17-005293 Amir Ahmad vs. Citra-Life, Inc., And Platt River Insurance Company, As Surety
 Status: Closed
Recommended Order on Friday, December 1, 2017.


View Dockets  
Summary: Petitioner did not appear at the final hearing. Consequently, Petitioner failed to meet his burden of proving that Respondent was indebted to him for the purchase of citrus products.

1STATE OF FLORIDA

4DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS

8AMIR AHMAD,

10Petitioner,

11vs. Case No. 17 - 5293

17CITRA - LIFE, INC., AND PLATT

23RIVER INSURANCE COMPANY, AS

27SURETY,

28Respondents.

29_______________________________/

30RECOMMENDED ORDER OF DI SMISSAL

35The final hearing in this matter was conducted before

44J. Bruce Culpepper, Administrative Law Judge of the Division of

54Administrative Hearings, pursuant to sections 120.569 and

61120.57(1), Florida Statutes (2017), 1/ on November 30, 2017, in

71Tallaha ssee, Florida.

74APPEARANCES

75For Petitioner: No appearance

79For Respondent: No appearance

83STATEMENT OF THE ISSUE

87The issue is whether Respondent, Citra - Life, Inc., LLC, is

98indebted to Petitioner for the purchase of citrus fruit; and, if

109so, in what amount .

114PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

116On June 7, 2017, Petitioner, Amir Ahmad, filed a complaint

126with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (the

135ÐDepartmentÑ) asserting that he was not fully compensated for his

145sale of citrus fruit to Respondent, Citra - Li fe, Inc. (ÐCitra -

158LifeÑ).

159The Department referred this matter to the Division of

168Administrative Hearings (ÐDOAHÑ) on September 14, 2017, and

176requested assignment of an Administrative Law Judge to conduct a

186chapter 120 evidentiary hearing.

190On October 13, 20 17, the undersigned scheduled a final

200hearing on this matter on November 30, 2017. A Notice of Hearing

212was issued notifying the parties of the date, time, and location

223of the final hearing, and other pertinent procedures. The Notice

233of Hearing was mailed to Petitioner and Respondents at their

243respective addresses of record.

247FINDING S OF FACT

2511. The final hearing was convened, as duly noticed, on

261November 30, 2017, at 9:30 a.m. Neither party appeared at the

272final hearing. No evidence was presented by ei ther party. Prior

283to the final hearing, neither party filed any correspondence or

293motions with DOAH requesting a continuance of, or objecting to,

303the hearing date.

306CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

3092. The Division of Administrative Hearings has jurisdiction

317over the p arties and subject matter of this proceeding pursuant

328to sections 120.569 and 120.57(1).

3333. Absent specific statutory authority, the burden of proof

342is on the party asserting the affirmative of an issue in an

354administrative proceeding. Antel v. DepÓt of ProfÓ l Reg. ,

363522 So. 2d 1056 (Fla. 5th DCA 1988); Balino v. DepÓ t of HRS ,

377348 So. 2d 349 (Fla. 1st DCA 1977). The preponderance of the

389evidence standard is applicable to this case. See § 120.57(1)(j),

399Fla. Stat.; DepÓ t of Banking & Fin., Div. of Sec. & Investor

412Prot. v. Osborne Stern & Co. , 670 So. 2d 932 (Fla. 1996).

424Accordingly, Petitioner has the burden of proving, by a

433preponderance of the evidence, that Citra - Life is indebted to him

445for certain services described in his complaint to the Departmen t.

4564. By failing to appear at the final hearing, Petitioner

466failed to present any evidence to meet his burden. Consequently,

476Petitioner did not prove that he is due to be paid by Citra - Life

491in any amount.

494RECOMMENDATION

495Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of

505Law, it is RECOMMENDED that the De partment of Agriculture and

516Consumer Services enter a final order dismissing PetitionerÓs

524complaint against Citra - Life.

529DONE AND ENTERED this 1st day of December , 2017 , in

539Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida.

