Case Name: Eddie L. STEPHENS, Appellant, v. The BANK OF NEW YORK, as Trustee under the Pooling and Servicing Agreement as of May 31, 1997, Series 1997-B, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2000-08-22
Citations: 765 So. 2d 294
Docket Number: No. 1D00-185
Parties: Eddie L. STEPHENS, Appellant, v. The BANK OF NEW YORK, as Trustee under the Pooling and Servicing Agreement as of May 31, 1997, Series 1997-B, Appellee.
Judges: BOOTH and BENTON, JJ„ and SHIVERS, DOUGLASS B., Senior Judge, CONCUR.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 765
Pages: 294–294

Head Matter:
Eddie L. STEPHENS, Appellant, v. The BANK OF NEW YORK, as Trustee under the Pooling and Servicing Agreement as of May 31, 1997, Series 1997-B, Appellee.
No. 1D00-185.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
Aug. 22, 2000.
Douglas L. Smith of Burke & Blue, P.A., Panama City, Attorney for Appellant.
Jeffrey C. Hakanson of Gibbons, Cohn, Neuman, Bello, Segall & Allen, P.A., Tampa, Attorney for Appellee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
In this mortgage foreclosure action, Appellant challenges the trial court's order denying his motion to set aside a default and a summary final judgment. The motion sought relief pursuant to rule 1.540(b), Florida Rules of Civil Procedure.
Appellee obtained from the clerk a default to which it was not entitled, see rule 1.500(a), Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, but never made any effort to set it aside. The default clouded matters and prejudiced Appellant's rights to proper notice and evidentiary hearing. The trial court, therefore, erred in denying the motion to set aside the default and judgment. See Employers' Fire Ins. Co. v. Department of Labor & Employment Sec., 629 So.2d 1118 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994) (citing Overholser v. Overstreet, 383 So.2d 953 (Fla. 3d DCA 1980); Turner v. Allen, 389 So.2d 686 (Fla. 5th DCA 1980)); Gavin v. Gavin, 456 So.2d 535 (Fla. 1st DCA 1984); Beztak Constr. Co. v. Resting Carpets, Inc., 596 So.2d 1297 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992); Mo-Con Properties, Inc. v. American Mechanical, Inc., 289 So.2d 744 (Fla. 4th DCA 1974). Accordingly, the order denying the rule 1.540(b) motion is reversed, and the trial court is directed on remand to vacate and set aside the final judgment of foreclosure.
REVERSED and REMANDED.
BOOTH and BENTON, JJ" and SHIVERS, DOUGLASS B., Senior Judge, CONCUR.