IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
FIFTH DISTRICT
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO
FILE MOTION FOR REHEARING AND
DISPOSITION THEREOF IF FILED
ROBERT T. POTCHEN,
Appellant,
v. Case No. 5D15-2602
ALICE POTCHEN,
Appellee.
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Opinion filed July 1, 2016
Appeal from the Circuit Court
for Seminole County,
Jessica J. Recksiedler, Judge.
Robert T. Potchen, Milton, pro se.
No Appearance for Appellee.
PER CURIAM.
In this domestic violence injunction case, Robert Potchen appeals an order
modifying a permanent injunction to allow his wife to enter the marital home and retrieve
her possessions. Although the order seems appropriate, Appellant is correct that he was
denied due process when the lower court failed to act on his request to appear by
telephone from prison. See, e.g., Garrett v. Pratt, 128 So. 3d 928, 928 (Fla. 5th DCA
2013) ("An incarcerated party has a right to be heard in civil matters if the party has
brought to the court's attention his or her desire to appear personally or telephonically.");
Johnson v. Johnson, 992 So. 2d 399, 401-02 (Fla. 1st DCA 2008) ("When a party is
incarcerated and cannot physically appear in a civil matter, the trial court normally should
grant a request to hold necessary hearings by telephone, pursuant to the procedure
outlined in Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.071 [now 2.530], as an alternative to
requiring that the inmate be transported to the hearing by the state." (quoting Johnson v.
Johnson, 783 So. 2d 326, 327 (Fla. 1st DCA 2001))); see also Samanka v. Brookhouser,
899 So. 2d 1190, 1191 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005) ("A nonmoving party must be afforded a
hearing before an injunction may be amended."). As such, we reverse and remand with
directions that Appellant be given an opportunity to be heard on the motion.
REVERSED AND REMANDED WITH DIRECTIONS.
LAWSON, C.J., LAMBERT and EDWARDS, JJ., concur.
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