Case Name: FLORIDA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND and The State of Florida Department of Insurance, Division of Risk Management, Bureau of State Employees' Workers' Compensation Claims, Appellants, v. Donald WADE and The Estate of Donald Wade, Deceased, Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1997-03-19
Citations: 689 So. 2d 446
Docket Number: No. 96-1920
Parties: FLORIDA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND and The State of Florida Department of Insurance, Division of Risk Management, Bureau of State Employees’ Workers’ Compensation Claims, Appellants, v. Donald WADE and The Estate of Donald Wade, Deceased, Appellees.
Judges: ERVIN and BENTON, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 689
Pages: 446–446

Head Matter:
FLORIDA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND and The State of Florida Department of Insurance, Division of Risk Management, Bureau of State Employees’ Workers’ Compensation Claims, Appellants, v. Donald WADE and The Estate of Donald Wade, Deceased, Appellees.
No. 96-1920.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
March 19, 1997.
Richard W. Withers of Sharp & Gay, P.A., Jacksonville, for Appellants.
Ralph J. Humphries of Schutt, Humphries & Becker, Jacksonville, and Jeffrey W. Monroe, St. Augustine, for Appellees.

Opinion:
BARFIELD, Chief Judge.
The judge of compensation claims erred in holding that the order vacating an order not yet final, pursuant to Rule 4.141, was a nullity because the claimant died several days before entry of the order, and the estate had not been substituted as a party. Jurisdiction of the judge pursuant to Rule 4.141 is not dependent on the viability of a party. Further proceedings may be affected by the need to substitute the successor in interest to the decedent, but subject matter jurisdiction is not.
Reversed and remanded for further proceedings.
ERVIN and BENTON, JJ., concur.