Case ID: so2d_808/html/1256-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "PER CURIAM.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Martin F. GREENBERG, as Trustee on Behalf of the LINDGREN TRUST, Appellant, v. Ronald G. SINGERMAN, Appellee.
    No. 3D00-1669.
    District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
    March 6, 2002.
    Rehearing Denied April 12, 2002.
    Richard H. Breslow, (Boca Raton); Curtis & Curtis and Bruce Botsford and Edward R. Curtis, (Ft. Lauderdale), for appellant.
    Adorno & Zeder and Raoul G. Cantero, III, Miami, and Nicole E. Mestre, for ap-pellee.
    Before LEVY and FLETCHER, JJ., and NESBITT, Senior Judge.
   PER CURIAM.

We reverse an order of dismissal for failure to prosecute because it appears that the death of predecessor counsel contributed a substantial part in the delay of prosecution of this action which was filed in 1991. In this jurisdiction a disposition of an action on its merits is highly favorable. See Alvarez v. State Farm Mutual Auto. Ins. Co., 762 So.2d 943 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000)(plaintiffs untimely motion that showed good cause for failure to prosecute, but was filed after dismissal order, did not prejudice the defendant and did not preclude consideration of good cause); Schlakman v. Helliwell, Melrose & DeWolf, 519 So.2d 14, 15 (Fla. 3d DCA 1987)(“physical disability of a plaintiff or plaintiffs attorney constitutes good cause, justifying a trial court’s refusal to dismiss a failure to prosecute”).

Reversed and remanded.