Recent changes to Florida’s liquor laws and related policies have eased up restrictions for restaurants and movie theaters to qualify and afford a full liquor license, especially for those businesses located in Hillsborough County, Florida.

Florida alcoholic beverage laws generally allowed restaurants meeting certain criteria to qualify for a state 4COP-SRX liquor license. These licenses authorized the sale of beer, wine and spirits (hard liquor) subject to what were often requirements that many small restaurants could not fulfill. In the ...

With an improved economy and resultant tax revenue, local and state governments have increased their budgets for transportation. For example, Florida’s proposed state budget included $4.1 billion for road construction projects while Hillsborough County recently approved a $700 million transportation plan.

The Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits any government from taking private property without payment of just compensation to the owner. In Florida, a state highly protective of property rights, there is a greater obligation imposed to ensure owners ...

State and local governments may deny or revoke various forms of property rights in certain circumstances, but these governments’ power to do so is subject to limitations. Oftentimes government oversteps its boundaries and issues unfair decisions regarding property rights. One way to resolve the denial of property rights is through litigation, where there is obviously a high degree of risk along with uncertainty associated with taking this route. Another less publicized, but increasingly popular alternative to resolving property rights grievances ...

By all rights, the government can seize a private property under eminent domain. However, this doesn’t make you completely powerless as an ordinary citizen against the state exercising this right. According to USLegal, the whole concept of eminent domain has its own constitutional limits to protect the rights of a homeowner in Tampa or anywhere else in the United States. There are certain requirements that would need to be fulfilled that would only allow the government to seize your property. ...

“Eminent domain “is defined as the inherent power of the government to take a property which it deems necessary for public purpose. However, this power is not absolute as it has to pay you, the owner, an amount based on the property’s fair market value before it can actually obtain the said property. In this article, you will learn some key aspects of an eminent domain case and how you can achieve just compensation.

Imagine you’re operating your Tampa Bay business like any other day when you receive a Notification of Need for Property & Rights from a condemning authority. What does it mean?  Basically, the document says the local government intends to acquire your property.

If this should happen to you, you are involved ...

Under the eminent domain laws, the state and local governments can take private property from its owners and convert the land for public use. Courts generally will uphold such land grabs if it is proven the taking would serve a public purpose.

However, there have been cases where property owners have been unlawfully ...