Account Stated –


[1] Elements and Case Citations

(1) Plaintiff and defendant made a previous transaction;

(2) The parties’ agreement that the balance is correct and due; and

(3) Defendant made an express or implicit promise to pay balance.

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Florida State Courts

First District: Myrick v. St. Catherine Laboure Manor, Inc., 529 So. 2d 369, 371 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988)

Third District: F.D.I.C. v. Brodie, 602 So. 2d 1358, 1361 (Fla. 3d DCA 1992)

Fourth District: Carpenter Contractors of America v. Fastener Corp. of America Inc., 611 So. 2d 564, 565 (Fla. 4th DCA 1992)

Florida Federal Courts

Eleventh Circuit: First Union Discount Brokerage Servs., Inc. v. Milos, 997 F.2d 835, 841 (11th Cir. 1993)

Southern District: Nants v. F.D.I.C., 864 F. Supp. 1211, 1220 (S.D. Fla. 1994)

[2] Defenses to Claim for Account Stated

(1) Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.110(d) (pleading affirmative defenses), and other standard defenses. See § 60.

(2) Statute of Limitations: § 95.11(3)(k), Fla. Stat. (four years).

(3) Failure to object to an account stated creates a presumption of correctness in the creditor’s favor absent proof of fraud, mistake or error. See First Union Discount Brokerage Servs., Inc. v. Milos, 997 F.2d 835, 841-42 (11th Cir. 1994).

(4) Failure to respond to demand for payment does not create obligation for account stated absent contractual agreement creating such liability. See Page Avjet Corp. v. Cosgrove Aircraft Servs., Inc., 546 So. 2d 16, 18 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989).