Freiheit v. Tamarac Lakes North Ass'n

WILLIAM C. OWEN, Jr., Senior Judge.

Appellant’s lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after appellant’s trial counsel, Ms. Kleinfeld, was, for the second time, absent from court during the jury trial of this cause. We reverse.

On the first occasion of counsel’s absence, the fourth day of trial, the court proceedings were delayed several hours until the court was notified of counsel’s illness. The trial was recessed until February 6th, a period of three weeks. During that interim the court held a hearing to determine the reason for counsel’s failure to appear. She offered what the court…