Are Experts on Attorneys’ Fees Necessary or Just Another Cost? BLOG In a landmark shift for Florida litigation, the Sixth District Court of Appeal recently broke with longstanding precedent by ruling that trial courts are no longer required to hold an evidentiary hearing or hear expert witness testimony to prove the reasonableness of attorney’s fees. The opinion, which was issued on March 20, 2026 in Charles Ruffenach v. Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, et. al., represents a substantial shift in the legal landscape of Southwest Florida and begs the question: is this a win for judicial efficiency or a threat to fairness? Safeguarding the Standard: The Case for Evidentiary Rigor While the Sixth DCA’s decision aims to streamline the legal [...]

Non-Binding Arbitration: Tool or Trap? BLOG You may have never heard of arbitration, let alone the difference between "binding" and "non-binding." Think of arbitration as a "diet trial." It is held before a qualified arbitrator, usually a specialized attorney or retired judge, who reviews evidence and issues a written decision. Binding Arbitration: The decision is final. You are stuck with it. Non-Binding Arbitration: The decision is not final. Either party can reject the outcome and ask the Court for a real trial. This raises a big question for anyone involved in a lawsuit: Is non-binding arbitration a smart way to resolve a dispute, or just an expensive hoop to jump through? When You Need a Reality Check: Sometimes, Non-Binding Arbitration [...]