Virginia KLINE, Appellant,
v.
PUBLIX SUPERMARKETS, INC., Appellee.
PUBLIX SUPERMARKETS, INC., Appellant,
v.
Virginia KLINE, Appellee.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District.
Dennis J. Plews, Bradenton, for appellant Virginia Kline.
Thomas F. Capshew of Syprett, Meshad, Resnick & Lieb, P.A., Sarasota, for appellee Publix Supermarkets, Inc.
RYDER, Acting Chief Judge.
In this consolidated appeal, plaintiff Virginia Kline challenges a final summary judgment in favor of defendant Publix in a case in which she alleged intentional infliction of emotional distress and discrimination. Although the trial court awarded costs to Publix pursuant to section 768.79, *930 Florida Statutes (1987), Publix appeals the trial court's denial of attorney's fees under that same section. In Kline's appeal, we affirm the final summary judgment in favor of Publix. In Publix's appeal, we affirm that portion of the order which denied Publix attorney's fees and reverse the award of costs to Publix.
Section 768.79(1)(a), Florida Statutes (1987), provides, in part:
[I]f a defendant files an offer of judgment which is not accepted by the plaintiff within 30 days, the defendant shall be entitled to recover reasonable costs and attorney's fees incurred from the date of filing of the offer if the judgment obtained by the plaintiff is at least 25 percent less than such offer... .
(Emphasis added.)
In this case, defendant Publix obtained the judgment, therefore, it is not entitled to either costs or attorney's fees under section 768.79(1)(a). The plain language of the statute requires that there be a judgment rendered in favor of the plaintiff as a prerequisite to awarding costs and attorney's fees to a defendant who has made an offer a judgment pursuant to section 768.79(1)(a). See also Rabatie v. U.S. Security Insurance Co., Nos. 88-2229 and 88-2503 (Fla. 3d DCA July 25, 1989) [14 F.L.W. 1753] (section 768.79(1)(a) does not provide for attorney's fees where defendant prevails in underlying action); Makar v. Investors Real Estate Management, Inc.,
Additionally, Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.442 does not apply to this case. See B & H Construction & Supply Co., Inc. v. District Board of Trustees of Tallahassee Community College,
Accordingly, we reverse the order awarding costs to defendant Publix pursuant to section 768.79(1)(a).
Case No. 89-00345 is affirmed. Case No. 89-01182 is affirmed in part and reversed in part.
HALL and THREADGILL, JJ., concur.
