Our Blogs
What is a Notice of Commencement?
Chapter 713 of the Florida Statutes covers construction liens, or mechanic's liens. This law has certain requirements specified that protect contractors, subcontractors, sub-subcontractors and suppliers with provisions for timely payment and for enforcing liens on property in the event of non-payment. There are also safeguards for property owners from having... read more
Are contracts valid if signed when drunk?
People routinely make incorrect decisions when they're under the influence of alcohol. In some instances, an intoxicated person may sign a contract while under the influence only to later regret entering into the agreement. Fortunately, Florida law often grants recourse to individuals who sign a contract while intoxicated, and the... read more
When is a Commercial Lease Binding?
Commercial and residential leases have major differences, one of which is Florida's consumer protection laws. Privacy laws, security deposits and the same uniformity of other tenants' leases are also not necessarily connected to a commercial lease. There are many reasons why comprehensive review by a Fort Lauderdale lease dispute attorney... read more
Expired contractor license penalties
If a contractor's license lapses and no contracting work is being performed by the unlicensed contractor, there's no problem. However, if a person chooses to act in the capacity of a contractor without being licensed to do so, the penalties may be severe. Those penalties are covered in Florida Statute... read more
Oral contracts in Florida: Are they binding?
Updated: May 26th, 2017With the exception of contracts that are required to be in writing pursuant to Florida law – as listed below – oral agreements are binding and legally enforceable. However, just because an oral contract is enforceable does not make entering into one advisable or favorable. They're notoriously difficult to... read more
Two contracts; Two mechanic’s liens
Clients sometimes ask us whether they need to do two (2) separate mechanic's liens when they have two (2) small contracts on the same project in Fort Lauderdale or Hollywood. They call hoping that the answer will be that they can get away with one (1) lien. This is either because... read more
Public property and lien rights
If you're working on public property in Florida, you usually have no lien rights. As a substitute to lien rights a payment bond may be available. However, sometimes there are still rights where one thought there might be none. If the work on the public property is a result of the... read more
Foreclosing on Smaller Liens
Lienors are now able to foreclose on mechanic's liens under $15,000. Broward County Court may provide a more amicable, quicker and less expensive forum than Circuit Court for liens under $15,000. In the past, foreclosing on smaller construction liens in the Fort Lauderdale area ($10,000 to $15,000 depending on the... read more
Don’t assume you have lien rights
Today's construction projects have become more treacherous, requiring suppliers and subcontractors performing on them to be more careful in determining what their position is in relation to the owner and general contractor. This elevated level of caution from their Fort Lauderdale attorneys helps them ensure that they protect their rights... read more
Liens and the Proper Payment Act in Broward County
Despite the myriad of pitfalls and obstacles created by Florida's Legislature designed to protect Broward County lienors in their claims against the owners and their right to attorney's fees should they prevail on a lien foreclosure action, there remains a bastion or safe haven for the owner in the rubric... read more