Miramar Contract Litigation Attorney

A broken contract claim arising in Miramar is filed in the circuit court for Broward County, the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, once the amount at stake exceeds the county court ceiling. Larger commercial disputes in that circuit can be routed into a complex business division, which changes how quickly the case moves and how closely a judge manages it. The Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team handles contract disputes for business owners, investors, and families across Broward County, Palm Beach County, and the rest of South Florida, and works from the pleadings forward with the actual wording of the agreement in mind.

If you are looking for a Miramar contract litigation attorney, the first question is rarely “did the other side break the deal?” It is usually “what does the document say, what did the parties actually do, and which deadline is running?” Those three questions decide whether a claim is strong, whether it is already weakening, and whether the cost of pursuing it makes sense.

Where Miramar Contract Disputes Usually Start

Miramar sits in southwest Broward County, with a business base that includes commercial parks, retail centers, trucking and distribution operations, construction trades, and a large number of closely held companies run by families and long-time partners. Contract disputes in that mix tend to fall into a few patterns: a buyer who walks away from a purchase agreement, a vendor who stops performing, a landlord and tenant arguing over lease obligations, or co-owners who read their operating agreement in opposite ways.

What separates a contract case from a general business quarrel is that the agreement itself becomes the center of the case. Courts look first to the words the parties signed. Emails, invoices, prior deals, and the way the parties behaved afterward matter, but they matter in relation to the text. A claim that sounds obviously right in conversation can fail because of a notice provision, an integration clause, or a condition that was never satisfied.

Why Choose the Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team for Contract Disputes

The Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team represents business owners, investors, and families in South Florida’s difficult business and real estate disputes, with complex contract litigation at the center of the practice. Founder Andrew M. Schwartz has spent 37 years in litigation, was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1989, and has litigated in Florida since then. He earned his undergraduate degree at Emory University in 1986 and his law degree at the University of Miami in 1989.

Andrew is joined by Senior Counsel Sundeep Nath, a Northwestern-trained litigator with years of experience in business and real estate cases in both state and federal courts. That federal experience matters for contract cases that involve out-of-state parties. The firm works as a true team, so everyone on a matter knows the file, and it keeps a strict 24-hour return call policy when the attorneys are in court.

Proof of the work shows in the results. After a five-day bench trial, a Broward County circuit judge entered a 32-page final judgment awarding the firm’s client specific performance of a commercial real estate contract. Obtaining an order that forces the other side to actually close, rather than pay damages, depends on proving the contract terms, the client’s readiness to perform, and the other side’s breach with precision. The firm also handles mediation and arbitration, and aims for the resolution that fits the client’s goals and budget rather than prolonging a case for its own sake.

Types of Contract Disputes We Handle

• Purchase and Sale Agreements: Disputes over failed closings, deposits, financing contingencies, and buyers or sellers who refuse to perform. Remedies can include damages or, where the facts support it, specific performance of the contract.
• Operating and Shareholder Agreements: Conflicts among LLC members and shareholders over distributions, management authority, transfer restrictions, and buyout terms. These cases often overlap with partnership disputes and judicial dissolution.
• Commercial Leases: Claims between landlords and tenants over rent, default, build-out obligations, personal guaranties, and early termination.
• Loan and Financing Documents: Disputes over notes, guaranties, default provisions, and what a lender or borrower was actually obligated to do.
• Construction Contracts: Payment disputes, defective or incomplete work, change orders, and disagreements between owners, general contractors, and subcontractors.
• Missing or Misdirected Money: Unpaid distributions, disputed capital contributions, commingled accounts, and managers who cannot account for company funds, sometimes requiring an accounting or emergency relief.
• Family and Close-Friend Businesses: Agreements made on a handshake or loosely papered, where the contract itself is unclear and the relationship adds pressure to every decision.

Deadlines That Control a Florida Contract Claim

The most important number in a contract case is often the filing deadline. Florida gives five years to bring an action founded on a written instrument. A claim based on an oral or implied agreement has a shorter four-year period. Actions to rescind a contract also carry four years. Fraud claims run four years from discovery, subject to an outer cap of twelve years. Specific performance is the outlier: an action seeking it must be brought within one year.

That last point catches people. Someone who wants the court to force a seller to close, rather than simply pay damages, cannot wait years to decide. Separately, if the dispute is really a professional malpractice claim dressed up as a contract claim, a two-year period applies, running from when the claim was or should have been discovered. Because the correct deadline depends on how the claim is framed, an early review of the agreement and the timeline is worth far more than a late one.

What to Do When a Contract Falls Apart

Start by gathering the complete agreement, every amendment, and the communications around performance and breach. Do not rely on a memory of what was agreed; the signed version and any written modifications control. Preserve emails and text messages, and avoid deleting anything, even if it looks unhelpful. Review the contract for notice-and-cure provisions, since many agreements require written notice and a chance to fix a problem before a claim can be pursued. Skipping that step can undermine an otherwise valid case.

