Title Insurance and Your Transaction
Financial Services Update - FDCPA / Attorneys' Fees: Although FCCPA was the only statutory basis for award of attorneys' fees in defendant's favor, plaintiff's FDCPA claims related to the same set of operative facts and...more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure / Condition Precedent: Borrower who raises an affirmative defense, such as failure of conditions precedent, bears the burden of proving that affirmative defense even if lender's complaint...more
Real Property Update - Fraudulent Transfer: Real property that was worth less than mortgage encumbering it was not an asset per the plain language of section 726.102(2) and, therefore, could not support fraudulent transfer...more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure / Notice: Mail log sufficient evidence to establish mailing of notice to borrower of default and possibility of foreclosure – Stacknik v. U.S. Bank, N.A., No. 2D18-2156 (Fla. 2d DCA Nov....more
Real Property Update - Construction Lien: a delinquency charge of 1.5 percent found in materialman's contract with general contractor is not a finance charge recoverable under the materialman lien statute, Florida Statutes...more
Real Property Update - Mortgagee Liability: because section 701.04(1)(a), Florida Statutes, requires that the holder of a mortgage deliver to the mortgagor a written estoppel letter setting forth the unpaid balance of the...more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure / Standing: owner of property subject to mortgage at the time the complaint and lis pendens were filed had standing to dispute legal sufficiency of proof of amount due where owner was...more
Real Property Update - Attorneys' Fees / Voluntary Dismissal: it is an exception to the general rule that when a plaintiff voluntarily dismisses an action the defendant is the prevailing party, when both parties...more
Real Property Update - Ad Valorem Taxes: in a matter of first impression, county's immunity from taxation does not extend extraterritorially to property it owns in another Florida county - Joiner v. Pinellas Cnty., Fla.,...more
Real Property Update - • Special Tax District Bond Validation: hospital center special tax district could not validate bonds intended to finance the construction of a hospital outside the geographic boundaries established...more
Real Property Update - Foreclosure/Attorneys' Fees: where borrower prevailed on argument that dismissal of foreclosure action was required as bank was not entitled to enforce a mortgage contract containing a fee...more
Real Property Update - - Chapter 720 / Prevailing Party Fees: developer that successfully defended against association’s lawsuit for declaratory and injunctive relief was properly awarded prevailing party attorneys’ fees...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure/Standing: bank's allegation in complaint that it acquired loan and possessed both legal and beneficial interest in note and mortgage prior to filing complaint, coupled with the subsequent...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Lis Pendens: lawsuit to foreclose mortgage on real property is an action "founded on a duly recorded instrument" - National American Home, LLC v Deutsche Bank Nat. Trust Co., Case No. 4D17-2614 (Fla....more
Misrepresentation/Concealment: genuine issues of material fact remained in dispute regarding whether board-certified real estate attorney committed fraudulent or negligent misrepresentation or concealment by falsely assuring...more
Real Property Update - US Supreme Court - Regulatory Taking: owner of parcel A, that took title to adjacent parcel B after regulation restricting use of parcels had been passed, lost grandfather rights for both parcels by...more
Real Property Update - Lease: where lessee transfers leasehold interest to third party, but retains easement in leased property, lessee transfers less than “entire interest” in property, and such sublease not tantamount to...more
Supreme Court Advance Release Opinions: Released after 11:30 a.m. SC19568, SC19569 - Mayer v. Historic District Commission - The statutory grounds for aggrievement for zoning appeals do not apply to Historic...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure/Attorneys’ Fees: mortgage foreclosure plaintiffs seeking attorney’s fees must support their claim with competent, substantial evidence of the number of hours worked and evidence that...more
Foreclosure: foreclosing bank’s allegation that borrowers were in a continuing state of default sufficient to satisfy five-year statute of limitations even though stated initial default date was more than five years prior to...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Deficiency/Subject Matter Jurisdiction: approving the 3d DCA’s opinion that an assignee of a foreclosure judgment can maintain a separate action for deficiency under Florida Statutes, Section...more
Foreclosure: debtor that agreed to “surrender” property in bankruptcy was required to surrender the property to the bankruptcy trustee and secured creditor, and lost right to defend secured creditor’s foreclosure action...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE: Foreclosure/Standing: where copy of note attached to foreclosure complaint contained no endorsement and original note presented at trial had endorsement in favor of plaintiff, plaintiff required to...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure/Automatic Stay: because final judgment entered day after defendant’s petition for bankruptcy, automatic stay imposed by 11 U.S.C. § 362 was in effect and, thus, judgment was void, even...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - - Foreclosure/Standing/Hearsay: copy of a note with undated allonge containing blank endorsement sufficient to establish standing as a matter of law, even though bank did not have formal...more