§ 26.012 Jurisdiction of circuit court
§ 26.021 Judicial circuits; judges
§ 26.031 Judicial circuits; number of judges
§ 26.19 Abatement of actions because of change of judge, etc
§ 26.20 Availability of judge for hearings in chambers
§ 26.46 Jurisdiction of resident judge after assignment
§ 26.49 Executive officer of circuit court
§ 26.52 Travel expenses, circuit judges
§ 26.55 Conference of Circuit Judges of Florida; duties and reports
§ 26.56 Residual jurisdiction for abolished courts
§ 26.57 Temporary designation of county court judge to preside over circuit court cases
lawyer at desk

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In Florida Statutes > Chapter 26 - Circuit Courts

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
  • Agent: means a person granted authority to act for a principal under a power of attorney, whether denominated an agent, attorney in fact, or otherwise. See Florida Statutes 709.2102
  • Aggregate: means the amounts reported for owners of unclaimed property of less than $10 or where there is no name for the individual or entity listed on the holder's records, regardless of the amount to be reported. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Agricultural land: means land classified as agricultural under…. See Florida Statutes 692.201
  • Allegation: something that someone says happened.
  • Alternative funding method: means a method approved by the division for funding the capital expenditures and deferred maintenance obligations for a multicondominium association operating at least 25 condominiums which may reasonably be expected to fully satisfy the association's reserve funding obligations by the allocation of funds in the annual operating budget. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
  • Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
  • Another state: means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See Florida Statutes 709.2102
  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Apparent owner: means the person whose name appears on the records of the holder as the person entitled to property held, issued, or owing by the holder. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
  • Application: means a request under the convention by an obligee or obligor, or on behalf of a child, made through a central authority for assistance from another central authority. See Florida Statutes 88.70111
  • Appraisal: A determination of property value.
  • Architect: means a person or firm that is authorized to practice architecture pursuant to chapter 481 or a general contractor who provides architectural services under a design-build contract authorized by…. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Assessment: means a share of the funds which are required for the payment of common expenses, which from time to time is assessed against the unit owner. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Asset: means a legal or equitable interest of the assignor in property, which includes anything that may be the subject of ownership, whether real or personal, tangible or intangible, including claims and causes of action, whether arising by contract or in tort, wherever located, and by whomever held at the date of the assignment, except property exempt by law from forced sale. See Florida Statutes 727.103
  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Assignee: means a natural person solely in such person's capacity as an assignee for the benefit of creditors under the provisions of this chapter, which assignee shall not be a creditor or an equity security holder or have any interest adverse to the interest of the estate. See Florida Statutes 727.103
  • Assignment: means an assignment for the benefit of creditors made under this chapter. See Florida Statutes 727.103
  • Assignor: means the person or entity that has executed and delivered the assignment to the assignee. See Florida Statutes 727.103
  • Association: means , in addition to any entity responsible for the operation of common elements owned in undivided shares by unit owners, any entity which operates or maintains other real property in which unit owners have use rights, where membership in the entity is composed exclusively of unit owners or their elected or appointed representatives and is a required condition of unit ownership. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Association property: means that property, real and personal, which is owned or leased by, or is dedicated by a recorded plat to, the association for the use and benefit of its members. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
  • Audit: means an action or proceeding to examine and verify a person's records, books, accounts, and other documents to ascertain and determine compliance with this chapter. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Audit agent: means a person with whom the department enters into a 1contract to conduct an audit or examination. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Banking organization: means any and all banks, trust companies, private bankers, savings banks, industrial banks, safe-deposit companies, savings and loan associations, credit unions, and investment companies in this state, organized under or subject to the laws of this state or of the United States, including entities organized under Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • board: means the board of directors or other representative body which is responsible for administration of the association. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Broker-dealer: means a broker-dealer registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission if the broker-dealer is acting in that capacity. See Florida Statutes 709.2102
  • Bulk assignee: means a person who is not a bulk buyer and who:
    (a) Acquires more than seven condominium parcels in a single condominium as set forth in…. See Florida Statutes 718.703
  • Bulk buyer: means a person who acquires more than seven condominium parcels in a single condominium as set forth in…. See Florida Statutes 718.703
  • Business association: means any for-profit or nonprofit corporation other than a public corporation; joint stock company; investment company; unincorporated association or association of two or more individuals for business purposes, whether or not for profit; partnership; joint venture; limited liability company; sole proprietorship; business trust; trust company; land bank; safe-deposit company; safekeeping depository; financial organization; insurance company; federally chartered entity; utility company; or other business entity, whether or not for profit. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Buyer: means a person who purchases a condominium unit. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Bylaws: means the bylaws of the association as they are amended from time to time. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.