Next, check the dispute-resolution terms. Some contracts require mediation or arbitration before or instead of a lawsuit, and some designate a venue or choose a governing law. Those clauses can dictate whether the case is filed in court at all. If the dispute is in Miramar, a Broward County filing in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit is the usual path for larger claims, heard in the courthouse serving the area, such as the South Regional Courthouse in Hollywood or the Central Judicial Complex in Fort Lauderdale. Smaller claims go to county court, and the lowest tier is small claims. Because the dollar thresholds are adjusted periodically, confirm which court fits your amount before filing.

Be careful about what you say to the other side. A casual email conceding a point, or a partial payment that is treated as a new agreement, can complicate a claim. If money or assets are being moved, ask early about emergency injunctive relief, because waiting can leave nothing to recover. Where the contract involves real estate, ask whether the facts support a demand for performance rather than damages, given the one-year limit on that remedy.

Business Court, Federal Court, and How Venue Shapes the Case

Broward’s Seventeenth Circuit operates complex business divisions that handle large business and construction disputes, among other categories. A properly qualified case can be filed directly into one of those divisions, where it is randomly assigned to a judge and managed more actively. Whether that fits depends on the size and complexity of the dispute.

Federal court is a separate track. The Southern District of Florida covers Broward and Palm Beach Counties and sits in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, among other locations. Contract cases between parties from different states can sometimes be heard there, which matters for clients in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut who have business partners or property here. The firm handles local appearances so out-of-state clients do not need to travel for every hearing.

Contract Questions Miramar Clients Ask

How long do I have to sue for breach of a written contract in Florida?

Five years for an action founded on a written instrument. An oral or implied contract has four years. These periods run from when the cause of action accrues, so the date of the breach matters.

Does the 2023 change to Florida’s negligence deadline affect contract claims?

No. The reduction of the negligence deadline to two years did not change the five-year period for written contracts or the four-year period for intentional torts.

Can a court force someone to complete a contract instead of paying damages?

Yes, through specific performance, which is most common in real estate deals where the property is unique. It is a one-year claim and requires proof that you were ready and able to perform your side.

What if my contract does not say anything about the problem?

Courts look to the agreement’s overall wording, the parties’ history of dealing, and Florida law to fill gaps. Silence in the contract can help or hurt depending on how the dispute is framed, so the full record matters.

Is a verbal agreement enforceable in Florida?

Often it can be, though proof is harder and the deadline is four years rather than five. Some categories of agreements must be in writing to be enforceable, so the type of deal matters.

What is the difference between a breach and a fraud claim?

A breach claim says the other side failed to do what the contract required. A fraud claim says they lied to induce the deal or concealed something material. Fraud carries its own deadline, running from discovery, and can open different remedies.

Do I have to go to court, or can this be resolved another way?

Not always. Many disputes settle through negotiation or mediation, and some contracts require arbitration. The firm is experienced in all three and in courtroom litigation, and pursues whichever path is most likely to reach your goals efficiently.

Which court hears a contract case from Miramar?

Miramar is in Broward County, so cases are filed in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit for larger amounts or in county court for smaller ones. The dollar amount at stake determines which applies, and small claims handles the lowest tier.

Can I recover money a business partner took from our company?

Possibly, through claims for breach of fiduciary duty, an accounting, conversion, and recovery of funds. If assets are being moved or spent, a court can be asked for emergency relief to freeze the situation while the case proceeds.

I live out of state but have a contract dispute in South Florida. Can you handle it?

Yes. The firm regularly represents clients from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, manages the Florida court appearances, and keeps clients informed at every stage so they do not have to travel for each hearing.

Is it worth hiring a lawyer for a smaller contract dispute?

It depends on the amount, the contract’s fee provisions, and the cost of pursuing it. A short review can tell you whether the claim is worth bringing, whether a demand letter might resolve it, and whether the deadline is close.

Do you work with other attorneys on contract matters?

Yes. A significant part of the firm’s practice comes from referrals by other lawyers, including out-of-state counsel whose clients have Florida disputes, and the firm communicates with referring counsel throughout.

Serving Contract Litigation Clients Across Miramar and Broward County

The firm represents clients in Miramar and the surrounding southwest Broward communities, including Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Davie, Weston, Cooper City, Southwest Ranches, and Pembroke Park. We also serve Fort Lauderdale, Plantation, Sunrise, Coral Springs, Margate, Coconut Creek, Deerfield Beach, and other cities throughout Broward County.

North of the county line, the firm handles contract disputes in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, and throughout Palm Beach County. The firm also represents clients from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut who hold business or real estate interests anywhere in South Florida.

Speak With a Miramar Contract Litigation Lawyer

If a contract in your business has collapsed, a partner is not performing, or a deal that should have closed did not, the sooner the agreement is reviewed against the filing deadlines, the more options you keep. The Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team offers direct attorney access and prompt follow-up. Call to talk through your situation with a Miramar contract litigation lawyer and learn whether negotiation, mediation, or a court filing is the right next step.