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Businesses in Florida Can Resolve Collection Lawsuits Without Judgments or Liens

Businesses in Florida Can Resolve Collection Lawsuits Without Judgments or Liens

Businesses in Florida Can Resolve Collection Lawsuits Without Judgments or Liens
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Apopka Property Accumulates $1,000 Daily Fines for Debris and Code Violations

Apopka Property Accumulates $1,000 Daily Fines for Debris and Code Violations

An Apopka, Florida property is facing substantial fines, including a $1,000-per-day penalty, due to extensive code violations and debris accumulation. The property, located on Partnership Hills Drive, has been the subject of a code enforcement case since April, initiated by Apopka Code Enforcement. Inspections have documented numerous issues, such as open outdoor storage of trash, junk, and debris, inoperative vehicles, lack of running water or electricity, unsanitary exterior surfaces, peeling paint, and an unsecured structure. Neighbors, including 84-year-old Ivera Crittenden, have expressed frustration over the worsening conditions, which have persisted despite city intervention. A hearing before an Apopka Special Magistrate on August 18 found the property in violation, imposing a 15-day compliance period, followed by the daily fines and a separate one-time $1,000 fine. The property owner's son reportedly contacted the city after the hearing, but a September inspection revealed no change in conditions, ...
Palm Beach PostPalm Beach Post
Florida property tax vote consequential and controversial | Opinion

Florida property tax vote consequential and controversial | Opinion

Depending on who you talk to, Amendment 3 is either a long-awaited blessing or a looming fiscal curse.
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Florida Statute Criminalizes Disclosure of Confidential Criminal Justice Information

Florida Statute Criminalizes Disclosure of Confidential Criminal Justice Information

Florida Statute 838.21 makes it unlawful for a public servant to disclose or use confidential criminal justice information with the intent to obstruct, impede, or prevent a criminal investigation or prosecution. This includes information regarding efforts to secure or the issuance of a warrant, subpoena, or other court process or order related to a criminal investigation or prosecution. The statute specifically targets information that is not available to the general public and is gained by reason of the public servant’s official position. Any individual found in violation of this section commits a felony of the third degree, subject to penalties outlined in Florida Statutes 775.082, 775.083, or 775.084. This law was enacted as section 5, chapter 2003-158.
Palm Beach PostPalm Beach Post
Amendment 3 won't improve Florida's tax structure | Opinion

Amendment 3 won't improve Florida's tax structure | Opinion

Let's remember that local governments are limited on how much they can increase millage and what alternate ways they can charge for services.
Palm Beach PostPalm Beach Post
Amendment 3 will hurt what brings people to Florida | Opinion

Amendment 3 will hurt what brings people to Florida | Opinion

Amendment 3 on this November’s ballot poses a dire threat to local governments’ abilities to preserve our way of life.
Palm Beach PostPalm Beach Post
Palm Beach County needs a new sheriff, Post reader says | Letters

Palm Beach County needs a new sheriff, Post reader says | Letters

Palm Beach County residents are calling for change after the sheriff's office rehired retirees at higher salaries.
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Florida Title Insurance Endorsements Explained for Residential and Commercial Properties

Florida Title Insurance Endorsements Explained for Residential and Commercial Properties

Florida Title Insurance Endorsements Explained for Residential and Commercial Properties
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Florida Condo Manager and Contractor Charged in $186,000 Kickback Scheme

Florida Condo Manager and Contractor Charged in $186,000 Kickback Scheme

Richard Thomas Murray, head of AP Construction Solutions, and Carlos Jose Mejia, property manager at Venetian Gardens at Country Club of Miami condos, have been charged in an alleged $186,000 kickback scheme. Murray, 62, is accused of providing the payments to Mejia, 51, to secure repair contracts for his firm. The payments, made in 10 installments throughout 2024 and 2025, were disguised as a 'loan agreement,' but investigators found no evidence of repayment by Mejia. The investigation by the Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle's office began after a news station exposed the situation in 2024. Residents of Venetian Gardens, which comprises 21 buildings, have complained for months about needed repairs not being completed, leading to the property becoming 'unbearable and perhaps dangerous.' GRS Management, which manages the condo association, has not commented on the charges.
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Florida Law Changes Make Bad Faith Insurance Claims Harder to Establish

Florida Law Changes Make Bad Faith Insurance Claims Harder to Establish

Florida Law Changes Make Bad Faith Insurance Claims Harder to Establish
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Florida Enacts New Data Privacy and Security Laws for Consumer Protection

Florida Enacts New Data Privacy and Security Laws for Consumer Protection

Florida has enacted new legislation under Chapter 501, Part V of its statutes, specifically addressing Data Privacy and Security for consumer protection. This new part of the law, titled 'DATA PRIVACY AND SECURITY,' outlines various provisions including definitions, applicability, exemptions, and consumer rights. Key aspects of the legislation include consumer rights regarding their personal data, requirements for how 'controllers' (entities determining the purpose and means of processing personal data) respond to consumer requests, and an appeals process. The law also prohibits the waiver or limitation of consumer rights and details the duties of both controllers and 'processors' (entities processing personal data on behalf of a controller). Furthermore, it mandates data protection assessments, addresses deidentified and pseudonymous data, sets requirements for sensitive data, and specifies exemptions for certain uses of consumer personal data. Enforcement and implementation of these new provisions will b...
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Florida Drug-Trafficking Charge Against Hip-Hop Artist Kodak Black Dropped Due to Insufficient Evidence

Florida Drug-Trafficking Charge Against Hip-Hop Artist Kodak Black Dropped Due to Insufficient Evidence

Florida Drug-Trafficking Charge Against Hip-Hop Artist Kodak Black Dropped Due to Insufficient Evidence