Real Property Update - Condo Termination / Mandatory Arbitration: Unit owner could not pursue claims relating to condo termination for failure to comply with Florida Statutes section 718.117(16), which required unit...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 - Foreclosure: Where the foreclosure defendant was properly served, and default and default final judgment was entered against said defendant, the defendant can only contest the unliquidated damages...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 / Bankruptcy / Surrender: borrower cannot challenge judgment of foreclosure entered upon judicial notice of his statement of intention to surrender the property and order of discharge...more
Fiat Chrysler and struggling post-Ghosn French automaker Renault are in talks to complete a merger of equals that could “reshape the global automobile industry.” If a deal is reached the combined company would be the third...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 - Foreclosure / Attorneys' Fees: borrower not entitled to attorneys' fees for prevailing on lender's claim for reformation of mortgage, where lender prevailed on claim of foreclosure without...more
Financial Services Update - FDCPA / definition of "debt collector": law firm carrying out a nonjudicial foreclosure action not a debt collector because the primary definition of a "debt collector" under sec. 1692a does not...more
Financial Services Update - FDCPA: no liability for a debt collector that provides the name of the hospital, the account number, patient name, date of service, and amount of debt, but who fails to include the word "creditor"...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure/Statute of Limitations & Res Judicata: trial court erred in finding that bank's foreclosure action was barred by statute of limitations and res judicata - U.S. Bank Nat'l Ass'n, etc. v....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 - Summary Judgment: incorporation of an affirmative defense by referencing “previously filed pleadings” does not obviate movant’s obligation to comply with particularity requirements mandated by rule...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
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Standing/Foreclosure: pursuant to Florida Rule of Procedure 1.260, the assignee of a note during pendency of a foreclosure acquires standing of original plaintiff lender - Spicer v Ocwen Loan...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Receiver/Barton Doctrine: individual could not bring negligence action against discharged receiver of commercial property until individual first obtained leave to do so from the court that appointed...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Summary judgment: trial court erred by denying borrower’s motion to amend answer and defenses, and therefore erred in entering summary judgment in favor of lender. Reyes v BAC Home Loans Servicing...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure / Statute of Limitations: trial court improperly found that, because payments due under a note and mortgage were accelerated in a prior 2009 action, the second action filed over five...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure/Redemption: foreclosure sale conducted without knowledge of bankruptcy affirmed, but trial court orders denying mortgagor opportunity to redeem property before certificate of sale actually...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure/Standing: note owner had constructive possession of promissory note in original servicer’s physically possession of blank-endorsed note when it filed the complaint, and had standing to...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure: final summary judgment in borrower’s favor inappropriate where borrower merely asserted that lender mistakenly filed copy of original note with court, instead of original, and where...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
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure/Deficiency Judgment: where a foreclosing bank acquires in rem jurisdiction via service by publication in underlying foreclosure action, bank may still seek personal service over an...more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Coequal Liens: trial court properly authorized tax collector to issue tax certificates subject to community development district’s assessment liens – Villages of Avignon Community Dev. Dist. v....more
REAL PROPERTY UPDATE - Foreclosure/Lis Pendens: a proper reading of Florida Statute section 48.23(1)(d) is that “when a foreclosure action is prosecuted to a judicial sale, that sale discharges all liens, whether...more