Jennifer Laird and Fernando Lopez v. Yun Miao

2024-2466Fladistctapp5

Full text

FIFTH DISTRICT C OURT OF A PPEAL
S TATE OF FLORIDA
_____________________________
Case No. 5D2024-2466
LT Case No. 05-2019-CC-42661
_____________________________
J ENNIFER L AIRD and F ERNANDO
L OPEZ ,
Appellants,
v.
YUN M IAO,
Appellee.
_____________________________
On appeal from the County Court for Brevard County.
Kathryn C. Jacobus, Judge.
Blake Stewart, of Stewart Law CS, LLC, Rockledge, for
Appellants.
Elizabeth Siano Harris, of Harris Appellate Law Office,
Mims, for Appellee.
February 6, 2026
PER CURIAM.
Appellants challenge the “Final Judgment on Amount of
Trial Attorney’s Fees and Costs” entered in their favor against
Appellee after evidentiary hearings. Appellants contend that the
trial court reversibly erred in determining the amount of the
attorney’s fees award and in also failing to apply a multiplier. We
2
affirm 	on 	all 	issues 	raised 	by 	Appellants 	without 	further
discussion, except one. 	We agree with Appellants that the trial
court erred in failing to award them prejudgment interest on the
attorney’s fees award. See Quality Engineered Installation, Inc. v.
Higley S., Inc., 670 So. 2d 929, 930–31 (Fla. 1996).
Accordingly, we reverse on this issue and remand for the trial
court to enter an amended final judgment that computes and
awards prejudgment interest from September 21, 2023, until the
date the final judgment on appeal was entered.
A FFIRMED, 	in 	part; 	R EVERSED, 	in 	part; 	R EMANDED, 	with
directions.
L AMBERT , E ISNAUGLE, and BOATWRIGHT , JJ., concur.
_____________________________
Not 	final 	until 	disposition 	of 	any 	timely 	and
authorized motion under Fla. R. App. P. 9.330 or
9.331.
_____________________________

OCR transcription; preserved printed pages are authoritative

FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL
STATE OF FLORIDA

Case No. 5D2024-2466
LT Case No. 05-2019-CC-42661

JENNIFER LAIRD and FERNANDO
LOPEZ,

Appellants,
Vv.
YUN MIAO,

Appellee.

On appeal from the County Court for Brevard County.
Kathryn C. Jacobus, Judge.

Blake Stewart, of Stewart Law CS, LLC, Rockledge, for
Appellants.

Elizabeth Siano Harris, of Harris Appellate Law Office,
Mims, for Appellee.

February 6, 2026

PER CURIAM.

Appellants challenge the “Final Judgment on Amount of
Trial Attorney’s Fees and Costs” entered in their favor against
Appellee after evidentiary hearings. Appellants contend that the
trial court reversibly erred in determining the amount of the
attorney’s fees award and in also failing to apply a multiplier. We

affirm on all issues raised by Appellants without further
discussion, except one. We agree with Appellants that the trial
court erred in failing to award them prejudgment interest on the
attorney’s fees award. See Quality Engineered Installation, Inc. v.
Higley S., Inc., 670 So. 2d 929, 930-31 (Fla. 1996).

Accordingly, we reverse on this issue and remand for the trial
court to enter an amended final judgment that computes and
awards prejudgment interest from September 21, 2023, until the
date the final judgment on appeal was entered.

AFFIRMED, in part; REVERSED, in part; REMANDED, with
directions.

LAMBERT, EISNAUGLE, and BOATWRIGHT, JJ., concur.

Not final until disposition of any timely and
authorized motion under Fla. R. App. P. 9.330 or
9.331.

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