ELLIS v. EAST COAST COOLING TOWER INC (2026)

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.

Tammy ELLIS, Appellant, v. EAST COAST COOLING TOWER, INC., Appellee.

Case No. 5D2024-1458

Decided: May 22, 2026

Brian J. Lee, of Morgan & Morgan, Jacksonville, for Appellant. Ezequiel Lugo and DeeAnn J. McLemore, of Banker Lopez Gassler P.A., St. Petersburg, and Eleanor H. Sills, Tallahassee, for Appellee.

Tammy Ellis appeals the trial court's order dismissing her amended complaint pursuant to Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.070(j) based on her failure to timely effect service of process on East Coast Cooling Tower, Inc. Although the trial court's order dismissed Ms. Ellis’ case without prejudice, because the statute of limitations had run, the dismissal was, as a practical matter, a dismissal with prejudice. The law is clearly established that a trial court abuses its discretion by dismissing a case under Rule 1.070(j) where, as here, service of process was obtained prior to the hearing on the motion to dismiss and when the statute of limitations has run preventing plaintiff from refiling its suit. See Regions Bank v. Buoncervello, 220 So. 3d 1225, 1227 (Fla. 5th DCA 2017).

Accordingly, we reverse and remand for further proceedings.

Reversed and Remanded.

Per Curiam.

Lambert, Edwards, and Eisnaugle, JJ., concur.

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