EX-5 3 dex5.htm OPINION OF BUSH ROSS GARDNER WARREN & RUDY Opinion of Bush Ross Gardner Warren & Rudy

Exhibit 5

 

Exhibit 23.1

 

BUSH ROSS GARDNER WARREN & RUDY, P.A.

 

ADAM LAWTON ALPERT

    ATTORNEYS AT LAW W    BRENT A. JONES

J. CARTER ANDERSEN

    220 SOUTH FRANKLIN STREET    A. CHRISTOPHER KASTEN, II

ERIC N. APPLETON

    TAMPA, FLORIDA 33602    GLENN M. KATON

CARRIE BETH BARIS

         MICHAEL G. MARDIS

MARK A. BASURTO

    (813) 224-9255    BRIAN T. MCELFATRICK

AMANDA K. BENNETT

    FAX (813) 223-9620    S. TODD MERRILL

JOHN R. BUSH

         STEVEN H. MEZER

MINDY L. CARREJA

   
   JOSEPH A. PROBASCO

KAREN COX

         JEREMY P. ROSS

LEIGH KELLETT FLETCHER

    MAILING ADDRESS:    JOHN F. RUDY, II

STEPHEN B. FRENCH

    POST OFFICE BOX 3913    EDWARD O. SAVITZ

JEFFERY A. FROESCHLE

    TAMPA, FLORIDA 33601    MARIAN HYATT SBAR

J. STEPHEN GARDNER

         ALICIA J. SCHUMACHER

JOHN N. GIORDANO

         H. BRADLEY STAGGS

SCOTT J. GIVENS

         RANDY K. STERNS

KENNETH C. GRACE

    April 22, 2004    GERALD C. THOMAS

HEIDI L. HOBBS

         JEFFREY W. WARREN

ANDREW T. JENKINS

         DAVID B. WILLIAMS

 

Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc.

4300 West Cypress, Suite 600

Tampa, FL 33607

 

RE: Registration Statement on Form S-3

 

Gentlemen:

 

As counsel for Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), we are familiar with the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to 977,998 shares of the Company’s Common Stock, $.001 par value (the “Shares”), all of which Shares are being offered for the account of that certain selling stockholder named in the Registration Statement.

 

In connection with the foregoing, we have examined such records and documents and have made such investigations of law and fact as we have deemed necessary to render this opinion.

 

Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, will be legally issued, fully paid, and non-assessable.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5 to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus that constitutes a part of the Registration Statement. In giving our consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933 or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Very truly yours,

BUSH ROSS GARDNER WARREN

& RUDY, P.A.

By:

  

/s/ John N. Giordano

John N. Giordano