Legal Matters

Lawsuits, Legal Claims & Subpoenas

There are times when the University is named as a defendant in a lawsuit or as a respondent in an administrative proceeding or other external complaint process. When a complaint is filed in court or with an administrative tribunal, the plaintiff or complaining party must provide the University with notice of the lawsuit by serving a copy of the complaint upon the University. Sometimes this is accomplished electronically, by mail, or by hand-delivery of a summons and complaint to the University by a process server. The Office of the General Counsel provides legal services for University-related matters and advice in responding to subpoenas, summonses and court orders requiring either the personal appearance of a University employee for testimony relating to employment at the University or the production of University documents or records.  

 

 

If by any circumstance process is not served on the GCO, the following procedures should be followed: 

  • Subpoenas

  • Court Orders/Summonses

  • Written Communications


Governance

Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees is a public body corporate established by Florida Law with all of the powers of a corporation, including the power to adopt a corporate seal, to contract and be contracted with, to sue and be sued, to plead and be impleaded in all courts of law or equity, and to give and receive donations. The formal legal name of the University is "The Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees, a public body corporate of the State of Florida." This name should be used on all legal documents. 
As a public instrumentality of the State of Florida performing an essential public function, the University enjoys sovereign immunity except to the extent expressly waived in law by the Florida Legislature. Generally speaking, the University's colleges, schools, centers, institutes, departments, offices, committees and the like are not separate entities from the University and should not be described as such on any legal document. 

 

  • Board of Trustees

  • Florida Board of Governors

  • Direct Support Organizations

  • Faculty Senate

  • Student Government