REAL ESTATE CORNER
REAL ESTATE CORNER
Florida Real Property and Business Litigation Report
MANUEL FARACH
Dewberry Group, Inc. v. Dewberry Engineers
Inc., Case No. 23 – 900( 2025). https:// www. supremecourt. gov / opinions / 24pdf / 23-900 _ 19m1. pdf A court awarding“ defendant’ s profits” to the prevailing plaintiff in a trademark infringement suit under the Lanham Act, § 1117( a) can award only profits ascribable to the“ defendant” itself.
Thompson v. United States, Case No. 23 – 1095( 2025). https:// www. supremecourt. gov / opinions / 24pdf / 23-1095 _ 8mjp. pdf A borrower making an incomplete statement to a F. D. I. C. investigator that he“ borrowed $ 110,000” when he in fact took out a loan for $ 269,000 does not violate 18 U. S. C. § 1014’ s prohibition of“ knowingly mak [ ing ] any false statement” to influence FDIC action on a loan.
United States v. Miller, Case No. 23 – 824( 2025). https:// www. supremecourt. gov / opinions / 24pdf / 23-824 _ 2d93. pdf The sovereign immunity waiver under § 106( a) of the Bankruptcy Code applies only to a federal cause of action established by § 544( b) and does not extend to state-law claims nested within that federal claim.
Waetzig v. Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Case No. 23 – 971( 2025). https:// www. supremecourt. gov / opinions / 24pdf / 23-971 _ l6gn. pdf A voluntary dismissal without prejudice counts as a“ final proceeding” under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60( b).
In Re: Amendments To Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration, Case No. SC2023-1401( Fla. 2025). https:// supremecourt. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2449279 / opinion / Opinion _ SC2023-1401. pdf The Florida Supreme Court adopts new Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.345( Electronic Signature of Court Official) and 2.511( Florida Courts E-filing Portal) and amends and clarifies Rules 2.514( Computing and Extending Time), 2.515( Signature and Certificates of Attorneys and Parties), 2.516( Service of Pleadings and Documents), 2.520( Documents), and 2.525( Electronic Filing).
Vericker v. Powell, Case No. SC2022-1042( Fla. 2025). https:// supremecourt. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2449609 / opinion / Opinion _ SC2022-1042. pdf A district court of appeal does not have certiorari jurisdiction to review denials of motions brought under one of Florida’ s three Anti-SLAPP( Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) statutes.
In Re: Amendments To Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.130, Case No. SC2024- 1798( Fla. 2025). https:// supremecourt. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2449610 / opinion / Opinion _ SC2024-1798. pdf New subdivision( a)( 3)( J) is added to Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.130 to allow interlocutory review by non-final appeal of orders that deny a motion under one of he Anti-SLAPP statutes.
Pesantes v. Kelley, Case No. 3D24-0632( Fla. 3d DCA 2025). https:// 3dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2447933 / opinion / Opinion _ 2024-0632. pdf A party who does not first comply with the pre-suit mediation requirements of the FAR- Bar contract is not entitled to an award of attorney’ s fees.
Lake Worth Financial, Inc. v. KA Masonry,
Inc., Case No. 3D24-1784( Fla. 3d DCA 2025). https:// 3dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2447909 / opinion / Opinion _ 2024-1784. pdf A non-signatory may be bound by a contract’ s forum selection clause if there is a close relationship between the non-signatory and the signatory, the non-signatory’ s interests are derivative of the signatory’ s, and the claims involving the non-signatory arise out of the contract.
Moss & Associates, LLC v. Peterson, Case No. 3D24-2118( Fla. 3d DCA 2025). https:// 3dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2447942 / opinion / Opinion _ 2024-2118. pdf A condominium owner suing for defective repairs contracted for by the condominium association, i. e., the owner had no direct contract with the repair company, must nonetheless comply with the pre-suit notice of claim requirements set forth in Florida Statutes section 558.004.
First Financial Northwest, Inc. v. Laver, Case No. 4D2024-0727( Fla. 4th DCA 2025). https:// 4dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2448297 / opinion / Opinion _ 2024-0727. pdf The following provision is a mandatory fees provision notwithstanding the use of the word“ may” in the prefatory sentence of the provision: You [ Purchaser ] may have to pay collection costs. If we [ Karma ] hire an attorney to collect what you owe, you will pay the attorney’ s fees and court costs as the law allows. This includes any attorneys’ fees we incur as a result of any bankruptcy proceeding brought by or against you under federal law.
Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. v. Jiminez, Case No. 2D2024-0780( Fla. 2d DCA 2025). https:// 2dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2449008 / opinion / Opinion _ 2024-0780. pdf The Second District adopts Lennar Homes, LLC v. Wilkinsky, 353 So. 3d 654( Fla. 4th DCA 2023), and holds the Significant Relationship Test for arbitrability of claims applies only when“ the arbitration agreement uses broad language that does not expressly include the claim at issue.”
Pierre ' s Caribbean Cuisine LLC v. LeaseFlorida
LLC, Case No. 3D24-0512( Fla. 3d DCA 2025). https:// 3dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2448895 / opinion / Opinion _ 2024-0512. pdf A landlord suing a tenant cannot employ the jury trial waiver contained in a guaranty separate from the lease itself to exclude a jury trial on disputes regarding the lease.
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PBCBA BAR BULLETIN 22