Florida District Courts of Appeal, 2016

Christou v. Baldree

Florida District Courts of Appeal · Decided February 29, 2016 · Orfinger, Evander, Wallis

186 So. 3d 631; 2016 WL 830359 (Southern Reporter, Third Series)

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

The trial court erred in awarding attorney’s fees 1 against Robert Christou, the Respondent in the paternity action below. A court in a domestic relations proceeding that is without personal jurisdiction over the respondent may not order the respondent to pay attorney’s fees. See Beroes v. Fla. Dep’t of Revenue, 958 So.2d 489, 492 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007); Steffens v. Steffens, 593 So.2d 1156, 1158 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992); Montano v. Montano, 520 So.2d 52, 53 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988).

REVERSED AND REMANDED.

ORFINGER, EVANDER and WALLIS, JJ., concur.

. The fees were awarded pursuant to section 742.045, Florida Statutes (2014), which authorizes a court to award attorney's fees in a paternity action after consideration of the party’s'"financial resources.”

Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.