Court Opinion

ID: 9904151
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-11-27 16:21:45.215045+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:20:57.829647
License: Public Domain

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
                      FIFTH DISTRICT

                                  NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO
                                  FILE MOTION FOR REHEARING AND
                                  DISPOSITION THEREOF IF FILED

CLEVELAND WELLNESS MEDICAL,
LLC A/A/O ROBENSON NERIEDE,

             Appellants,

v.                                          Case No. 5D21-2623
                                            LT Case No. 2020-SC-054442-O

DIRECT GENERAL INSURANCE
COMPANY,

             Appellee.

________________________________/

Opinion filed September 9, 2022

Appeal from the County Court
for Orange County,
Carly S. Wish, Judge.

Chad A. Barr, of Chad Barr Law, Altamonte
Springs, for Appellant.

William J. McFarlane, III, and Michael K.
Mittelmark, of McFarlane Law, Coral
Springs, for Appellee.

HARRIS, J.
      Cleveland    Wellness    Medical,    LLC    a/a/o   Robenson     Neriede

(“Cleveland Wellness”) appeals the trial court’s order granting Direct General

Insurance Company’s amended motion to dismiss the complaint with

prejudice. Cleveland Wellness argues in part that the trial court violated

procedural rules by relying on a default judgment from a separate case to

grant the dismissal. We agree.

      When considering a motion to dismiss a complaint, trial courts are

confined to the allegations contained within the four corners of the complaint

and must accept all well-pled allegations as true. Deutsche Bank Nat’l Tr.

Co. v. Lippi, 78 So. 3d 81, 94 (Fla. 5th DCA 2012). Therefore, the trial court’s

reliance on a judgment from a separate case that was not attached to

Cleveland Wellness’s complaint or incorporated by reference was error. See

KC Quality Care, LLC v. Direct Gen. Ins. Co., 47 Fla. L. Weekly D1615 (Fla.

5th DCA July 29, 2022). We reverse and remand for further proceedings.

      REVERSED and REMANDED.

WALLIS and SASSO, JJ., concur.

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