Case Name: GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellant, v. Robert BEVIS and Suzanne Bevis, husband and wife, Appellees.; Esteban RODRIGUEZ, Appellant, v. Robert BEVIS and Suzanne Bevis, husband and wife, Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1995-01-13
Citations: 652 So. 2d 382
Docket Number: Nos. 93-02472, 93-02474
Parties: GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellant, v. Robert BEVIS and Suzanne Bevis, husband and wife, Appellees. Esteban RODRIGUEZ, Appellant, v. Robert BEVIS and Suzanne Bevis, husband and wife, Appellees.
Judges: CAMPBELL, A.C.J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 652
Pages: 382–386

Head Matter:
GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellant, v. Robert BEVIS and Suzanne Bevis, husband and wife, Appellees. Esteban RODRIGUEZ, Appellant, v. Robert BEVIS and Suzanne Bevis, husband and wife, Appellees.
Nos. 93-02472, 93-02474.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District.
Jan. 13, 1995.
Rehearing Denied March 15, 1995.
John P. Wiederhold and Lawrence I. Bass of Wiederhold, Moses, Bulfin & Rubin, P.A., West Palm Beach, for Great American Ins. Co.
David C. Beers and Rutledge M. Bradford of Beers, Jack, Tudhope & Wyatt, P.A., Mait-land, for Esteban Rodriguez.
Jeffrey M. Liggio of Liggio & Luckman, P.A., and Philip M. Burlington, of Caruso, Burlington, Bohn & Compiani, P.A., West Palm Beach, for appellees.

Opinion:
QUINCE, Judge.
Great American Insurance Company (Great American) and Esteban Rodriguez (Rodriguez) appeal an order denying their motion to vacate and set aside a final judgment. Because the appellees failed to allege in their complaint the information necessary to have substituted service of process, and because the trial court found Great American did not have standing to contest the final judgment, we reverse.
The appellees, Robert and Suzanne Bevis, filed a complaint against Rodriguez and others for damages arising out of an automobile accident. Rodriguez was the driver but not the owner of one of the vehicles involved in the accident. The jurisdictional grounds alleged in the complaint as to Rodriguez were that appellees believed Rodriguez resided in DeSoto County, Florida, and that the cause of action arose from an automobile accident occurring in DeSoto County, Florida.
After failing to locate Rodriguez, appellees attempted substituted service of process pursuant to section 48.171, Florida Statutes (1987). The secretary of state accepted service. Appellees were subsequently granted a default.
The appellees originally filed a demand for a jury trial. They also served a notice to set cause for trial by jury. However, before trial they served an amended notice to set cause for nonjury trial. An order setting the case for nonjury trial was entered by the court. In the nonjury trial the court awarded the appellees damages of $720,000.
Great American insured Rodriguez through a policy issued on a vehicle not involved in the accident. Appellees' counsel contacted Great American regarding the lawsuit prior to trial. Great American attempted to locate Rodriguez; however, there was no contact or cooperation from Rodriguez. The vehicle involved in the accident was not insured by them. Therefore, Great American took the position there was no coverage and did not participate in the litigation.
After discovering some eleven months later that a final judgment had been entered against Rodriguez, Great American sought to protect its interests by filing a motion to intervene. The motion was granted. Great American also filed a motion to vacate and set aside the final judgment alleging lack of personal jurisdiction over Rodriguez. Counsel for Rodriguez filed a motion for special appearance for relief from final judgment alleging a lack of personal jurisdiction. The trial court entered an order denying the motions. Both Great American and Rodriguez filed timely notices of appeal.
Great American and Rodriguez raise four points on appeal. We find appellants' arguments persuasive and reverse on two points. Appellants' other arguments are moot based upon our decision.
The appellants correctly argue there was improper service on Rodriguez. To constitute the secretary of state as agent for a defendant motor vehicle operator, the plaintiff must allege in his complaint that the defendant is a nonresident, or a resident of Florida who subsequently became a nonresident, or a resident of Florida concealing his whereabouts. § 48.171, Fla.Stat. (1987). Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.070(h) allows the plaintiff to allege the basis for substituted service in the language of the applicable statute without pleading the supporting facts. The complaint in this case does not allege either of the three requirements under section 48.171.
The constructive service statute is to be strictly construed against a party seeking to obtain service under it. McAlice v. Kirsch, 368 So.2d 401 (Fla. 3d DCA 1979). If the complaint fails to allege the jurisdictional requirements for substituted service as prescribed by the statute, a defendant cannot be properly served by substituted service. Drake v. Scharlau, 353 So.2d 961, 964 (Fla. 2d DCA 1978). A judgment entered without valid service is void for lack of personal jurisdiction and may be collaterally attacked at any time. Kennedy v. Richmond, 512 So.2d 1129 (Fla. 4th DCA 1987); Falkner v. Amerifirst Federal Savings and Loan Association, 489 So.2d 758 (Fla. 3d DCA 1986); Tucker v. Dianne Electric, Inc., 389 So.2d 683 (Fla. 5th DCA 1980). The appropriate procedure for attacking a void judgment is by a motion for relief from judgment pursu-
ant to Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.540(b). Tucker, 389 So.2d at 684.
The appellees' only jurisdictional allegation as to defendant Rodriguez was an allegation, "upon information and belief," that Rodriguez resided in DeSoto County, Florida. This falls short of the statutory requirements necessary to authorize substituted service upon the secretary of state. The appellees' argument that they made a diligent search for Rodriguez was premature. One cannot argue a diligent search was made to find a defendant until one properly alleges the requisite items in section 48.171. Since Rodriguez was never properly served, the trial court erred in denying appellants' motion to set aside the final judgment.
The trial court also erred in finding Great American did not have standing to attack the final judgment. The trial court granted Great American's motion to intervene and then denied it the right to argue any issue on the merits. In U.S. Fire Insurance Co. v. Ted Satter Ente'iyrises, Inc., 447 So.2d 1032 (Fla. 4th DCA 1984), an insurer refused to defend the insured in the original suit. Almost one year after the judgment was entered, the insurer sought to intervene. The Fourth District Court held an insurance company has standing to intervene if the insurance company's argument is based upon lack of valid service on the insured. Id. Similarly, Great American had standing to intervene and to defend against the final judgment since the basis of its argument was invalid service upon Rodriguez.
Reversed and remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
CAMPBELL, A.C.J., concurs.
ALTENBERND, J., dissents with opinion.