Legal Showdown Over Citizens’ Arbitration Process

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – A Hillsborough County circuit judge has issued a temporary injunction to block Citizens Property Insurance Corp. from using a controversial arbitration process to resolve claims disputes. The decision, handed down by Judge Melissa M. Polo, was quickly appealed by Citizens, which filed a notice with the 2nd District Court of Appeal. This appeal has triggered an automatic stay, meaning the arbitration process can continue while the case proceeds.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by Tampa homeowner Martin Alvarez, who argued that Citizens’ arbitration process is unconstitutional. Judge Polo agreed, writing that Alvarez has a “substantial likelihood of success” on his claim that the process violates the Flori

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