Background
Maurice Rhodes appealed from a decision of the Circuit Court for Hernando County in a family-law case involving Kathia Richard, formerly known as Kathia Rhodes. Circuit Judge Thomas R. Eineman entered the decision under review.
Rhodes represented himself on appeal. The Attorney General’s Office and an assistant attorney general with Child Support Enforcement represented Richard. The appellate opinion does not describe the underlying dispute, the trial court’s ruling, the arguments on appeal, or the applicable law.
The Court’s Holding
The Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal affirmed the circuit court’s decision. Chief Judge Jay and Judges Wallis and Lambert concurred in the disposition.
The court issued a per curiam affirmance consisting only of the word “AFFIRMED.” It supplied no reasoning and therefore announced no express legal rule beyond leaving the judgment under review intact.
Key Takeaways
- The Fifth District affirmed the circuit court’s ruling.
- The decision was unanimous and issued per curiam.
- Because the opinion contains no facts or analysis, it does not reveal the grounds for affirmance.
Why It Matters
The decision ends the appeal in the Fifth District unless altered through a timely authorized post-decision motion. Its practical effect is to preserve the circuit court’s judgment, but the opinion provides no guidance on the substantive family-law or child-support issues that may have been involved.