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“To prevail on an action for civil theft, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant

(1) knowingly;
(2) obtained or used, or endeavored to obtain or use, the plaintiff’s property;
(3) with felonious intent;
(4) to deprive plaintiff of its right to or a benefit from the property or appropriate the property to the defendant’s own use or to the use of a person not entitled to the use of the property.”

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“To prevail on an action for civil theft, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant

(1) knowingly;
(2) obtained or used, or endeavored to obtain or use, the plaintiff’s property;
(3) with felonious intent;
(4) to deprive plaintiff of its right to or a benefit from the property or appropriate the property to the defendant’s own use or to the use of a person not entitled to the use of the property.”

Hawthorne v. Lyons, 192 So. 3d 1279, 1280 (Fla. 1st DCA 2016) (citation omitted); Florida Statute Section 772.11 (“Any person who proves by clear and convincing evidence that he or she has been injured in any fashion by reason of any violation of ss. 812.012–812.037 or s. 825.103(1) has a cause of action for threefold the actual damages sustained and, in any such action, is entitled to minimum damages in the amount of $200, and reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs in the trial and appellate courts.”).

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FLORIDA STATE COURTS

First District: Hawthorne v. Lyons, 192 So. 3d 1279, 1280 (Fla. 1st DCA 2016).

Second District: Abdo v. Abdo, 263 So. 3d 141, 146 (Fla. 2d DCA 2018); Holland v. McCullen, 764 So. 2d 810, 812 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000). 

Third District: World Cellphones Distribs. Corp. v. De Surinaamsche Bank, N.V., 357 So. 3d 225, 230 (Fla. 3d DCA 2023); Orozco v. McCormick 105, LLC, 276 So. 3d 932, 935 (Fla. 3d DCA 2019); Moore Bus. Forms, Inc. v. Iberoamerican Elecs., S.R.L., 698 So. 2d 611, 613 (Fla. 3d DCA 1997).

Fourth District: Campbell v. Riggs, 310 So. 3d 68, 70-71 (Fla. 4th DCA 2021).

FLORIDA FEDERAL COURTS

Eleventh Circuit: Bostic v. Bodie, No. 24-10126, 2025 WL 1443834, at *4 (11th Cir. May 20, 2025); Omnipol, A.S. v. Multinational Def. Servs., LLC, 32 F.4th 1298, 1307-08 (11th Cir. 2022); Wachovia Bank N.A. v. Tien, 658 Fed. Appx. 471, 474-75 (11th Cir. 2016); Tambourine Comercio Int’l SA v. Solowsky, 312 Fed. Appx. 263, 276 (11th Cir. 2009).

Southern District: Vercelli v. Broward R.V., Inc., No. 23-24469-CIV, 2025 WL 564386, at *3 (S.D. Fla. Jan. 8, 2025), report and recommendation adopted, No. 23-24469-CIV, 2025 WL 561400 (S.D. Fla. Feb. 20, 2025); Bayport Fin. Serv. (USA) Inc. v. BayBoston Managers, LLC, 2023 WL 2633298, *16 (S.D. Fla. Mar. 3, 2023); Carey v. Kirk, 2022 WL 17996027, *13 (S.D. Fla. Sept. 2, 2022); Corpmedec S.A. v. Vitalife Int’l LLC, 2022 WL 3681960, *2 (S.D. Fla. July 22, 2022).

Middle District: Restorative Care of Am., Inc. v. Josloff, No. 8:22-CV-1404-KKM-AEP, 2025 WL 974622, at *4 (M.D. Fla. Mar. 31, 2025); Rucker v. Great Dane Petroleum Contractors, Inc., 2023 WL 2598843, *6 (M.D. Fla. Mar. 22, 2023); Liquid Legacy Bottlers & Distribs., Ltd. v. Barkley, 2021 WL 8200217, *7 (M.D. Fla. Oct. 7, 2021); Wang v. YCMG Brands LLC, 2020 WL 13389899, *6 (M.D. Fla. July 7, 2020).

Northern District: Bespoke Studio, Inc. v. Gabbe Private Ltd., No. 3:24CV121-TKW-HTC, 2025 WL 1651071, at *6 (N.D. Fla. June 11, 2025)

FLORIDA STATUTES: § 772.11, Fla. Stat. (Civil Remedy for Theft or Exploitation).

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2 Defenses to Claim for Civil Theft

(1) R. Civ. P. 1.110(d) (pleading affirmative defenses), and other standard defenses. See § 1.

(2) Statute of Limitations: 772.17, Fla. Stat. (5 years). Laterza v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 221 F. Supp. 3d 1347, 1352 (S.D. Fla. 2016); Commc’ns, Inc. v. Ernest, 2011 WL 13220159, *3 (S.D. Fla. Dec. 12, 2011).

(3) Civil theft requires the act to be performed with “felonious Intent.” Plaintiff cannot recover damages if this element cannot be proven by “clear and convincing evidence.” Rucker v. Great Dane Petroleum Contractors, Inc., 2023 WL 2598843, *6 (M.D. Fla. Mar. 22, 2023); World Cellphones Distributors Corp. v. De Surinaamsche Bank, N.V., 357 So. 3d 225, 230 (Fla. 3d DCA 2023); Ramindesign, LLC v. Skarzynski, No. 23-24838-CIV, 2024 WL 4333103, at *3 (S.D. Fla. Sept. 27, 2024).

(4) To establish a claim of civil theft, a party must prove property interest. Bayuk v. Prisiajniouk, 2019 WL 7293591, *2 (M.D. Fla. Dec. 30, 2019); Cohen v. Kravit Est. Buyers, Inc., 843 So. 2d 989, 991 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003); Ramindesign, LLC v. Skarzynski, No. 23-24838-CIV, 2024 WL 4333103, at *3 (S.D. Fla. Sept. 27, 2024).

(5) “In order to establish an action for civil theft, the claimant must prove the statutory elements of theft, as well as criminal intent.” Abdo v. Abdo, 263 So. 3d 141, 146 (Fla. 2d DCA 2018)(citing Gersh v. Cofman, 769 So. 2d 407, 409 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000))(emphasis added).

(6) The claimant must provide enough evidence to proceed with a civil theft claim. Rucker v. Great Dane Petroleum Contractors, Inc., 2023 WL 2598843, *6 (M.D. Fla. Mar. 22, 2023); Gokalp v. Unsal, 284 So. 3d 1097, 1098 (Fla. 4th DCA 2019).

(7) The claimant must prove civil theft by providing clear and convincing evidence. Starr Tyme, Inc. v. Cohen, 659 So. 2d 1064, 1069 (Fla. 1995).

(8) “[A] defendant who is adjudicated guilty pursuant to a plea of nolo contendere is collaterally estopped from seeking affirmative relief or defending a civil theft claim that is based on the same conduct that gave rise to the prior prosecution.” Starr Tyme, Inc. v. Cohen, 659 So. 2d 1064, 1068 (Fla. 1995)(emphasis added).

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