16-001075 Diane Scott vs. P.E.B. Purveyors, D/B/A Mcdonald&Apos;S Status: Closed Recommended Order on Thursday, May 26, 2016.

Summary: Petitioner failed to prove that she was discriminated against because of her race at the Respondent's restaurant or place of public accommodation, in the provision of services or food, or in conjunction with the issuance of a trespass warning.

STAT E O F FLORID A

COMMISSIO N O N HUMA N RELATION S

DIAN E SCOTT ,

Petitioner , FCH R Cas e No. 2015-0156 7

v . DOA H Cas e No. 16-107 5

P.E.B . PURVEYORS , d/b/ a FCH R Orde r No. 16-03 9

MCDONALD'S ,

Respondent .

FINA L ORDE R DISMISSIN G PETITIO N FO R

RELIE F FRO M A N UNLAWFU L PUBLI C ACCOMMODATION S PRACTIC E

Preliminar y Matter s

Petitione r Dian e Scot t filed f t o a complain discriminatio n pursuan t t oth e Florid a

Civi l - 1 760.0 d an 509.09 s Section 2 1992 f o t Ac s Right , 760.11 . Florid a Statute s (2015) ,

allegin g Purveyors . P.E.B , Responden t tha t d/b/ a McDonald's , committe d a n unlawfu l

publi c accommodation s practic e o n th e s basi o f Petitioner' s rac e (Africa n American ) i n

th e manne r i n whic h f o r custome a s treate d s wa r Petitione a Respondent' s restaurant .

Th e allegation s se t fort h y t 4 e wer complain investigated , o , th n Februar and n i e ,

2016 , th e Executiv e Directo r determinatio a n issue d findin g o n s wa tha ther t e reasonabl e

caus e a t tha n believ o t e l unlawfu publi c occurred accommodation s practic e ha d .

Petitione r filed a Petitio n fo r Relie f th e an d cas e wa s transmitte d t oth e Divisio n o f

Administrativ e f o t e conduc r fo s Hearing th a forma l proceeding .

A n , n i d hel Marathon wa g hearin y evidentiar s Florida , n o Apri l 15 , 2016 , befor e

Administrativ e La w Judg e Rober t L . Kilbride .

Judg e Kilbrid e f r Orde d o a d issue Recommende dismissal , date d Ma y 26 , 2016 .

Th e f o d recor e th considere d belo d designate l pane n Commissio w thi s an matte r d

determine d e actio o t n b e take n o n th e Recommende d th Order .

Finding s o f Fac t

W e find th e Administrativ e La w Judge' s s finding o f fac t b t o b e supporte d y

competen t substantia l evidence .

W e adop t th e Administrativ e w La Judge' s finding s o f fact .

FCH R Orde r No. 16-03 9

Pag e 2

Conclusion s o f La w

W e find th e Administrativ e La w s Judge' applicatio n o o th resul e la o f w s e fact t t th t

i n a correc t dispositio n o f th e matter .

W e adop t th e Administrativ e w La Judge' s conclusion s o f law .

Exception s

Petitione r filed th o e s exception t Administrativ e La w Judge' s Recommende d

Order , n o n e Commissio y b d receive th Jun e 20 , 2016 .

Ther e i s n o indicatio n s t o n th e tha documen t i t wa provide d i t o Responden t a s s

require d b y Fla . Admin . Cod e R . 28-106.104(4 an ) d Fla . Admin . Cod e R . 28-106.110 .

However , n Commissio e publishe d th e documen t t o th e Respondent , an d place d th th e

documen t i nth e recor d o f thi s case , h throug th e issuanc e o f a notic e o f e x part e

communication , n o s e partie o t d emaile th Jun e 22 , 2016 .

Responden t filed a respons e y b d receive , Petitioner' s th o t exceptions e

Commissio n o n Jul y 1 , 2016 .

Petitioner' s e th o s t t documen s exception except followin g Orde Recommende d r

paragraphs : 3 6 , 4 5 , 8 7 , 9 , , , , 10 , 11 , , 12 , 13 , 14 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , , 20 21 , d an 5 26 , 22 2 .

I n eac h instance , th e exceptio n take s issu e wit h inference s draw n fro m th e evidenc e

presente d / an / d o r contain s t commen t abou t th e conten f o t argumen th e indicate d

Recommende d Orde r paragraph .

