Source: https://miamivisahelp.wordpress.com/2014/08/
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 08:40:28+00:00

Document:
Attorney Andrew Bernhard‘s article on deceleration of accelerated mortgages was published in the Florida Bar Journal >>>(ARTICLE HERE)<<<<.
In the article, Andrew Bernhard explains mortgages as installment contracts, a lender’s acceleration of the loan debt under the mortgage contract, the statute of limitations on mortgages, and the banking industry’s attempt to restart the expired statute of limitations in mortgage foreclosure by decelerating the note and mortgage.
If you have any questions or want to discuss the topic, contact Andrew Bernhard at Bernhard Law Firm, www.bernhardlawfirm.com, abernhard@bernhardlawfirm.com, 786-871-3349.
Can businesses sue each other under FDUTPA?Bernhard Law Firm briefly addressed the ability of businesses to sue under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices (“FDUTPA”) in a prior article. We expand further here.
Who can sue under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act? Despite substantial contradictory case law in the state court system, the plain language of FDUTPA states that “anyone aggrieved” by violations of FDUTPA, including business entities, can sue for damages resulting from outlawed acts (i.e. unfair competition and deceptive acts) in ordinary business transactions, even where there is no consumer transaction. §501.211(1), Fla. Stat. (2014) (“anyone aggrieved by a violation of this part may bring an action . . . “); Beacon Property Mgmt., Inc. v. PNR, Inc., 890 So. 2d 274, 277–79 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004).
Although there is also substantial contradictory case law in the federal court system, there is significant support for the concept that the “anyone aggrieved” language allows businesses and their operators to sue other businesses for violations of FDUTPA (i.e. unfair competition and deceptive acts). See also Laboratorios Roldan v. Tex Int’l Inc., 902 F. Supp. 1555, 1570 (11th Cir. 1984) (finding FDUTPA meant to protect against business intentionally passing off products as those of other business or affiliate); Big Tomato v. Tasty Concepts, Inc., 972 F. Supp. 662, 664 (S.D. Fla. 1997) (holding business competitor stated cause of action under FDUTPA given “anyone aggrieved” language and that Florida courts have held that business competitors may seek relief under FDUTPA); Contemporary Restaurant Concepts, Ltd., v. Las Tapas-Jacksonville, Inc., 753 F. Supp. 1560, 1565 (M.D. Fla. 1991) (holding restaurant owner entitled to relief under FDUTPA for unfair competition and imitation by other restaurant owner); Klinger v.Weekly World News, Inc., 747 F. Supp. 1477, 1479–80 (S.D. Fla. 1991) (denying defendant-employer’s motion to dismiss for failure to state FDUTPA claim where employee sued employer for falsely publishing essays under employee’s pseudonym); United Feature Syndicate v. Sunrise Mold Co., 569 F. Supp. 1475, 1481 (S.D. Fla. 1983) (allowing business’s recovery under FDUTPA for unfair competition by other business’s copyright infringement).
Even if FDUTPA were limited to “consumer” plaintiffs, which it is not, FDUTPA’s definition of “consumer” includes all commercial entities: “business; firm; association; joint venture; partnership; . . . business trust;syndicate; fiduciary; corporation; any commercial entity, however denominated; or any other group or combination.” § 501.203(7), Fla. Stat. (2014). The Florida Legislature likely included business entities in its consumer definition to align itself with the Federal Trade Commission’s position on consumer protection, which “regards injury to competitors as identical to injury to consumers. . . . Deceptive practices injure both competitors and consumers because consumers who preferred the competitor’s product are wrongly diverted.” 103 F.T.C. 110, 183 n.58 (1984), 1984 FTC LEXIS 71, 104.
Under Florida Statutes § 501.202(3), the Florida Legislature provided that FDUTPA is to be liberally construed to make it consistent with established policies of federal law (FTC statements) relating to consumer protection. Under Florida Statutes § 501.204(2), the Florida Legislature provided that FDUTPA is to be construed with great weight to the positions of the Federal Trade Commission. The Supreme Court long ago recognized it is deceptive under the FTC Act for a business to misappropriate another’s trade name.FTC v. Colgate-Palmolive Co., 380 U.S. 374, 388 (1965). Given that the FTC regards injury to competitors as identical to injury to consumers, allowing businesses to sue each other under FDUTPA would further the goal of inhibiting injury to both competitors and consumers by wrongful diversion from desired or needed products and services.
Bernhard Law Firm just posted this FDUTPA article on fraudlawyersflorida.com. The article addresses whether businesses or businesspeople can sue under FDUTPA.

References: §501
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 § 501
 § 501
 § 501
 v.