Part I General Provisions 720.301 – 720.318
Part II Disclosure Prior to Sale of Residential Parcels 720.401 – 720.402
Part III Covenant Revitalization 720.403 – 720.407

Terms Used In Florida Statutes > Chapter 720 - Homeowners' Associations

  • Account: means an arrangement under a terms-of-service agreement in which the custodian carries, maintains, processes, receives, or stores a digital asset of the user or provides goods or services to the user. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Accounting period: means a calendar year unless another 12-month period is selected by a fiduciary. See Florida Statutes 738.102
  • Agent: means a person that is granted authority to act for a principal under a durable or nondurable power of attorney, whether denominated an agent, an attorney in fact, or otherwise. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • amenity fee: means a sum or sums of money payable to the association, to the developer or other owner of common areas, or to recreational facilities and other properties serving the parcels by the owners of one or more parcels as authorized in the governing documents, which if not paid by the owner of a parcel, can result in a lien against the parcel. See Florida Statutes 720.301
  • Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • association: means a Florida corporation responsible for the operation of a community or a mobile home subdivision in which the voting membership is made up of parcel owners or their agents, or a combination thereof, and in which membership is a mandatory condition of parcel ownership, and which is authorized to impose assessments that, if unpaid, may become a lien on the parcel. See Florida Statutes 720.301
  • Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
  • Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
  • Benefactor: means the creator of the interest that is subject to a disclaimer. See Florida Statutes 739.102
  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • Beneficiary: means , in the case of a decedent's estate, an heir or devisee and, in the case of a trust, an income beneficiary or a remainder beneficiary. See Florida Statutes 738.102
  • Beneficiary designation: means an instrument, other than an instrument creating or amending a trust, naming the beneficiary of:
    (a) An annuity or insurance policy;
    (b) An account with a designation for payment on death;
    (c) A security registered in beneficiary form;
    (d) A pension, profit-sharing, retirement, or other employment-related benefit plan; or
    (e) Any other nonprobate transfer at death. See Florida Statutes 739.102
  • Carries: means to engage in the transmission of electronic communications. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Chambers: A judge's office.
  • Codicil: An addition, change, or supplement to a will executed with the same formalities required for the will itself.
  • Common area: means all real property within a community which is owned or leased by an association or dedicated for use or maintenance by the association or its members, including, regardless of whether title has been conveyed to the association:
    (a) Real property the use of which is dedicated to the association or its members by a recorded plat; or
    (b) Real property committed by a declaration of covenants to be leased or conveyed to the association. See Florida Statutes 720.301
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • community: includes all real property, including undeveloped phases, that is or was the subject of a development-of-regional-impact development order, together with any approved modification thereto. See Florida Statutes 720.301
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Content of an electronic communication: means information concerning the substance or meaning of the communication which:
    (a) Has been sent or received by a user;
    (b) Is in electronic storage by a custodian providing an electronic communication service to the public or is carried or maintained by a custodian providing a remote computing service to the public; and
    (c) Is not readily accessible to the public. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
  • Court: means a circuit court of this state. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Custodian: means a person that carries, maintains, processes, receives, or stores a digital asset of a user. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • declaration: means a recorded written instrument or instruments in the nature of covenants running with the land which subject the land comprising the community to the jurisdiction and control of an association or associations in which the owners of the parcels, or their association representatives, must be members. See Florida Statutes 720.301
  • Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
  • Department: means the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. See Florida Statutes 720.301
  • Designated recipient: means a person chosen by a user through an online tool to administer digital assets of the user. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Developer: means a person or entity that:
    (a) Creates the community served by the association; or
    (b) Succeeds to the rights and liabilities of the person or entity that created the community served by the association, provided that such is evidenced in writing. See Florida Statutes 720.301
  • Devise: To gift property by will.
  • Digital asset: means an electronic record in which an individual has a right or interest. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Disclaimant: means the person to whom a disclaimed interest or power would have passed had the disclaimer not been made. See Florida Statutes 739.102
  • Disclaimed interest: means the interest that would have passed to the disclaimant had the disclaimer not been made. See Florida Statutes 739.102
  • Disclaimer: means the refusal to accept an interest in or power over property. See Florida Statutes 739.102
  • Division: means the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes in the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. See Florida Statutes 720.301
  • Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
  • Electronic: means relating to technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Electronic communication service: means a custodian that provides to a user the ability to send or receive an electronic communication. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Embezzlement: In most states, embezzlement is defined as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets. Embezzlement typically occurs in the employment and corporate settings. Source: OCC
  • Fiduciary: means a personal representative, trustee, agent acting under a power of attorney, guardian, or other person authorized to act as a fiduciary with respect to the property of another person. See Florida Statutes 739.102
  • Fiduciary: means an original, additional, or successor personal representative, guardian, agent, or trustee. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
  • Fiduciary: means a personal representative or a trustee. See Florida Statutes 738.102
  • Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. Source: OCC
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Future interest: means an interest that takes effect in possession or enjoyment, if at all, later than the time of its creation. See Florida Statutes 739.102
  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • Governing documents: means :
    (a) The recorded declaration of covenants for a community and all duly adopted and recorded amendments, supplements, and recorded exhibits thereto; and
    (b) The articles of incorporation and bylaws of the homeowners' association and any duly adopted amendments thereto. See Florida Statutes 720.301
  • Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
  • Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. Source: OCC
  • Guardian: means a person who is appointed by the court as guardian of the property of a minor or an incapacitated individual. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Income: means money or property that a fiduciary receives as current return from a principal asset. See Florida Statutes 738.102
  • Income interest: means the right of an income beneficiary to receive all or part of net income, whether the terms of the trust require the net income to be distributed or authorize the net income to be distributed in the trustee's discretion. See Florida Statutes 738.102
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • Information: means data, text, images, videos, sounds, codes, computer programs, software, databases, or the like. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Insolvent: means , solely for purposes of this chapter, that the sum of a person's debts is greater than all of the person's assets at fair valuation and that the person is generally not paying his or her debts as they become due. See Florida Statutes 739.102
  • Inter vivos: Transfer of property from one living person to another living person.
  • Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
  • Jointly held property: means property held in the names of two or more persons under an arrangement in which all holders have concurrent interests and under which the last surviving holder is entitled to the whole of the property. See Florida Statutes 739.102
  • Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
  • Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
  • Marital deduction: The deduction(s) that can be taken in the determination of gift and estate tax liabilities because of the existence of a marriage or marital relationship.
  • Member: means a member of an association, and may include, but is not limited to, a parcel owner or an association representing parcel owners or a combination thereof, and includes any person or entity obligated by the governing documents to pay an assessment or amenity fee. See Florida Statutes 720.301
  • minor: includes any person who has not attained the age of 18 years. See Florida Statutes 1.01
  • Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
  • Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
  • Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
  • oath: includes affirmations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • Online tool: means an electronic service provided by a custodian which allows the user, in an agreement distinct from the terms-of-service agreement between the custodian and user, to provide directions for disclosure or nondisclosure of digital assets to a third person. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Parcel: means a platted or unplatted lot, tract, unit, or other subdivision of real property within a community, as described in the declaration:
    (a) Which is capable of separate conveyance; and
    (b) Of which the parcel owner, or an association in which the parcel owner must be a member, is obligated:
  • Parcel owner: means the record owner of legal title to a parcel. See Florida Statutes 720.301
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Person: means an individual, estate, trust, business or nonprofit entity, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or other legal entity. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Person: means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, public corporation, or any other legal or commercial entity or a government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality. See Florida Statutes 738.102
  • Person: includes individuals, ascertained and unascertained, living or not living, whether entitled to an interest by right of intestacy or otherwise; a government, governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality; and a public corporation. See Florida Statutes 739.102
  • Personal representative: means the fiduciary appointed by the court to administer the estate of a deceased individual pursuant to letters of administration or an order appointing a curator or administrator ad litem for the estate. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
  • political subdivision: include counties, cities, towns, villages, special tax school districts, special road and bridge districts, bridge districts, and all other districts in this state. See Florida Statutes 1.01
  • Power of attorney: means a record that grants an agent authority to act in the place of a principal pursuant to chapter 709. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC
  • Principal: means an individual who grants authority to an agent in a power of attorney. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Principal: means property held in trust for distribution to a remainder beneficiary when the trust terminates. See Florida Statutes 738.102
  • Probate: Proving a will
  • Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  • Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
  • Remainderman: One entitled to the remainder of an estate after a particular reserved right or interest, such as a life tenancy, has expired.
  • Remote computing service: means a custodian that provides to a user computer processing services or the storage of digital assets by means of an electronic communications system as defined in 18 U. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
  • Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
  • Revocable trust: A trust agreement that can be canceled, rescinded, revoked, or repealed by the grantor (person who establishes the trust).
  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
  • Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • Tenancy by the entirety: A type of joint tenancy between husband and wife that is recognized in some States. Neither party can sever the joint tenancy relationship; when a spouse dies, the survivor acquires full title to the property.
  • Terms-of-service agreement: means an agreement that controls the relationship between a user and a custodian. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Time of distribution: means the time when a disclaimed interest would have taken effect in possession or enjoyment. See Florida Statutes 739.102
  • Trust: means :
    (a) An express trust (including an honorary trust or a trust under…. See Florida Statutes 739.102
  • Trustee: means a fiduciary that holds legal title to property under an agreement, declaration, or trust instrument that creates a beneficial interest in the settlor or other persons. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
  • Trustee: includes an original, additional, or successor trustee, whether or not appointed or confirmed by a court. See Florida Statutes 738.102
  • Uphold: The decision of an appellate court not to reverse a lower court decision.
  • User: means a person that has an account with a custodian. See Florida Statutes 740.002
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
  • Voting interest: means the voting rights distributed to the members of the homeowners' association, pursuant to the governing documents. See Florida Statutes 720.301
  • Will: means an instrument admitted to probate, including a codicil, executed by an individual in the manner prescribed by the Florida Probate Code, which disposes of the individual's property on or after his or her death. See Florida Statutes 740.002