Case Name: Harlan L. MILLER, Appellant, v. Julie MILLER, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2005-02-02
Citations: 891 So. 2d 1201
Docket Number: No. 4D03-3919
Parties: Harlan L. MILLER, Appellant, v. Julie MILLER, Appellee.
Judges: FARMER, C.J., SHAHOOD J. and GREENE, CHARLES M., Associate Judge, concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 891
Pages: 1201–1201

Head Matter:
Harlan L. MILLER, Appellant, v. Julie MILLER, Appellee.
No. 4D03-3919.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
Feb. 2, 2005.
Joel M. Weissman of Weissman, Yaffa & Desmond, P.A., West Palm Beach, for appellant.
Elizabeth G. Daugherty and Nancy W. Gregoire of Bunnell Woulfe, Kirsehbaum, Keller, McIntyre & Gregoire, P.A., Fort Lauderdale, and Harvey A. Nussbaum of Beiner & Nussbaum, P.A., Boca Raton, for appellee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
We reverse the trial court's order finding former husband in contempt for failure to pay child support because it was based on an earlier discovery sanction order striking his pleadings to contempt, precluding him from defending on the grounds of his inability to pay. See Chase v. Chase, 519 So.2d 637 (Fla. 2d DCA 1988) (trial court erred by finding husband's ability to pay was "taken to be established" based on discovery sanction striking his pleadings even though sanction itself was within its discretion).
In a civil contempt proceeding, the trial court cannot incarcerate, even if only coer-cively, without providing the contemnor the opportunity to prove his inability to comply. That means the court cannot use discovery sanctions as a basis for finding an inability to comply. We remand for proceedings consistent with this opinion.
FARMER, C.J., SHAHOOD J. and GREENE, CHARLES M., Associate Judge, concur.