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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='color:#1F497D'>I agree with Lee but I suppose the argument could be made that the old tenant was not dropped or dismissed but, rather, the new tenant was substituted in because the new tenant is now “standing in the shoes” of the old tenant. Perhaps, it’s similar to the situation where the lienor (sub) sues an owner for lien foreclosure but then the GC transfers the lien to security so now the lienor has to amend to pursue the 713.24 claim and the owner is dropped from the lawsuit. Is the owner the prevailing party? I doubt it. How can that be? Same question here.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#244061'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#244061'>Andrea M. Fair-Purcell</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#244061'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#244061'>Board Certified Construction Attorney<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr style='height:97.0pt'><td width=204 nowrap valign=top style='width:153.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:97.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#244061'>▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ </span><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#244061'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#244061'>FAIR•LAW•PLLC <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#244061'>▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#244061'>13046 Racetrack Road #236 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#244061'>Tampa, FL 33626 <br>(813) 412-1077 phone <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#244061'>(877) 879-4990 fax <br><a href="http://www.fairconstructionliens.com">www.fairconstructionliens.com</a></span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=108 nowrap valign=top style='width:81.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:97.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><img border=0 width=107 height=140 id="_x0000_i1029" src="cid:image001.jpg@01CCED59.5C1CDF10" alt="cid:image001.jpg@01CC8816.941390B0"></span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#244061'>The contents of this e-mail message and any attachments are intended solely for the addressee(s) named in this e-mail message. This communication is intended to be and to remain confidential and may be subject to applicable attorney/client and/or work product privileges. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail message, or if this e-mail message has been addressed to you in error, please immediately alert the sender by reply e-mail and then delete this e-mail message and its attachments. Do not deliver, distribute or copy this e-mail message and/or any attachments and if you are not the intended recipient, do not disclose the contents or take any action in reliance upon the information contained in this communication or any attachments. </span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> constructionlaw-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org [mailto:constructionlaw-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Weintraub, Lee<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, February 17, 2012 9:28 AM<br><b>To:</b> RPPTL constructionlaw<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [RPPTL-constructionlaw] Fees Question<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'>I never dismiss or excuse a party in a lien foreclosure for any reason unless I first get either a stipulation or court order that each side bears their own fees. Although I don't know any law on point, I wouldn't be comfortable that it's a foregone conclusion that the dismissed old tenant did not prevail. </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse;border:none'><tr style='height:22.5pt'><td style='border:inset #003768 1.0pt;background:#E7DDBF;padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt;height:22.5pt'><p align=center style='text-align:center'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://becker-poliakoff.us/graphics/logo_120.gif" alt="Becker & Poliakoff"><o:p></o:p></p></td><td style='border:inset #003768 1.0pt;border-left:none;background:#E7DDBF;padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt;height:22.5pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#003768'>Lee A. Weintraub</span></b><span style='color:#003768'><br></span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#003768'>Board Certified Construction Lawyer</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td width=100 style='width:75.0pt;border:inset #003768 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt'></td><td valign=top style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:inset #003768 1.0pt;border-right:inset #003768 1.0pt;padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Emerald Lake Corporate Park<br>3111 Stirling Road<br>Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312-6525<br><br>954.985.4147 Phone<br>954.985.4176 Fax<br><br>LWeintraub@becker-poliakoff.com<br><a href="http://www.becker-poliakoff.com">www.becker-poliakoff.com</a></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><br></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Our clients' total satisfaction is our #1 priority. The Becker & Poliakoff <strong><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Client CARE Center </span></strong>is available for questions, concerns and suggestions. Please contact us at 954.364.6090 or via email at </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><a href="mailto:CARE@becker-poliakoff.com"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>CARE@becker-poliakoff.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>. </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><br><a href="http://www.floridaconstructionlawauthority.com/"><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Click here</span></strong></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> to subscribe to our complimentary Florida Construction Law Blog. </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></span></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> constructionlaw-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org [mailto:constructionlaw-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Bryan L. Capps<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, February 17, 2012 9:22 AM<br><b>To:</b> constructionlaw@lists.flabarrpptl.org<br><b>Subject:</b> [RPPTL-constructionlaw] Fees Question</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><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><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><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><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:image002.jpg@01CCED59.5C1CDF10" 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";color:black'>Bryan L. Capps<br></span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Californian FB";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";color:black'>Kirwin Norris, P.A.<br></span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Californian FB";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";color:black'><br></span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Californian FB";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:image001.jpg@01CCED59.5C1CDF10" alt="Description: Description: Description: H:\HTML Signature Block\Construction Law.gif"><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. 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