A Florida judge has ruled against Lennar Corp. in a significant legal battle concerning hundreds of homes built on Seminole Tribe land. The court will not allow a dispute over the quality of over 340 homes, purchased by the Tribe, to be settled through arbitration. However, arbitration was permitted for a smaller group of 123 homes sold to individual tribal members.
Key Takeaways
- A judge denied arbitration for the majority of homes in dispute.
- The case will proceed in state court for over 340 homes.
- The Seminole Tribe is seeking hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Legal Battle Unfolds
The Seminole Tribe sued Lennar earlier this year, alleging that a substantial number of homes constructed by the Miami-based developer on tribal land over the past five years are in such poor condition that they are uninhabitable. The lawsuit claims these defects render the properties unsafe for residents.
A Victory for the Tribe in State Court
William Scherer, an attorney representing the Seminole Tribe, celebrated the ruling as a significant win. He stated that arbitration is now off the table for approximately three-fourths of the allegedly defective homes, paving the way for the case to move forward swiftly in state court. The Tribe’s legal team plans to expedite discovery and depositions to hold Lennar accountable for the alleged construction flaws.
Seeking Substantial Compensation
The Tribe’s complaint is seeking hundreds of millions of dollars to compensate for the damages caused by the defective homes. This legal action is being handled by attorneys from Conrad & Scherer of Fort Lauderdale, the same firm that successfully secured a record judgment exceeding $800 million for the Tribe against Wells Fargo Bank last year in a case involving the mismanagement of a trust fund for Seminole Tribe children.