A paddle latch having a pan with a well, a paddle handle, a handle pivot, a rotary latch portion, and a trigger arm arrangement. The paddle handle pivot has a pin that non-rotatably engages with the paddle handle to pivotally attach the paddle handle in the well of the pan and has a pin trigger. The rotary latch portion has a housing containing a rotary hook with a mouth, a rotary trigger, and pin trigger cam. The rotary trigger retains the rotary hook in either an open position where the mouth of the rotary hook is accessible from outside of the housing, or semi-closed or completely closed positions, where the mouth is blocked by the housing. The trigger arm arrangement is adapted to transfer of pivotal movement of the paddle handle to the rotary trigger to release the rotary hook from the semi-closed position or the completely closed position to its open position. Only when the rotary hook is in the semi-closed position will the paddle handle be automatically partially tilted out from the well of the pan.