Federated National Insurance Company v. Restoration 1 of South Florida, LLC a/a/o Marie Loiseau

The petition for writ of prohibition is granted. The circuit court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over this declaratory judgment action, because the amount in controversy ($1,196.66) does not exceed the $15,000 jurisdictional amount.

The declaratory judgment statute provides:

The circuit and county courts have jurisdiction within their respective jurisdictional amounts to declare rights, status, and other equitable or legal relations whether or not further relief is or could be claimed.

§ 86.011, Fla. Stat. (2014) (emphasis supplied). Because the jurisdictional amount is not met in this case,…