilton Lakeshore Owners
    Assoc. v. Neidlinger, No. 2D14-5611, 
    2015 WL 9487589
    (Fla. 2d DCA Dec. 30, 2015).
    Consequently, we must set aside the order granting attorney's fees. See Fieldstone v.
    Chung, 
    416 So. 2d 11
    , 12 (Fla. 3d DCA 1982); Huie v. Dent & Cook, P.A., 
    635 So. 2d 111
    (Fla. 2d DCA 1994) (holding that suit that is not frivolous at its inception does not
    justify award of attorney's fees as sanctions).
    Reversed.
    CASANUEVA and LUCAS, JJ., Concur.
    -2-
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 2D15-1402

Citation Numbers: 198 So. 3d 736, 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 2665, 2016 WL 716360

Judges: Casanueva, LaROSE, Lucas

Filed Date: 2/24/2016

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 10/19/2024