Case Name: A. E. ANDERSON, Jr., Petitioner, v. Verna S. LOVEJOY, Respondent; John S. COWDERY, Petitioner, v. Verna S. LOVEJOY, Respondent
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1978-02-07
Citations: 354 So. 2d 951
Docket Number: Nos. GG-393, GG-439
Parties: A. E. ANDERSON, Jr., Petitioner, v. Verna S. LOVEJOY, Respondent. John S. COWDERY, Petitioner, v. Verna S. LOVEJOY, Respondent.
Judges: BOOTH, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 354
Pages: 951–952

Head Matter:
A. E. ANDERSON, Jr., Petitioner, v. Verna S. LOVEJOY, Respondent. John S. COWDERY, Petitioner, v. Verna S. LOVEJOY, Respondent.
Nos. GG-393, GG-439.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
Feb. 7, 1978.
Robert M. Sharp and Bruce S. Bullock of Bullock, Sharp & Childs, and Joseph 0. Stroud, Jr. of Rogers, Towers, Bailey, Jones & Gay, Jacksonville, for petitioners Anderson and Cowdery.
Neal D. Evans, Jr., Jacksonville, for respondent.

Opinion:
SMITH, Acting Chief Judge.
Two defendants in an action for personal injuries seek common law certiorari review of a trial court order setting aside, on plaintiff's motion, a notice of voluntary dismissal previously filed by plaintiff pursuant to Rule 1.420(a)(l)(i), Fla.R.Civ.P. The notice of dismissal operated under the Rule to dismiss plaintiffs action without prejudice and without the necessity for an order of dismissal. Plaintiff's prior counsel obtained her permission to dismiss the action on his advice that she could later refile; according to her affidavit, he did not advise her that the statute of limitations would bar a new action. But the statute apparently had run.
The trial court acted in excess of its jurisdiction by entertaining plaintiff's motion to reactivate the dismissed action. The lawyer's erroneous advice, inducing the plaintiff to consent to the dismissal, was not remediable under Rule 1.540(b), Fla.R.Civ.P. See Rich Motors, Inc. v. Loyd Cole Produce Express, Inc., 244 So.2d 526 (Fla. 4th DCA 1970). Cooper v. Carroll, 239 So.2d 511 (Fla. 3d DCA 1970), is not to the contrary; the court there granted relief for plaintiff's unintended and inadvertent dismissal of his action as to all defendants. Nor is this a case in which plaintiff's attorney, without authority, dismissed or otherwise finally terminated plaintiff's case on the merits. See Palm Beach Royal Hotel, Inc. v. Breese, 154 So.2d 698 (Fla. 2d DCA 1963); Annot., 56 A.L.R.2d 1290 (1957). We disagree with Randle Eastern Ambulance Serv., Inc. v. Vasta, 345 So.2d 1084 (Fla. 3d DCA 1977), which is directly contrary to our decision.
The petitions for writ of certiorari are GRANTED and the order setting aside plaintiff's notice of voluntary dismissal is VACATED.
BOOTH, J., concurs.
ERVIN, J., dissents.