PALMA v. RIVERA ALAMILLA (2025)

We treat petitioner Dilia Palma's petition for writ of certiorari as an interlocutory appeal ¹ of the trial court's March 17, 2025 nonfinal order that granted respondent Alfredo Rivera Alamilla's motion to disqualify Palma's trial counsel.² We affirm the challenged order because the trial court did not abuse its discretion in granting Alamilla's disqualification motion. See R. Regulating Fla. Bar 4-3.7 (preventing a lawyer from serving as counsel for a party when the lawyer is also a necessary witness in the case); Cordero v. Cordero, 368 So. 3d 1065, 1068 (Fla. 3d DCA 2023) (“The Court's standard of review for orders entered on motions to disqualify counsel is that of an abuse of discretion.”).

Petition treated as interlocutory appeal and challenged order affirmed.

FOOTNOTES

1.   See Fla. R. App. P. 9.040(c) (“If a party seeks an improper remedy, the cause must be treated as if the proper remedy had been sought; provided that it will not be the responsibility of the court to seek the proper remedy.”).

2.   See Fla. R. App. P. 9.130(a)(3)(E) (“Appeals to the district courts of appeal of nonfinal orders are limited to those that ․ grant or deny a motion to disqualify trial counsel[.]”).

PER CURIAM.