Florida landlord/Tenant Issue

[mginter250]

I moved in 4/7/07 and paid 2 months rent up front ($1100 per month). There was no security deposit required. I moved in under a lease of month to month with a 30 day notice. After being there a month a guy came over and asked for a new lease to be signed. I noticed he had changed the lease to a 7 month minimum instead of month to month that the lady had done and agreed to do when I moved in. I paid on time each month until I gave 30 day notice to vacate and paid rent through 8/7/07. Landlord sued me in small claims for a total of 4 months rent. The court found that the 7 month lease was valid and gave landlord judgement for the amount he filed for. I provided documentation and landlord agreed that I had paid a total of $4400 for 4 months rent on a 7 month lease. I was first confused how the court could say I owe for a total of 8 months on a 7 month lease. Then I spoke to the new tenants and they stated they moved in at the end of August 07. The landlord did not mention this in court. The landlord told me later after the judegment was entered that yes..he did in fact let other tenants move in at the end of August 07. How can I be held liable for rent when other tenants occupied the residence before the end of the lease that I was supposedly liable for? Seems like once another tenant moves in then I am released from any rent money liability. The judegment was entered late Jan. 08 but now this new information has came up that was not presented in court. This just does not make sense to me at all. I need an aggressive attorney that can help me. I also just received notice that the landlord is suing me for his attorney fees which he claims are over $12,000 in a $4800 small claims judgement. Please help!!

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Marc Ginter

[JETX]

Simple answer.... unlikely that you can do anything since the time to have raised the issue of 'new tenant' was during the trial. Your ONLY possible (unlikely) hope is to get a local attorney to review the case for you