REAL ESTATE CORNER
REAL ESTATE CORNER
Florida Real Property and Business Litigation Report( Continued)
MANUEL FARACH
Avila v. Biscayne 21 Condominium, Inc., Case No. 3D23-1616( Fla. 3d DCA 2025). https:// 3dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2454513 / opinion / Opinion _ 2023-1616. pdf The term“ voting rights” in a declaration of condominium encompasses not only the right to vote but additional rights such as the percentage of votes necessary to permit termination of the condominium. Finding no“ Kaufman language” in this particular case, the court certified the following question as one of great public importance: MAY AN AMENDMENT ALTERING THE VOTING THRESHOLD REQUIRED TO TERMINATE A CONDOMINIUM PASS WITHOUT UNANIMOUS APPROVAL WHERE A CONDOMINIUM DECLARATION BOTH:( 1) REQUIRES THE UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF THE UNIT OWNERS BEFORE EITHER TERMINATING THE CONDOMINIUM OR PASSING ANY AMENDMENT TO THE DECLARATION OF CONDOMINIUM ALTERING A UNIT OWNER’ S“ VOTING RIGHTS” AND( 2) LACKS LANGUAGE PURSUANT TO KAUFMAN V. SHERE, 347 SO. 2D 627( FLA. 3D DCA 1977), AUTOMATICALLY INCORPORATING RELEVANT STATUTORY CHANGES INTO SUCH CONTRACTUAL PROVISIONS?
ACF IV, LLC v. FDI Capital, LLC, Case No. 3D24-0533( Fla. 3d DCA 2025). https:// 3dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2454462 / opinion / Opinion _ 2024-0533. pdf Unless the context otherwise requires, private loan participation agreements are not considered“ securities” protected under section 517.12( 1) of the Florida Securities and Investor Protection Act.
De Soleil South Beach Association, Inc. v.
Perrin, Case No. 3D24-0707( Fla. 3d DCA 2025). https:// 3dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2454466 / opinion / Opinion _ 2024-0707. pdf The Third District re-affirms its holding of IconBrickell Condo. No. Three Ass’ n, Inc. v. New Media Consulting, LLC, 310 So. 3d 477( Fla. 3d DCA 2022), that common elements cannot be disassociated from a condominium, even when as in this case- the Master Declaration states the condominium portion of a mixed-use development has no common elements.
Hourglass Entertainment, LLC v. NRG Investments, Inc., Case No. 2D2024-1251( Fla. 2d DCA 2025). https:// 2dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2454691 / opinion / Opinion _ 2024-1251. pdf A landlord who retakes possession of the premises for the account of a defaulting tenant may hold the tenant liable in general damages for the difference between the rentals stipulated to be paid and what, in good faith, the landlord is able to recover from a reletting, but is not entitled to accelerate the damages.
Vuletic Group L. L. C. v. Malkin, Case No. 4D2024-1589( Fla. 4th DCA 2025). https:// 4dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2454725 / opinion / Opinion _ 2024-1589. pdf Damages for breach of a construction contract must be measured from the date of breach.
Atlantic Wealth Partners, LLC v. Brant, Case No. 4D2024-3198( Fla. 4th DCA 2025). https:// 4dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2454734 / opinion / Opinion _ 2024-3198. pdf Engaging in trial court discovery may not necessarily constitute a waiver of the right to compel arbitration if the arbitration agreement provides for trial court injunctive relief and the discovery is limited to the claimed injunctive relief.
Quires v. Copperstone Equestrian Center,
LLC, Case No. 5D2023-2967( Fla. 5th DCA 2025). https:// 5dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2454866 / opinion / Opinion _ 2023-2967. pdf
A trial court has discretion to withhold and is not required to award attorney’ s fee to a prevailing defendant in a claim under Florida’ s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
Gartman v. Southern Tactical Range, LLC, Case No. 1D2022-3567( Fla. 1st DCA 2025). https:// 1dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2455037 / opinion / Opinion _ 2022-3567. pdf The Forida Constitution’ s Access to Courts provision( Art. I, § 4, Fla. Const.( 1885)) prohibits the Florida Legislature from abolishing causes of action that existed at the time of the constitution’ s adoption, and accordingly, prohibits Florida Statute sections 823.16( 2) and( 3)( gun ranges immune from liability for noise-related nuisance claims) from eliminating noiserelated nuisance claims.
Crist v. Manhattan Palms Association One, LLC, Case No. 2D2024-1062( Fla. 2d DCA 2025). https:// 2dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2455010 / opinion / Opinion _ 2024-1062. pdf Clerks of Court owe a duty to properly record documents but are protected by sovereign immunity if they mis-index a document in the public records; conflict certified with First American Title Insurance Co. of St. Lucie County v. Dixon, 603 So. 2d 562( Fla. 4th DCA 1992).
Gomez v. CVPort Services, LLC, Case No. 3D22-1494( Fla. 3d DCA 2025). https:// 3dca. flcourts. gov / content / download / 2455101 / opinion / Opinion _ 2022-1494. pdf A promissory note that is payable to two parties but contains an option to convert debt to equity that is exercised is no longer payable to multiple parties and is not covered by Florida Statute section 673.1101( 4)( note payable to multiple parties“ not alternatively” can only be enforced by all of them).
PBCBA BAR BULLETIN 24