Speegle v. Rhoden
Speegle v. Rhoden
Opinion of the Court
After Chad Speegle severely beat Lauren Rhoden, two legal proceedings followed: the State charged Speegle with battery, and Rhoden petitioned for an injunction against dating violence. Speegle pleaded no contest in the criminal case, and the court granted a permanent injunction in the civil case.
After Rhoden petitioned for an injunction, the trial court promptly entered a temporary injunction and scheduled a hearing to consider a permanent injunction. Then, the day before the scheduled hearing, Speegle moved to stay the proceedings until his related criminal case concluded. He argued that defending himself in the injunction case would jeopardize his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. He also argued that a stay would not prejudice Rhoden, because he agreed that the temporary injunction could remain effective in the meantime. The hearing went ahead, and Speegle again moved for a stay. Rhoden objected, and the court denied the motion. After the hearing, during which Rhoden (but not Speegle) testified, the court entered a permanent injunction. Later, Speegle pleaded no contest to the criminal charge and was placed on probation.
Speegle asks us to reverse the permanent injunction, claiming the lower court should have granted a stay. As he did below, Speegle argues that the court was obligated to stay the injunction proceedings to protect his Fifth Amendment right. See § 741.30(5)(c), Fla. Stat. (2016) (providing that a court may grant a continuance *499of the final injunction hearing "for good cause shown by any party"). More specifically, he argues that he could not effectively defend himself in the injunction proceeding without testifying, and he could not testify without risking self-incrimination.
Although a number of judges faced with Speegle's request might have granted it, we cannot say Speegle's judge abused his wide discretion in doing otherwise. See Everett v. Everett ,
The trial court had broad discretion in deciding whether to delay Speegle's case, and we cannot conclude that the court abused that discretion.
AFFIRMED .
Wolf and Rowe, JJ., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.