Rule 1.975 On published service

If someone is only notified about a lawsuit through a published notice in a newspaper (or through publication plus mail, as allowed under rule 1.311), the court cannot enter a personal judgment against that person. This means the court cannot order them to personally pay money or take other direct action.

The only way a personal judgment can be entered against this person is if they actually show up and participate in the case in some way. Simply publishing a notice about the lawsuit is not enough to hold someone personally responsible for a judgment. This rule protects people who may not have actually seen or received real notice of the case against them, since published notices are often a last resort when someone cannot be found or personally served.