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Chartwell Partners E. Taylor George and Robert K. Sylvester Jr. recently concluded a five-day jury trial in Sarasota County, Florida, obtaining a highly favorable outcome for their client in a long-running condominium dispute.
The case, originally filed in 2018 and later remanded from the Second District Court of Appeal, centered on the interpretation of a Declaration of Condominium following extensive work performed within a unit after a catastrophic near-collapse of the building. The plaintiff sought $363,000 in damages, alleging improper conduct related to the post-incident repairs.
From the very beginning, the Chartwell team focused on narrowing the issues and developing a record that highlighted significant deficiencies in the plaintiff’s damages case, particularly a failure to adequately mitigate damages.
After five days of trial, the jury returned a nuanced verdict. While it found in favor of the plaintiff on liability, it awarded only $1 in damages, a result often referred to as a “defense verdict perversely expressed.”
The client and carrier were highly satisfied with the result.
