The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has dismissed an appeal filed by Todd Conley against Daniel S. Vacanti and his companies, stating that the court lacks jurisdiction over the case. This decision affects Conley, who is seeking to challenge the district court's orders regarding attorney's fees awarded to the defendants.

The appeal stems from orders issued by the district court on March 31 and April 6, 2026, which granted attorney's fees to Vacanti and his companies. Conley, representing himself in the case, argued that these orders were final and therefore appealable. However, the court found that the orders did not resolve all claims, particularly a counterclaim made by Vacanti against Conley.

Background

The parties involved in this case are Todd Conley, the plaintiff and counter-defendant, and Daniel S. Vacanti, along with his companies, ActionableAgile, LLC and Daniel S. Vacanti, Inc., who are the defendants and counter-claimants. The case was filed in the Southern District of Florida under docket number 0:23-cv-60384-AHS.

The dispute arose when Conley initiated legal action against Vacanti and his companies. Following this, Vacanti filed a counterclaim against Conley. The district court's orders, which Conley is appealing, relate to the awarding of attorney's fees to the defendants. Conley contends that the orders are final and should be subject to appeal.

The Ruling

The Eleventh Circuit, in its ruling, stated that it lacks jurisdiction over the appeal because the orders from the district court are not final. The court explained, "The district court action is not final because the district court did not address, let alone resolve, Daniel Vacanti’s counterclaim." This means that the case is still ongoing, and there are unresolved issues that need to be addressed before an appeal can be considered.

Furthermore, the court noted that the orders are not appealable under the collateral order doctrine, which allows certain decisions to be appealed immediately. The court ruled, "The orders are not appealable under the collateral order doctrine because they are effectively reviewable on appeal from a final judgment." This indicates that the court believes that the appeal can wait until a final judgment is made in the case.

Impact

The dismissal of this appeal means that Todd Conley must wait for the district court to resolve all claims, including Vacanti's counterclaim, before he can challenge the attorney's fees awarded to the defendants. This ruling reinforces the principle that appeals can only be made from final judgments, which leave nothing for the lower court to decide.

This case highlights the importance of resolving all aspects of a legal dispute before seeking an appeal. It serves as a reminder that parties must ensure that all claims are addressed in a lower court before they can escalate the matter to a higher court. The decision may also affect how similar cases are handled in the future, as it emphasizes the need for completeness in lower court rulings.

What's Next

Conley may still pursue his claims in the district court, including responding to Vacanti's counterclaim. The court filing did not provide details on whether there are any related cases pending or if Conley plans to appeal further once the district court resolves the outstanding issues.