June 26, 2025 (Boca Raton, Florida). South Florida Appeals is proud to announce that the Florida Bar Appellate Practice Section has named attorney Allen Bonner as Co-Chair of its CLE Committee, alongside Shutts & Bowen appellate partner Garrett A. Tozier. Mr. Bonner has been part of the CLE Committee’s leadership for the last four years, during which he has helped assemble the Section’s webinar programming. South Florida Appeals extends a special thank you to APS Chair Joe Eagleton for appointing Mr. Bonner to this position.

For more information about the APS’s upcoming CLEs, please visit: www.flabarappellate.org/cle.

March 16, 2025 (Miami, Florida) – In Scottsdale Insurance Company v. Advance Louis, et al. (No. 3D24-0604), the Third District Court of Appeal affirmed a judgment in favor of two Miami homeowners against their insurer in a dispute over coverage for a water loss.  In the appeal, Scottsdale asked the appellate court to apply a water loss exclusion to deny a claim for “rip-out and removal” costs associated with a burst pipe claim.  The Third DCA rejected the argument, however, in a Per Curiam Affirmance.

South Florida Appeals congratulates attorneys John Hughes and Lisa Riddle the law firm of McLuskey, McDonald, and Hughes, for their successful representation of the insureds at trial.  Allen Bonner of South Florida Appeals handled the appeal.

January 15, 2025 (Miami, Florida) – South Florida Appeals proudly announces that it secured a reversal in the case of Phinney v. Phinney (No. 3D24-1314), a case that underscores the principle that disqualification of counsel should remain an extraordinary remedy, reserved only for rare cases.

The appeal asked whether an attorney expected to testify at trial could still participate as counsel for pretrial matters. After carefully examining Rule 4-3.7 of the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar, the Third District concluded that a testifying attorney may handle pretrial matters without violating ethical rules. In so ruling, the Court emphasized that “a party’s right to counsel of his or her choice” and “an attorney’s right to practice his or her profession” are both crucial components of our legal system.  The case now returns to the Circuit Court for further proceedings.

November 20, 2024 (Miami, Florida).  South Florida Appeals proudly announces that the Third District Court of Appeal Historical Society has elected attorney Allen Bonner of South Florida Appeals to its Board of Directors.  The Historical Society is a non-profit whose mission is to collect, create, and preserve the Third DCA’s historical records; to commemorate the history and achievements of the Court; and to educate the public about the Court’s workings and role in the judicial system.  Mr. Bonner will be joining a leadership committee that includes some of South Florida’s most esteemed appellate lawyers, including President Jay Yagoda of the Miami U.S. Attorney’s Office; President-Elect Brigid Cech Samole of Greenberg Traurig, and Secretary Ivy Ginsberg of the Florida Office of the Attorney General.  The Firm wishes them all good fortune in their coming term.

June 21, 2024 (Orlando, Florida). South Florida Appeals is proud to announce that the Florida Bar Appellate Practice Section has elected South Florida Appeals attorney Allen Bonner to its Executive Council.  In addition, the APS also named Mr. Bonner Vice-Chair of the CLE Committee for a second term, where he, Diane DeWolf, and Garrett Tozier will lead the Section’s monthly webinar programming. South Florida Appeals extends a special thank you to the APS for trusting Mr. Bonner with these roles. 

For more information about the APS’s upcoming CLEs, please visit: www.flabarappellate.org/cle.

April 3, 2024 (Miami, FL).  South Florida Appeals, PA, and Stewart Williams of The Williams Law Group have successfully obtained a reversal of summary judgment in the case of Claudio Navarro vs. Alfredo L. Borges before Florida's Third District Court of Appeal.

The case involves workplace safety and the provision of adequate safety equipment to workers asked to perform dangerous tasks. The principal appellant, Mr. Claudio Navarro, suffered significant injuries after falling from a customer's roof. His case will now return to Miami-Dade Circuit Court for a trial on whether his employer was negligent for failing to implement reasonable safety measures prior to Mr. Navarro's fall.

We congratulate trial counsel, Stewart Williams of the Williams Law Group, for his excellent work in preserving record and enabling this reversal. Allen Bonner of South Florida Appeals handled the appeal. 

April 3, 2024 (Miami, FL).  South Florida Appeals, PA, and Stewart Williams of The Williams Law Group have successfully obtained a reversal of summary judgment in the case of Claudio Navarro vs. Alfredo L. Borges before Florida's Third District Court of Appeal.

The case involves workplace safety and the provision of adequate safety equipment to workers asked to perform dangerous tasks. The principal appellant, Mr. Claudio Navarro, suffered significant injuries after falling from a customer's roof. His case will now return to Miami-Dade Circuit Court for a trial on whether his employer was negligent for failing to implement reasonable safety measures prior to Mr. Navarro's fall.

Allen Bonner of South Florida Appeals handled the appeal.