543S

544J. BRUCE CULPEPPER

547Administrative Law Judge

550Division of Administrative Hearings

554The DeSoto Building

5571230 Apalachee Parkway

560Tallahassee, Florida 32399 - 3060

565(850) 488 - 9675

569Fax Filing (850) 921 - 6847

575www.doah.sta te.fl.us

577Filed with the Clerk of the

583Division of Administrative Hearings

587this 1st day of December , 2017 .

594ENDNOTE

5951/ All statutory references are to Florida Statutes (2017),

604unless otherwise noted.

607COPIES FURNISHED:

609W. Alan Parkinson, Bureau Chief

614B ureau of Mediation and Enforcement

620Department of Agriculture and

624Consumer Services

626Rhodes Building, R - 3

6312005 Apalachee Parkway

634Tallahassee, Florida 32399 - 6500

639(eServed)

640Amir Ahmad

6424678 San Paulo Court

646Lakeland, Florida 33813

649Platte River Insurance Co mpany

654Attn: Claims Department

657Post Office Box 5900

661Madison, Wisconsin 53705 - 0900

666Citra - Life Inc.

670176 Highway 630 East

674Frostproof, Florida 33843

677Honorable Adam Putnam

680Commissioner of Agriculture

683Department of Agriculture and

687Consumer Services

689The Cap ital, Plaza Level 10

695Tallahassee, Florida 32399 - 0810

700Lorena Holley, General Counsel

704Department of Agriculture and

708Consumer Services

710Mayo Building, Room 520

714407 South Calhoun Street

718Tallahassee, Florida 32399 - 6500

723(eServed)

724Tina Robinson

726Department of Agriculture and

730Consumer Services

732Rhodes Building, R - 3

7372005 Apalachee Parkway

740Tallahassee, Florida 32399 - 6500

745(eServed)

746NOTICE OF RIGHT TO SUBMIT EXCEPTIONS

752All parties have the right to submit written exceptions within

76215 days from the date of this Recommended Order. Any exceptions

773to this Recommended Order should be filed with the agency that

784will issue the Final Order in this case.

Select the PDF icon to view the document.
PDF
Date
Proceedings
PDF:
Date: 06/04/2018
Proceedings: Agency Final Order filed.
PDF:
Date: 05/17/2018
Proceedings: Agency Final Order
PDF:
Date: 12/04/2017
Proceedings: Letter to Judge Culpepper from Amir Ahmad filed.
PDF:
Date: 12/01/2017
Proceedings: Recommended Order
PDF:
Date: 12/01/2017
Proceedings: Recommended Order of Dismissal (hearing held November 30, 2017). CASE CLOSED.
PDF:
Date: 12/01/2017
Proceedings: Recommended Order cover letter identifying the hearing record referred to the Agency.
Date: 11/30/2017
Proceedings: CASE STATUS: Hearing Held.
PDF:
Date: 11/29/2017
Proceedings: Letter to Judge Culpepper from Amir Ahmad filed.
PDF:
Date: 10/13/2017
Proceedings: Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
PDF:
Date: 10/13/2017
Proceedings: Notice of Hearing (hearing set for November 30, 2017; 9:30 a.m.; Tallahassee, FL).
PDF:
Date: 09/25/2017
Proceedings: Initial Order.
PDF:
Date: 09/22/2017
Proceedings: Complaint Form filed.
PDF:
Date: 09/22/2017
Proceedings: Answer of Respondent filed.
PDF:
Date: 09/22/2017
Proceedings: Notice of Claim Filing filed.
PDF:
Date: 09/22/2017
Proceedings: Agency referral filed.

Case Information

Judge:
J. BRUCE CULPEPPER
Date Filed:
09/22/2017
Date Assignment:
09/25/2017
Last Docket Entry:
06/04/2018
Location:
Tallahassee, Florida
District:
Northern
Agency:
ADOPTED IN TOTO
 

Counsels

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Related Florida Statute(s) (4):