  • Chambers: A judge's office.
  • Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
  • Claim of lien: means the claim recorded as provided in…. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Claimant: means the person on whose behalf a claim is filed. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Claims bar date: means the date that is 120 days after the date on which the petition is filed with the court. See Florida Statutes 727.103
  • Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
  • Codicil: An addition, change, or supplement to a will executed with the same formalities required for the will itself.
  • Commencement of the improvement: means the time of filing for record of the notice of commencement provided in…. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Committee: means a group of board members, unit owners, or board members and unit owners appointed by the board or a member of the board to make recommendations to the board regarding the proposed annual budget or to take action on behalf of the board. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Common elements: means the portions of the condominium property not included in the units. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Common expenses: means all expenses properly incurred by the association in the performance of its duties, including expenses specified in…. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • Common surplus: means the amount of all receipts or revenues, including assessments, rents, or profits, collected by a condominium association which exceeds common expenses. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Condominium: means that form of ownership of real property created pursuant to this chapter, which is comprised entirely of units that may be owned by one or more persons, and in which there is, appurtenant to each unit, an undivided share in common elements. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Condominium parcel: means a unit, together with the undivided share in the common elements appurtenant to the unit. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Condominium property: means the lands, leaseholds, and improvements, any personal property, and all easements and rights appurtenant thereto, regardless of whether contiguous, which are subjected to condominium ownership. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Consensual lienholder: means a creditor that has been granted a security interest or lien in personal property or real property of the assignor prior to the date on which a petition is filed with the court and whose security interest or lien has been perfected in accordance with applicable law. See Florida Statutes 727.103
  • Conspicuous type: means bold type in capital letters no smaller than the largest type, exclusive of headings, on the page on which it appears and, in all cases, at least 10-point type. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Construction: means construction, maintenance, operation, or repair in connection with any oil or gas pipeline or in connection with, or necessary for, the production of oil or gas, either in the development thereof or in working thereon in the subtractive process. See Florida Statutes 713.801
  • Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Contract: means an agreement for improving real property, written or unwritten, express or implied, and includes extras or change orders. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Contract price: means the amount agreed upon by the contracting parties for performing all labor and services and furnishing all materials covered by their contract and must be increased or diminished by the price of extras or change orders, or by any amounts attributable to changes in the scope of the work or defects in workmanship or materials or any other breaches of the contract; but no penalty or liquidated damages between the owner and a contractor diminishes the contract price as to any other lienor. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • contractor: includes an architect, landscape architect, or engineer who improves real property pursuant to a design-build contract authorized by…. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Convention support order: means a support order of a tribunal of a foreign country described in…. See Florida Statutes 88.70111
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
  • Court: means the circuit court where the petition is filed in accordance with…. See Florida Statutes 727.103
  • Creditor: means any person having a claim against the assignor, whether such claim is contingent, liquidated, unliquidated, or disputed. See Florida Statutes 727.103
  • Critical infrastructure facility: means any of the following, if it employs measures such as fences, barriers, or guard posts that are designed to exclude unauthorized persons:
    (a) A chemical manufacturing facility. See Florida Statutes 692.201
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • declaration of condominium: means the instrument or instruments by which a condominium is created, as they are from time to time amended. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Department: means the Department of Financial Services. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
  • Developer: means a person who creates a condominium or offers condominium parcels for sale or lease in the ordinary course of business, but does not include:
    (a) An owner or lessee of a condominium or cooperative unit who has acquired the unit for his or her own occupancy;
    (b) A cooperative association that creates a condominium by conversion of an existing residential cooperative after control of the association has been transferred to the unit owners if, following the conversion, the unit owners are the same persons who were unit owners of the cooperative and no units are offered for sale or lease to the public as part of the plan of conversion;
    (c) A bulk assignee or bulk buyer as defined in…. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Devise: To gift property by will.
