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An appeals court Friday cleared the way for a class action in a lawsuit about whether the University of South Florida should return fees to students because of a campus shutdown early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
A three-judge panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal upheld a circuit judge’s ruling that certified a class action in the lawsuit filed by attorneys for plaintiff ValerieMarie Moore.
The lawsuit is one of numerous cases that were filed in Florida and across the country seeking refunds of money that students paid for services that were not provided because of campus shutdowns after the pandemic hit in 2020.
Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Darren Farfante approved a request by Moore’s attorneys to certify a class action that would apply to students enrolled at USF in 2020 and the spring semester of 2021.
The lawsuit alleges that the university breached a contract with Moore and improperly kept fees.
While many similar lawsuits against colleges and universities have been rejected, the 2nd District Court of Appeal in 2022 refused to dismiss the USF case.
The Florida Supreme Court last year heard arguments in a similar lawsuit against the University of Florida but has not issued a decision.
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