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Florida Statute 768.737 - Full Text and Legal Analysis Florida Statute 768.737 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research
Fla. Stat. § 768.737 (2026) Copy Cite Official Site Syfertize CourtListener Amendments
768.737 Punitive damages; application in arbitration.Where punitive damages are available as a remedy in an arbitration proceeding, ss. 768.72, 768.725, and 768.73 apply. When an award of punitive damages is made in an arbitration proceeding, the arbitrator who renders the award must issue a written opinion setting forth the conduct which gave rise to the award and how the arbitrator applied the standards in s. 768.72 to such conduct.
History.s. 26, ch. 99-225.

Cases Citing F.S. 768.737

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·Martin Daytona v. Strickland Const. Serv., 941 So. 2d 1220 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006).

Cited 2 times | Published | Florida 5th District Court of Appeal | 2006 Fla. App. LEXIS 19308, 2006 WL 3327079

...s. Miele, 656 So.2d at 472. Hence, Martin argues that the term "actions of a civil nature" in rule 1.010 does not include arbitration proceedings and, therefore, rule 1.525 does not apply. Subsequent to the decision in Miele, the Legislature enacted section 768.737 Florida Statutes (1999), which provides that sections 768.72, 768.725, and 768.73 do apply when punitive damages are available as a remedy in arbitration proceedings....
...tly enacts a statute." Ford v. Wainwright, 451 So.2d 471, 475 (Fla.1984). Generally, courts are permitted to consider subsequently enacted legislation in determining the meaning of a statute. [7] It is *1225 clear that the Legislature's enactment of section 768.737 indicates that the Legislature has a different view from that adopted by the court in Miele regarding the issue whether arbitration proceedings are "civil actions" within the meaning of section 768.73. We believe that enactment of section 768.737, in light of the decision in Miele, militates in favor of the view that the term "actions of a civil nature" in rule 1.010 includes motions for fees and costs filed in the circuit court that are based on awards emanating from arbitration proceedings....
0 red0 yellow5 green0 procedural
Cited as authority(citing case) (2014)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityPhillips (2011)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2011)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Raymond James Fin. Servs., Inc. v. Phillips, 110 So. 3d 908 (Fla. 2d DCA 2011).

Cited 2 times | Published | Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal | 2011 Fla. App. LEXIS 18182, 2011 WL 5555691

...nt view from that *912 adopted by the court in Miele regarding the issue [of] whether arbitration proceedings are ‘civil actions’ within the meaning of section 768.73.” Id. The Fifth District reasoned that the legislature’s 1999 enactment of section 768.737, subsequent to the Miele decision, made clear its intent that section 768.73 governs arbitration as well as proceedings before the courts. Section 768.737 provides, “Where punitive damages are available as a remedy in an arbitration proceeding, ss....
...or. Moreover, such referral did not put an end to the action because it had to be confirmed by the circuit court, and the circuit court alone could determine entitlement to fees and the amount thereof. We cannot agree, however, that the enactment of section 768.737 represented a complete repudiation of Miele and certainly not a legislative directive that all arbi-trations are in fact “civil actions.” Section 768.73(2) was part of the 1986 Tort Reform and Insurance Act and reflected a philoso...
...itive damage awards can represent a windfall for the successful plaintiff even if such awards are otherwise appropriate to deter egregious misconduct on the part of the party being sued. Gordon v. State, 608 So.2d 800, 801-02 (Fla.1992). We consider section 768.737 to have been a legislative clarification of the punitive damages provision, the scope of which had previously been uncertain....
0 red0 yellow3 green0 procedural
Cited as authority(citing case) (2018)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityFenyk (2015)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityPhillips (2013)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·In Re the Arbitration Between Rollins, Inc. & Orkin Inc., 552 F. Supp. 2d 1318 (M.D. Fla. 2004).

Cited 2 times | Published | District Court, M.D. Florida | 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31000

...[8] As evidence of this error, Respondent points to the Panel's findings, which were cited to support its award of punitive damage. According to Respondent, that evidence also supports a finding of negligence, fraud, and alter ego. The Panel does not mention those claims and instead cites to Florida Statutes § 768.737, which requires an arbitrator to provide her basis for the granting of punitive damages....
0 red0 yellow2 green0 procedural
Cited as authority(citing case) (2015)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityCipoletti (2011)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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Shields & Co. v. Bright, 254 F. Supp. 2d 1253 (M.D. Fla. 2003).

Published | District Court, M.D. Florida | 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5526, 2003 WL 1733688

...ports the award. Respondents further argue that Petitioner has not established that the arbitrators were subjectively aware of the proper legal standard, and disregarded it in awarding punitive damages. Respondents further argue that Florida Statute 768.737 became effective after the last transaction in this *1259 case in August, 1999, it does not apply to this case, and it was not cited to the Panel before the award was rendered....

This Florida statute resource is curated by Florida Bar member Graham W. Syfert, a Jacksonville, Florida personal injury and workers' compensation attorney (Florida Bar No. 39104). Attorney Syfert regularly handles Chapter 768 matters in the context of negligence and personal injury claims and represents clients throughout Northeast Florida. For legal consultation, call 904-383-7448.