  • Direct contract: means a contract between the owner and any other person. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Direct request: means a petition filed by an individual in a tribunal of this state in a proceeding involving an obligee, obligor, or child residing outside the United States. See Florida Statutes 88.70111
  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • discriminatory: means that a homeowner is being treated differently as to the rent charged, the services rendered, or an action for possession or other civil action being taken by the park owner, without a reasonable basis for the different treatment. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source:
  • Division: means the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Division: means the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
  • Domicile: means the state of incorporation for a corporation; the state of filing for a business association, other than a corporation, whose formation or organization requires a filing with a state; the state of organization for a business association, other than a corporation, whose formation or organization does not require a filing with a state; 2or the state of home office for a federally charted entity. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Donee: The recipient of a gift.
  • Drilling: means drilling, digging, torpedoing, acidizing, perforating, fracturing, testing, logging, cementing, completing, or repairing upon any land or leasehold for oil or gas purposes or for any oil or gas pipeline. See Florida Statutes 713.801
  • Due diligence: means the use of reasonable and prudent methods under particular circumstances to locate apparent owners of inactive accounts using the taxpayer identification number or social security number, if known, which may include, but are not limited to, using a nationwide database, cross-indexing with other records of the holder, mailing to the last known address unless the last known address is known to be inaccurate, providing written notice as described in this chapter by electronic mail if an apparent owner has elected such delivery, or engaging a licensed agency or company capable of conducting such search and providing updated addresses. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Durable: means , with respect to a power of attorney, not terminated by the principal's incapacity. See Florida Statutes 709.2102
  • Electronic: means relating to technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Electronic: means technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities. See Florida Statutes 709.2102
  • Electronic funds transfer: The transfer of money between accounts by consumer electronic systems-such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and electronic payment of bills-rather than by check or cash. (Wire transfers, checks, drafts, and paper instruments do not fall into this category.) Source: OCC
  • Electronic transmission: means a form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission or transfer of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved, and reviewed by a recipient and that may be directly reproduced in a comprehensible and legible paper form by the recipient through an automated process, such as a printer or copy machine. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Embezzlement: In most states, embezzlement is defined as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets. Embezzlement typically occurs in the employment and corporate settings. Source: OCC
  • Engineer: means a person or firm that is authorized to practice engineering pursuant to chapter 471 or a general contractor who provides engineering services under a design-build contract authorized by…. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Escheat: Reversion of real or personal property to the state when 1) a person dies without leaving a will and has no heirs, or 2) when the property (such as a bank account) has been inactive for a certain period of time. Source: OCC
  • Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
  • Estate: means all of the assets of the assignor. See Florida Statutes 727.103
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
  • Extradition: The formal process of delivering an accused or convicted person from authorities in one state to authorities in another state.
  • Extras or change orders: means labor, services, or materials for improving real property authorized by the owner and added to or deleted from labor, services, or materials covered by a previous contract between the same parties. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
  • Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
  • Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
  • Filing date: means the date upon which the original petition is filed in accordance with…. See Florida Statutes 727.103
  • Final furnishing: means the last date that the lienor furnishes labor, services, or materials. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Financial organization: means a savings association, savings and loan association, savings bank, industrial bank, bank, banking organization, trust company, international bank agency, cooperative bank, building and loan association, or credit union. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. Source: OCC
  • Foreign country of concern: means the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Republic of Cuba, the Venezuelan regime of Nicolás Maduro, or the Syrian Arab Republic, including any agency of or any other entity of significant control of such foreign country of concern. See Florida Statutes 692.201
  • Foreign principal: means :
    (a) The government or any official of the government of a foreign country of concern;
    (b) A political party or member of a political party or any subdivision of a political party in a foreign country of concern;
    (c) A partnership, association, corporation, organization, or other combination of persons organized under the laws of or having its principal place of business in a foreign country of concern, or a subsidiary of such entity; or
    (d) Any person who is domiciled in a foreign country of concern and is not a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States. See Florida Statutes 692.201
  • Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. Source: OCC
