<html><body><span style="font-family:Arial; color:#000000; font-size:12pt;"><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">HELP? Anyone???</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> I am confused about unlicensed contracting issue under 489.128 as follows: (I thought this was supposed to be simple?) Plaintiff (two homeowners / single family home ) hires defendant contractor to replace a door, some windows, a staircase, and do outside stucco work (and some flooring) for about $20K. Dispute arises. About 3K of work was not finished. Plaintiff claims Defendant is not licensed; defendant claims Plaintiff knew all along because Defendant told Plaintiff that Defendant was not licensed. Plaintiff sues on 4 counts </font><span style="background-color: #888888;" mce_style="background-color: #888888;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);" mce_style="background-color: #ffff00;">(If you have any ideas on this question I need answer before Monday morning!!! - I was hired this morning) </span></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;" mce_style="font-size: 12pt;">1. Breach of contract</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Fraud in the Inducement</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Unjust Enrichment and </div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Violation of 501.201 (Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Statute ~ "FDUTPA").</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is my question: Which of the four counts above should survive at trial if Plaintiffs are claiming Defendant is "unlicensed" ? </div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>P.S. - my question is very limited - I am not looking for those claims that maybe the Plaintiff's lawyer "should have" brought earlier, but what will survive at the end of the trial out of the four (4) claims he actually did bring!</b></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Points of my confusion:</u></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Breach of contract is in the alternative to Fraud in the inducement because if you succeed on fraud in the inducement there is no contract....</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">2. How can one sue for breach of contract and claim unlicensed under 489.128 where contract is illegal and therefore unenforceable if contractor is not licensed - which would, I believe cause a loss of the "fraud in the inducement" claim as well</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">3. If homeowner knew contractor was not licensed, and claims the "lack of license" was not the cause of their damages but poor work, then wouldn't the FDUTPA claim fail as well? <b><i>Or, is there a case that says unlicensed contracting is, in and of itself, a FDUTPA violation??? Primarily I am seeking to defeat the FDUTPA claim for obvious reasons!</i></b></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Doesn't this leave Plaintiff at the end of the trial with only his claim for unjust enrichment?</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Any thoughts anyone? </div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I am researching it now, but I know I have a long weekend ahead of me!</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" mce_style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" mce_style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael Romm</span></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" mce_style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;">Michael R. Romm, P.A.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" mce_style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;"><span mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="font-weight: bold;" class="Apple-style-span">North Office: </span>4660 North University Drive</span></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" mce_style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;">Lauderhill, FL 33351</span></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" mce_style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="font-weight: bold;" class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;">South Office: </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;">1213 S. 30th Avenue, Suite 2</span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" mce_style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;">Hollywood, FL 33020</span></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" mce_style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;"><span mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="font-weight: bold;" class="Apple-style-span">Phone:</span> (954) 557-8002</span></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" mce_style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;"><span mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="font-weight: bold;" class="Apple-style-span">Fax:</span> (954) 208-0022</span></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" mce_style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;"><span mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="font-weight: bold;" class="Apple-style-span">EMAIL: </span><a href="mailto:mromm@rommlaw.com" mce_href="mailto:mromm@rommlaw.com">mromm@rommlaw.com</a></span></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" mce_style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br></div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" mce_style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;" mce_style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 8pt;" mce_style="font-size: 8pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" mce_style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: terminal, monaco;" mce_style="font-family: terminal, monaco;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" mce_style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information and all attachments contained in this electronic communication are legally privileged and confidential information, subject to the attorney-client privilege and intended only for the use of intended recipients. 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