Florida Estate Planning Lawyer Blog

There are certain times when a Probate case can use Formal Notice to reduce the time required and other times when it is required. Formal notice is defined by the Florida Probate Code to be notice which is sent by via certified mail to each interested person. Sometimes notice can be by publication when the whereabouts of a particular interested person or entity cannot be determined. This notice by publlication requires a much longer time period to the party to object than the 20 days when an interested party is serverd by formal notice. Some examples of when Formal Notice can or will be used include:

Petition for Administration
Petition to Determine Beneficiaries
Petition to Revoke The Probate of A Will
Petition to Probate Lost Will
Petition to Construe Will
Petition to Remove A Personal Representative
Petition to Surcharge Personal Representative
Petition to Cancel a Devise

The 2nd District Court of Appeals for Florida held in McDonald v Johnson that the increase in a company stock value that happened during the marriage can be used to determine the value of an elective share calculation. The lower court ruled that the surviving spouse had no right to discovery of a company's financial information because the company stock was not subject to probate. The 2nd DCA found that Section 742.2155(6)(c) excluded nonmartial assets as defined in Section 61.075. Because the increase in value of an asset that happens during a marriage is a martial asset, they concluded that the spouse was entitled to do discovery that was necessary to determine if it would be to her benefit to claim an elective share.

Section 732.2155(6) provides as follows:
Sections 732.201-732.2155 do not affect any interest in property held, as of the decedent's death, in a trust, whether revocable or irrevocable, if:

(a) The property was an asset of the trust at all times between October 1, 1999, and the date of the decedent's death;
(b) The decedent was not married to the decedent's surviving spouse when the property was transferred to the trust; and
(c) The property was a nonmarital asset as defined in s. 61.075 immediately prior to the decedent's death.

The courts reasoning is as follows:

We conclude that the fact that section 732.2155(6)(c) cites to section 61.075 without a specific citation to the subsection defining nonmarital property indicates the legislature's intent that the entire statute, which defines both marital and nonmarital property, is to be considered in determining whether the property in the revocable trust was nonmarital at the time of death. The definition of marital assets includes "[t]he enhancement in value and appreciation of nonmarital assets resulting either from the efforts of either party during the marriage or from the contribution to or expenditure thereon of marital funds or other forms of marital assets, or both." § 61.075(6)(a)(1)(b), Fla. Stat. (2010). In other words, if the value of the MCC stock in the decedent's revocable trust increased pursuant to the terms of section 61.075(6)(a)(1)(b), that increase would not be excluded from the elective share under section 732.2155(6)(c). Thus, to the extent the information sought by the surviving spouse is necessary to her determination whether the MCC stock value was enhanced during the marriage due to the efforts of the decedent, it is relevant.

Often before the death, a spouse or someone else in control of assets attempts to rearrange the assets so that it will benefit them and in doing so it can interfere with the desires of the decedent.

In these situations, the prospective beneficiaries who have been damaged have the right to bring a cause of action against the person who manipulated the decedent's assets.

Some examples of this type of activity include cashing out insurance policies, paying bills our of one account but not another, removing funds from one account and transferring them to another in which they are the beneficiary. Selling or disposing of assets that would go to one beneficiary and converting them to cash what is distributed in another manner.

In a recent appeal over this issue it was made clear that it is not enough to have shown that someone engaged in this type of wrongful activity, but also must provide legally admissible evidence of the damage that was caused to the beneficiaries. Failure to show damages, a required element of the claim, subjected the case to a directed verdict and final judgment of dismissal.

If you are considering a claims against someone who has interfered with your expectancy, you should contact a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer who understands the elements of the cause of action as well as the ability to gather and introduce legally admissible evidence.

In Florida, a creditor may open a probate to reach assets of a decedent which were kept in a trust. The trustee of a decedent's trust is responsible to file a notice of trust with the probate court. If you are unsuccessful in having the trust pay the debts directly, you can open a probate on behalf of the estate, file your claims and are entitled to be reimbursed for the legal expenses related to the opening of the probate. See Florida Statute 736.05053. Remember that failure to file a claim within 2 years of the decedents death can waive your rights to file a claim in the probate court.

If you are owned money by a decedent and can not figure out how to file a claim, contact a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer to discuss your options.

In Florida a Will must be in writing, signed by the signed by the testator and authenticated by two witnesses. Florida does not recognize holographic wills that are valid in another state if they do not meet the above requirements. Other than holographic wills, Florida will recognize a will that was validly created in another country.

Therefore a foreign will other than a holographic will is valid in Florida and holographic wills created in anther state or country which are signed by the testator and authenticated by two witnesses are also valid in Florida.

There are three ways in which a will can be contested in Florida.

1. Undue Influence;


2. Testamentary Capacity;


3. Failure to Execute with the Required Formalities.

The above example would involve Failure to Execute with the Required Formalities.
Florida Statute 732.502 defines the requirements that a testator must follow to create a valid will. Carefull attention need to be paid to a will that was not executed in Florida, or an old will to make sure that the requirements were followed at the time the will was created and not necessarily the current requirements.

In addition, a foreign will could be challenged under testamentary capacity. To have the proper testamentary capacity to make a will in Florida you must be of sound mind and either an emancipated minor or more than 18 years of age. Sound mind is having the mental ability to understand the making of a will, knowing what your assets are, and being able to choose who is going to receive them. You do not have to understand it later, but only have a lucid moment at the time you execute the document. If there is a question about mental capacity, it is a good idea to ask questions, and document the answers at the time the will is signed to create evidence of mental capacity for any future dispute.

The third type of will contest deals with undue influence. This happens when a beneficiary or another person causes a person to change a will to the detriment of another person. These are very hard cases to prove but do occur. Often a family member, caregiver, friend, or neighbor with access to a person can cause them to change a will with undue influence.

