Choosing the right contractor can make or break your construction or renovation project. In Florida, hiring the wrong person can lead to unlicensed work, code violations, payment disputes, or even liens on your property. The best protection? Ask the right questions before you sign the contract — not after the problems begin. Here are the top questions Florida property … Read more
Contractors licensed in Florida must ensure that any business they operate or supervise is properly qualified through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Depending on the license type — general contracting, trade contracting, or electrical contracting — different forms are required to establish legal qualification of a business entity under Florida law. This … Read more
When a contract goes sideways, a vendor refuses to pay, or a business deal turns into a legal dispute, many business owners are left wondering:What does litigation actually look like — and how long will it take? Understanding the business litigation process in Florida can help you make informed decisions, manage expectations, and protect your company’s time, … Read more
A Step-by-Step Legal and Practical Guide for Florida Property Owners Hiring a contractor should move your project forward—not leave you with substandard work, unfinished spaces, or thousands of dollars in damage. Unfortunately, many Florida property owners—both residential and commercial—find themselves asking the same question:“What do I do now that the contractor abandoned the job or … Read more
Executing a lien on behalf of the contracting entity does not create individual liability. See BRUCE TANSEY CUSTOM CARPENTRY, INC. v GOODMAN , 33 So.3d 70, (Fla. 2nd DCA 2010), “Even if the complaint had alleged that Tansey was individually liable, the evidence did not support individual liability where Custom Carpentry was the lienor and Tansey signed … Read more
Florida Non-Compete Agreements, Non-Solicitation, Non-Disclosure, and Non-Disparagement Agreements Non-Compete Agreements are disfavored by the Courts, as against public policy, but are enforced by Courts when they comply with Florida Statute 542.335. Fla. Stat. 542.18 – General Rule Making Restraints Unlawful- Restraint of trade or commerce.—Every contract, combination, or conspiracy in restraint of trade or commerce in … Read more
Small Business Attorney: A Small Business Attorney For All Aspects of Your Small Business and Personal Life In this economy every dollar counts, you need to see a Small Business Attorney for your business and your personal matters. Small Business Attorney is for more than your just business it is your one stop attorney for … Read more
Does a Florida Corporation Need to be Represented by an Attorney In Court? Yes, but with one exception. A corporation may not represent itself through non-lawyer employees, officers, or shareholders. Nicholson Supply Co. v. First Federal Savings & Loan Ass’n of Hardee County, 184 So.2d 438 (Fla. 2d DCA 1966); See also Szteinbaum v. Kaes … Read more
Default Basics. A default occurs in litigation when a party fails either to respond to a lawsuit, and less often can be entered against a party who fails to comply with a court order. In Florida, a party in most cases has 20 days to answer a lawsuit. If that party fails to file any … Read more
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In Florida there are generally 4 bases to obtain attorney’s fees as damages in a lawsuit. The general rule also known as the “American Rule” is that each party bears its attorneys fees in litigation, it is the default rule in Florida. However, here are the exceptions to that rule. 1. Statutory Basis for Attorney … Read more
DUI (Driving Under the Influence of Alcoholic Beverages, Chemical Substances or Controlled Substances). s. 316.193, F.S. Under Florida law, DUI is one offense, proved by impairment of normal faculties or unlawful blood alcohol or breath alcohol level of .08 or above. The penalties upon conviction are the same, regardless of the manner in which the … Read more
Are you a victim of a real estate transaction gone wrong? Did an agent, broker, or seller make misrepresentations about the property which are now causing you problems? Not disclose issues affecting the value of your property? Unauthorized work and work performed without permits to the property Undisclosed liens and other title defects Undisclosed defects in construction … Read more
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There is a common misconception(myth) among contractors that the deadline to file a lawsuit on a claim of lien can be extended beyond the one year statutory period simply by refiling the same claim of lien before the expiration of the first. This is inaccurate. Simply put, you have 1 year from the recording of … Read more
One of the first things an attorney thinks about when defending claims based on oral contracts is whether such claims are barred by the Statute of Frauds. The State of Frauds is a common law defense which has been incorporated into statute in Florida. Traditionally, the Statute of Frauds requires a signed writing in the … Read more
In construction contracting subcontractors need to be aware of “pay-when-paid”(pay-if-paid) clauses in their contracts with general contractors. The purpose of these provisions is to make payment by the general contractor (GC) to the subcontractor (sub) conditioned upon the GC receiving payment from the owner. Simply put, the GC wants to pay its sub for completed … Read more
Joint accounts are common but most people do not understand the rights of each named account owner. While the titling of joint accounts will determine who may access such accounts from the bank’s perspective (with the use of an “and” or “or” designation, requiring both or just one owner to access, respectively), ownership is not … Read more
OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is an agency of the Department of Labor. Its mission is to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and occupational fatality by issuing and enforcing standards for workplace safety and health. For simplicity’s sake, OSHA has officers which perform workplace inspections and issue citations for non-compliance with promulgated standards found in … Read more
I want to transfer my residence to my child/children keeping a life estate for myself so that my property avoids probate, will I lose my homestead exemption or my “Save Our Home” valuation? NO , to both. Here is why: A transfer from full ownership (fee simple) to a life estate where the grantor keeps … Read more
The filing of a Notice to Owner is just one of many steps in perfecting a claim of lien under Florida law. The Notice to Owner is filed by a subcontractor or materialman who does not have a contract with the Owner. This notices simply lets the Owner know “hey, I am working on your … Read more
Generally, public works construction projects must be procured by competitive bidding. Fla. Stat. 255.20(1). However, the requirement for competitive bidding in Fla. Stat. 255.20 does not prohibit application of any small-business or disadvantaged-business enterprise program or any local-preference ordinance.Fla Stat. 255.20(i). Local Preference ordinances are used by governmental entities to help local businesses obtain public work, … Read more
Florida’s Civil Theft Statute is a powerful tool to recover damages for theft and theft related civil actions which enables the Plaintiffs to seek attorney’s fees and treble (triple) damages. However, there are some nuances in Florida Law which should be reviewed before filing an action for Civil Theft. First, the economic loss doctrine is generally a … Read more
The Federal Civil RICO statute is a very powerful tool that can provide a litigant Federal Question Jurisdiction and the ability to recover treble damages and attorneys’ fees when otherwise unavailable. However, a major hurdle to successfully pleading and prosecuting a civil RICO claim is making sure that the facts support a showing of the … Read more
A bid protest is a tool available to bidders on public projects who feel that they have been aggrieved by the bid process. However, to properly bring a bid protest you need to have standing. Generally, only the second lowest bidder has standing to challenge the award to the lowest bidder. There are some exceptions … Read more