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • furnish: when used in connection with the words "labor" or "services" or "materials" means performance or furnishing by the lienor or by another for him or her. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Furnish materials: means supply materials which are incorporated in the improvement including normal wastage in construction operations; or specially fabricated materials for incorporation in the improvement, not including any design work, submittals, or the like preliminary to actual fabrication of the materials; or supply materials used for the construction and not remaining in the improvement, subject to diminution by the salvage value of such materials; and includes supplying rental equipment, but does not include supplying handtools. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • Grace period: The number of days you'll have to pay your bill for purchases in full without triggering a finance charge. Source: Federal Reserve
  • Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Health care provider: means any state-licensed entity that provides and receives payment for health care services. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Holder: means :
    (a) A person who is in possession or control or has custody of property or the rights to property belonging to another; is indebted to another on an obligation; or is obligated to hold for the account of, or to deliver or pay to, the owner, property subject to this chapter; or
    (b) A trustee in case of a trust. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • homeowner: means a person who owns a mobile home and rents or leases a lot within a mobile home park for residential use. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Hurricane protection: means hurricane shutters, impact glass, code-compliant windows or doors, and other code-compliant hurricane protection products used to preserve and protect the condominium property or association property. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Improve: means build, erect, place, make, alter, remove, repair, or demolish any improvement over, upon, connected with, or beneath the surface of real property, or excavate any land, or furnish materials for any of these purposes, or perform any labor or services upon the improvements, including the furnishing of carpet or rugs or appliances that are permanently affixed to the real property and final construction cleanup to prepare a structure for occupancy; or perform any labor or services or furnish any materials in grading, seeding, sodding, or planting for landscaping purposes, including the furnishing of trees, shrubs, bushes, or plants that are planted on the real property, or in equipping any improvement with fixtures or permanent apparatus or provide any solid-waste collection or disposal on the site of the improvement. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Improvement: means any building, structure, construction, demolition, excavation, solid-waste removal, landscaping, or any part thereof existing, built, erected, placed, made, or done on land or other real property for its permanent benefit. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Incapacity: means the inability of an individual to take those actions necessary to obtain, administer, and dispose of real and personal property, intangible property, business property, benefits, and income. See Florida Statutes 709.2102
  • Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. Source: FDIC
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
  • Insurance company: means an association, corporation, or fraternal or mutual benefit organization, whether for profit or not for profit, which is engaged in providing insurance coverage. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Intangible property: Property that has no intrinsic value, but is merely the evidence of value such as stock certificates, bonds, and promissory notes.
  • Intangible property: includes , by way of illustration and not limitation:
    (a) Moneys, checks, virtual currency, drafts, deposits, interest, dividends, and income. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Inter vivos: Transfer of property from one living person to another living person.
  • Interest holder: means a person, or his or her agent, holding, for oil or gas purposes or for any oil or gas pipeline, any interest in the legal or equitable title to any land or any leasehold interest, and shall include purchasers under executory contract, receivers, and trustees. See Florida Statutes 713.801
  • Interest rate: The amount paid by a borrower to a lender in exchange for the use of the lender's money for a certain period of time. Interest is paid on loans or on debt instruments, such as notes or bonds, either at regular intervals or as part of a lump sum payment when the issue matures. Source: OCC
  • Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Kickback: means any thing or service of value, for which consideration has not been provided, for an officer's, a director's, or a manager's own benefit or that of his or her immediate family, from any person providing or proposing to provide goods or services to the association. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Knowledge: means a person has actual knowledge of the fact, has received a notice or notification of the fact, or has reason to know the fact from all other facts and circumstances known to the person at the time in question. See Florida Statutes 709.2102
  • Laborer: means any person other than an architect, landscape architect, engineer, surveyor and mapper, and the like who, under properly authorized contract, personally performs on the site of the improvement labor or services for improving real property and does not furnish materials or labor service of others. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Land: means the surface of a legally described parcel of real property and includes, unless otherwise specified in the declaration and whether separate from or including such surface, airspace lying above and subterranean space lying below such surface. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • last known address: includes any partial description of the location of the apparent owner sufficient to establish the apparent owner was a resident of this state at the time of last contact with the apparent owner or at the time the property became due and payable. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Lawful charges: means charges against dormant accounts that are authorized by statute for the purpose of offsetting the costs of maintaining the dormant account. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Legal tender: coins, dollar bills, or other currency issued by a government as official money. Source: U.S. Mint
