Alonso v. De Zarraga
The Third DCA affirmed an order determining where the parties' minor child would attend school as supported by competent substantial evidence, but vacated a $12,500 'sanction' imposed on the Former Wife. Because the order contained no purge provision, no coercive language, and no explanation of how the amount was calculated (and separate attorney's fees were awarded for the same litigation), the fine was in substance an indirect criminal contempt that had to comply strictly with Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.840.
Key facts
- Former Wife and Former Husband were parties to a custody dispute involving their minor child's school placement.
- The trial court held an evidentiary hearing and entered an order determining the child's school attendance, while also imposing a $12,500 monetary sanction against the Former Wife.
- +2 more key facts with a free trial
Why it matters
A clean, citable roadmap for challenging monetary 'sanctions' in family and other civil cases: if the order lacks a purge provision or coercive language, it is criminal contempt and dies absent strict Rule 3.840… — full analysis with a trial
Read the full opinion, holdings & search — free for 30 days
The full opinion PDF, the rules the court applied, our significance analysis, the background facts, and full-text search across every tracked Florida decision — in your hands.
- Search every tracked Florida decision in seconds
- Save, tag & file the cases that matter into your own library
- Read the full plain-English analysis and holdings
Not ready to sign up? Get the free Friday digest — the week's key Florida decisions by email, no login required.
Florida Court Tracker provides summaries of publicly available court opinions for informational and research purposes only. This is not legal advice and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Always verify holdings against the official opinion.