Tamarac Breach of Contract Attorney

A broken contract claim from Tamarac usually lands in one of two places, depending on who the other side is and where they do business. Because Tamarac sits in Broward County, most disputes worth more than the county court ceiling are filed in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, and some can be routed into the circuit’s complex business division. The Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team handles business and real estate litigation for clients in Tamarac, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, and throughout Broward and Palm Beach Counties, and a Tamarac breach of contract attorney from the firm can tell you early which forum fits your claim.

A breach of contract case is not the same thing as a fraud claim, a negligence claim, or a fiduciary duty claim, even though they often show up in the same dispute. Each has its own deadline, its own proof, and its own remedies. A vendor who delivered late goods, a partner who ignored the operating agreement, a seller who walked away from a closing, and a landlord who locked a commercial tenant out are all breach cases, but they are won and lost on very different facts.

The documents matter more than the story. Courts read the written agreement first, then look at how the parties actually behaved. Strong cases are built from the contract language, the emails and invoices that followed, and a clear line from the breach to the dollars lost.

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 business and real estate disputes, serving Broward County, Palm Beach County, and clients from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut who hold business or property interests here. Founder Andrew M. Schwartz was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1989 and has spent 37 years in litigation, with complex contract enforcement and interpretation at the center of his practice. He earned his undergraduate degree at Emory University in 1986 and his law degree at the University of Miami in 1989.

Senior Counsel Sundeep Nath, a Northwestern-trained litigator, brings years of experience in business and real estate cases in both state and federal courts. That matters for contract work, because a dispute between parties in different states can end up in federal court in the Southern District of Florida, which sits in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach among other locations.

The firm works as a true legal team, so everyone on your matter knows the file. Calls are answered, and if the team is in court, a strict 24 hour return call policy applies. Clients often arrive thinking they want the most aggressive lawyer available. Andrew’s view is that most want someone who acts as the situation requires, uses finesse when finesse will do, and keeps fees in proportion to what is at stake.

The firm’s results include a 5-day bench trial in Broward County Circuit Court that ended in a 32-page final judgment awarding the client specific performance of a commercial real estate contract. The team is also experienced in mediation and arbitration, so a contract claim can be resolved at the table when that serves the client better than a trial.

Contract Disputes We Handle for Tamarac Businesses and Property Owners

• Purchase and Sale Agreements: Failed closings, buyers who refuse to close, and sellers who back out for a better offer. A buyer may be able to ask a court to compel the sale itself rather than settle for money.
• Operating and Shareholder Agreements: Breaches of buyout terms, distribution rules, management duties, and restrictions on transfers among LLC members and shareholders.
• Commercial Leases: Unpaid rent, disputed common-area charges, early termination, and personal guaranties, including the shopping center and office tenancies common along Tamarac’s commercial corridors.
• Construction and Service Contracts: Unfinished work, defective work, change-order fights, and nonpayment between owners, contractors, and subcontractors.
• Loan Documents and Guaranties: Defaults, acceleration disputes, and claims against individuals who signed personal guaranties on business debt.
• Partner and Member Money Disputes: Unpaid distributions, diverted funds, disputed capital contributions, and managers who cannot account for company money.
• Family Business Agreements: Contract claims between siblings, parents and children, or in-laws who share ownership, where the agreement and the relationship are both on the line.
• Real Estate Co-Ownership Agreements: Breaches of joint investment arrangements that can lead to partition or title claims when owners cannot agree on a property.

What to Do in the First Weeks After a Breach

Start with the paper. Pull the signed agreement, every amendment, and any side letters, then gather the emails, texts, invoices, payment records, and notices that show how the deal actually ran. Do not alter or delete anything, even messages that look unhelpful. Courts expect preserved evidence, and missing records can hurt the side that lost them.

Read the contract for its own rules before you send anything. Many agreements require written notice of default and a cure period before a claim can be made. Others set the venue, choose the governing law, require mediation or arbitration first, or shift attorney fees to the losing side. Skipping a required step can cost you leverage you would otherwise have.

Watch the deadlines, because they differ by claim. A suit on a written contract generally must be filed within five years. A claim on an oral or implied contract has four years. A rescission action has four years. A fraud claim runs four years from discovery, with an outer cap of 12 years. A specific performance action carries a one-year period, which catches people off guard in failed real estate closings. A negligence claim has two years for causes of action arising after March 24, 2023, and professional malpractice claims have their own two-year clock that runs from discovery. Because one dispute can involve several of these at once, the earliest deadline is the one to plan around.

