Florida Statutes Title XXXV. Agriculture, Horticulture, and Animal Industry § 601.65. Liability of citrus fruit dealers

If any licensed citrus fruit dealer violates any provision of this chapter, such dealer shall be liable to the person allegedly injured thereby for the full amount of damages sustained in consequence of such violation. Such liability may be enforced either by proceeding in an administrative action to and before the Department of Agriculture and pursuing such action to its ultimate termination if desired or by filing of a judicial suit at law in a court of competent jurisdiction; however, in such court suit the bond of such citrus fruit dealer theretofore posted with the Department of Agriculture pursuant to s. 601.61 shall not be amenable or subject to any judgment or other legal process issuing out of or from such court in connection with such law suit, whether cash bond or surety company bond, but such bonds shall be amenable to and enforceable only by and through administrative proceedings before the Department of Agriculture, it being the intent and purpose of the Legislature that such citrus dealer's bond so posted with the Department of Agriculture shall be applicable and liable only for the payment of claims duly adjudicated by order of the Department of Agriculture and the determination of such adjudicated claim if and in the event such order is appealed by any aggrieved party to the administrative proceeding.