Florida Jury Awards Woman Title in Forged Deed Dispute
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Case Background
This case unfolded in Miami-Dade County, Florida, before the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court. It began with Sharon Lewis accusing her niece, Shernise Lewis, and Dawanda Jenkins of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme to take ownership of her home in Miami Gardens. The house at the center of the dispute sat at 20435 NW 37th Court. Sharon claimed she and her brother, Sherman Lewis Sr., had owned the property as joint tenants with right of survivorship since 1993. When Sherman died in January 2024, she expected full ownership. Instead, she discovered a quitclaim deed, dated 2020, that transferred her interest to Shernise.
Cause that led to the dispute
Sharon believed the quitclaim deed was forged. She stated that her signature had been faked and the notary, Dawanda Jenkins, had notarized the deed even though her commission didn’t begin until 2021. Sharon insisted this was part of a calculated effort by Shernise to steal the property after Sherman’s death. She said the deed’s notary seal, date, and her own signature clearly pointed to fraud. Shernise, however, argued that she had only followed her father’s wishes. She claimed the deed was among documents found in his safety deposit box and believed it to be valid.
Injury
Sharon claimed she lost legal control of the property because of the fraudulent deed. She said it stopped her from selling, managing, or settling her brother’s estate i
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