First Union National Bank v. Hartle

First Union National Bank of Florida, [hereinafter First Union], appeals the lower *296court’s order dismissing its amended complaint with prejudice, pursuant to Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.420(b)1 for failure to comply with a court-ordered fifteen-day filing requirement and on the ground of laches. We agree that the dismissal of First Union’s complaint with prejudice was an excessively harsh sanction under the facts of this case, and we reverse.

First Union is the successor by merger to First Bankers, N.A., the personal representative of the reopened estate of appellee Hartle’s father. The…