Parkland Breach of Contract Attorney

If a deal in Parkland has gone sideways, whether a buyer walked away from a closing, a business partner stopped honoring the operating agreement, or a vendor took payment and never delivered, the decision in front of you is whether to enforce the contract, negotiate a way out, or let the claim lapse. The Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team handles business and real estate litigation for owners, investors, and families in Parkland and across Broward County and Palm Beach County, and a Parkland breach of contract attorney from our team can tell you quickly which of those paths fits the facts.

Contract cases are won and lost on specifics: the exact words of the agreement, what each side actually did afterward, and which deadline applies to which claim. Parkland sits in Broward County, so a lawsuit over a larger dispute is typically heard in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, and the federal Southern District of Florida is available in cases that qualify. Where the claim stands, and how soon it must be filed, depends on the type of contract and the remedy you want.

Why Choose the Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team for a Contract Dispute

The Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team is a business and real estate litigation firm serving Parkland, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and the rest of Broward and Palm Beach Counties, along with clients from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut who hold business or property interests in South Florida. Founder Andrew M. Schwartz was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1989, earned his undergraduate degree from Emory University in 1986 and his law degree from the University of Miami in 1989, and has spent 37 years in litigation. His practice has centered on complex contract disputes: purchase agreements, operating and shareholder agreements, commercial leases, loan documents, and construction contracts.

Senior Counsel Sundeep Nath, a Northwestern-trained litigator, brings years of business and real estate trial experience in state and federal courts. The firm practices as a true legal team, so everyone working on your file knows it, and a strict 24 hour return call policy applies when a lawyer is in court. The team is also experienced in mediation and arbitration, and we look for the resolution that serves your goals and budget instead of stretching a case out.

Results matter in contract work, and ours include a five-day bench trial in Broward County Circuit Court that ended in a 32-page final judgment granting our client specific performance of a commercial real estate contract. A judgment like that shows what careful preparation around contract language and the parties’ dealings can accomplish. Out of state owners can rely on us to handle local court appearances, and many of our cases come as referrals from other attorneys.

Contract Disputes We Handle for Parkland Clients

• Real Estate Purchase and Sale Contracts: Failed closings, buyers or sellers who refuse to perform, and disputes over deposits and contingencies. Where the goal is to get the property rather than money, the remedy is often specific performance, which carries its own short filing window.
• Operating and Shareholder Agreement Breaches: Members or shareholders who ignore buyout terms, distribution provisions, or management rules, often overlapping with fiduciary duty claims in a business divorce.
• Commercial Lease Disputes: Rent and common area charge disagreements, personal guaranty exposure, and early termination fights between landlords and business tenants.
• Loan and Financing Agreements: Defaults, disputed payoff amounts, private lending between investors, and guaranty enforcement.
• Construction and Contractor Contracts: Unfinished work, defective work, change order disagreements, and payment disputes between owners, builders, and subcontractors on Parkland homes and commercial projects.
• Unpaid Distributions and Diverted Funds: Partners or managers who cannot account for company money, where claims for an accounting and recovery may be paired with emergency relief to freeze assets.
• Partnership and Family Business Agreements: Handshake deals, buy-sell agreements, and ownership understandings among relatives or friends, where an oral or implied agreement can still be enforced.
• Vendor, Supplier, and Service Agreements: Non-delivery, nonpayment, and breaches of exclusivity or non-compete terms between businesses.

What to Do Now and Which Deadlines Apply

Start by gathering the signed agreement and every amendment, then the emails, texts, invoices, and payment records that show how both sides actually performed. Courts read a contract alongside the history of the parties’ dealings, so the paper trail often matters as much as the document. Avoid sending angry messages or making partial concessions that could be read as waiving your rights, and do not stop performing your own obligations without advice, because a missed duty on your side can become the other party’s defense. Be careful with any payment you accept: take it only after confirming how it will be characterized in writing.

Deadlines depend on the type of claim. Florida allows five years for an action founded on a written contract, and four years where the agreement is oral or implied. A suit to rescind a contract has a four-year period. A fraud claim runs four years from discovery, subject to an outer limit of 12 years. A claim for specific performance is much tighter, with only one year. When more than one theory fits your facts, the shortest clock is the one that controls your planning, so do not assume you have five years just because the contract is written. Claims against professionals such as accountants or attorneys can carry a shorter two-year period tied to when the problem was or should have been discovered.

Which court hears the case depends on the amount at stake. County civil court handles disputes above the small claims ceiling up to a threshold that is adjusted periodically, and the circuit court takes larger claims. For Parkland residents, Broward County cases are filed with the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, and the Broward Clerk of Courts handles the filings. The Seventeenth Circuit also operates complex business divisions for large business and construction disputes, which may be an option for significant cases. Palm Beach County cases belong to the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, which sits in West Palm Beach, and some disputes between parties from different states can be heard in the federal Southern District of Florida, which holds court in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. If money or property is at risk of disappearing while the case is pending, ask early about temporary injunctive relief, because waiting can make it harder to obtain.

