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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>(Hopefully) Quick/easy question for the brain trust:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Contractor has improvements contract with tenant, is not paid. Contract contains no prevailing-party fees provision.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Contractor sues landlord and tenant under Lien Law to foreclose construction lien. (Assume lien is good against landlord.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Prior to trial, landlord evicts tenant and re-leases property to another tenant.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Learning of the eviction, Contractor amends complaint to substitute new tenant for old tenant.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>My stupid question: Is the old tenant now the prevailing party under §713.29 as to the contractor?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>I would think absolutely not, that this has to have come up before, and that the applicable law would be relatively easy to identify, but not so/yet. Any cites or insights you could offer would be appreciated.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=912 style='width:9.5in;border-collapse:collapse'><tr style='height:30.0pt'><td width=60 rowspan=2 valign=top style='width:44.9pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:30.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="http://www.kirwinnorris.com/"><span style='color:white;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=57 height=186 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01CCED54.D3434A20" alt="Description: Description: Description: H:\HTML Signature Block\Kirwin Norris Logo.gif"></span></a><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=265 colspan=2 valign=bottom style='width:198.75pt;border-top:none;border-left:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:30.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:.1in'><b><span style='font-family:"Calisto MT","serif";color:black'>Bryan L. Capps<br></span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Californian FB","serif";color:#7F7F7F'>Partner | <i>Florida Board Certified in Construction Law</i></span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=587 valign=bottom style='width:440.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:30.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:109.5pt'><td width=150 style='width:112.6pt;border:none;border-left:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:109.5pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.1in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calisto MT","serif";color:black'>Kirwin Norris, P.A.<br></span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Californian FB","serif";color:#595959'>15 West Church Street<br>Suite 301<br>Orlando, Florida 32801<br>Telephone: 407-740-6600<br>Facsimile: 407-740-6363</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Californian FB","serif";color:black'><br></span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Californian FB","serif";color:blue'><a href="mailto:blc@kirwinnorris.com">blc@kirwinnorris.com</a><br><a href="http://www.kirwinnorris.com/">www.kirwinnorris.com</a></span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=115 style='width:86.25pt;border:none;border-top:inset #111111 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:109.5pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><img border=0 width=107 height=140 id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image002.jpg@01CCED54.D3434A20" alt="Description: Description: Description: H:\HTML Signature Block\Construction Law.gif"></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=587 style='width:440.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:109.5pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:108.75pt'><td width=60 style='width:44.9pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:108.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=852 colspan=3 style='width:639.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:108.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'>This email message including attachments, if any, is intended for the use of the individual or entity named above and may contain attorney-client confidential and/or privileged information. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, use, disclosure, copying, or distribution is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email message in error, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message including attachments. Thank you.</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'>Pursuant to federal regulations imposed on practitioners who render tax advice ("Circular 230"), we are required to advise you that any tax advice contained herein is not intended or written to be used for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed by the Internal Revenue Service. If this advice is or is intended to be used or referred to in promoting, marketing or recommending a partnership or other entity, investment plan or arrangement, the regulations under Circular 230 require that we advise you as follows: (1) this writing is not intended or written to be used, and it cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed on a taxpayer; (2) the advice was written to support the promotion or marketing of the transaction(s) or matter(s) addressed by the written advice; and (3) the taxpayer should seek advice based on the taxpayer's particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=60 style='width:45.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td><td width=150 style='width:112.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td><td width=115 style='width:86.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td><td width=587 style='width:440.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>