Case Name: Deborah BRUNS, Appellant, v. Harry F. JONES, M.D., et al., Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1986-01-09
Citations: 481 So. 2d 544
Docket Number: No. 84-1361
Parties: Deborah BRUNS, Appellant, v. Harry F. JONES, M.D., et al., Appellees.
Judges: ORFINGER, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 481
Pages: 544–546

Head Matter:
Deborah BRUNS, Appellant, v. Harry F. JONES, M.D., et al., Appellees.
No. 84-1361.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
Jan. 9, 1986.
Philip Burlington and Karen A. Dean of William deForest Thompson, P.A., Ft. Lauderdale, and Edna L. Caruso, P.A., West Palm Beach, for appellant.
Thomas E. Dukes, III, and Rafael E. Martinez of Sanders, McEwan, Mims & Martinez, Orlando, for appellees.

Opinion:
DAUKSCH, Judge.
This is an appeal from a "final judgment of dismissal" for failure to timely prosecute.
The order says:
The court finds that it does no [sic] affirmatively appear from filing of pleadings, Order of Court, or otherwise for a period of one year before serving the motion that the action is being prosecuted .
The order does not find that the non-record activity which occurred was insufficient good cause to prevent the dismissal. There was certain non-record activity engaged in between the parties, including an attempt to obtain discovery via a videotaped deposition.. While it is necessary to obtain a court order for this type of discovery the plaintiff was attempting to do so by agreement rather than court order. Fla.R.Civ.P. 1.310(b)(4). It was conceded here and at the hearing before the trial court that no record activity occurred within the requisite one-year time period, so it was only non-record activity which was to be considered by the court. The issue was whether, under Rule 1.420(e), appellant demonstrated good cause why the action should have remained pending. The appellant urged the court to consider certain non-record activity as demonstrating good cause for not dismissing the action. The appellee urged the court to disregard non-record activity on the basis it could not constitute good cause for not dismissing the action. Non-record activity may, in some cases, constitute good cause under the present rule, such as will prevent a dismissal for failure to prosecute. Barnes v. Ross, 386 So.2d 812 (Fla. 3d DCA 1980); American Eastern Corporation v. Henry Blanton, Inc., 382 So.2d 863 (Fla. 2d DCA 1980); F.M.C. Corporation v. Chatman, 368 So.2d 1307 (Fla. 4th DCA 1979), cert. den., 379 So.2d 203 (Fla.1979). The trial court found that no record activity had occurred during the year preceding the motion to dismiss (a point not in dispute) but made no ruling on whether or not good cause had been shown to keep the action pending. This was the real issue, and should have been ruled upon by the court.
We reverse the order appealed from and remand for further proceedings consistent herewith.
REVERSED and REMANDED.
ORFINGER, J., concurs.
COBB, C.J., dissents with opinion.