Pierce v. Kroha, 200 So. 3d 241 (Fla. 5th DCA 2016). · Go Syfert
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discussed Cited "see" Mtw Jordan Inc., Jordan Ave. Management, Inc., Markee White and v. Tnt Educators, Inc. D/B/A Apple Academy, Tanya Baskerville & Waltrell Lee
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See Pierce v. Kroha, 200 So. 3d 241, 241 (Fla. 5th DCA 2016); Osheroff v. Osheroff, 694 So. 2d 855, 855 (Fla. 3d DCA 1997).1 AFFIRMED, in part; REVERSED, in part; DISMISSED, in part, and REMANDED for further proceedings.
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Silas PIERCE and Estate Sales Stars, Appellants,
v.
Christopher KROHA, Appellee
5D15-2364.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
Sep 30, 2016.
200 So. 3d 241
Pamela R. Masters, Daytona Beach, and Nicholas A. Shannin, of Shannin Law Firm, P.A., Orlando, for Appellants., Sherri K. Dewitt, Moses R. Dewitt and Melissa L. Newmons, of Dewitt Law Firm, P.A., Orlando, for Appellee.
Sawaya, Torpy, Cohen.
Cited by 1 opinion  |  Published
PER CURIAM.

The trial court entered a default judgment after Appellants (defendants below) [1] filed a motion to dismiss and motion to clarify instead of an answer, as they had been ordered to do. This was an abuse of discretion. Osheroff v. Osheroff, 694 So.2d 855 (Fla. 3d DCA 1997). Although the better practice to challenge this error would have been a direct appeal, there is authority that it may be challenged by a motion to vacate the judgment. Thaw, Gopman & Assocs., P.A. v. Jack J. Greenberg, M.D. & Assocs., P.A., 595 So.2d 305 (Fla. 3d DCA 1992). Accordingly, we reverse and remand this cause for further proceedings.

REVERSED and REMANDED.

SAWAYA, TORPY and COHEN, JJ., concur.
1

. We use the term "Appellants” in the plural because that is the way the appeal is styled, and the arguments are framed as if two distinct defendants were involved. In fact, it appears from the record that "Estate Sales Stars” is simply a fictitious name for defendant Pierce. Although the complaint and other pleadings refer to the so-called entity as "a Florida Corporation,” Appellee’s process server’s affidavit asserts to the contrary. Indeed, if it is a corporation, it is not correctly named. A Florida corporation’s name must contain words such as "corporation,” "incorporated,” "company,” or abbreviations for the foregoing. § 607.0401(1), Fla. Stat. (2016). Although this issue is not raised in this appeal, the sloppy pleadings should be corrected to reflect the correct status and names of the parties.