Dana C. Matthews
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Position
Senior Partner
Education
Florida State University (Government, 1978)
Florida State University College of Law (J.D., 1981).
Bar Admissions
Florida
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
U.S. Supreme Court
Member
Okaloosa-Walton County Bar Association (President, 1992-1993)
American Bar Association; The Florida Bar; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America;
Florida Trial Lawyers Association.
Areas of Practice
Private Property Rights, Land Use Permitting, Litigation, Real Estate Loan Workouts
Commercial Business
Commercial Develoment
Business Planning and Counseling
Company Formation and Structure
Mergers and Acquisitions
Private Equity and Venture Capital
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Notable Cases
Okaloosa County v. Clarke, 993 So. 2d 521 (Fla. 1st DCA 2008)
United States v. Adkinson, 360 F.3d 1257 (11th Cir. 2004) United States v. Adkinson, 247 F.3d 1289 (11th Cir. 2001) United States v. Adkinson, 256 F. Supp. 2d 1297 (N.D. Fla. 2003)
United States v. Brown, 40 F.3d 1218 (11th Cir. 1994) Lydolph v. Davidson, 880 So.2d 817 (Fla. 1st DCA 2004)
Silver Shells Corp. v. Dale, 783 So.2d 1224 (Fla. 1st DCA 2001)
Turner v. Fitzsimmons, 673 So.2d 532 (Fla. 1st DCA 1996)
Robins v. Walter, 670 So.2d 971 (Fla. 1st DCA 1995)
Hamilton's Bar & Grill, Inc. v. Bay Bank & Trust Co., 646 So.2d 847 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994)
Cadle Co. II, Inc. v. Stamm, 633 So.2d 45 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994)
Heg, Inc. v. Bay Bank & Trust Co., 591 So.2d 1011 (Fla. 1st DCA 1991)
State v. Chamblin, 418 So.2d 1152 (Fla. 1st DCA 1982)
Per Curiarn Opinions
Fletcher v. Dial, 676 So. 2d 415 (Fla. 1st DCA 1996)
Corbin v. Britt, 659 So. 2d 1091 (Fla. 1st DCA 1995)
Erno, Inc. v. Christo, 1994 Fla. App. LEXIS 12124 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994)
Coleman, P.A. v. Bay Bank & Trust Co, 635 So. 2d 24 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994)
Davis v. Shockley, 638 So. 2d 60 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994)
Blimling v. Grimaldi Enter., Inc, 570 So. 2d 1307 (Fla. 1st DCA 1990) Jones v. Jones, 538 So. 2d 1257 (Fla. 1st DCA 1989)
Skip Deupree & Co. v. Moore, 507 So. 2d 1105 (Fla. 1st DCA 1987)
Parker v. State, 496 So. 2d 827 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986)
As the son of an Air Force pilot Dana lived throughout the U.S. and abroad until settling in the Florida Panhandle in the late 1960’s. Dana left for Florida State University and earned a degree in Government in 1978. After graduating with a Juris Doctorate from Florida State University College of Law in 1981, Dana practiced law at William M. Corry, P.A. in Tallahassee until returning to his Panhandle roots in 1983 to open his law firm in Destin.
Dana has been a long term member of the American Bar Association, American Trial Lawyers Association and Florida Trial Lawyers Association. He is past President of the Okaloosa - Walton Bar Association and is a former member of the FSU Law School Board of Visitors. He serves on the Beach Community Bank's Honorary Board of Directors and is an active ex-officio member of the Boys & Girls Club of the Emerald Coast Foundation Board.
Out of all of his life's passions, Dana's true love is working with children. Over the past 19 years, he has held numerous positions in Destin Little League where Dana has coached boy's baseball and girl’s softball.
In 1998 Dana joined forces with John W. Hawkins to form Matthews & Hawkins, P.A. and found Destin Land & Title, which assists real estate purchasers, sellers, and developers throughout Northwest Florida
Dana's law practice includes personal injury, commercial litigation, residential and commercial real estate development, complex real estate development, finance structure, condominium projects, bank representation, criminal defense, business organization, consulting and commercial restructuring. He has successfully tried significant cases throughout the state, securing favorable judgments for his clients.
No case is beyond Dana’s expertise and experience. When a client claimed he had been unfairly prosecuted by the government, Dana looked to the Hyde Amendment. The arcane statute allows federal courts to award former criminal defendants attorneys’ fees and other court costs if the defendant can prove the government's prosecution of the defendant was "vexatious, frivolous, or in bad faith." Dana successfully argued on behalf of his client and became one of just a handful of attorneys to win a ruling under the Hyde Amendment. (United States V. Adkinson, 360 F.3d 1257).
To meet the expanding real estate industry, Dana has focused on private property rights, land use permitting/litigation, and real estate development business consulting. This focus has led to a unique "turnkey" real estate development practice, where Dana represents clients from land acquisition to closing and beyond. Just within the past decade, Dana has served as helpful guide to the developers of multiple real estate development projects across the Florida panhandle. Some of the most recent projects Dana has shepherded through the development process are the 450 unit Ariel Dunes I & II condominium towers, the tallest condominiums found in the Florida panhandle, the 43 unit Inn at Seacrest Beach, the Courtyard at Gulf Place in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, the Emerald Grand twin 281 unit condominiums in Destin, Florida and Harbor Walk Village in Destin Florida, a 14.7 acre retail and restaurant property on the Destin Harbor, Sides Moreno Point Crest, a 44 unit Gulf Front Condominium in Destin and multiple residential subdivisions with hundreds of lots.
Dana is married to Patricia Marie Matthews since 1982 with whom he has five children.