Case Name: Christopher SWAIN, Appellant, v. Marianne SWAIN, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2004-09-29
Citations: 884 So. 2d 428
Docket Number: No. 4D03-3239
Parties: Christopher SWAIN, Appellant, v. Marianne SWAIN, Appellee.
Judges: FARMER, C.J., KLEIN, J., and BERGER, WILLIAM J., Associate Judge, concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 884
Pages: 428–429

Head Matter:
Christopher SWAIN, Appellant, v. Marianne SWAIN, Appellee.
No. 4D03-3239.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
Sept. 29, 2004.
Robert J. Puzio of the Law Offices of Robert J. Puzio, Fort Lauderdale, for appellant.
No brief filed for appellee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Appellant sued his former wife for malicious prosecution and the case was set for trial at 10:00 A.M. He filed a notice of voluntary dismissal without prejudice about twenty minutes before the trial, and neither he nor his counsel appeared at the trial. The wife then moved for a dismissal with prejudice for willful failure to comply with the court's order to appear for trial, and the court dismissed the complaint with prejudice. Once the notice of voluntary dismissal was filed under rule 1.420(A), however, the trial court was without the power to enter a subsequent order of dismissal with prejudice. Randle-Eastern Ambulance Serv., Inc. v. Vasta, 360 So.2d 68, 69 (Fla.1978). Reversed.
FARMER, C.J., KLEIN, J., and BERGER, WILLIAM J., Associate Judge, concur.