Remedies Available When a Contract Is Broken

The most common remedy is money damages, meaning the amount that places you where you would have been if the agreement had been honored. That can include lost profits where they are proven with reasonable certainty, repair or replacement costs, and unpaid sums with interest. Many contracts also contain attorney fee provisions, liquidated damages clauses, or limitations on the damages a party can recover, and these terms can change the economics of a case dramatically. A review of the agreement before filing tells you whether a fight is worth the cost.

When money will not fix the problem, equitable remedies come into play. Specific performance asks the court to order the other side to complete the deal, which is most common in real estate where each property is unique. Injunctions can stop a former partner or employee from violating a restrictive covenant or moving assets. Rescission unwinds a contract entirely, often alongside a fraud theory. For business co-owners, a breach may also support an accounting, a buyout, or, where an LLC or corporation cannot function, judicial dissolution; Florida law allows a court to dissolve an LLC where the owners are deadlocked and irreparable harm threatens the company, or where assets are being misappropriated or wasted. Courts can also appoint a receiver or custodian in those proceedings after a hearing.

Most contract disputes do not end at trial. Many agreements require mediation or arbitration first, and many cases settle once the strengths and weaknesses of each side are exposed. We prepare each case as though it will be tried, because that preparation is what produces a favorable settlement or a strong record if it is not.

Questions About Breach of Contract Claims in Parkland

What counts as a breach of contract in Florida?

A breach occurs when a party fails to perform a promise in a valid agreement without legal excuse. You generally need to show a valid contract, a material failure to perform, and damages resulting from it. A minor deviation may support a smaller claim, while a failure that defeats the purpose of the deal may let you terminate and seek full damages.

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

Five years under Florida law for a written instrument. Oral or implied contract claims have four years. The clock generally starts when the breach occurs, but other claims tied to the same dispute may run shorter, so it is wise not to wait.

Can I sue if the agreement was only a handshake or an email exchange?

Often yes. Oral agreements can be enforced, though proof is harder and certain categories, such as agreements involving real estate interests, may need a writing. Emails and texts can serve as that writing and as evidence of the terms.

What is specific performance, and why is its deadline so short?

It is a court order requiring the other side to do what the contract says, most often to close on a property. Florida sets only a one-year filing period for these actions, which is far shorter than the period for damages, so a buyer or seller who wants the deal itself should act promptly.

Which court would hear my case if I live in Parkland?

Disputes within Broward County are heard in either the county or circuit court depending on the amount at stake, with the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit handling the larger cases. Some matters can also go to the federal Southern District of Florida when the requirements for federal jurisdiction are met.

Does my contract’s arbitration or mediation clause bind me?

Usually, yes. Florida courts generally enforce these clauses, and a lawsuit filed in violation of one can be stayed or dismissed. Whether a particular clause covers your claim depends on its wording, so have it reviewed before filing anything.

Can I recover my attorney’s fees?

Only if the contract or a statute provides for them. Many commercial agreements include a prevailing party fee clause, and in Florida these clauses are generally enforced and apply to both sides, which means a lost case can carry fee exposure. That is a key reason to evaluate the risk before suing.

What if the other side claims I breached first?

That is a common defense, and it can limit or defeat recovery. Courts look at which breach was material and whether each side kept performing. Documenting your own performance carefully early on protects against this argument.

Is a personal guaranty a separate contract claim?

Yes. A guaranty is its own agreement, and a lender or landlord can sue the guarantor directly, sometimes without first pursuing the company. Guaranty language varies widely, so the wording determines how much exposure an individual owner actually has.

I live out of state but own a business or property near Parkland. Can you handle the case?

Yes. We regularly represent clients from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut in South Florida disputes. We attend the local hearings and keep you informed so you do not need to travel for every proceeding.

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

Sometimes a demand letter and negotiation are enough, and sometimes the amount fits county court or small claims. A short review can tell you whether the claim justifies litigation costs and whether a fee clause changes the calculation.

Serving Contract Dispute Clients Across Parkland and South Florida

Our work for Parkland clients extends throughout Broward County, including Coral Springs, Margate, Coconut Creek, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Tamarac, Sunrise, Plantation, Weston, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, and Hollywood. We also represent owners and investors in Palm Beach County, from Boca Raton and Delray Beach through Boynton Beach, Wellington, and West Palm Beach. Clients with contract disputes tied to South Florida real estate or businesses come to us from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut as well, and we handle the Florida proceedings on their behalf.

Speak With a Parkland Breach of Contract Lawyer

When a signed agreement is not being honored, the first few weeks often determine what remedies remain available. The Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team can review the contract, the record of performance, and the deadlines that apply, then tell you whether to pursue negotiation, mediation, or a lawsuit. Call us to discuss your situation with a Parkland breach of contract lawyer who will give you a straight assessment and a plan.