Blog Posts in 2019
Posted on Oct 29, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Florida takes a lot of pride in its balanced budget. Part of the effort to maintain a balanced budget is public policy protecting homes and families. Through both its Constitution and statutes, ...
Continue reading "FLORIDA IS A DEBTORS HAVEN" »
Posted on Oct 15, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Sale price of real estate is not the only expense in a sale. There are a lot of expenses associated with buying or selling real estate and they can add up. Residential buyers and sellers are often ...
Continue reading "CLOSING COSTS" »
Posted on Oct 9, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Justice in Old England was not even-handed. Accounts from the 1600s show the court system suffered from an absence of truthfulness. Whoever could tell the best story was the winner. The problem was ...
Continue reading "A STATUTE OF FRAUDS" »
Posted on Oct 1, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
100 Giving $100 WE ARE $10,000 SHORT. To package 250,000 meals, we need to raise $50,000. It looks like we will be $10,000 short this year. To some, that may not seem like a big deal because we can ...
Continue reading "100 Giving $100" »
Posted on Sep 26, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
It should not be surprising that certain items are considered dangerous. A dangerous instrumentality is an item which is either inherently dangerous or poses significant risk of damage if used ...
Continue reading "DANGEROUS INSTRUMENTALITY CAN MEAN OWNER LIABILITY" »
Posted on Sep 25, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Some people believe that all provisions in a contract must be strictly performed. Others have a laissez faire attitude. Both can be right, depending on contract language and circumstances. Real estate ...
Continue reading "SOME CONTRACT DEADLINES ARE FLEXIBLE" »
Posted on Sep 17, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Over the years, condominium, cooperative and homeowners associations frequently battled with homeowners over the display of flags. Some battles included giant flag poles and giant flags. Others, were ...
Continue reading "CAN I FLY MY FLAG?" »
Posted on Sep 10, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
People seem to get hurt everywhere. Tripping, falling into holes, falling down stairs or something more painful. In many cases, the injured person's first thought is who can I sue? The property ...
Continue reading "VISITOR CAN BE TRESPASSER, LICENSEE OR INVITEE" »
Posted on Sep 4, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
The internet is awash with help for the do it yourself estate planner. It is also full of tips for the do it yourself auto mechanic, home electrician or plumber. If you like, there are even kits and ...
Continue reading "ESTATE PLANNING MISTAKES TO AVOID" »
Posted on Aug 27, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
A car with many problems is often referred to as a lemon. In an effort to assist the unlucky purchasers of new cars with problems, and turn lemon into lemonade, Florida's legislature enacted the ...
Continue reading "FLORIDA'S LEMON LAW" »
Posted on Aug 20, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
As the shackles on lawyer advertising are removed, it seems like lawyers are frequently advertising for injured people to hire their services. They do not want everyone who is injured. They only want ...
Continue reading "NEGLIGENCE CAN EQUAL LIABILITY" »
Posted on Aug 16, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Buying a home or investment property is not without risk. Buyers should be working with experienced attorneys, Realtors and other professionals to avoid anticipated problems. But, buyers often move ...
Continue reading "LEGISLATIVE PROTECTION FOR CONDO AND HOA BUYERS" »
Posted on Aug 13, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Sidewalk cracks are all too common. Everyone has seen them. Some have tripped over them and been seriously injured. When that happens, the question becomes who is liable for those injuries? Liability ...
Continue reading "SIDEWALK TRIPS AND LIABILITY" »
Posted on Aug 8, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Alimony has a long history. Its genesis can be traced as far back as the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi almost 4,000 years ago. Its origin was intended to take care of the former wife, since women had ...
Continue reading "ALIMONY DIFFERENT WAYS" »
Posted on Aug 7, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Lawsuits are expensive. Even in smaller cases, the parties can pay tens of thousands of dollars in attorney's fees. Attorney's fees exceed the amount in dispute in many cases. Unless the ...
Continue reading "ALTERNATIVES TO LAWSUITS" »
Posted on Aug 6, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
The joy of Christmas giving has passed and many recipients and even givers are having second thoughts. Can that gift be returned to the store? Or, if the relationship has soured, can a gift be taken ...
Continue reading "GIFT REMORSE, TAKE BACKS OR RETURNS" »
Posted on Aug 5, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Real estate sale are a big part of Southwest Florida's economic engine. Investors, property managers, rental agents, sales agents and others all have an economic interest in real estate transfers. ...
Continue reading "SELLERS CAN BE FORCED TO CONVEY" »
Posted on Aug 1, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
People can get hurt in the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping. Jostling at a crowded sales table, walking through a store with extra stacked merchandise and shoppers with the ever present drink cup ...
Continue reading "SHOPPING INJURY MIGHT FALL ON THE INJURED" »
Posted on Jul 31, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Most of the contracts used for residential real estate sales include provisions that allow buyers to inspect the property before consummating their purchase. Some contracts require the seller to make ...
Continue reading "THE AS IS CONTRACT MAY NOT BE AS IS" »
Posted on Jul 30, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Condominium living can provide the best of all worlds. Condominium owners have a home, amenities and the association takes care of the maintenance. It is a particularly attractive option for part-time ...
Continue reading "CONDOMINIUMS HAVE OPTIONS FOR BAD BEHAVIOR" »
Posted on Jul 29, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Hurricane Irma whirled through our area one year ago. Screen enclosures and roofs took the brunt of Irma's wrath, but many structures suffered more severe damage. Some contractors did less than ...
Continue reading "CONSTRUCTION DEFECTS FIX IS NOT SO EASY" »
Posted on Jul 24, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Starting a business involves many issues, not the least of which is what entity will operate the business. Many of the same concerns arise when dealing with a business. Taxation and liability are ...
Continue reading "BUSINESS ENTITIES - THERE ARE DIFFERENCES" »
Posted on Jul 23, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Southwest Florida is a virtual mecca for residential real estate sales. Year round opportunity for outdoor activities, clean air and lower crime attract more people each year. Many that are here buy, ...
Continue reading "REAL ESTATE CLOSING DOCUMENTS EXPLAINED" »
Posted on Jul 22, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
Florida’s legislature realized the importance of assuring the public that buying a condominium is safe in Florida. The first Condominium Act (Act) was adopted by the legislature in 1963 and has ...
Continue reading "CONDO BUDGETS, ASSESSMENTS AND LIENS" »
Posted on Jul 11, 2019 By William G. Morris CMS
The first question many ask while preparing a Will is why does a Will have to go through probate? The answer to that question is a historical journey through the laws we inherited from England. In ...
Continue reading "THE MYSTERY OF PROBATE" »