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Note 12 - Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Notes to Financial Statements  
Commitments Disclosure [Text Block]

12.         Commitments and Contingencies

 

The Company and its subsidiaries are parties to claims and lawsuits related to the normal course of business operations. When the Company determines that a loss is both probable and reasonably estimable, a liability representing the best estimate of the Company’s financial exposure is recorded. Actual losses may materially differ from the Company’s estimates. With respect to our title insurance operations, this customary litigation includes but is not limited to a wide variety of cases arising out of or related to title and escrow claims, for which we make provisions through our loss reserves. See Note 6, Reserve for Title Claims, for further information. None of these claims and lawsuits, in management’s opinion, will have a material adverse effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Litigation

 

The Company’s subsidiaries are parties to legal actions incidental to their business. As of December 31, 2025, management believed that the resolution of these matters would not materially affect our financial condition or results of operations.

 

Omega and ONF Litigation

 

During the first quarter of 2026, one of the Company’s subsidiaries, Omega, was served with litigation in the Circuit Court in and for Lee County, Florida. The case, instituted by Citizens Bank (“Plaintiff”), is a mortgage foreclosure action filed against multiple parties, including the current owner and a prior borrower. Plaintiff filed Affirmative Defenses and Counter Claims in the foreclosure action alleging a count of negligence and a count of breach of fiduciary duty against Omega and naming Omega as a Third-Party Defendant. Plaintiff alleges that Omega was negligent and breached its fiduciary duty to Plaintiff in performing its duty as a closing agent when Omega performed a closing and paid off the existing loan, but failed to check a box on Plaintiff’s form stating the loan was to be closed and terminated. After the loan was paid off, the prior borrower continued using the loan and defaulted on the payment obligations. The Company believes it is unlikely that the case will result in a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements. 

 

During the third quarter of 2025, one of the Company’s subsidiaries, ONF, was included as a defendant in connection with litigation in the County Court in and for Lee County, Florida. ONF was served with the initial summons on October 2, 2025. The case, instituted by Delta Build Services, Inc., a sub-contractor who provided labor and supplies, and Gretchel De Los Milagros Castaneda-Vazquez, the purchaser of the property (collectively "Lee County Plaintiffs”), is a multi-count civil lawsuit filed against multiple parties, including the general contractor, its managers and managing members, ONF, a former employee of Delta Build Services, Inc., the buyer’s realtor and supervising broker. The single alleged count against ONF is a claim of negligence. Lee County Plaintiffs allege that ONF breached a duty of care owed to Lee County Plaintiffs by accepting an allegedly forged document at closing. ONF has retained outside counsel. The Company believes it is unlikely that the case will result in a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements. 

 

During the fourth quarter of 2024, Omega was served with litigation in the Circuit Court in and for Charlotte County, Florida. The case, instituted by ABL RPC Residential Credit Acquisition, LLC, is a mortgage foreclosure action filed against multiple parties including the borrower, the current UCC lien holder, the current owners of the collateralized properties, and unknown tenants of the properties (collectively "Charlotte County Defendants”). Two of the Charlotte County Defendants, 760 Anatalya Holding LLC and 562 Monaco Holding LLC (“Anatalya and Monaco”), through their majority owners, filed Affirmative Defenses and Counter Claims in the foreclosure action alleging a count of negligence against Omega and naming Omega as a Third-Party Defendant. Anatalya and Monaco allege that Omega was negligent in conducting the closing of the mortgage transaction when Omega allowed the Manager of Anatalya and Monaco to execute all documents on their behalf including deeds transferring the properties into the name of the borrowing entity. Omega has retained outside counsel. Though the procedural posture of the case has changed given amendments to the relevant complaint filed by Anatalya and Monaco, the Company continues to believe it is unlikely that the case will result in a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements.  

 

Citibank Foreclosure Against Unrelated Third Party 

 

On May 13, 2024, the Company was served with a foreclosure action filed by Citibank, N.A., primarily against two individually named defendants. The Company was identified as a co-defendant in this matter as the Company has a recorded judgment against one of the primary defendants. The Company has retained outside counsel in this matter in efforts to preserve any claim the Company may have to said recorded judgment against the primary defendant. Given the posture of the litigation, management does not believe this matter will result in a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.