Joseph Battaglia
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How Title Insurance May Have Saved My Client One Million Dollars
When title insurance is needed, it’s worth every penny. I recently assisted a client who had purchased a home in Lakewood Ranch and paid cash. My office did not handle the closing, nor was I involved in any way with the real estate closing at the time. Rather, my client hired me about 7 months…
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FAR/BAR Residential Contract and FAR/BAR “As Is” Residential Contract Revised as of July 1, 2023
The Florida Realtors / Florida Bar (“FARBAR”) Residential Contract for Sale and Purchase and the “AS IS” Residential Contract for Sale and Purchase have been updated as of July 1, 2023. The new revised versions are identifiable by “6x” and “Rev. 7/23” notations towards the lower left-hand corner of each contract. The changes to both…
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SB264 – New Florida Law Prohibits “Foreign Principals” from Purchasing Certain Florida Real Property
A new law in Florida will prohibit “foreign principals” from purchasing agricultural land or certain real property in the state. The new law, Senate Bill 264, was signed into law on May 8, 2023, and becomes effective July 1, 2023. The law creates what is now Part III of Florida Statutes Chapter 692 (to be…
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The Case of the Fake Cases
A Cautionary Tale of the Risk of Blind Reliance on Artificial Intelligence. In a recent federal case, two lawyers were sanctioned by a judge for citing fake cases in their brief that was filed with the court. This occurred in the case of Mata v. Avianca, Inc., Case 22-cv-1461, filed in U.S. District Court for…
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Dear Grads of 2023: A Reminder to Wear Sunscreen
Ladies and gentlemen of the Class of 2023… It’s hard to believe that a quarter-century has passed since I was a wide-eyed high school senior, full of hopes and dreams. As I sit here, a seasoned attorney, I can’t help but reflect on the journey that has brought me to this point. And, curiously, a…
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Manatee County Clerk of Court and Manatee County Bar Association Warn of Recent Jury Duty Scams
I received a notice from the Manatee County Bar Association (“MCBA”) with some important information and I wanted to pass it along to you. The MCBA reports: Be vigilant!
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Battaglia Law Reviews a Title Company’s Closing Documents and Nets Client an Additional $3,413.00 at Closing
Recently, Lakewood Ranch real estate lawyer Joseph Battaglia represented a seller of residential real estate with a sales price of approximately $500,000.00. Battaglia Law did not serve as the closing agent, as it was the buyer in this transaction who selected the closing agent, per the contract. The closing agent was a local title company,…
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Lakewood Ranch Real Estate Attorney Joseph Battaglia named an SRQ Magazine Elite Top Attorney for 2022
For the second year in a row, Lakewood Ranch real estate attorney Joseph Battaglia has been included in SRQ Magazine’s Elite Top Attorney Honoree List. The list was published in the September 2022 issue of SRQ Magazine, and Mr. Battaglia was included amongst the other attorney honorees in the real estate law category. Mr. Battaglia…
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Happy Birthday to Battaglia Law, PLLC!!
Battaglia Law, PLLC turned two years old on January 23, 2022! The firm was founded in early 2020, which was just prior to the onset of COVID and all the sadness, oddity, and disruption it has caused. Despite the weirdness of that year, including a once-in-a-lifetime (hopefully) shutdown, I still considered 2020 a win, as…
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Welcome to the New Age: The Federalized Summary Judgment Standard Arrives in Florida – Fla.R.Civ.P. 1.510
For Florida lawyers, the landscape of civil litigation has shifted dramatically. Effective May 1, 2021, the Sunshine State embraced the federal summary judgment standard, significantly amending Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.510. This marks a significant change in how courts will resolve cases without trial. This blog post delves into the new standard, its implications…