The Fort Lauderdale attorneys at Kelley/Uustal are currently representing 1,400 people in a lawsuit against the Broward County Commission. The plaintiffs, who hold certificates required to drive a taxi or other for-hire vehicle, claim that changes in regulations making it easier for ride-share services to operate legally throughout the county has resulted in a devaluation of certificates that were once worth $150,000 or more.
The new ordinance voted into effect by the county, which created a “transportation network company” category for app-based ride-hailing services, lifted restrictions on the number of for-hire vehicles allowed to operate in the county. According to the lawsuit, this has resulted in a violation of the constitutional rights of the permit holders to just compensation, equal protection, and due process of the law.
Attorney Robert Kelley, one of the founding partners of Kelley/Uustal, makes it clear that this lawsuit is not against a particular ride-sharing service, but is aimed at obtaining compensation for the county’s unconstitutional deprivation of property rights to certificate holders. He points out that the passage of the new ordinance has prevented a level playing field for all vehicles-for-hire in Broward County, which has resulted in “devastating financial losses.”
The case will be represented by Attorney Robert Kelley and his colleagues, Attorneys Cristina M. Pierson, and Kimberly L. Wald. Please click here to read more about this case.
