{"id":5080,"date":"2022-04-04T21:27:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-04T21:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/?post_type=publications&p=5080"},"modified":"2025-11-24T19:55:45","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T19:55:45","slug":"new-case-exposes-the-risks-of-relying-on-text-messages-to-alter-or-create-contracts","status":"publish","type":"publications","link":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/new-case-exposes-the-risks-of-relying-on-text-messages-to-alter-or-create-contracts\/","title":{"rendered":"New Case Exposes the Risks of Relying on Text Messages to Alter or Create Contracts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Person<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In a recent real estate case, a court dismissed a lawsuit by a buyer to require the seller to sell him the property because the court found that the agreements between the parties contained in text messages and emails were unenforceable. This raises a significant concern over the enforceability of changes or amendments to construction contracts made by text or email, especially ones that will take a long time to perform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The specifics of the case are outlined below, but I wanted to address two important issues contractors need to keep in mind as they read it. While this case involves a real estate contract, rather than a construction contract, it is important to note that Florida\u2019s Statute of Frauds \u2014 the basis for the court\u2019s decision \u2014 can impact construction contracts. Florida\u2019s Statute of Frauds, found in 725.01, Florida Statutes, governs many types of transactions, including \u201cany agreement that is not to be performed within the space of 1 year from the making thereof.\u201d Thus, if you enter into a vague contract to build a house that\u2019s going to take more than one year to build, and attempt to fill in the gaps with text messages and emails later, you may end up with problems enforcing the details or changes made by text messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further, given the current delays in materials and labor, it is easy to see a circumstance where a change order, side contract, or addendum made by text message may not be performable within one year. Those types of agreements may be subject to Florida\u2019s Statute of Frauds and unenforceable. So while this case is not directly connected to construction, it illustrates the valuable lesson of making sure to have all the details of your project in writing and signed by the parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turning to the facts of the case, Walsh v. Abate<\/em> arises from a failed real estate transaction. In December 2020, a real estate agent emailed an offer to purchase a home for $3.1 million on behalf of a buyer. The offer was sent on a standard FAR\/BAR contract. The seller\u2019s agent responded that the seller would only accept $3.4 million. Shortly thereafter, the buyer\u2019s agent responded that the buyer would meet the $3.4 million price, with all other terms remaining the same and a \u201cquick cash close.” The buyer\u2019s agent also asked that the seller counter the original offer with his $3.4 million offer, sign it, and then the buyers would sign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response, this time via text message, the seller\u2019s agent stated that the seller accepted the $3.4 million and asked to close on Feb. 1. The buyer\u2019s agent texted back that this was confirmed. Several days later, the seller\u2019s agent emailed the buyer\u2019s agent, thanking the buyers for their patience and reiterating that the sellers accepted the $3.4 million and would like to close by Feb. 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite this, a few days later, the seller\u2019s agent emailed the buyer\u2019s agent and said that the sellers had accepted a different offer. The buyer\u2019s assignee then filed suit to require the seller to sell him the property, arguing that the emails and text messages between the parties constituted a binding contract between the parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the seller\u2019s request, the trial court entered an order dismissing the lawsuit. The court found that the contract between the parties was never fully executed. The emails and text messages could not form a binding contract because they violated Florida\u2019s statute of frauds, which requires, among other things, contracts for the sale of real estate to be in writing and signed by the parties. On appeal, the Fourth District Court of Appeal agreed with the trial court. It noted that the evidence before the trial court illustrated an initial signed offer by the buyer, and after that, only unsigned emails and text messages between the real estate agents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information about how a similar situation could impact your construction contract, contact Jason Lambert or your Dinsmore attorney.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a recent real estate case, a court dismissed a lawsuit by a buyer to require the seller to sell him the property because the court found that the agreements between the parties contained in text messages and emails were unenforceable. This raises a significant concern over the enforceability of changes or amendments to construction\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"publication-type":[8],"class_list":["post-5080","publications","type-publications","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","publication-type-articles"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNew Case Exposes the Risks of Relying on Text Messages to Alter or Create Contracts - Dinsmore & Shohl<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"New Case Exposes the Risks of Relying on Text Messages to Alter or Create Contracts Read insights and legal analysis from attorneys at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/new-case-exposes-the-risks-of-relying-on-text-messages-to-alter-or-create-contracts\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"New Case Exposes the Risks of Relying on Text Messages to Alter or Create Contracts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"New Case Exposes the Risks of Relying on Text Messages to Alter or Create Contracts Read insights and legal analysis from attorneys at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/new-case-exposes-the-risks-of-relying-on-text-messages-to-alter-or-create-contracts\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Dinsmore & Shohl\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-24T19:55:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Lambert-Alert_Header.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/new-case-exposes-the-risks-of-relying-on-text-messages-to-alter-or-create-contracts\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/new-case-exposes-the-risks-of-relying-on-text-messages-to-alter-or-create-contracts\/\",\"name\":\"New Case Exposes the Risks of Relying on Text Messages to Alter or Create Contracts - 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