Source: https://fraudlawyersflorida.com/2014/08/07/can-businesses-and-businesspeople-sue-under-the-florida-deceptive-and-unfair-trade-practices-act-fdutpa/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 04:37:52+00:00

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Can businesses and businesspeople sue under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA)?
Enjoy the below article. If you have any specific questions as you read about FDUTPA and lawsuits under FDUTPA, please contact Andrew Bernhard at Bernhard Law Firm PLLC, abernhard@bernhardlawfirm.com, 786-871-3349, www.bernhardlawfirm.com.
Title 33 of the Florida Statutes holds laws concerning the regulation of trade, commerce, investments, and solicitations. Chapter 501 of Title 33 is the consumer protection chapter, regulating aftermarket crash parts, telemarketing, and unfair and deceptive acts or practices in business. Part II of this consumer protection chapter concerns deceptive and unfair trade practices, known as the Florida Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, or “FDUTPA.” See § 501.201, et seq., Fla. Stat. (2014).
To make state consumer protection and enforcement consistent with established policies of federal law relating to consumer protection (NOTE: inherent in this purpose is an acknowledged existing difference between state and federal law on consumer protection).
See § 501.202, Fla. Stat. (2014).
See § 501.204, Fla. Stat. (2014).
The Florida Legislature expressly provided that interested parties or persons in FDUTPA included any person affected by a violation of FDUTPA. § 501.203(6), Fla. Stat. (2014). The Florida Legislature expressly provided that FDUTPA regulated advertising, soliciting, providing, offering, or distributing (whether by sale, rental, or otherwise) of any good or service, or any property (whether tangible or intangible), or any other article, commodity, or thing of value, wherever situated. § 501.203(8), Fla. Stat. (2014). In other words, FDUTPA regulates all business in Florida for everybody, and works to ensure that businesses conduct their affairs fairly and without deception.
Can businesses and businesspeople sue under FDUTPA?
Yes, it appears that business can sue under FDUTPA. The Florida Legislaure provided that anyone aggrieved by a violation of FDUTPA may bring an action to obtain a declaratory judgment that an act or practice violates FDUTPA and to enjoin a person who has violated, is violating, or is otherwise likely to violate FDUTPA. § 501.211(1), Fla. Stat. (2014). Anyone who has suffered a loss resulting from a violation of FDUTPA may recover actual damages, plus attorney’s fees and costs. § 501.211(2), Fla. Stat. (2014). Under the above express terms of FDUTPA, business entities and businesspeople can sue for damages from outlawed acts in ordinary business transactions, even where there is no consumer transaction involving personal dealings.
Have any appellate courts addressed this question?
Accordingly, businesses and businesspeople should be able to sue under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA).
If you have any specific questions about FDUTPA or lawsuits under FDUTPA, please contact Andrew Bernhard at Bernhard Law Firm PLLC, abernhard@bernhardlawfirm.com, 786-871-3349, www.bernhardlawfirm.com. Bernhard Law Firm is located in the Wells Fargo Plaza/JW Marriot Building on the Miami River in downtown Miami, 333 SE 2nd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33131. Bernhard Law Firm is a full service law firm handling trials and appeals in business and financial disputes. Bernhard Law Firm focuses on fraud, business disputes, and financial and consumer claims.

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