March 19, 2024 (Miami, FL).  In two closely watched environmental justice proceedings, Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal has ruled in favor of more than a dozen West Coconut Grove residents in a case involving the City of Miami's "Old Smokey" municipal trash incinerator. The lawsuit alleges that the City harmed residents by polluting the neighborhood with fly ash and by burying toxic waste at dumpsites that were later turned into public parks. The Third DCA's decisions will send the lawsuit back to Miami-Dade Circuit Court, where it is expected to proceed towards trial.

South Florida Appeals would like to acknowledge the tremendous work of the Wilkie J. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association, the Florida Justice Association, and the ACLU of Florida, all of whom filed amicus curiae briefs in support of the residents' position. The firm also applauds Louise Caro of Caro Law; Craig Downs, David Durkee, Elsa De Lima, and Jason Clark of the Downs Law Group; and Abigail Fleming of the University of Miami School of Law's Environmental Justice Clinic for their work as the plaintiffs' trial lawyers. 

Allen Bonner of South Florida Appeals handled the appeals. 

January 12, 2024 (Miami, Florida). We are thrilled to announce that South Florida Appeals' Allen Bonner has been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers for 2024. Super Lawyers, a widely-known attorney rating service, recognizes those who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement in their legal field. The selection process includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations, underscoring the significance of this honor.

Mr. Bonner's legal career is distinguished by his expertise in appellate practice, including areas such as civil appeals, commercial litigation, complex torts, and insurance coverage. A graduate of Brown University and Columbia University School of Law, his dedication to the legal profession and his clients is evident in every aspect of his work.

June 22 2023 (Miami, Florida). In Kilcoyne v. George, 360 So. 3d 808 (Fla. 3d DCA 2023), Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal found in favor of Appellant Barry Kilcoyne in a dispute over attorneys’ fees Appellee Joseph George sought to recover for representing the Estate of Ralph Muir in probate court.  The appellate court reversed a final judgment entered after a bench trial, finding that the presiding court lacked subject matter jurisdiction. The case has now been remanded to Miami-Dade Circuit Court for further proceedings.  Allen Bonner of South Florida Appeals handled the appeal. 

March 3, 2023 (Miami, Florida). Following three years of service on the Appellate Practice Section’s monthly webinar programming, Allen Bonner of South Florida Appeals was appointed Vice-Chair of the CLE Committee by the incoming APS leadership.  With the assistance of fellow appellate lawyers Geneva Fountain of Boyd & Jenerette and Diane DeWolf of Akerman LLP, Mr. Bonner will be responsible for carrying out the Appellate Practice Section’s 2023-24 monthly webinar series.  For more information about the APS’s upcoming CLEs, please visit: www.flabarappellate.org/cle.

South Florida Appeals would like to give special thanks to the APS’s President-Elect, Kansas Gooden, and to the outgoing CLE Committee Chair, Elaine Walter, for entrusting Mr. Bonner with this role. 

April 12, 2023 (Miami, Florida). The Miami Dade Bar Association announced the inaugural class of its “Circle of Excellence,” recognizing South Florida Appeals attorney Allen Bonner in the area of appellate practice.  The recognition is given following peer nominations and voting from the Miami Dade Bar’s membership.

South Florida Appeals applauds the friends and colleagues who were also voted into this year’s inaugural class, including: Julie Kane of Colson Hicks Eidson; Scott Dimond and Michelle Suskauer of Dimond Kaplan &  Rothstein; Elliot Kula of Kula & Associates; Amber Kornreich of Kornreich & Associates; Ed Mullins of Reed Smith; Scott Merl of Scott Merl PA; Patrick Montoya of Whitfield Coleman Montoya; Charise Morgan-Joseph of Zurich, N.A.; Dwayne Robinson of Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton; Elaine Walter of Boyd Richards Parker Colonnelli; Alice Weeks of Hunton Andrews Kurth; and Rochelle Wimbush of Ver Ploeg & Marino.

January 5, 2023 (Miami, Florida). South Florida Appeals PA was among three law firms recognized by the Daily Business Review for securing a $6.6 million settlement in the lawsuit Diaz v. Bulk Express, Inc., et al., a catastrophic trucking accident that took place on July 4, 2018, in the Florida Keys.  South Florida Appeals successfully fended off two certiorari petitions filed in the Third District Court of Appeals before the settlement was reached.  Outgoing MDTLA President Chris Drury of Drury Law and Ben Lucas of BLucas Law  represented the plaintiffs at the trial level.

For more, visit: www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/2023/01/05/6-6-million-south-florida-settlement-meet-plaintiff-counsel/

October 28, 2022 (Miami, Florida). The Miami Dade Bar bestowed its inaugural John Marshall Award for Commitment to Public Service to Chief Judge Ivan Fernandez of the Third District Court of Appeal following the Florida Bar’s semi-annual Practicing Before the Third District Court of Appeal conference. The award recognized Chief Judge Fernandez’s over 40-year career in public service.  Before handing out the award, Allen Bonner of South Florida Appeals spoke on the Chief Judge’s career.

