Q: Out of state small claims court question
My florist violated our wedding contract and did not bring the flowers/colors of flowers we agreed upon and instead brought, dying, wilted, brown flowers to our wedding that were not the right color or flowers agreed upon in our paying contract. When I called her the day of the wedding she was argumentative with me and wouldn't answer my questions about why she violated our contract and instead argued with me about colors of flowers. After the wedding I contacted her and was told she had a death in the family and could not speak to me all week by her assistant. She has not returned my phone calls or emails in 2 weeks. She did not give us what was agreed upon in our contract. I left negative reviews online, and now she is threatening to sue for defamation for my negative, truthful review. I live out of state from where the wedding was performed. Does my lawyer have to be from Florida since the violation of contract took place in Florida or can the lawyer be from my home state?
A:
It depends. If the suit is filed in Florida, the lawyer must be admitted to practice law in Florida. If it's filed in your home state, the lawyer would have to be admitted to practice in your home state.
It's not clear which possible suit you are asking about: the breach of contract or the defamation. Of course one could be a counter-claim to the other.
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