Parties to a tax suit.

(1) The plaintiff in any tax suit shall be:

(a) The taxpayer or other person contesting the assessment of any tax, the payment of which he or she is responsible for under a statute or a person who is responsible for the entire tax payment pursuant to a contract and has the written consent of the property owner, or the condominium association, cooperative association, or homeowners’ association as defined in s. 723.075 which operates the units subject to the assessment; or

(b) The property appraiser pursuant to s. 194.036.

(2)(a) In any case brought by a taxpayer or a condominium or cooperative association, as defined in ss. 718.103 and 719.103, respectively, on behalf of some or all unit or parcel owners, contesting the assessment of any property, the county property appraiser is a party defendant.

(b) Other than as provided in paragraph (c), in any case brought by the property appraiser under s. 194.036(1)(a) or (b), the taxpayer is a party defendant.

(c)1. In any case brought by the property appraiser under s. 194.036(1)(a) or (b) relating to a value adjustment board decision on a single joint petition filed by a condominium or cooperative association under s. 194.011(3), the association is the only required party defendant. The individual unit or parcel owners are not required to be named as parties.

2. The condominium or cooperative association must provide unit or parcel owners with notice of the property appraiser’s complaint and advise the unit or parcel owners that they may elect to:

a. Retain their own counsel to defend the appeal for their units or parcels;

b. Choose not to defend the appeal; or

c. Be represented by the association.

3. The notice required in subparagraph 2. must be hand delivered or sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, except that such notice may be electronically transmitted to a unit or parcel owner who has expressly consented in writing to receiving such notices through electronic transmission. Additionally, the notice must be posted conspicuously on the condominium or cooperative property, if applicable, in the same manner as notices of board meetings under ss. 718.112(2) and 719.106(1). The association must provide at least 14 days for a unit or parcel owner to respond to the notice. Any unit or parcel owner who does not respond to the association’s notice will be represented by the association.

4. If requested by a unit or parcel owner, the tax collector shall accept payment of the estimated amount in controversy, as determined by the tax collector, as to that unit or parcel, whereupon the unit or parcel shall be released from any lis pendens and the unit or parcel owner may elect to remain in or be dismissed from the action.

(d) In any case brought by the property appraiser under s. 194.036(1)(c), the value adjustment board is a party defendant.

(3) In any suit involving the collection of any tax on property, as well as questions relating to tax certificates or applications for tax deeds, the tax collector charged under the law with collecting such tax shall be the defendant.

(4) In any suit involving a tax other than an ad valorem tax on property, the tax collector charged under the law with collecting such tax shall be defendant. However, this section does not apply in any instance wherein general law provides for some other person to be the party defendant.

(5) In any suit in which the assessment of any tax, or the collection of any tax, tax certificate, or tax deed is contested on the ground that it is contrary to the State Constitution, the official of the state government responsible for overall supervision of the assessment and collection of such tax shall be made a party defendant of such suit. Any such suit shall be brought in that county having venue under s. 194.171 or, when that section is inapplicable, in the Circuit Court of Leon County, and the attorney for the defendant county officer shall upon request represent the state official in any such suit or proceeding, for which he or she shall receive no additional compensation.

(6) In any suit in which the validity of any statute or regulation found in, or issued pursuant to, chapters 192-197, inclusive, is contested, the public officer affected may be a party plaintiff.