When a homeowner is looking to upgrade their home to solar energy, the first step is to determine exactly how the project will be paid for Since most people typically do not have thousands of dollars in their rainy day fund, many people will require a loan to finance the upgrades. The PACE program will provide the loan for the homeowner.
PACE, which stands for property assessed clean energy, is a new concept in financing home and commercial property improvements. PACE financing is an easy and effective way to finance a range of upgrades that save energy, conserve water, harness renewable energy, and protect against natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes. While PACE programs are enabled by state legislation and approved by local governments, PACE financing is not a government discount or incentive program.
PACE financing is a loan that is available in areas where the local government has allocated funds to be used for financing improvements on residential and commercial properties. An authorized PACE lender provides the funds to the homeowner, and the property owner repays the financial institution through an assessment attached to their annual property tax bill. The specific amount of money you qualify for is dependent on the amount of equity in your house. Hundreds of home and commercial improvements qualify for PACE financing. Among the more common are solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, roofing, HVAC systems, impact-resistant windows and doors, drought-tolerant landscaping and many more.
The PACE program provides many benefits such as no money down with 100% financing and no payments for up to twelve months. A PACE loan is different than traditional loans because it attaches to the property, not the person. This means that the person who takes the loan can sell their house, and the loan is then paid by the new owner of the house.
A loan with zero upfront costs attaches to the property rather than the person, and provides upgrades such as Solar panels, almost sounds too good to be true. Are there any downsides to a PACE program loan? For many homeowners, there have been.
Are there problems with the PACE program?
Ygrene Energy Fund is one of the bigger PACE program lenders in Florida. A typical PACE loan financed through Ygrene Energy Fund Florida lasts about 20 years with an average interest rate of about 7 percent. The PACE program has a higher interest rate than other green mortgage alternatives such as FHA loans. Borrowers can expect to repay twice the project cost over the payback period. As with any other type of loan, failure to make payments to a PACE loan will end up in a lien, which eventually could result in foreclosure. A property assessment automatically becomes the first lien on any property, putting both the borrowers and the mortgage lenders at risk of losing their money. With the risk incurred by the mortgage company, many lenders will not finance a purchase of a property holding a PACE loan.
Many issues have arisen with contractors recommending a PACE loan to homeowners. It has been reported that some contractors charge more money for services that are financed through a PACE loan. There have also been reports of contractors stating that the price of payments on the loan would be offset by the amount of money the homeowner saves in utility bills, which for many homeowners was not accurate. In many instances, the homeowner relies on what the contractor has told them, regardless of whether this information is factually accurate.
Should I use the PACE program?
Many homeowners did not take the time to read the full contract for a PACE loan, nor did they do the appropriate research to determine if this program was the right program for their specific situations. Some homeowners have alleged that they did not even know that failure to repay the loan would result in a lien on their property. If the house is foreclosed upon, the homeowner will have to pay the PACE loan off in full. If there is any money left over, the lender of the mortgage (if there is one) will be entitled to the surplus. This would leave the homeowner with a very unlikely chance of receiving any money from the foreclosure sale of their home.
Is it worth getting a PACE loan for solar in Florida?
Yes, and No. The PACE program is not a one-size-fits-all program and should be scrutinized by each homeowner BEFORE they sign the contract. If you understand the PACE program, there are certainly ways to use it to your advantage. The real issues with the program seem to stem from homeowners jumping into a program without fully understanding the long-term contract. After the Solar panels are installed, the reality sets in that the PACE loan is a 20-30-year commitment that can potentially cost twice as much to repay, if the homeowner can make the payments at all. If you are the type of person who reads the terms of service on products you purchase, you should not have any problems with the PACE program, however, the PACE program is not a commitment in which you want to agree to the terms of service without first reading them.
A new House Bill, if passed, would allow for Online Notary Public services
If you have ever been involved in a lawsuit, filed for divorce, bought or sold a house, etc., you have probably had a few interactions with a Florida Notary. A Notary Public is an official appointed by the Governor of Florida, to serve the public as an impartial witness to the signing of important documents, as requiring the signor to appear in front of the Notary helps deter fraud. However, in 2019, the requirement of physically appearing before a Notary may become a thing of the past. House Bill 409, if passed, would allow for online Notarization of your important documents:
“An online notary public physically located in this state may perform an online notarization that meets the requirements of this part regardless of whether the principal or any witnesses are physically located in this state at the time of the online notarization.” See House Bill 409, Page 34, Lines 826-830. “An online notarial act performed in accordance with this chapter is deemed to have been performed within this state and is governed by the applicable laws of this state.” See House Bill 409, Page 34, Lines 835-838.
