GEORGE JONES, D/B/A GEORGE JONES MASONRY & ASPHALT, APPELLANT,
v.
BILL WRIGHT, A/K/A WILLIAM J. WRIGHT, III, AND LEONARD STEIN, APPELLEES
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A contractor who constructed improvements on leased property sought to foreclose a mechanic's lien against both the lessee and the lessor. The court held that under Florida Statute § 713.10, a recorded lease containing an express prohibition against liens protects the lessor's interest from mechanic's liens, even when the lease permits the lessee to construct improvements.
The lessor's interest is not subject to a mechanic's lien when the lease is recorded in the clerk's office, contains an express prohibition against liens, and there is no fraud. The provisions permitting construction of improvements do not make such construction the 'pith of the lease' so as to override the statutory protection.
[1] An order dismissing one count of a complaint is not a final appealable order if other counts seeking different forms of relief but the same end result remain pending.
[2] A lessor's interest in property is not subject to liens for improvements made by a lessee when the lease is recorded and expressly prohibits such liability, absent fraud…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“In the absence of fraud on the part of the lessor, the interest of the lessor shall not be subject to liens for improvements made by the lessee when the lease is recorded in the clerk's office and the terms of the lease expressly prohibit such liability.”
This statutory provision (Fla. Stat. § 713.10) is the controlling law that protects the lessor's property from mechanic's liens.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceGeorge Jones contracted with Bill Wright to construct improvements on real property owned by Leonard Stein and leased to Wright under a fifty-year lea…
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SCHEB, Chief Judge.
This appeal involves a contractor’s foreclosure of a claim of lien against a lessor’s property for improvements he constructed pursuant to an agreement with a long-term lessee of the property.
Bill Wright contracted with George Jones to construct improvements on real property which Leonard Stein owned and leased to Wright under terms of a fifty-year agreement. Subsequently, Jones filed a claim of lien alleging that Wright had not fully paid him under the contract. In June 1979 Jones filed this suit. In Count I of the complaint, Jones sought to foreclose his claim of lien against both Wright and Stein. In Count II Jones sought a money judgment against Wright alleging breach of contract.
The trial court granted Wright’s motion to dismiss on Count I and Stein’s motion for summary judgment on Count I. It denied Wright’s motion to dismiss Count II. This appeal by Jones ensued.
The order granting Wright’s motion to dismiss Count I is not an appealable nonfinal order under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.130. In addition, since Jones still has a cause of action against Wright under Count II, the order granting the motion to dismiss Count I is not a final appealable order. Although Jones seeks to obtain different forms of relief in the two counts, he is seeking the same end result, namely, payment under the contract. In McClain Construction Corp. v. Roberts, 351 So. 2d 399 (Fla.2d DCA 1977), we held that an order dismissing a count of a complaint seeking to foreclose a mechanic’s lien was not appealable while other counts involving the same set of facts and seeking an equitable lien and a recovery for breach of oral contract were pending. As the same basic facts are pertinent to each count in the present case, McClain controls, and, consequently, we must dismiss Jones’ appeal from the order dismissing Count I as to Wright.
We think, however, that the trial court’s grant of summary judgment to Stein was proper. The court had before it the lease agreement between Stein, as lessor, and Wright, as lessee, which provided in Paragraph 16 that Wright could construct any improvements on the leasehold including a farmer’s market building or buildings and related areas. It also provided that Wright could not do anything which would permit a lien or claim of lien on the leasehold. The lease was recorded in the county where Jones constructed the improvements prior to his furnishing any labor or materials.
Section 713.10, Florida Statutes (1979), provides:
In the absence of fraud on the part of the lessor, the interest of the lessor shall not be subject to liens for improvements made by the lessee when the lease is recorded in the clerk’s office and the terms of the lease expressly prohibit such liability.
Jones recognizes section 713.10 but argues that two other lease provisions negate its applicability here. Paragraph 5 provided that the lease was not binding on Wright unless the proper regulatory authority authorized him to build a farmer’s market. If approval was not given, either party could cancel the lease. Paragraph 11 required Wright to pay all taxes and assessments on the leasehold and on any improvements he constructed. Jones, citing Robb v. Lott Paving Co., 289 So. 2d 776 (Fla. 4th DCA 1974), and Jenkins v. Graham, 237 So. 2d 330 (Fla. 4th DCA 1970), argues that the language of Paragraphs 5 and 11 made the construction of improvements the “pith of the lease” and thereby subjected the leased property to a claim of lien. We do not agree.
Paragraph 16 is clear in prohibiting the imposition of a lien against Stein’s property. The provisions concerning a farmer’s market simply gave Wright the option of constructing improvements on the leasehold. They did not make that construction the “pith of the lease” under Robb and Jenkins. Consequently, since there was no suggestion of fraud and the lease was recorded, section 713.10 controls. Therefore, Stein’s interest in the property was not subject to lien.
Accordingly, we dismiss Jones’ appeal from the order granting Wright’s motion to dismiss Count I; we affirm the summary judgment in favor of Stein on Count I.
GRIMES and CAMPBELL, JJ., concur.
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14TH & Heinberg, L.L.C. v. Henricksen & Co., Inc., 877 So. 2d 34 (Fla. 1st DCA 2004)…to be entitled to a lien on improved realty as against the owner -when work is done by the lessee, the lease terms must require the work to be done or its terms must make it obvious that the improvements were the pith of the lease); Jones v. Wright, 391 So. 2d 313, 314 (Fla. 2d DCA 1980) (holding that the lease pro [*40] vision granting the lessee the option of constructing improvements did not make the construction the pith of the lease); Edward L. Nezelek, Inc. v. Food Fair Props. Agency, Inc., 309 So. 2d 2…
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Vila v. O'Brien, 511 So. 2d 443 (Fla. 5th DCA 1987)…terrelated, involve the same essential circumstances and the same parties remain in the suit. S.L.T. Warehouse Co. v. Webb, 304 So. 2d 97 (Fla.1974); Mendez v. West Flagler Family Association, Inc., 303 So. 2d 1 (Fla.1974). See also Jones v. Wright, 391 So. 2d 313 (Fla. 2d DCA 1980). Accordingly, we sua sponte dismiss this appeal, but note that the issue appellants raise is reviewable upon plenary appeal from the final judgment. DISMISSED. UPCHURCH, C.J., and ORFINGER, J., concur.…
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Budget Elec. Co. v. Strauss, 417 So. 2d 1143 (Fla. 5th DCA 1982)…provements or that the lessor knew that the lessee intended to improve the property and the lessor gave his consent or permission for the lessee to make improvements does not make the improvements the “pith” of the lease. See, e.g., Jones v. Wright, 391 So. 2d 313 (Fla. 2d DCA 1980); Edward L. Nezelek, Inc. v. Food Fair Properties Agency, Inc., 309 So. 2d 219 (Fla. 3d DCA 1975); Jennings v. Connecticut General Life Insurance Co., 177 So. 2d 66 (Fla. 2d DCA 1965); Tom Joyce Realty Corp. v. Popkin, 111 So. 2d 7…
Previewing 3 of 4 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Jenkins v. Graham, 237 So. 2d 330 (Fla. 4th DCA 1970)
- McCLAIN Constr. Corp. v. Roberts, 351 So. 2d 399 (Fla. 2d DCA 1977)
- Robb v. Lott Paving Co., Inc., 289 So. 2d 776 (Fla. 4th DCA 1974)