ANNUAL REPORT of the ATTORNEY GENERAL STATE OF FLORIDA January 1 through December 31, 2011 PAM BONDI Attorney General Tallahassee, Florida 2012 CONSTITUTIONAL DUTIES OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL The revised Constitution of Florida of 1968 sets out the duties of the Attorney General in Subsection (c), Section 4, Article IV,as: “...the chief state legal officer.” By statute, the Attorney General is head of the Department of Legal Affairs, and supervises the following functions: Serves as legal advisor to the Governor and other executive officers of the State and state agencies. Defends the public interest. Represents the State in legal proceedings. Keeps a record of his or her official acts and opinions. Serves as a reporter for the Supreme Court. _______________________________________________ ii STATE OF FLORIDA OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI February 10, 2012 The Honorable Rick Scott Governor of Florida The Capitol Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0001 Dear Governor Scott: Pursuant to my constitutional duties and the requirement that each officer of an executive department report to the Governor annually on the official actions of his or her office, I submit herewith the report of the Attorney General for the year 2011. This report includes the opinions rendered during 2011, an organizational chart, and personnel list. The opinions are alphabetically indexed by subject in the back of the report with a table of constitutional and statutory sections cited in the opinions. It’s an honor to serve with you for the people of Florida. Sincerely, Pam Bondi Attorney General iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Constitutional Duties of the Attorney General .........ii Letter of Transmittal.......................iii Table of Contents .........................iv Attorneys General of Florida since 1845 .............v Department of Legal Affairs ...................vi Statement of Policy Concerning Attorney General Opinions . x Seal of the Attorney General of Florida .............xv OPINIONS Opinions 2011 ...........................1 INDEX AND CITATOR General Index ..........................146 Citator to Florida Statutes, Constitution, andSessionLaws........................156 iv ATTORNEYS GENERAL OF FLORIDA SINCE 1845 Joseph Branch ...................1845-1846 Augustus E. Maxwell ...............1846-1848 James T. Archer ..................1848-1848 David P. Hogue ...................1848-1853 Mariano D. Papy ..................1853-1860 John B. Galbraith .................1860-1868 James D. Wescott, Jr. ...............1868-1868 A. R. Meek .....................1868-1870 Sherman Conant..................1870-1870 J. P. C. Drew ....................1870-1872 H. Bisbee, Jr. ....................1872-1872 J. P. C. Emmons ..................1872-1873 William A. Cocke..................1873-1877 George P. Raney ..................1877-1885 C. M. Cooper ....................1885-1889 William B. Lamar .................1889-1903 James B. Whitfield ................1903-1904 W. H. Ellis ......................1904-1909 Park Trammell...................1909-1913 Thomas F. West...................1913-1917 Van C. Swearingen ................1917-1921 Rivers Buford ...................1921-1925 J. B. Johnson....................1925-1927 Fred H. Davis ...................1927-1931 Cary D. Landis ...................1931-1938 George Couper Gibbs ...............1938-1941 J. Tom Watson ...................1941-1949 Richard W. Ervin..................1949-1964 James W. Kynes ..................1964-1965 Earl Faircloth ...................1965-1971 Robert Shevin ...................1971-1979 Jim Smith .....................1979-1987 Robert A. Butterworth ..............1987-2002 Richard E. Doran .................2002-2003 Charlie Crist ....................2003-2007 Bill McCollum ...................2007-2011 Pam Bondi ......................2011- v vi OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL The Capitol, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1050 (850) 245-0140 PAMELA BONDI Attorney General CARLOS MUNIZ NICOLAS COX JIM VARNADO Deputy Attorney General Statewide Prosecutor Inspector General Chief of Staff KENT PEREZ PATRICIA GLEASON PATRICIA CONNERS Associate Deputy & Special Counsel for Associate Deputy General Counsel Open Government Attorney General CAROLYN SNURKOWSKI EMERY GAINEY CHESTERFIELD SMITH Assistant Deputy for Director of Law Enforcement (Acting) Criminal Appeals Victims & Criminal Associate Deputy for Justice Program General Civil Litigation SCOTT MAKAR Solicitor General RICHARD LAWSON DAVID LEWIS DANILLE CARROLL Director of Director of Director of Economic Crimes Medicaid Fraud Civil Rights JAN SMITH JOHN HAMILTON JOSLYN WILSON Director of Director of Director of Lemon Law Administration Opinions JENNIFER MEALE KIMBERLY