Houston Short is a trial attorney with over 30 years of experience in business and commercial litigation. His practice emphasizes banking litigation, construction litigation, contract litigation and title litigation.  Houston’s experience is not limited to the courtroom. He provides consultations with a goal to avoid or limit exposure to potential litigation, shareholder derivative actions and investors disputes.

Houston has represented numerous financial institutions and concentrates in prosecuting creditor rights to achieve monetary collections through prejudgment writs of attachment and attacking third-party assets through proceedings supplementary. Notable victories include piercing the homestead exemption claimed by a debtor in bankruptcy, obtaining an attorney fees award against firms that wrongfully seized assets and captured assets transferred to avoid creditors.

A great percentage of Houston’s work involves representing title underwriters. Over the years he has worked for most major Florida title underwriters in handling claims as well as insurance defense. Title policies are contracts for indemnity; not liability insurance.

Houston is a native Floridian born and raised in Orlando.

Houston has written many articles targeted to business owners that explain various legal concepts encountered in litigation. The articles avoid legalese and are available for review upon request.

• University of Florida Bailey-Ferguson Scholarship, Recipient

• “The Constitutionality of the Legislatures Mandate to Sever Counterclaims in Mortgage Foreclosure Action,” Florida Bar Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, co-author
• “Resulting Trust: The Law Will Protect Your Assets from Your Spouse’s Creditor,” author
• “Shareholders Have Rights to Demand Corporate Financial Information,” author
• “Settlement Offers May Not Be Introduced at Trial as Evidence,” author
• “Can You Avoid a Personal Guaranty by Signing as an Officer?,” author
• “Corporations: Not a License to Steal,” author
• “ELECTRONIC Signatures Have the Same Force and Effect as Written Signatures,” author
• “USURY: The Pitfalls of Charging Too Much Interest,” author
• “The Naked Promise to Buy a Home is Enforceable,” author
• “Marketable Record Title Act: The Clock May be Ticking Against Homeowners Associations,” author
• “Lis Pendens are Not Necessarily Free,” author
• “What Happens if the Cost to Build a Home Exceeds the Contract Price?,” author
• National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts, lecture
• Orange County Homeowners Association, lecture
• Fidelity National Title Company Seminars, lecture

• American Arbitration Association Panel Review Committee
• Orange County Bar Association
• Florida Bar