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American Airlines, Inc. v. Libardo Abraham Mejia

766 So. 2D 305 (2000)

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American Airlines, Inc. v. Libardo Abraham Mejia

Florida District Court of Appeal
766 So. 2D 305 (2000)

Facts

Carmen Cabrejo was a flight attendant for American Airlines, Inc. (defendant). Cabrejo died when American Flight 965 crashed en route to Cali, Colombia, in December 1995. Libardo Abraham Mejia (plaintiff) filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against American Airlines, Inc., in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Mejia claimed he met the definition of a surviving spouse under the Florida Wrongful Death Act (WDA) as Cabrejo’s common-law husband. American Airlines filed a motion for partial summary judgment on Mejia’s suit, arguing Mejia was not Cabrejo’s spouse under the WDA and Colombian law. The district court stayed the action. Mejia then filed a probate proceeding, seeking a determination that he was Cabrejo’s surviving spouse under the WDA. Mejia argued that he and Cabrejo were entitled under Colombian law to claim the status of unión, making him Cabrejo’s surviving spouse under Florida law. American Airlines argued that under Colombian law, unión is not considered a marriage and that Cabrejo and Mejia were not spouses under Florida law. The trial court found as a matter of law that the unión between Mejia and Cabrejo was a valid marriage. American Airlines appealed.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Farmer, J.)

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