Official asks for more time to respond to federal lawsuit

Head of DBPR asks judge for seven-day extension after attorney woking on lawsuit falls ill

By Louis Llovio
| 3:47 p.m. August 11, 2021
| 0 Free Articles Remaining!

COURTESY: Contractors claim law meant to protect consumers violates their First Amendment rights.

Tampa Bay-Lakeland

TALLAHASSEE— Florida’s Secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation has asked a federal judge for a seven-day extension to reply to a lawsuit by a Brandon roofing company that claims the Legislature violated its First Amendment rights when it passed a measure aimed at stopping unscrupulous contractors.

Julie Brown, sued by Gale Force Roofing & Restoration in her role as head of DBR, cited the sudden illness of one of her attorneys as the reason to request the delay. The response was due Aug. 12.