The Good Faith Exception to Fraudulent Liens
Florida’s lien law specifically prohibits a lienor from improperly increasing the amount of its lien beyond the amount owed or including amounts for work not performed. See Section 713.31, Florida Statutes. The lien law even imposes penalties against a lienor for recording such a "fraudulent lien." At the same time, however, the lien law provides that a lien will not be found "fraudulent" if the lienor’s actions in recording it were in good faith. It is important for a lienor to be aware, though, that "good faith" will only go so far in avoiding a finding that its lien is fraudulent.
The lien that a consultant recorded against Mr. and Mrs. Medellin’s home provides an example of how good faith will not always prevent a court from finding a lien is fraudulent. Medellin v. MLA Consulting, Inc., 69 So. 3d 372 (Fla. 5th DCA 2011). While the trial court found that the consultant’s lien was not fraudulent, because the consultant believed in good faith that the amount was due, the appellate court disagreed. The appellate court clarified the good faith exception to be limited to preventing a lien from being deemed fraudulent when the issue is whether the amount included in the lien was due, and there was a good faith dispute over whether it was due. The appellate court found that the Medellins’ consultant’s good faith was irrelevant because the issue was whether the amount included in the consultant’s lien was for work that entitled the consultant to record a lien against the Medellins’ house. Because the work underlying the disputed amount in the consultant’s lien was not lienable, the appellate court found that the consultant’s lien was fraudulent.
With the Medellin court’s holding, it is now even more important that a lienor be sure the amounts it is including in its lien are for work that will properly support a lien.
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