Know where your case will be heard. Claims up to the county court ceiling go to county civil court, with small claims at the lower end, and larger claims belong in circuit court. For Tamarac, that is the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit in and for Broward County, with civil matters heard at the Central Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale and at the regional courthouses in Deerfield Beach, Hollywood, and Plantation. Large business disputes can be filed directly into the circuit’s complex business division through the procedure set out in its administrative order. If the dispute is truly urgent, such as assets being moved or a property about to be sold, a court can be asked for injunctive relief while the case is pending. Finally, avoid sending angry demands or making admissions in writing before a lawyer has read the agreement.

Remedies: Damages, Specific Performance, and Rescission

Money damages are the default remedy. The goal is to put the injured party where it would have been had the contract been performed, which can include lost profits, repair costs, or unpaid sums. The damages have to be proven with records, not estimates, and they have to flow from the breach itself.

Specific performance asks the court to order the breaching party to do what it promised. It is most common in real estate, where land is treated as unique and money may not make a buyer whole. Because the limitations period is only one year, delay can forfeit the remedy entirely. Rescission goes the other direction, unwinding the deal and returning the parties to their starting positions, and is typically tied to fraud, mistake, or a fundamental failure of the agreement.

Many contracts also add their own rules: liquidated damages clauses, limits on recoverable losses, fee-shifting provisions, and arbitration requirements. Those clauses often decide how much a case is worth before a single witness testifies, which is why the contract is read closely at the start.

Questions About Breach of Contract Claims in Tamarac

What counts as a breach of contract in Florida?

A breach occurs when a party fails to perform something the agreement required, without a legal excuse. To recover, you generally need to show a valid contract, a material failure to perform, and damages caused by that failure.

How long do I have to sue on a written contract?

Five years for an action founded on a written instrument. Oral and implied contracts have four years. Certain related claims, such as specific performance, have much shorter periods.

Is an oral agreement enforceable?

Often yes, but it is harder to prove, and some categories of agreements must be in writing to be enforced. Texts, emails, payment history, and witnesses can support an oral deal.

Which court would hear my case?

Disputes arising in Tamarac are typically filed in Broward County, in county court for smaller amounts and the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit for larger ones. Cases between parties from different states may belong in federal court in the Southern District of Florida.

Can I force the other side to complete a deal instead of paying me?

Sometimes. Specific performance is available in appropriate cases, especially real estate contracts, but the one-year filing period means you should move quickly after a failed closing.

What if my contract requires arbitration or mediation?

Courts generally enforce those clauses, so the dispute may have to begin in that forum. Our attorneys handle mediation and arbitration as well as courtroom litigation.

Does a breach by the other side let me stop performing?

Only if the breach is material, and stopping too early can make you the breaching party. Review the contract and any cure provisions before you withhold payment or performance.

Can I recover my attorney fees?

Only if the contract or a statute provides for it. Many commercial agreements include a prevailing party fee clause, which can cut either way, so it affects whether and how a claim is brought.

What if my business partner breached the operating agreement and is taking company money?

You may have contract claims alongside claims for an accounting and breach of fiduciary duty. A court can be asked for emergency relief to stop funds from being moved while the case proceeds.

I live in New York or New Jersey. Do I have to come to Florida for every hearing?

No. The firm regularly represents clients from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, handles the local court appearances, and keeps you informed at each stage.

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

It depends on the amount, the contract’s fee clause, and the other side’s ability to pay. A short consultation can show whether a demand letter, mediation, or a filing makes economic sense.

Do other attorneys refer contract cases to your firm?

Yes. A significant part of the practice comes from referrals by other lawyers, including out of state counsel whose clients have disputes in Florida, and the firm keeps referring counsel informed throughout.

Serving Contract Dispute Clients Across Broward and Palm Beach Counties

From Tamarac, the firm represents clients throughout Broward County, including Sunrise, Plantation, Lauderhill, Lauderdale Lakes, North Lauderdale, Margate, Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Davie, and Weston. We also serve clients across Palm Beach County, including Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, and West Palm Beach.

Whether the dispute involves a Tamarac storefront lease, a Boca Raton office purchase, or a partnership agreement tied to property in Palm Beach County, the same team handles it. Clients in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut with South Florida contracts are served the same way.

Speak With a Tamarac Breach of Contract Lawyer Today

Deadlines on contract claims vary, and some are measured in a single year, so waiting costs options. If you are weighing a claim or have been served with one, the Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team can review the agreement, explain where your case belongs, and lay out realistic paths from negotiation to trial. Call to schedule a consultation with a Tamarac breach of contract lawyer who will read the contract before offering an opinion.