CASE CAMERON ROSS Communications Director of External Affairs Director Legislative Affairs Director DEBORAH STEVENS KIMBERLI OSWALD ROBERT JOHNSON Director of Director of Director of Information Services Citizen Services Cabinet Affairs Yvette Acosta-Macmillan Heidi Bettendorf David Bundy Dawn Adams Tiffin Daniel Biggins Christina Burden Jill Adams Sofia Bilokryla Shayne Burnham Paula Adams Pauline Black Victoria Butler Kurt Ahrendt Katherine Blanco Heidi Caballero Stephen Ake Michelle Blume Clarissa Cabreja Lunar Alvey Diana Bock Arabella Campbell Andrenee Anderson Mark Bodner Leslie Campbell Jeannette Andrews-Thompson Albert Bowden Mark Campbell Albert Arena Claudette Bowman Carey Carmichael Alexa Argerious James Boynton Jr James Carney Elizabeth Arthur Cecilia Bradley Alicia Castillo Adrian Ashton Lizabeth Brady Maximillian Changus Angeline Attila Ravi Brammer Meredith Charbula Dana Baird William Branch Carrol Cherry John Bajger Gretchen Brantley Maria Chisholm Thomas Barnhart Jamie Braun Mary Clark Glen Bassett Courtney Brewer Rachel Clark Kenneth Beck Cheryl Brittle Sherline Clark Joe Belitzky Jerretty Brock Robert Clements Stephanie Bergen Scott Browne Katherine Cline Toni Bernstein Cindy Bruschi Robin Compton vii Anne Conley Gina Girardot Linda Katz Bethany Connelly Douglas Glaid Sue-Ellen Kenny Satu Correa David Glantz Russell Kent Carmen Corrente Glick, Lisa Ann Keough Natalia Costea Jonathan Glogau Denise Kim James Cox Anthony Golden Kemie King Shelley Cridlin Ren'ee Gordon John Klawikofsky Summer Cruz Marcus Graper Donna Koch Danilo Cruz-Carino Dayle Green Pamela Koller Dixie Daimwood Melissa Green Jill Kramer Ralph Damato Christine Guard Robert Krauss Stephanie Daniel Cynthia Guerra Jay Kubica Kirsten Davenport Ralph Guerra Jacqueline Kurland Barbara Davis Diane Guillemette Donna Laplante Jason Davis Maria Guitian Barker Ronald Lathan Carol Degraffenreidt Lee Gustafson Judith Law Arielle Demby Berger Susan Haag Nancy Lawler Timothy Dennis Melody Hadley Louis Lazaro Diane Dewolf Lori Hagan Lisa Lee Boemmel Robert Dietz Meredith Hall Joseph Lee Joanne Diez Mark Hamel Lisa-Marie Lerner Jeffrey Dikman Mark Hamilton Norman Levin Jennifer Dillon Gerry Hammond Dror Lewy Joey Dingess Julia Harris Eric Lipman Carol Dittmar Rene Harrod Deborah Loucks Kendrick Donnelly Kellye Hayashi Andrew Lutostanski Allison Dudley Wesley Heidt Pamela Lutton Thomas Duffy Joshua Heller Giselle Lylen Susan Dunlevy Angela Hensel Sara Macks Mark Dunn Donna Hernandez Susan Maher David Earl Nikole Hiciano O'Neil Patrice Malloy Mitchell Egber Mark Hiers Daryl Manning Jacqueline Erwin Edward Hill Jr Luz Maria-Montero Diana Esposito Phillippa Hitchins Elba Martin Elizabeth Everson Benedict Hoffman Luis Martinez Benjamin Ewing Sonya Horbelt Lauryn Matias Charles Fahlbusch Mary Howard Linda Matthews Nicole Ferzoco Louis Hubener III Allison Mccabe Maricruz Fincher Christopher Hunt Mary Mccarthy Allison Finn Brian Hunter Patricia Mccarthy Christy Fisher Jonathan Hunter Charles Mccoy Laura Fisher Jonathan Hurley Morgan Mcdonald Michael Flury Martha Hurtado Anne Mcdonough David Flynn Helene Hvizd Andrew Mcelroy III Robert Follis Daniel Hyndman Rebecca Mcguigan Helen Fouse Gregory Jackson Katherine Mcintire Deborah Fraim Sandra Jaggard James Mcnamara III Timothy Freeland Clark Jennings Carrie Mcnamara Eli Friedman Georgina Jimenez-Orosa Caroline Mcnulty Bernal Timothy Frizzell Caroline Johnson Levine Donna Mcnulty Anne Furlow Anneke Johnson Diane Medley Emery Gainey Daniel Johnson Melynda Melear William Gandy Jr Daniel Jones Joseph Mellichamp III Sonia Garcia-Solis Bryan Jordan Nicholas Merlin Ana Gargollo Mcdonald Keri Joseph Michael Mervine Cedell Garland Mosies Jrade John Mika Fulvio Gentili Robert Julian Charmaine Millsaps Donna Gerace Michael Karpinski Zahan Mistry Jeanine Germanowicz Smantha Katen Jacqueline Moody viii Jennifer Moore Carlos Rey Melanie Surber Michael Moore Jeffrey Richardson Matthew Tannenbaum Allison Morris Charles Rivenbark Cerese Taylor Stephanie Morse Tiffany Robson Edward Tellechea Melvin Mosier Magaly Rodriguez Celia Terenzio Joshua Moye Don Rogers Theresa Therilus Thomas Munkittrick Susan Rogers Timothy Thomas Ronald Napolitano Aimee Rosenblum Eric Tilton Bill Navas Heather Ross Christopher Torres Lance Neff Seth Rubin Joseph Tringali Eric Neiberger Candance Sabella Jason Vail Jerry Nelson Megan Saillant Richard Valuntas Kellie Nielan Jpmatjam Sanford Keith Vanden Dooren Erin Nobles Jennifer Sarmiento Algeisa Vazquez-Pagano Lynette Norr Alfred Saunders Ann Vecchio Jack Norris Jr Therese Savona Tonja Vickers Rachel Nunn Kathleen Savor Kathleen Von Hoene Kenneth Nunnelley Samantha Schosberg Rebecca Wall Grainne O Sullivan Michele Schreifels Gretchen Wallace Timothy Osterhaus Carolyn Schwarz Erica Waxman Mary Ottinger Susan Shanahan Nicholas Weilhammer Robert Palmer Laurie Shane Anne Weiner