FLORIDA SCENE

JOHN D. GARTEN executlve dlrector

f HtS anicle penains to a legal issue

I being addressed by the Florida Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association. It was intended to be written in layman's terms, but since it does involve a legal matter, its comprehension may require several readings.

In recent years, litigation within the Small Claims/County Courts in Florida has posed a problem for retail dealers and suppliers alike. For example, if a claim is less than $1,500, a corporation may represent itself without the need for an attorney. Once the claim exceeds $1,500, a corporation must be represented in litigation by an attorney. Herein lies the problem.

At today's prices of lumber and building materials, it does not require a substantial order to meet and exceed $1,5m. The $l,500limit was set in 1973.

To compound the problem, an increasing number of attorneys do not want to become involved in disputes of this nature.

Recognizing this difficulty, the Covernment Affairs Committee of FLBMDA, under the direction of Bob Allen of Gulfstream Lumber Co.. has requested the Summary Procedure Rules Committee of the Florida Bar to raise the current limit from $l,500 to $2,500. The Summary Procedure Rules Committee has agreed with this request and has voted (Please turn to page 26)