TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — The Florida Supreme Courtroom is weighing whether or not a College of Florida graduate scholar can ask the college to refund cash for providers not offered through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Because the Florida Supreme Courtroom critiques the briefs within the case, there isn’t a particular timeframe to enter a ruling, however they may decide by June 2025.
After faculty campuses throughout the nation shut down through the COVID-19 pandemic, college students within the state of Florida and past have sought refunds for the providers they declare had been unfulfilled.
Florida Legal professional Erik Perez at Perez Mayoral, P.A., spoke with Information Channel 8 on the lawsuit at play and shared whereas different related circumstances have been dismissed, this one remains to be up within the air.
“It’s an fascinating lawsuit there’s many related ones which have been filed throughout the nation and even within the state of Florida,” Perez mentioned.
Perez mentioned the scholar argues that he ought to have solely paid for what an internet scholar would have paid to attend the College of Florida.
“Arguments made by the scholar are actually artistic and persuasive, however primarily based off of the regulation that applies, I’d say it is unlikely to prevail,” Perez mentioned.
The first District Courtroom of Attraction beforehand dismissed the case citing sovereign immunity, which generally protects authorities entities from legal responsibility.
Final June, the Supreme Courtroom heard oral arguments from Anthony Rojas and the College of Florida.
UF’s lawyer Joe Jacquot argued there was no specific contract requiring the college to supply particular providers.
“The petitioner would not say that UF supplied nothing in any respect for the charges, and he would not say that UF acted unreasonably,” Jacquot said. “I feel in a traditional setting, issues like going to the REC middle could be obtainable. However they are not required, and that is the distinction.”
Whereas in distinction, Douglas Eaton, representing Anthony Rojas, claimed the college failed to satisfy its contract obligations.
“They paid for one thing and acquired nothing in return, and that is a breach of contract,” Eaton mentioned.
The questions stay, who’s going to bear the brunt of the pandemic? Is it going to be the scholar or the college?