The Bill, proposed by Rep. Daniel Perez, will be considered in the next Judicial Committee, which is the final step before a House Vote. Since proposing the Bill, there have been outbursts of mixed feelings with many people applauding the use of modern technology in the Notary field, and others arguing that Fraud is already on the rise, and this Bill will make it that much easier to commit Fraud.
Benefits of an Online Notary Public
There are many benefits to this system, such as allowing people who are sick or bedridden to have important estate planning documents notarized without having to leave the house, or without having to have a mobile notary come into the home. The Bill would also allow someone on vacation to execute necessary documents without having to wait for days or weeks until they return home.
House Bill 409 lays out specific criteria, including on-camera identification of the signor, that an online Notary will have to comply with before they are allowed to issue their seal:
“In performing an online notarization, an online notary public shall confirm the identity of a principal and any witness appearing online, at the time that the signature is taken, by using audio-video communication technology and processes that meet the requirements of this part and of any rules adopted hereunder and record the two-way audio-video conference session between the notary public and the principal and any witnesses. A principal may not act in the capacity of a witness for his or her own signature in an online notarization.” See House Bill 409, Page 34, Lines 839-847.
Advances in Technology Change the Way A Notary Public Can Operate
Historically a Notary was required to physically, in person, view a form of identification of the person signing such as a driver’s license or other governmental identification. The Notary Public either makes a copy of the license or records the identifying numbers in their Notary books in case the Notarized document is ever involved in litigation. Due to the importance of the document(s) being Notarized, litigation may arise many years later, so preservation of the Notary record is vital. With modern technology allowing cloud storage, these recorded identifying conference sessions could be stored forever electronically. This would allow people to later judge whether the documents provided were, in fact, sufficient because the viewable record would be exactly the same as it was at the time the notary witnessed the signing. However, if you continue scrolling the Bill, paragraph (9) raises some concerns:
(9) Any failure to comply with the online notarization procedures set forth in this section does not impair the validity of the notarial act or the electronic record that was notarized, but may be introduced as evidence to establish violations of this chapter or as an indication of possible fraud, forgery, impersonation, duress, incapacity, undue influence, minority, illegality, unconscionability, or for other evidentiary purposes. See House Bill 409, Page 36, line 888.
This section states that if an online Notary fails to record the Identification conference (or any of the others procedures not discussed in this article), the Notarization is not per se invalid. The Notarization would first have to be discovered, challenged, and then successfully argued and proven to be forged, fraudulent, or otherwise invalid. This would allow for a situation where someone has a friend perform an online Notary without any verifying documents and without recording the conference. The Notarization is not invalid until it is ruled as such; however, the Notary did not record or preserve any of the documents they relied upon. How exactly is a person supposed to prove whether a Notarization is fraudulent if there is not any record? This section could potentially create many nightmares in areas such as Wills and Trusts where the signor may not even be alive, and the Notary did not preserve the record. Perhaps this should be reversed, in that the online notarization should be considered per se invalid unless there exists proper documentation or record to support the identity of the signor.
With the help of technology such as video conferencing, many areas of society are moving into electronic means. With the importance of Notarization, and how heavily our society leans on the verification of a signature, perhaps proposed House Bill 409 is a little less restrictive than it should be as the first round of Electronic Notarization in Florida. Whichever way the Florida legislature decides, it will be an interesting story to follow.
A narcissist is someone characterized as having a narcissistic personality disorder. This disorder is defined by psychologists as a mental condition in which an individual has an inflated sense of self-importance, an insatiable need for outside attention has difficulty in relationships, and has a clearly defined lack of empathy for others.
One of the lesser-known defining elements of a narcissist is that despite the outward impression of self-confidence, they possess delicate self-esteem and are easily hurt by even small amounts of criticism.
Someone with a narcissistic personality disorder will often have problems in many areas of their life. Narcissists have difficult times in relationships, at work or school, and those difficulties can find their way into other important parts of their life.
Because of the narcissist’s need for constant outside admiration, they will often be disappointed in normal relationships and will find them unfulfilling. Because of this, the narcissist will typically seem unhappy, dissatisfied, and disappointed.
What does narcissistic mean?
To be narcissistic means to possess the characteristics of a narcissist. This means they have a constant and unrealistic need for affirmation and lack empathy for others, even those closest to them.
It can be difficult to identify someone’s personality as narcissistic. It’s important to understand that narcissism is a scientifically defined mental condition. While it might be easy or convenient to anecdotally classify someone as being a narcissist, for this article, we advise our clients to refrain from using that term unless there has been a clinical diagnosis.
Signs you are in a narcissistic relationship
While it is important to have someone diagnosed as a narcissist to best understand the situation, there are some signs you can look for if you believe you are in a narcissistic relationship. Here are some of the most common.
Your partner or ex has to dominate the conversation. This is because the narcissist wants all of the focus and attention to be on them, with little regard for how others feel.
