Copy shortlink: SURFSIDE, Fla. – Elected leaders and government agencies have vowed to uncover what caused Champlain Towers South to suddenly collapse, killing dozens as they slept — and everyone from construction contractors to town building officials to condo board members will be scrutinized for their role. Lawsuits filed by survivors and relatives of the dead could lead to multimillion-dollar judgments. Professional licenses may be lost, fines levied, people fired. But can anyone face criminal charges, or even jail time, over the tragedy? If past cases are any precedent, it would be a tough case to make. Legal experts say building a criminal case for the deaths will be extremely challenging under Florida law, given all the building plans, construction work, maintenance and repair decisions — or lack of decisions — over the last 40-plus years that will be examined in the unprecedented collapse.