An attorney for a University of Florida graduate student on Wednesday asked the full 1st District Court of Appeal to hear a potential class-action lawsuit contending that the university should return fees to students because of a campus shutdown early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The attorney for Anthony Rojas filed what is known as a motion for rehearing “en banc,” according to an online court docket.
The move came after a panel of the appeals court, in a 2-1 decision last month, ruled that an Alachua County circuit judge should have dismissed the lawsuit.
The case sought refunds of fees paid for transportation, health care and athletics services that were not provided because of the shutdown.
Rojas alleged that UF breached a contract when it did not provide the services.
But in the panel’s majority opinion, Judge Rachel Nordby wrote that “assorted documents attached to the complaint do not constitute an express written contract.”
Numerous similar lawsuits have been filed against colleges and universities in Florida and other parts of the country.
