Case Name: OLYMPUS INSURANCE COMPANY, Petitioner, v. Maikel HERNANDEZ, as Personal representative of the Estate of Yaimi Gandul, Respondent
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2015-08-19
Citations: 171 So. 3d 831
Docket Number: No. 4D15-1060
Parties: OLYMPUS INSURANCE COMPANY, Petitioner, v. Maikel HERNANDEZ, as Personal representative of the Estate of Yaimi Gandul, Respondent.
Judges: STEVENSON and FORST, JJ„ concur. CONNER, J., dissents with opinion.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Third Series
Volume: 171
Pages: 831–831

Head Matter:
OLYMPUS INSURANCE COMPANY, Petitioner, v. Maikel HERNANDEZ, as Personal representative of the Estate of Yaimi Gandul, Respondent.
No. 4D15-1060.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
Aug. 19, 2015.
Matthew C. Scarfone of Colodny Fass, P.A., Fort Lauderdale, for petitioner.
Scot Strems of The Strems Law Firm, P.A., Coral Gables, for respondent.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
The trial court departed from the essential requirements of law when it granted the motion for substitution of party and denied the motion to dismiss based upon counsel's unsworn assertions of excusable neglect. Steinhardt v. Intercondominium Grp. Inc., 771 So.2d 614, 614 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000). The petition for writ of cer-tiorari is granted, and the trial court's February 19, 2015 order is quashed. On remand, the trial court is directed to conduct an evidentiary hearing to determine whether the untimely filing of the motion for substitution of party was caused by excusable neglect. Id. at 615.
STEVENSON and FORST, JJ" concur. CONNER, J., dissents with opinion.