Your partner or ex continually interrupts without consideration for your feelings. Remember, a narcissist lacks empathy and understanding of other’s feelings so they will barge in on the conversation without care.
Your partner or ex feels that boundaries or rules don’t apply to them. A narcissist believes they live outside of the rules of appropriate behavior. This means that they will go beyond the boundaries of what is appropriate and feel that they are justified in breaking any rules that govern basic human-to-human relationships.
The projection of a false, exaggerated appearance. The narcissist so badly wants to impress those around them that they will often exaggerate many things about their lives. What’s happening here is that they want to convey the message that they are better than everyone else.
The narcissist is manipulative. They will use situations and other people to their advantage and strengthen their belief that they are better than those around them. Even under pretense, someone with narcissistic tendencies will “use” people and environments to elevate their position and draw out the attention and admiration of others.
Your partner or ex is grandiose. The narcissist has a false sense of self-importance and will portray themselves in kind. Their behaviors will be exaggerated. They will imply that they are heroic and others simply could not survive without them.
Your partner or ex isolates you from your friends and is highly controlling. Remember, to the narcissist, it is all about them, and they do not want you to share your attention or affection with others.
Your partner or ex likes to spread negative emotions. One of the most potent ways to get attention is to spread negative emotions. These negative emotions could be caused by the smallest of circumstances, real or perceived. This behavior will often throw-off people around them and direct attention to the narcissist.
Can a narcissist change?
There is much debate between psychologists about whether a narcissist can change. The root of the argument is that narcissism is a personality disorder and typically these types of disorders have more permanence. They are increasingly resistant to change over time.
One position is that if a person is diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder and desires to change strongly enough, they can change.
However, we are dealing with the complexities and variances of the human mind, and each person and situation is different. The short answer is that it is not clear if a narcissist can change.
How to deal with a narcissistic husband, wife, or ex.
Dealing with a narcissist is another complicated question. There are many experts who believe that, especially in the case of an ex, you should completely avoid dealing with a narcissist at all. Especially if you feel that you can change their behavior. The experts suggest keeping the narcissist at arms-length and deal with them as little as possible or as is necessary, in the case of co-parenting.
The key to dealing with a narcissistic husband, wife or ex is to understand what you are dealing with. Your partner or ex lives in a world that is all about them, and your feelings or existence have little meaning unless you are paying attention to them, giving them accolades, or giving them affection. If you are comfortable living in that condition, you can then deal with it accordingly.
How to handle a narcissist in court during a divorce
Dealing with a person with narcissistic issues or traits during the divorce process or in an adversarial setting is difficult but doable. The following suggestions are helpful methods as the divorce process alone is daunting, and adding the narcissist as an opposing party escalates the level of difficulty to extremely high.
Be prepared to receive several motions and pleadings that will be inaccurate, inflammatory in nature, and in abundance. The first reaction is to respond in anger and try to counter the accusations with your own flurry of emotional responses; however, this type of response may be counterproductive to your goal for the divorce. The best method is to maintain a calm, cool, and collective stance. Meet with your attorney and formulate a game plan to tackle the motions and filings in a manner that places you in a better position when you do need to be in front of a judge.
Make certain to choose an attorney with a good skill level to deal with a narcissist. Your lawyer that is drafting your responses, motions and pleadings must be knowledgeable on how to deal with an opposing party that has narcissistic traits. The narcissistic party believes they know more than a lawyer and will attempt to manipulate your attorney. Your lawyer should have the ability to identify the narcissist’s tactics and respond accordingly that will benefit you and get you closer to your desired outcome in the case.
Keep your attorney INFORMED. This cannot be stressed enough. Do not doubt your knowledge of your partner or spouse.
Because of the increased problems and high emotional stress involved in a divorce with the added issue of divorcing a narcissist, it is suggested that you participate in therapy with a licensed mental health professional that has advanced working knowledge on addressing the ramifications of dealing with a narcissistic partner or spouse. Really try to use the methods and strategies recommended by the therapist to help get through the process.
Only use documented or written forms of communication. This is advised for all contentious divorces, but more so in a divorce with a narcissist. You will receive hostile, inaccurate, and harassing communications from the narcissistic party. Don’t respond while you are reeling in anger. WAIT! Consult your lawyer and keep that calm and collective stance that was previously suggested. Remember, every communication has a possibility of being used in court. Communicate in a manner where you think a judge or third-party decision maker is watching and listening.
Gather your support together! Your support is your legal team, your mental/emotional support team, and your friends, family and other reliable and trustworthy sources or groups.
Meet with your attorney before any hearings or trial. Review methods with your attorney on how to address any triggers that the narcissist may attempt to use to rattle you and impact your ability to get your testimony heard.