Th e Commissio n ha s stated , "I t s l wel i settle d tha t i t i sth e Administrativ e La w

Judge' s functio n 't o conside r al l o f e th evidenc e presente d an d reac h ultimat e conclusion s

o f fac t base d y b e evidenc l t competen n o substantia resolvin g conflicts , judgin g th e

credibilit y o f witnesse s an d drawin g s inference permissibl e therefrom . I f evidenc th e e

presente d support s tw o inconsisten t findings , e t i i th s Administrativ e La w Judge' s t rol e o

decid e betwee n them. ' f o Departmen t v n Beckto . Childre n an d Famil y Services , 2 1

F.A.L.R . 1735 , a t 173 6 (FCH R 1998) , g citin Maggi o v . Marti n Mariett a Aerospace , 9

F.A.L.R . 2168 , a t 217 1 (FCH R " 1986). Bar r v . Columbi a Ocal a Regiona l Medica l

Center , 2 2 F.A.L.R . 1729 , t a 173 0 R (FCH 1999) . Accord , Bowle s v . Jackso n Count v

Hospita l Corporation , FCH R Orde r No. 05-13 5 d an ) 2005 (Decembe 6 r , Eave s v . IMT -

L B Centra l Florid a Portfolio . LLC , r Orde FCH R No. 11-02 9 (Marc h 17,2011) .

I n addition , e , stated n "Th s ha t i bee ultimat e e existenc e th n o questio o f f

discriminatio n i s a questio n o f fact. " a Florid Departmen t o f Communit y Affair s v .

Bryant , 58 6 So . 2 d 1205 , t a 120 9 (Fla . 1 s t DC A 1991) . Accord , v Cole v . Ba y Count y

Boar d o f Count v Commissioners , FCH R Orde r . No 7 10-02 (Marc h 17 , 2010 ) an d Eaves ,

supra .

Finally , f n d Petitione wa s r o a n extensio grante tim e o t file t exception s oth e

Recommende d Orde r unti l close-of-busines s n o Jun e exception 17 , 2016 . Petitioner' s s

documen t d s no t receive wa b y th Commissio e n unti l e Jun 20 , 2016 . I t appear s tha t

Petitioner' s exception s wer e maile d t oth e n Commissio b y n o Petitione r Jun e 15 , 2016 .

FCH R Orde r No. 16-03 9

Pag e 3

"Filing " mean s e y th d "receive b offic e k normal g durin cler o agenc e th f y busines s

hours... " Fla . Admin . Cod e . R 28-106.104(1) . "N th e l o e tim l additiona adde o t shal b d e

tim e limit s fo r filin g exception s o r s response t s ha e servic s whe exception o n bee n mad e

b y mail. " Fla . Admin . Code . R . 28-106.217(4) .

Petitioner' s exception s ar e untimely . e Se generally , d R D e Mata s v . H an Bloc k

Enterprises , FCH R Orde r No. 15-07 4 r (Decembe , 16 2015 ) an d case s therein cite d .

Petitioner' s r d rejecte fo ar s exception e al l th e abov e reasons .

Dismissa l

Th e Petitio n fo r Relie f f o t Complain d an Discriminatio n ar e DISMISSE D wit h

prejudice .

Th e partie s hav e th e righ t o k t see judicia l revie w o f thi s Commissio Order . Th e n

an d th e appropriat e Distric t f o t Cour Appea l t notic receiv e l f o e appea mus withi n 3 0 day s

o f th e dat e i r s s thi Orde file d wit h . e th f o n Explanatio Commission th th f o k Cler e e righ t

t o appea l i s foun d i n Sectio n , 120.68 a Florid Statutes , Rule an d i n th e Florid a s o f

Appellat e Procedur e 9.110 .

DON E AN D ORDERE D thi s _ ij da y o f A^/^X. 2016 .

FO R TH E FLORID A COMMISSIO N O N HUMA N RELATIONS :

Commissione r Rebecc a Steele , Pane l Chairperson ;

Commissione r Deric k Daniel ; an d

Commissione r Donn a Ela m

File d thi s _^f _ da y o f Awk ^ 2016 ,

i n Tallahassee , Florida .

n

y

Cler k

Commissio n o n Huma n Relation s

407 5 Esplanad e Way , Roo m 11 0

Tallahassee , F L 3239 9

(850)488-708 2

Copie s furnishe d to :

Dian e Scot t

715 1 Oversea s Highway , Apt . 30 3

Marathon , F L 3305 0

FCH R Orde r No. 16-03 9

Pag e 4

P.E.B . Purveyors , d/b/ a McDonald' s

c/ o Scot t A . Bassman , Esq .

c/ o Tash a M . Somarriba , Esq .

Cole , Scot t & Kissane , P.A.

11 0 Southeas t 6 t h St. , Ste . 270 0

For t Lauderdale , F L 3330 1

Rober t L . Kilbride , Administrativ e La w Judge , DOA H

Jame s Mallue , Lega l Adviso r fo r Commissio n Pane l

I HEREB Y CERTIF Y th f o y e a t tha cop foregoin g ha s n bee maile d t o th e abov e

liste d addressee s thi s J-f- da y o f •/fi/^v^C' 2016 .

By : ^MfJi/ ^

Cler k o f th e Corr^missio n

Florid a Commissio n o n Huma n Relation s