Richard Berrios - City Attorney
Richard Berrios is an experienced attorney with a demonstrated commitment to helping government organizations thrive. Appointed as the City Attorney for Port St. Lucie in July 2024 after serving as Interim City Attorney since October 2023, Richard has nearly a decade of legal practice and is licensed to practice law in Florida and New York.
Richard started his legal career as a litigation associate in a private law firm, providing multi-national clients with cost-effective legal advice, strategy and representation. He then worked for the City of Long Beach, NY in the Office of Corporation Counsel for more than seven years, focusing on many facets of local government practice and working his way to the top attorney position.
Richard earned his Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature from the City University of New York’s Queens College and his Juris Doctor degree from the St. John’s University School of Law in New York City.
About the Office of the City Attorney
The City Attorney's Office provides legal advice and counsel to the Mayor, City Council, City Manager, City Clerk, and all appointed board committees, department directors, and other City employees on matters involving the city's affairs and business. The attorneys employed by the City are recognized for their superior knowledge in the area of local government law, as well as having expertise in many practice areas, including civil rights, tort & business litigation, procurement & contracting, zoning & land use, labor & employment, public records, sunshine law and ethics.
The personnel of the City Attorney's Office take a leadership role in promoting honesty and integrity in the City and assume a prominent role in the legal representation of high-profile issues that significantly impact public policy and quality of life in the community.
Attorneys employed by the City cannot provide legal advice to residents, business owners, or other citizens, as they are restricted to providing advice and counsel only to the City as a municipal corporation and public entity.
Resources
Individuals needing assistance with private legal affairs are encouraged to consult a private attorney or seek assistance from one of the following:
Notice to Property Buyers & Sellers
This notice is directed to all purchasers of property within the City of Port St. Lucie or within the Utility Service Area of the City of Port St. Lucie Utility Systems Department.
Many title companies are not conducting unrecorded lien searches on properties prior to closing. In this case, unrecorded liens such as, but not necessarily limited to, water and sewer service charge liens, are not being disclosed to buyers. Pursuant to City Code 63.25(b)(2) and Florida Statute 159.17 such service charge liens are considered prior to all other liens on such lands or premises except the lien of state, county, and municipal taxes and shall be on parity with the lien of such state, county and municipal taxes. Therefore, you may be responsible for paying such liens upon ownership or upon requesting water and/or sewer service to your property. Please make sure your title company conducts an unrecorded lien search prior to closing and that you are covered for any such liens on your title policy.
Nuisance Abatement Program
Attention owners, agents, custodians, lessees and occupants of real property within the city limits of the City of Port St. Lucie:
You are hereby notified that you are required by law to cut and prevent the excessive accumulation of weeds, underbrush, grass or other dead and living plant life upon your improved property; to remove any trash, debris, refuse, inoperable or abandoned vehicles or appliances, or other nocuous matter located on any property owned, controlled or occupied by you in the City of Port St. Lucie; and also to repair, restore or demolish any unfit or unsafe structure located upon such property; and that upon your failure to do so, the City of Port St. Lucie will institute nuisance abatement proceedings against your property and cause such nuisance to be abated. The cost of such abatement will constitute a special assessment lien against the property on which the nuisance is located. Such special assessment lien shall be coequal with the lien of all state, county, district, and municipal taxes and superior in dignity to mortgages and all other liens, irrespective of the date of the recording of the municipal lien or the date of the recording of any mortgage or any other lien on real property. A failure to pay said lien, even such lien upon homestead property, may result in a loss of title to your property.
Quasi-Judicial Proceedings
Quasi-Judicial Proceedings are proceedings where existing policies and regulations are applied to a specific property.