Case Name: Leon KOPEL, Petitioner, v. Bernardo KOPEL, et al., Respondents
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2002-05-22
Citations: 832 So. 2d 108
Docket Number: No. 3D02-983
Parties: Leon KOPEL, Petitioner, v. Bernardo KOPEL, et al., Respondents.
Judges: Before COPE, SHEVIN, and RAMIREZ, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 832
Pages: 108–109

Head Matter:
Leon KOPEL, Petitioner, v. Bernardo KOPEL, et al., Respondents.
No. 3D02-983.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
May 22, 2002.
Specially Concurring Opinion on Denial of Rehearing En Banc Dec. 11, 2002.
Law Offices of Paul Morris, and Paul Morris, and Josephs, Jack, Miranda, McCulough & McKeown, and Stephanie E. Demos, for petitioner.
Heller and Kaplan, and Daniel Neal Heller, for respondent.
Before COPE, SHEVIN, and RAMIREZ, JJ.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Leon Kopel petitions for a writ of prohibition to prevent the trial court judge from presiding over the case after denying his motion for disqualification. We find that the motion for disqualification should have been granted because the trial court judge's comments could indicate that she had predetermined certain factual issues, and thus the petitioner's fear of partiality is reasonable. See Southeast Bank v. Capua, 584 So.2d 101 (Fla. 3d DCA 1991). We therefore grant the petition, but are confident it will be unnecessary to formally issue the writ.
Before COPE, SHEVIN and RAMIREZ, JJ.
ON MOTION FOR REHEARING
The motion for rehearing is denied.
Before SCHWARTZ, C.J., and JORGENSON, COPE, LEVY, GERSTEN, GODERICH, GREEN, FLETCHER, SHEVIN, RAMIREZ, JJ.