The case of Carlos Bermudez versus the Miccosukee tribe hit a wall on its 11th trip to the Third District Court of Appeal.

Bermudez is holding an uncollectible $4.1 million judgment he won for the wrongful death of his wife Liliana in a drunken-driving accident on Tamiami Trail 17 years ago. The impaired driver who crashed into Bermudez's car was Tammy Billie, a member of the Miccosukee tribe.

As the prevailing party, the tribe was awarded about $72,000 in taxable costs payable by Bermudez. That's less than a 10th of the sanction a Miami federal judge recently imposed against the tribe in a related case.