Case Name: Diane KARN and Donovan Michael, Appellants, v. COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE, INC. and Thomas A. Pauletti, Jr., Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1998-01-28
Citations: 705 So. 2d 680
Docket Number: No. 96 — 4150
Parties: Diane KARN and Donovan Michael, Appellants, v. COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE, INC. and Thomas A. Pauletti, Jr., Appellees.
Judges: GLICKSTEIN and GUNTHER, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 705
Pages: 680–681

Head Matter:
Diane KARN and Donovan Michael, Appellants, v. COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE, INC. and Thomas A. Pauletti, Jr., Appellees.
No. 96 — 4150.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
Jan. 28, 1998.
Donald S. Rose, Miami, for appellants.
Joseph I. Davis, Jr., and Jeffrey T. Kucera of Markowitz, Davis, Ringel & Trusty, P.A., Miami, for appellee Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, Inc.

Opinion:
POLEN, Judge.
Diane Earn and Donovan Michael appeal from a final summary judgment entered in favor of Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, Inc (Coldwell Banker). We reject Earn and Michael's contention Judge Andrews acted outside his authority as a successor judge in granting Coldwell Banker's motion for final summary judgment. A successor judge properly assigned to a case may vacate or vary interlocutory orders made earlier by another judge. Whitlock v. Drazinic, 622 So.2d 142 (Fla. 5th DCA 1993). We also reject Earn and Michael's argument their counts for "negligent breach of contract" and breach of fiduciary duty were not barred by the economic loss rule. "[WJithout some conduct resulting in personal injury or property damage, there can be no independent tort flowing from a contractual breach which would justify a tort claim solely for economic losses." AFM Corp. v. Southern Bell Tel. & Tel. Co., 515 So.2d 180, 181-182 (Fla.1987).
We reverse the final summary judgment, however, because the trial court abused its discretion in failing to grant Earn and Michael leave to amend their complaint, a request they sought by way of motion for rehearing before final summary judgment was entered. See Johnson & Bailey Architects P.C. v. Southeast Brake Corp., 517 So.2d 776 (Fla. 2d DCA 1988). "As a general rule, refusal to allow amendment of a pleading constitutes an abuse of discretion unless it clearly appears that allowing the amendment would prejudice the opposing party; the privilege to amend has been abused; or amendment would be futile." Bill Williams Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. v. Haymarket Coop. Bank, 592 So.2d 302, 305 (Fla. 1st DCA 1991). Earn and Michael were granted leave to amend only once, and then solely for the purpose of enumerating claims and paragraphs. Under these circumstances they should have been granted leave to amend their complaint.
REVERSED and REMANDED.
GLICKSTEIN and GUNTHER, JJ., concur.