Friday, December 7, 2001
Alterra Health Care Corp. v. Estate of Frances Shelley

no. 01-709

Leon County


Before her death, Shelley lived in a Tallahassee assisted-living facility operated by Alterra. In August 1999 she allegedly caught her leg in the footboard of her bed but was not found for another eight hours. Shelley's estate later sued for negligence, wrongful death, and other claims. Her estate asked the judge to compel disclosure of information in personnel files of Alterra employees, but Alterra argued that these files contained information that in part were private under the Florida Constitution. The trial court ordered the documents disclosed, and on appeal the First District Court affirmed.