DONOVAN G. DAVIS, JR.
v.
CHRISTIAN ROMANDETTI, BRIDGETTE BROMFIELD, DAMIEN BROMFIELD, BETH COURTNEY, BLAYNE S. DAVIS, CARISSA DOUGLAS, C.K., LLC, CAPITAL BLU MANAGEMENT, LLC, FIRST CHOICE HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC., ET AL.

Fla. 5th DCA | 2024-06-14
No. 2023-2089
Blaue, J., Wallis, J., Lambert, J., Harris, J.
2024 FL 7086 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fifth District (2024)

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Holding

A trial court cannot dismiss an action for lack of prosecution based solely on a plaintiff's abandonment of pending motions without following the specific procedural process required by Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.420(e).


Headnotes

[1] A trial court may not dismiss an action for lack of prosecution based solely on a plaintiff's abandonment of pending motions without following the specific procedural req…

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Facts & Procedural History

Davis filed suit against ten defendants and had two pending motions at the time of a case management conference: one to declare the case complex under…

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Per_curiam
Per Curiam

FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL

STATE OF FLORIDA

_____________________________ Case No. 5D2023-2089 LT Case No. 2019-CA-041690 _____________________________ DONOVAN G. DAVIS, JR., Appellant, v. CHRISTIAN ROMANDETTI,

BRIDGETTE BROMFIELD, DAMIEN

BROMFIELD, BETH COURTNEY,

BLAYNE S. DAVIS, CARISSA

DOUGLAS, CK, LLC, CAPITAL

BLU MANAGEMENT, LLC, FIRST

CHOICE HEALTHCARE

SOLUTIONS, INC., and THE CRENSHAW SCHOOL, Appellees. _____________________________ On appeal from the Circuit Court for Brevard County. Scott A. Blaue, Judge. Donovan G. Davis, Jr., Coleman, pro se. No Appearance for Appellees. June 14, 2024

PER CURIAM.

2 Donovan G. Davis, Jr., who was the plaintiff in the litigation below, appeals the trial court’s final order1 entered after a case management conference that dismissed the action for lack of prosecution for the sole reason that Davis had “abandoned” his motions. At the time of the case management conference, Davis had two motions pending—to have the case declared “complex” under Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.201, and to disqualify counsel of one of the ten defendants that he sued in his operative amended complaint. A trial court can dismiss an action for lack of prosecution under Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.420(e) based on no record activity. This rule, however, provides a specific process that must be undertaken before the court can do so. The trial court did not travel under this rule in dismissing the case. We are unaware of any separate rule, statute, or caselaw that authorizes a trial court to dismiss an action for lack of prosecution simply because a plaintiff may have chosen to abandon the type of motions filed here; nor did the trial court cite to any such authority in its final order. Accordingly, we reverse the order dismissing the case for lack of prosecution and remand for further proceedings. REVERSED and REMANDED. WALLIS, LAMBERT, and HARRIS, JJ., concur. _____________________________ Not final until disposition of any timely and authorized motion under Fla. R. App. P. 9.330 or 9.331. _____________________________ 1 We note that the order effectively dismisses the case with prejudice as the causes of action asserted by Davis in his operative complaint would now be barred under the applicable statute of limitations if Davis attempted to file a separate action.


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