Supreme Court of Florida
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No. SC18-2109
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LARRY R. WETZEL,
Petitioner,
vs.
THE TRAVELERS COMPANIES, INC.,
Respondent.
April 4, 2019
PER CURIAM.
This case is before the Court on the petition of Larry R. Wetzel for a writ of
mandamus. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 3(b)(8), Fla. Const. By order
dated January 24, 2019, we denied Wetzel’s petition pursuant to Huffman v. State,
813 So. 2d 10, 11 (Fla. 2000). See Wetzel v. Travelers Companies, Inc., No.
SC18-2109, 2019 WL 757936 (Fla. Jan. 24, 2019). Concurrent with the denial of
the petition, we expressly retained jurisdiction to pursue possible sanctions against
Wetzel. Id.; see Fla. R. App. P. 9.410(a) (Sanctions; Court’s Motion).
Wetzel was the defendant in two civil actions for fraud, injunctive relief, and
damages brought by The Travelers Companies, Inc., in the First Judicial Circuit
(Santa Rosa County case number 572013CA000693CAAXMX and Escambia
County case number 172013CA001457XXXXXX). Motions for summary
judgment against Wetzel were granted in each case. See Travelers Companies Inc.
v. Wetzel, No. 572013CA000693CAAXMX (Fla. 1st Cir. Ct. Dec. 15, 2014);
Travelers Companies Inc. v. Wetzel, No. 172013CA001457XXXXXX (Fla. 1st
Cir. Ct. Apr. 20, 2015).
Wetzel began filing petitions with the Court in 2015. Since that time, he has
filed six petitions or notices seeking relief related to the above-noted civil cases.
See Wetzel v. Travelers Companies, Inc., No. SC18-2109, 2019 WL 757936 (Fla.
Jan. 24, 2019). All six cases have been either denied, dismissed, or transferred. In
each case, Wetzel has filed a litany of indecipherable and misleading documents
with this Court. This case was no exception. Wetzel filed more than one hundred
pleadings that were rambling, repetitive, and irrelevant. Based on Wetzel’s filing
history in this Court, we issued an order directing him to show cause why he
should not be prohibited from filing any further pro se documents in this Court
related to circuit court cases number 572013CA000693CAAXMX and number
172013CA001457XXXXXX.
Wetzel filed a response to the order to show cause in which he asserts that
the order is null and void because the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over
his cases and has acted in a manner that is inconsistent with due process of law.
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Upon due consideration of Wetzel’s response, we conclude that Wetzel has failed
to show cause why sanctions should not be imposed. Based on his persistent
history of filing pro se petitions that were frivolous, meritless, or otherwise
inappropriate for this Court’s review, Wetzel has abused the judicial process and
burdened this Court’s limited judicial resources.
Accordingly, the Clerk of this Court is hereby instructed to reject any future
pleadings, petitions, motions, documents, or other filings submitted by Larry R.
Wetzel that are related to cases number 572013CA000693CAAXMX and number
172013CA001457XXXXXX, unless such filings are signed by a member in good
standing of The Florida Bar. Counsel may file on Wetzel’s behalf if counsel
detemines that the proceeding may have merit and can be brought in good faith.
No motion for rehearing or clarification will be entertained by the Court.
It is so ordered.
CANADY, C.J., and POLSTON, LABARGA, LAWSON, LAGOA, LUCK, and
MUÑIZ, JJ., concur.
Original Proceeding – Mandamus
Larry R. Wetzel, pro se, Navarre, Florida,
for Petitioner
No appearance for Respondent
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