Co-parenting with a narcissist
Unfortunately, co-parenting with a narcissist will require ongoing diligence on your part to ensure the children are insulated as much as possible from the self-serving goals of the narcissist. You will need support. It is strongly suggested to have a mental health professional involved. The therapist or counselor also should be skilled in dealing with narcissistic tendencies or traits from the other parent.
Make certain to keep the therapist informed of the issues regarding the narcissistic parent. Ask for help on how to address the problems associated with the narcissistic parent.
You will receive information from the children on what the other parent is discussing with them or saying about you. The narcissist will most likely engage in a smear campaign against you and inappropriately share litigation information or adult topics or issues with the children. It is critically important not to respond in a “correction” mode or tell your children the real facts. I know it is hard, but do not involve your children in the parenting aspect of your case.
Document what the children are saying to you and discuss it with your therapist and your attorney. Remember, keep your lawyer informed. Encourage your children to be open, honest, and to share. Also, let them know that those conversations are adult problems and the children should not be involved at all. The therapist will have insight on how to address the parenting side of the problems the narcissist will create, and your lawyer will guide you on what to do legally. Use the resources of your support teams.
Moving on from a marriage with a narcissist
Moving on from a relationship with a narcissist can be difficult, even more so if you’ve spent years in the narcissistic environment. You might have feelings of low self-worth, you might doubt your ability to make others happy, you might unfairly judge yourself.
First, realize that it’s not your fault. You were in a situation that actively contributed to making you feel this way about yourself. You’ve gotten out. Now it’s time to move on.
You should take time for yourself. It’s time to reconnect with yourself and find the value that you bring to your own life and that of others. Engage in activities that help you regain balance in your life and help build your self-esteem. Sign up for a class that you’ve always wanted, increase physical activity, spend time with family and friends. Reintroduce yourself to the beautiful things life has to offer.
In some cases, you might want to consider getting help through therapy. Sometimes just having someone to speak with about the situation can help ease the process of moving on. A professional who can specifically address the situation can be a valuable resource.
No matter what, you must move on. You will find “yourself” again and realize that you are the beautiful, miraculous person you were meant to be.
When you go to court, you can expect that the judge that is hearing your case is impartial and will treat both sides in a fair manner. While having an unbiased judge is almost exclusively the case, there could be a time where you believe your judge is biased.
The bias could be towards you or your situation. The bias could also be towards your attorney. You might also believe that the judge displays a lack of impartiality that might favor the other lawyer or litigant.
In a situation where a judge is biased or prejudice, the result could be a decision that is not fair or impartial to one party in the case.
Often, a judge will identify their own inability to be fair, neutral, and impartial and will recuse themselves from the case. As it relates to the judge, the word “recuse” means that the judge will excuse themselves from the trial or case because of potential bias or conflict of interest and another judge will be appointed in his or her place.
When might a judge recuse themselves from a case?
An example of when a judge might recuse themselves from a case might be if the judge formerly held a position as a lawyer at the same law firm as one of the attorneys involved in the case. In this example, the professional relationship with one attorney could imply that the judge is biased. Having identified the relationship and potential bias, the judge will recuse or excuse themselves from the case.
Can you ask a judge to recuse themselves if you think your judge is biased?
The second use of the word “recuse” involves a condition where one party in a case believes the judge is biased and a motion is made to recuse the judge. For instance, if it is learned that a member of the judge’s immediate family could benefit economically from the outcome of a case, the judge might have conflicted loyalties that would make it difficult to be impartial in the case. In this scenario, an attorney could make a motion to disqualify the judge, which asks the judge to recuse himself or herself.
The Orlando Law Group obtains a Writ of Prohibition after a denied motion to disqualify a judge
The Orlando Law Group recently won an appeal in a case where a motion to disqualify the judge was denied. We filed a Petition for Writ of Prohibition asking the appellate court to remove the judge after the judge declined to recuse herself. The Fifth District Court of Appeals, found the appeal well-taken, finding that “the facts alleged in Petitioner’s motion would place a reasonably prudent person in fear of not receiving a fair and impartial hearing.”
The Court of Appeals went on to grant the Petition for Writ of Prohibition stating “we grant the petition, quash the order denying Petitioner’s motion to disqualify and remand the case with directions that the underlying case reassigned to a different judge.”
Steps you should take if you think your judge is biased
The right to a trial by a fair and impartial judge is a right to all citizens. While the vast majority of the time a litigant can expect a fair and impartial judge on occasion, a litigant and his or her attorney may have a reasonable fear that the judge is or may be biased. You and your attorney should be in agreement that the judge assigned to your case may not be impartial.
No matter what, it’s important to work with an attorney who knows the strict requirements and timelines in seeking the recusal of a judge believed to be biased, and the steps necessary if the judge fails to recuse himself or herself. Your right to a fair trial is paramount and we will protect that right.