Case Name: Candice WOLFSON, Petitioner, v. Howard WOLFSON, Respondent
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2015-03-18
Citations: 159 So. 3d 394
Docket Number: No. 3D15-630
Parties: Candice WOLFSON, Petitioner, v. Howard WOLFSON, Respondent.
Judges: Before SUAREZ, ROTHENBERG, and LAGOA, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Third Series
Volume: 159
Pages: 394–394

Head Matter:
Candice WOLFSON, Petitioner, v. Howard WOLFSON, Respondent.
No. 3D15-630.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
March 18, 2015.
Dirk Lorenzen, for petitioner.
Karen B. Weintraub, for respondent.
Before SUAREZ, ROTHENBERG, and LAGOA, JJ.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Candice Wolfson petitions this Court for a writ of prohibition to prevent the trial judge from presiding over the parties' post-dissolution proceeding after the trial court denied her verified motion to disqualify. We find that the motion for disqualification was legally sufficient as the trial judge's comments indicate that she had prejudged the case. See Barnett v. Barnett, 727 So.2d 311, 312 (Fla. 2d DCA 1999) ("While it is well-settled that a judge may form mental impressions and opinions during the course of hearing evidence, he or she may not prejudge the case."). As such, we conclude that the petitioner's fear of partiality is reasonable, and we grant the petition. We are confident it will be unnecessary to formally issue the writ. See Van v. Unifund CCR, LLC, 154 So.3d 522 (Fla. 5th DCA 2015); Kopel v. Kopel, 832 So.2d 108 (Fla. 3d DCA 2002); Southeast Bank v. Capua, 584 So.2d 101 (Fla. 3d DCA 1991).
Writ granted.