Bowen v. Taylor-Christensen

When I first learned that the original dissent had garnered enough votes to become the majority opinion in this case, I was concerned that the decision might do real damage to the law of beneficial ownership under Florida’s dangerous instrumentality doctrine. After some thirty-seven years of using the principles announced in 1955 by the Florida Supreme Court in Palmer v. R.S. Evans, Jacksonville, Inc., 81 So.2d 635 (Fla.1955), and applying those principles as an appellate judge, the law had seemed relatively straightforward and clear. The issue is beneficial ownership. If there is a dispute…