  • Legatee: A beneficiary of a decedent
  • Lender: means any person who loans money to an owner for construction of an improvement to real property, who secures that loan by recording a mortgage on the real property, and who periodically disburses portions of the proceeds of that loan for the payment of the improvement. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Lien: means a charge against or an interest in property to secure payment of a debt or performance of an obligation, and includes a security interest created by agreement, a judicial lien obtained by legal or equitable process or proceedings, a common-law lien, or a statutory lien. See Florida Statutes 727.103
  • Lienor: means a person who is:
    (a) A contractor;
    (b) A subcontractor;
    (c) A sub-subcontractor;
    (d) A laborer;
    (e) A materialman who contracts with the owner, a contractor, a subcontractor, or a sub-subcontractor; or
    (f) A professional lienor under…. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Lienor giving notice: means any lienor, except a contractor, who has duly and timely served a notice to the owner and, if required, to the contractor and subcontractor, as provided in…. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Limited common elements: means those common elements which are reserved for the use of a certain unit or units to the exclusion of all other units, as specified in the declaration. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Liquidation value: means the value in cash obtainable upon a forced sale of assets after payment of valid liens encumbering said assets. See Florida Statutes 727.103
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Lot rental amount: means all financial obligations, except user fees, which are required as a condition of the tenancy. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Managed care payor: means a health care plan that has a defined system of selecting and limiting health care providers as evidenced by a managed care contract with the health care providers. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Material: means any machinery, equipment, appliances, buildings, structures, tools, bits, or supplies used in connection with any construction, drilling, or operating upon any land or leasehold for oil or gas purposes or for any oil or gas pipeline. See Florida Statutes 713.801
  • Materialman: means any person who furnishes materials under contract to the owner, contractor, subcontractor, or sub-subcontractor on the site of the improvement or for direct delivery to the site of the improvement or, for specially fabricated materials, off the site of the improvement for the particular improvement, and who performs no labor in the installation thereof. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • materials: means performance or furnishing by the lienor or by another for him or her. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Mediation: means a process whereby a mediator appointed by the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes, or mutually selected by the parties, acts to encourage and facilitate the resolution of a dispute. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Military installation: means a base, camp, post, station, yard, or center encompassing at least 10 contiguous acres that is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense or its affiliates. See Florida Statutes 692.201
  • minor: includes any person who has not attained the age of 18 years. See Florida Statutes 1.01
  • Mobile home: means a residential structure, transportable in one or more sections, which is 8 body feet or more in width, over 35 body feet in length with the hitch, built on an integral chassis, designed to be used as a dwelling when connected to the required utilities, and not originally sold as a recreational vehicle, and includes the plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, and electrical systems contained therein. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Mobile home lot: means a lot described by a park owner pursuant to the requirements of…. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Mobile home subdivision: means a subdivision of mobile homes where individual lots are owned by owners and where a portion of the subdivision or the amenities exclusively serving the subdivision are retained by the subdivision developer. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
  • Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
  • Multicondominium: means real property containing two or more condominiums, all of which are operated by the same association. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • National Bank: A bank that is subject to the supervision of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department. A national bank can be recognized because it must have "national" or "national association" in its name. Source: OCC
  • Negative notice: means notice as set forth in…. See Florida Statutes 727.103
  • Notice of commencement: means the notice recorded as provided in…. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • oath: includes affirmations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Oil or gas pipeline: means any pipeline laid and designed as a means of transporting natural gas, oil, or gasoline, or their components or derivatives, and the right-of-way therefor. See Florida Statutes 713.801
  • Operating: means conducting any operation in connection with, or necessary to, the production of oil or gas, either in the development thereof or in working thereon in the subtractive process. See Florida Statutes 713.801
  • operation of the condominium: includes the administration and management of the condominium property and the association. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Operator: means the person in charge of operations on lands or leaseholds for oil or gas purposes or for any oil or gas pipeline. See Florida Statutes 713.801
  • Operator of a mobile home park: means either a person who establishes a mobile home park on land that is leased from another person or a person who has been delegated the authority to act as the park owner in matters relating to the administration and management of the mobile home park, including, but not limited to, authority to make decisions relating to the mobile home park. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Original contractor: means any person for whose benefit a lien is prescribed by the provisions of…. See Florida Statutes 713.801
  • Owner: means a person, or the person's legal representative, entitled to receive or having a legal or equitable interest in or claim against property subject to this chapter; a depositor in the case of a deposit; a beneficiary in the case of a trust or a deposit in trust; or a payee in the case of a negotiable instrument or other intangible property. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Owner: means a person who is the owner of any legal or equitable interest in real property, which interest can be sold by legal process, and who enters into a contract for the improvement of the real property. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • owner of a unit: means a record owner of legal title to a condominium parcel. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • park: means a use of land in which lots or spaces are offered for rent or lease for the placement of mobile homes and in which the primary use of the park is residential. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • park owner: means an owner or operator of a mobile home park. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • parties: means a park owner as defined in subsection (13) and a homeowners' committee selected pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Pass-through charge: means the mobile home owner's proportionate share of the necessary and actual direct costs and impact or hookup fees for a governmentally mandated capital improvement, which may include the necessary and actual direct costs and impact or hookup fees incurred for capital improvements required for public or private regulated utilities. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Person: means an individual; estate; business association; corporation; firm; association; joint adventure; partnership; government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality; or any other legal or commercial entity. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
  • Personal property: All property that is not real property.
  • Petition: means the initial document filed with the court, as set forth in…. See Florida Statutes 727.103
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
  • political subdivision: include counties, cities, towns, villages, special tax school districts, special road and bridge districts, bridge districts, and all other districts in this state. See Florida Statutes 1.01
  • posting: means placing the document referred to on the site of the improvement in a conspicuous place at the front of the site and in a manner that protects the document from the weather. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC
  • Power of attorney: means a writing that grants authority to an agent to act in the place of the principal, whether or not the term is used in that writing. See Florida Statutes 709.2102
  • Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
  • Preliminary hearing: A hearing where the judge decides whether there is enough evidence to make the defendant have a trial.
  • Presently exercisable general power of appointment: means , with respect to property or a property interest subject to a power of appointment, power exercisable at the time in question to vest absolute ownership in the principal individually, the principal's estate, the principal's creditors, or the creditors of the principal's estate. See Florida Statutes 709.2102
  • Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
  • Principal: means an individual who grants authority to an agent in a power of attorney. See Florida Statutes 709.2102
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Probate: Proving a will
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Property: means anything that may be the subject of ownership, whether real or personal, legal or equitable, or any interest or right therein. See Florida Statutes 709.2102
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • Public corporation: means a corporation created by the state, founded and owned in the public interest, supported by public funds, and governed by those deriving their power from the state. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  • Real property: means land, buildings, fixtures, and all other improvements to land. See Florida Statutes 692.201
  • Real property: means the land that is improved and the improvements thereon, including fixtures, except any such property owned by the state or any county, municipality, school board, or governmental agency, commission, or political subdivision. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See Florida Statutes 709.2102
  • registered mail: includes certified mail with return receipt requested. See Florida Statutes 1.01
  • Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
  • rental agreement: means any mutual understanding or lease, whether oral or written, between a mobile home owner and a mobile home park owner in which the mobile home owner is entitled to place his or her mobile home on a mobile home lot for either direct or indirect remuneration of the mobile home park owner. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Rental agreement: means any written agreement, or oral agreement if for less duration than 1 year, providing for use and occupancy of premises. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Resale agreement: means a contract in which a mobile home owner authorizes the mobile home park owner, or the park owner's designee, to act as exclusive agent for the sale of the homeowner's mobile home for a commission or fee. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
  • Residential condominium: means a condominium consisting of two or more units, any of which are intended for use as a private temporary or permanent residence, except that a condominium is not a residential condominium if the use for which the units are intended is primarily commercial or industrial and not more than three units are intended to be used for private residence, and are intended to be used as housing for maintenance, managerial, janitorial, or other operational staff of the condominium. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
  • Right of survivorship: The ownership rights that result in the acquisition of title to property by reason of having survived other co-owners.
