Real Property—Tax Deeds—Actions to Quiet Title

The Third District Court of Appeals voided a judgment where a purchaser of a tax deed had obtained due to their failure to include the tax collector as a necessary party to the action. See Yorty V Abreu, 33Fla. L. Weekly D1931 (Fla. 3rd DCA 2008). Section 194.181(3) F.S. specifically states the tax collector must be included as a defendant.


Purchasing tax deeds is always a risky venture. You must always anticipate post purchase expenses. My suggestion is to obtain a title commitment before purchase and confirm what will be necessary to obtain clear and marketable title. Strategies might then include obtaining a quit-claim deed from the current owner and negotiation with any lien holders.

To learn more visit our website at www.farrarlawfirm.com

FAMILY LAW - PARENTS ARE PARENTS

Its official---- effective 0ctober 1, 2008 moms and dads no longer have the stilted and some times litigious labels of “primary residential parent” and “secondary residential parent” they are officially parents-just parents . Numerous changes in the nomenclature and the substantive law has occurred and every divorced (or contemplating divorce) or single parent needs to know how this may impact their lives. The term “custody” is abolished.

“Parenting Plans”, “Co-Parenting”,”Shared Parenting” are the official terms and the whole goal is to reduce litigation and to focus parents on what’s best for their kids not trial strategy or other motivations. The changes are really codification of what has been happening in Florida Courts for the past several years and should give parents the opportunity to focus on their kids and not on each other.

You can view some potential Parenting Plans and check out more at FarrarLawFirm.com or give the attorneys at our firm a call for a free telephone consult at 850-434-8904.

Pain Patches cost $13 Million

Pain Patches cost Johnson and Johnson subsidiaries Jannssen Pharmaceutica Products and Alza, $13 Million. The case is Scott David Hodgemire v. Janssen Pharmaceutica Products 04-CA-13H-1C-K Seminole County, Florida. The Johnson and Johnson units have lost all three cases to go to trial so far over the patches. Plaintiffs in Texas and Florida court won $6.2 Million. Ms. Hodgemire, a 34 year old mother of 5, died from an overdose of fentanyl, a painkiller more powerful than morphine, that is delivered through patches. Hodgemire used the patches after recovering from back surgery. Hodgemire's attorney argued that J & J officials knew manufacturing defects caused the company to produce flawed patches and sold the devices anyway. The Patches, which are still on the market, are made by Alza and distributed by Janssen. In July 2005 U.S. FDA began a probe of 120 deaths linked to pain patches. The investigation followed a recall of some of the patches after reports of leaks. The FDA ended the probe in 2007 issuing a second safety warning about the duragesic patches and its generic equivalents. The agency urged doctors to take care in prescribing the patch and educate patients about their use. There are still 60 lawsuits over the Duragesic patches per Johnson and Johnson in an August 2008 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing.