South Florida Law Blog

I’m sorry, is this 1811 or 2011? Back in the day, say the 1800’s, the use of debtor’s prisons was widespread; signatories to the Declaration of Independence, James Wilson and Robert Morris were both later incarcerated, as were 2,000 New Yorkers annually by 1816. Henry Lee III, better known as Light-Horse Harry Lee, a Revolutionary War general, former governor of […]

Foreclosures are back… just like Freddy Krueger. Just like in the horror films when things start to calm down and get back to normal… out pops Freddy Krueger again to scare the living daylights out of you. Well, that seems to be the case here in Florida as it relates to real estate and foreclosures. The news this past week […]

Broward County homeowners now face an additional hurdle when trying to complete a loan modification or short sale to avoid a Florida foreclosure. In Sun-Sentinel reporter Paul Owers’ blog House Keys, Owers discusses the ramifications of Broward County now requiring 10 days’ notice to cancel residential foreclosure auctions according to an administrative order signed by Broward Chief Judge Victor Tobin. […]

    On a recent Friday morning in Miami-Dade County, Judge Maxine Cohen Lando went on the record to dress down a foreclosure mill in such a fashion that it brought chills to any lawyer who is a member in good standing of the Florida Bar. The foreclosure case was before the court because the defendant had brought a motion […]

For five years I’ve discussed the inevitability of Black Swan events that change everything overnight – game changers. Certainly, the earthquake in Japan and the subsequent rash of Tsunamis are reminders of that phenomenon as is the ongoing escalated strife and instability in the Middle East. Not only have oil prices shot up, we now face a whole new set […]

Why isn’t Wall Street in Jail? Is our government a giant Ponzi scheme? These are the questions Roy Oppenheim asked during Wednesday night’s Short Sale and Foreclosure Defense seminar. During the webcast, Oppenheim discusses how with the departure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also goes the traditional 30-year mortgage, paving the way for a new 20-year mortgage, higher interest […]

The American Dream as we know it is being redefined for Florida real estate and the nation. Elton John’s famous song Goodbye Yellow Brick Road reminds us that homeownership will no longer define the American Dream and the Yellow Brick Road really leads to no where (just like in Oz). So the tune Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is sounding the […]

Is the whole government a Ponzi scheme? Bernie Madoff thinks so and who would know better than the master manipulator himself? When the greatest financial criminal in history calls collect, you listen. The result? A fascinating feature by New York Magazine writer Steve Fishman exploring Bernie Madoff’s brazen plan, subsequent panic and tumultuous downfall. Perhaps most interesting is Madoff’s assertion […]