  • Sequester: To separate. Sometimes juries are sequestered from outside influences during their deliberations.
  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
  • Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
  • Sign: means having present intent to authenticate or adopt a record to:
    (a) Execute by signature or mark; or
    (b) Attach to, or logically associate with the record an electronic sound, symbol, or process. See Florida Statutes 709.2102
  • Site of the improvement: means the real property which is being improved and on which labor or services are performed or materials furnished in furtherance of the operations of improving such real property. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Special assessment: means any assessment levied against a unit owner other than the assessment required by a budget adopted annually. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any state, district, commonwealth, territory, insular possession, and any other area subject to the legislative authority of the United States. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
  • Structural integrity reserve study: means a study of the reserve funds required for future major repairs and replacement of the condominium property performed as required under…. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Sub-subcontractor: means a person other than a materialman or laborer who enters into a contract with a subcontractor for the performance of any part of such subcontractor's contract, including the removal of solid waste from the real property. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Subcontractor: means a person other than a materialman or laborer who enters into a contract with a contractor for the performance of any part of such contractor's contract, including the removal of solid waste from the real property. See Florida Statutes 713.01
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • Temporary restraining order: Prohibits a person from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. This differs from an injunction in that it may be granted immediately, without notice to the opposing party, and without a hearing. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.
  • Testate: To die leaving a will.
  • Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • Third person: means any person other than the principal, or the agent in the agent's capacity as agent. See Florida Statutes 709.2102
  • Timeshare estate: means any interest in a unit under which the exclusive right of use, possession, or occupancy of the unit circulates among the various purchasers of a timeshare plan pursuant to chapter 721 on a recurring basis for a period of time. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Timeshare unit: means a unit in which timeshare estates have been created. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Trust instrument: means a trust instrument as defined in…. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
  • Unclaimed Property Purchase Agreement: means the form adopted by the department pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Unclaimed Property Recovery Agreement: means the form adopted by the department pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Uniform Commercial Code: A set of statutes enacted by the various states to provide consistency among the states' commercial laws. It includes negotiable instruments, sales, stock transfers, trust and warehouse receipts, and bills of lading. Source: OCC
  • Unit: means a part of the condominium property which is subject to exclusive ownership. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • United States: means any state, district, commonwealth, territory, insular possession, and any other area subject to the legislative authority of the United States of America. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Unreasonable: means arbitrary, capricious, or inconsistent with this chapter. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Uphold: The decision of an appellate court not to reverse a lower court decision.
  • User fees: Fees charged to users of goods or services provided by the government. In levying or authorizing these fees, the legislature determines whether the revenue should go into the treasury or should be available to the agency providing the goods or services.
  • User fees: means those amounts charged in addition to the lot rental amount for nonessential optional services provided by or through the park owner to the mobile home owner under a separate written agreement between the mobile home owner and the person furnishing the optional service or services. See Florida Statutes 723.003
  • Utility: means a person who owns or operates, for public use, any plant, equipment, property, franchise, or license for the transmission of communications or the production, storage, transmission, sale, delivery, or furnishing of electricity, water, steam, or gas. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
  • Veto: The procedure established under the Constitution by which the President/Governor refuses to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevents its enactment into law. A regular veto occurs when the President/Governor returns the legislation to the house in which it originated. The President/Governor usually returns a vetoed bill with a message indicating his reasons for rejecting the measure. In Congress, the veto can be overridden only by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House.
  • Virtual currency: means digital units of exchange that:
    1. See Florida Statutes 717.101
  • Voting certificate: means a document which designates one of the record title owners, or the corporate, partnership, or entity representative, who is authorized to vote on behalf of a condominium unit that is owned by more than one owner or by any entity. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • Voting interests: means the voting rights distributed to the association members pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 718.103
  • wrecker operator: means any person or firm regularly engaged for hire in the business of towing or removing motor vehicles. See Florida Statutes 1.01
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
  • Writ of certiorari: An order issued by the Supreme Court directing the lower court to transmit records for a case for which it will hear on appeal.
  • writing: includes handwriting, printing, typewriting, and all other methods and means of forming letters and characters upon paper, stone, wood, or other materials. See Florida Statutes 1.01