Newsom wants to impose the ‘California Way’ on all of us. Florida has the better idea

As Published in the Miami Herald

Popping up across Florida these days are T-shirts and hats celebrating the free state of Florida, suggesting “Make America Florida.”

New Appellate Ruling—Rule 11 Sanctions May Be Sought and Awarded After a Judgment Has Been Entered

As Published in the Daily Business Review

A SPECIAL REPORT by Tripp Scott's Chuck Tatelbaum and Corey Cohen

The appellate court reversed a ruling by the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Alabama, which held that once a summary judgment had been granted in favor of the defendant, the defendant was precluded from seeking an award of sanctions or damages under Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

Remember ‘It’s the economy, stupid’? Well, guess what? It still is

As Published in the Miami Herald

Political enthusiasts will recall the 1992 Clinton presidential campaign’s watchword: “It’s the economy, stupid!”

Households across the country are concerned with inflation. Consumer prices are at a four-decade high, led by gasoline, which has doubled in price since January 2021. Investment portfolios are slashed in half. Meat, poultry, fish, and egg prices are up by more than 14% year over year. Producer price indexes indicate that we can expect further trouble ahead.

A Mortgage Statement May be Deemed a Communication Under the FDCPA and FCCPA

A SPECIAL REPORT by Tripp Scott's Chuck Tatelbaum and Corey Cohen

In a question of first impression in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit (which has jurisdiction over Florida, Georgia, and Alabama), the court was presented with the question of whether monthly mortgage statements were communications in connection with the collection of a debt under the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA). In classic lawyer language, the answer is “it depends.” Although this seemingly equivocal response may leave lenders and their professionals to speculate as to a particular result, in this instance, the court determined that it may be subject to both statutes because the monthly mortgage statement stated it was an attempt to collect a debt, asked for payment, and threatened a late fee if not paid timely. Since many mortgage and other loan statements have all or part of this verbiage as standard “boilerplate” language, the decision needs to be a wake-up call for lenders and their attorneys.

Employee Activism is on the Rise – Build a Playbook to Respond to It

A SPECIAL REPORT with commentary by Tripp Scott's Paul Lopez

As Published in Senior Executive

Today’s headlines are filled with hot-button issues — polarizing Americans with different political beliefs. The leaked Supreme Court draft that would overturn Roe v. Wade, Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill and Texas’ abortion bounty laws are just a few items on the shortlist.