Case Name: Stephen F. ALVAREZ d/b/a S & J Alvarez Farms, Appellant, v. MERRIAM-CALLAHAN INSURANCE AGENCY, INC., a Florida Corporation, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2003-05-06
Citations: 843 So. 2d 1022
Docket Number: No. 1D02-1413
Parties: Stephen F. ALVAREZ d/b/a S & J Alvarez Farms, Appellant, v. MERRIAM-CALLAHAN INSURANCE AGENCY, INC., a Florida Corporation, Appellee.
Judges: BARFIELD, BROWNING and LEWIS, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 843
Pages: 1022–1023

Head Matter:
Stephen F. ALVAREZ d/b/a S & J Alvarez Farms, Appellant, v. MERRIAM-CALLAHAN INSURANCE AGENCY, INC., a Florida Corporation, Appellee.
No. 1D02-1413.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
May 6, 2003.
Linda L. Winchenbach, of Moody & Salzman, P.A., Gainesville, for Appellant.
Robert E. O’Quinn, Jr., and Pamela Lynde Bower, Jacksonville, for Appellee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
The transferee court did not have authority under Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.060(c) to dismiss the action. Furthermore, dismissal under the circumstances presented in this case constituted an abuse of discretion. Here, the transfer fee had been paid immediately after appellant's attorneys became aware of the problem, only a few days after the 30-day period provided in the rule and several weeks before the motion to dismiss was filed, and there was no suggestion that appellee was in any way prejudiced by the late payment of the transfer fee. Cf., Burke Co. v. U.S. Telephone Co., 571 So.2d 33 (Fla. 3d DCA 1990), review denied, 576 So.2d 285 (Fla.1991) (affirming trial court's refusal to grant dismissal under similar circumstances).
The order of dismissal is REVERSED, and the case is REMANDED to the trial court for further proceedings.
BARFIELD, BROWNING and LEWIS, JJ., concur.