Case Name: Gwen STRESSMAN and Wayne C. Duncan, her husband, Petitioners, v. Antoinette LEFLER and Anthony Lefler, Respondents
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1992-02-26
Citations: 597 So. 2d 308
Docket Number: No. 92-00005
Parties: Gwen STRESSMAN and Wayne C. Duncan, her husband, Petitioners, v. Antoinette LEFLER and Anthony Lefler, Respondents.
Judges: LEHAN, A.C.J., and PARKER and ALTENBERND, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 597
Pages: 308–309

Head Matter:
Gwen STRESSMAN and Wayne C. Duncan, her husband, Petitioners, v. Antoinette LEFLER and Anthony Lefler, Respondents.
No. 92-00005.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District.
Feb. 26, 1992.
Robert Fraser, Brandon, for petitioners.
John R. Mathias of Stuart & Strickland, P.A., Tampa, for respondents.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
The plaintiffs petition for a writ of certio-rari, arguing that the trial court departed from the essential requirements of the law in denying their request for a registered nurse to attend the wife's independent medical examination in this personal injury lawsuit. Although the trial judge denied this request, he stated at the hearing that he would allow a court reporter to be present at the examination. See Collins v. Skinner, 576 So.2d 1377 (Fla. 2d DCA 1991); Stakley v. Allstate Ins. Co., 547 So.2d 275 (Fla. 2d DCA 1989). We deny the petition.
Plaintiffs' counsel correctly argues that, as a general rule, he would be entitled to attend this examination. Stak-ley. At trial, if he wished to contest the doctor's description on the examination, he would not be ethically authorized to testify. Fla.Bar Code Prof.Resp. D.R. 4-3.7. The registered nurse is employed by the plaintiffs' counsel as a legal assistant. It is clear that plaintiffs' counsel wishes to use his nurse-employee to provide expert testimony that he himself could not provide. From this record, we cannot conclude that the trial court departed from the essential requirements of the law in denying the plaintiffs' request for this specific person to attend the examination. Accordingly, we deny the petition for writ of certiorari.
LEHAN, A.C.J., and PARKER and ALTENBERND, JJ., concur.