Case Name: Henryka SWIDZINSKA and Maciej Swidzinska, her husband, Appellants, v. Maria T. CEJAS, M.D., et al., Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1997-12-19
Citations: 702 So. 2d 630
Docket Number: No. 97-146
Parties: Henryka SWIDZINSKA and Maciej Swidzinska, her husband, Appellants, v. Maria T. CEJAS, M.D., et al., Appellees.
Judges: W. SHARP, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 702
Pages: 630–632

Head Matter:
Henryka SWIDZINSKA and Maciej Swidzinska, her husband, Appellants, v. Maria T. CEJAS, M.D., et al., Appellees.
No. 97-146.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
Dec. 19, 1997.
Nolan Carter of Law Offices of Nolan Carter, P.A., Orlando, for Appellants.
Gregory A. Fencik and Bradley P. Bly-stone of Mateer & Harbert, P.A., Orlando, for Appellees.

Opinion:
DAUKSCH, Judge.
This is an appeal from an order dismissing a case for failure to comply with a court order. Appellants are Polish citizens and residents who were allegedly injured by the medical malpractice of appellee after having suffered severe injuries in an automobile accident here in Central Florida.
During the prosecution and defense of the lawsuit, the parties sought and provided discovery. Near the end appellee made repeated requests for medical records and other material from appellant in regard to her medical treatments in Poland. Appellee asserts, and the trial judge agreed, that appellant was not sufficiently forthcoming in her provision of the Polish medical records. Appellants responded that they had done everything they could to provide the requested records and filed an affidavit to that effect. The judge dismissed the case because he did not believe appellants. We quash the order.
The last resort in cases such as this is to dismiss the case, to bar persons from court. Commonwealth Federal Savings & Loan Ass'n v. Tubero, 569 So.2d 1271 (Fla. 1990); Mercer v. Raine, 443 So.2d 944 (Fla. 1983). There are other ways to sanction litigants for failure to comply with discovery requests. Fla. R. Civ. P. 3.180; See also Florida Physicians Ins. Reciprocal v. Baliton, 436 So.2d 1110 (Fla. 4th DCA 1983). Absent a showing of deliberate, wilful refusal to provide discoveiy, the judge should use less stringent methods of persuasion or punishment. Here, it would be consistent with justice and fair play for the judge, if he reasonably believes further discovery is available, to require appellants to bear the expense, at least initially and depending upon the results, of appellee in hiring investigators or travelling to Poland or some such less drastic measures to attempt to solve the problem. Those costs can become a part of the costs awarded at the end of the case, depending upon the outcome of the case and the value of their expenditure.
Order QUASHED, REMANDED for further proceedings.
W. SHARP, J., concurs.
HARRIS, J., dissents with opinion.