Norman v. Kal

The circuit court was asked to register a Florida default judgment ordering a joint guarantor to reimburse his co-guarantor. Applying the Florida long-arm statute, it found that the defendant had submitted to the jurisdiction of the Florida courts by transacting business in the State. We do not agree. A guaranty signed as part of a single business transaction arranged to develop real estate outside of Florida does not submit an out-of-stater to Florida jurisdiction on a contribution claim by a co-guarantor. We reverse and grant summary judgment to the defendant.

The defendant, Darwin P. Kal,…