September 14, 2022 (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida). Following a final judgment that disposed of his insurance claim, the Plaintiff in Muhammad Mukati v. Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (Case No. CACE19009465), secured an order vacating the judgment and setting his cause for a new trial. The decision turned on whether the trial court had authority to enlarge the time for requesting a trial  de novo following a mandatory non-binding arbitration hearing. Allen Bonner handled the post-judgment motion for rehearing, with Matthew Baldwin and Andrew Vargas of Vargas Gonzalez Baldwin Delombard representing the Plaintiff, Muhammad Mukati.

July 27, 2022 (Miami, Florida).  In a unanimous written decision, the Third District Court of Appeals dismissed a petition for certiorari seeking in Bulk Express et al. v. Diaz (Case no. 3D22-0506), turning away an argument that the trial court failed to follow the procedural requirements applicable to punitive damages claims. The ruling disposed of the second of two certiorari petitions that challenged the same punitive damages order, both of which were unsuccessful. Ben Lucas (of BLucas Law), Chris Drury (of the Drury Law Firm), and Allen Bonner represented the Respondents, Luis and Maria Diaz.

July 5, 2022 (Coral Gables, Florida). The Miami Dade Trial Lawyers Association (MDTLA), an organization dedicated to protecting the rights of people harmed by malicious, careless, or criminal behavior, named South Florida Appeals attorney Allen Bonner as a member of its Executive Board. Allen will serve the remainder of the 2022-23 two-year term.  The MDTLA hosts numerous events throughout the year that promote access to justice and trial advocacy, and which provide continuing legal education to the Greater Miami community.  For a list of upcoming events, or to join, visit www.MDTLA.com.

June 21, 2022 (Miami, Florida).  In her final Board of Directors meeting as president of the Miami Dade Bar, outgoing president Sabrina Puglisi presented the MDB’s Above and Beyond awards to committee chairs Lenny Elias (County Courts), Elizabeth Hughes (Probate & Guardianship) and Allen Bonner (Appellate Courts). Past president Jane Muir was also recognized with the MDB’s Outstanding Service Award for her work leading the MDB’s Building Committee, which is heading up the association’s building renovations.

To learn more about the MDB, or to join, visit: www.miamidadebar.org.

June 20, 2022 (Miami, Florida).  A unanimous Third District Court of Appeals dismissed a petition for certiorari seeking to bar a claim for punitive damages in Ramos v. Diaz (Case no. 3D22-0512).  The case, which is set for trial in November 2022, stems from a horrific trucking accident in the Florida Keys involving a tractor trailer and an armored truck. Ben Lucas (of BLucas Law), Chris Drury (of the Drury Law Firm), and Allen Bonner represented the Respondents, Luis and Maria Diaz.

June 11, 2022 (Hialeah, Florida).  The Miami Dade Bar, along with  Miami FAWL and Dade Legal Aid, collectively hosted the 2022 Gear Up For Summer fundraiser for Miami-area foster children.  Fifty families were invited and treated to a day of games, prizes, food, and fun.  All foster children who attended received backpacks full of summer supplies and other goodies, including bikes, skateboards, and scooters.  Over $3800 was raised for the children and their families. Thank you to all who participated!

June 15, 2022 (Miami, Florida).  In an unanimous written opinion, Levy v. FMF&J (Case no. 3D20-0931), the Third District Court vacated a foreclosure judgment in an approximately $1.25 million dispute alleging mortgage fraud.  The reversal centered upon an order denying a continuance on the day-of-trial, which the Respondents sought when their only two defense witnesses failed to appear.  Stephanie and Patrick Hopple (of the Hopple Law Firm), and Allen Bonner represented the Appellants, Georges and Valerie Levy.

February 18, 2022 (Miami, Florida).  U.S. District Court Judge Beth Bloom denied a motion to strike Plaintiff Havana Docks’ jury demand, which had been joined by four other defendant cruise lines. The Court concluded that the statutory cause of action created under the Libertad Act, which prohibits the trafficking of certain property seized by the Cuban government, sounds in law and thus triggers the Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial.  Bob Martinez and Stephanie Casey lead the Plaintiffs’ trial team, along with Tom Kroeger and Aziza Elayan-Martinez. Allen Bonner assisted with this motion. Havana Docks v. Norwegian Line Holdings (Case No. 1:19-CV-23591-BB (S.D. Fla.)

February 14, 2021 (Miami, Florida).  The Eleventh Circuit reversed and vacated summary judgment in Cawthorn v. Auto-Owners, 853 F. App’x 637 (11th Cir. 2021), a bad faith case that the appellate court previously ruled in 2018 was not ripe to proceed. Citing its earlier opinion, the Eleventh Circuit concluded that summary judgment was improper and ordered the case to be dismissed without prejudice for the Plaintiff to refile. Allen Bonner handled the appeal with the assistance of Joe Kalbac and Denise Georges of Colson Hicks Eidson and Steve Marino and Michal Meiler of Ver Ploeg & Marino.