PATTY LONG, by and through her CO-GUARDIANS, SARAH LONG and DENNIS LONG, and MATT LONG, by and through his ATTORNEY-IN-FACT DENNIS LONG, Appellants, v. FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES of NORTH FLORIDA, INC., Appellee.
Case No. 5D2023-1217
This case involves Patty Long and Matt Long (Appellants) who sued Family Support Services of North Florida, Inc. (Appellee) for negligence. Patty and Matt, who were siblings in foster care, claimed that Family Support Services (FSS) placed them together despite knowing that Matt was sexually and physically abusing Patty. They argued that FSS violated a Florida administrative rule designed to protect children in foster care.
The trial court refused to instruct the jury that violating this rule could be considered evidence of negligence. This refusal led to a defense verdict for FSS, but Patty and Matt appealed. The appeals court agreed that the jury should have been instructed on the rule and ordered a new trial.
Florida Law Weekly. (n.d.). 5D2023-1217. Retrieved from https://www.floridalawweekly.com/
Today’s Insight:
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
— Edmund Burke