Florida/Georgia Personal Injury & Workers Compensation

...hy to deputy clerks. On the other hand, consistent with our holding in Murphy, we note that other statutory provisions reflect an apparent legislative intent to deny or control the right to extend collective bargaining to deputy sheriffs. [2] First, section 30.071(1) states that chapter 30, Florida Statutes (2002), applies to all deputy sheriffs, except those who, by special act of the Legislature or local law, are granted rights greater than those provided in the chapter, including collective bargaining rights. By necessary implication, this evinces an intent that the Legislature has not otherwise granted the right to collective bargaining to all deputy sheriffs, but local entities may do so if they please. To the extent that is not sufficiently clear, section 30.071(2) unambiguously states, "This act does not grant to deputy sheriffs the right of collective bargaining." In addition, section 112.535, Florida Statutes (2002), provides: The provisions of chapter 93-19, Laws of Florida, shall not be c...

...[2] Section 30.07, Florida Statutes (2002), states, "Sheriffs may appoint deputies to act under them who shall have the same power as the sheriff appointing them, and for the neglect and default of whom in the execution of their office the sheriff shall be responsible." Section 30.071, Florida Statutes (2002), further provides that "[t]his act does not change the alter ego relationship which exists between a deputy sheriff and the appointing sheriff." [3] Dohnal v....

...Although section 1 of chapter 95-514 refers to chapter 30, Florida Statutes (Supp.1994), the provisions pertinent to this case are not materially different from the statute in effect when the events occurred, that is, chapter 30, Florida Statutes (1997). Section 30.071(1)(a), Florida Statutes (1997), provides that it applies to all deputy sheriffs except for "[d]eputy sheriffs in a county that, by special act of the Legislature......

...has established rights and procedures for deputy sheriffs which are equivalent to or greater than those prescribed by this act." Section 30.075(1) provides that "[e]ach sheriff shall establish a review board to review, pursuant to appeals taken under ss. 30.071-30.079, terminations taken by the sheriff against regularly appointed deputy sheriffs for lawful off-duty political activity or for discriminatory reasons." Section 30.076(1) specifies that "[t]he sheriff may not terminate a regularly appoi...

...In determining that the civil service board should have adhered to the requirements and followed the procedures contained in chapter 30, the circuit court did not adequately take into account the limitation language contained in sections 30.075 and 30.076. Those sections reflect that the protections afforded under sections 30.071 through 30.079 specifically apply to terminations for lawful off-duty political activity or terminations for discriminatory reasons....

...Chapter 95-514 specifies that the civil service board has the authority to investigate the suspension and, if it determines that the sheriff acted in bad faith, the board may restore pay to the suspended employee. The provisions of chapter 95-514 and sections 30.071 through 30.079 are, by their terms, related....

...Wakulla County, 395 So.2d at 542-43. Moreover, "[a] statute's plain and ordinary meaning must be given effect unless to do so would lead to an unreasonable or ridiculous result." City of Miami Beach v. Galbut, 626 So.2d 192, 193 (Fla. 1993). Chapter 95-514 and sections 30.071 through 30.079 may be understood and harmonized based on their plain language. The circuit court's interpretation extended the application of sections 30.071 through 30.079 to a situation not governed by those *122 sections, but which is governed by chapter 95-514....

...We affirm the dismissal of the petition, albeit for reasons different than those relied upon by the trial court. See Applegate v. Barnett Bank of Tallahassee, 377 So.2d 1150, 1152 (Fla.1979) (recognizing that judgment of trial court must be affirmed where trial court is right for the wrong reason). Collectively, sections 30.071 through 30.079, Florida Statutes (2010), govern the Sheriffs power to appoint deputies and limit the Sherriffs power to terminate deputies....

...These statutes apply to “all deputy sheriffs, with the following exceptions: (a) Deputy sheriffs in a county that, by special act of the Legislature, local charter, ordinance, or otherwise, has established nghts and procedures for deputy sheriffs which are equivalent to or greater than those pi'escribed by this act.” § 30.071(l)(a), Fla....

...The decision of the Board is binding upon both the employee and the Sheriffs Office. The comprehensive protections of Chapter 89-475 are at least equal to those afforded by chapter 30 and, consequently, appellant is not entitled to the due process procedures afforded by sections 30.071 through 30.079, Florida Statutes....