If you are considering contesting a will in Florida, you should discuss your situation with a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer to determine what your options are.

Once the personal representative (PR or executor) is appointed by a Florida court, takes the oath of office, and posts bond (if required), then he or she is authorized to administer the decedent's estate. A Florida personal representative has a fiduciary responsibility to the creditors, the IRS, and the beneficiaries for proper administration of the estate. The personal representative must not comingle the estate's funds with his or her own funds, and needs to be fully accountable for all of the decedent's property during the administration of the estate. The personal representative may sell some or all of the assets of the estate to raise cash to pay the debts and expenses of the estate, if necessary or appropriate.

The personal representative is obligated to:

a) Identify, gather, value, and safeguard the assets.
b) Publish the "notice to creditors" in a local newspaper, giving creditors an opportunity to file claims relating to the estate.
c) Serve "notice of administration" on specific persons, giving information about the estate and giving notice of requirements to file any objections relating to the estate.
d) Conduct a diligent search to locate "known or reasonably ascertainable" creditors, and notify them of the time by which their claims must be filed.
e) Contact the Social Security Administration and the Veteran's Administration to apply for any death benefits or survivor benefits for which the decedent's estate may be eligible.
f) Locate insurance policies and apply for benefits if the proceeds are payable to the estate.
g) Contact the decedent's employer and any club or fraternal organization to which the decedent may have belonged to determine if the estate or surviving family members are entitled to any benefits.
h) Examine the circumstances surrounding the decedent's death to determine if there are any claims against third parties, which need to be asserted or preserved, such as claims for wrongful death or worker's compensation.
i) Collect rents, accounts receivable, interest, dividends and other income due to the decedent prior to death and that becomes due to the estate thereafter.
j) Assume the responsibility for any litigation or settlement of pending lawsuits in which the decedent had an interest.
k) Keep the property of the estate in good repair.
l) Keep the estate property invested properly until the administration is complete.
m) Locate and access any safe deposit boxes in the decedent's name.
n) Object to improper claims and defend suits brought on such claims.
o) Pay the valid claims.
p) File all past due and current tax returns.
q) Pay the taxes.
r) Employ necessary professionals to assist in the administration of the estate.
s) Pay the expenses of administration.
t) Distribute the statutory amounts or assets to the surviving spouse or family if claims are made.
u) Distribute the appropriate assets to beneficiaries.
v) Close the probate administration.

No personal representative shall be compelled to pay the debts of the decedent until after the expiration of five (5) months from the first publication of notice to creditors and is obligated to make payment of expenses of administration and creditors' claims against the estate in accordance with the priorities set forth in §733.707, Fla. Stat.

There are 4 types of probate in Florida

1) Disposition without Administration.
This type of probate can only be used when the assets are less than the funeral bills and last medical expenses. This is available only if estate assets consist solely of property classified as exempt from the claims of the decedent's creditors by applicable law and non-exempt personal property, the value of which does not exceed the total of:

1. up to $6,000 in funeral expenses; and


2. the amount of all reasonable and necessary medical and hospital expenses incurred in the last 60 days of the decedent's final illness.

Very few estates will qualify for this type of disposition. The steps involved in a Disposition without Administration are preparing documents and filing them along with a copy of the paid funeral bill.

The current court costs are $231 and the legal fees for this type of probate are the lowest of the three types of probates.

The approximate time frame is less than 30 days.

2) Summary Administration.

This type of probate can only be used when the total value of the assets subject to probate are $75,000 or less, or when the decedent has been dead for more than two years. The steps involved in a summary administration are preparing the documents, publishing notice to creditors, determining homestead (if applicable) and having the funds distributed to creditors and beneficiaries per the court order.

The current court costs are $345, and publication costs range from $30 to $300 depending on the county and newspaper (most are around $150).

The approximate time frame is three to five months unless extraordinary circumstances such as a will contest occur. The estate cannot be closed while litigation is pending.

3) Formal Administration.

This type of probate is for all other estates or whenever a personal representative is required for other purposes. The steps involved in a formal administration are preparing the documents, getting a personal representative appointed, publishing notice to creditors, filing an inventory of the estate, determining homestead (if applicable), distributing the assets to creditors and beneficiaries, and closing the estate.
If you need Letters of Administration for any reason, or if the estate will be subject to litigation, you should open a formal administration.

The current court costs are $400, and publication costs range from $30 to $300 depending on the county and newspaper (most are around $150).

The approximate time frame is four to twelve months unless extraordinary circumstances such as litigation occur. The estate cannot be closed while litigation is pending.

4) Ancillary Administration.

Ancillary administrations are for secondary probate administrations when the decedent's primary estate was in another state, but there was also real property in Florida. Ancillary administrations follow the same procedures as a summary administration or formal administration depending on the date of death, value of the real property, and whether a personal representative is necessary.

The approximate time frames are the same as for the summary or formal administrations above. The estate cannot be closed while litigation is pending.

What is a Florida will?

A will is a written instrument, signed by the decedent and at least two witnesses in each others presence, that fulfills the requirements of Florida law. A will names the beneficiaries for the testator's probate assets. The testator can also designate guardians for minor children and a personal representative to administer the estate. If a will was validly executed in another state, Florida courts will recognize the document as a will except in the case of a holographic will. Holographic wills are wills written entirely in the testators own handwriting and in most states witness signatures are not required. However, Florida law requires that holographic wills be witnessed and signed in the same manner as any other Florida will.

What if there is not a Florida will?

In Florida if someone dies without a valid will they are said to have died 'intestate'. If they have a will when they die, they die 'testate'. If a person dies without a will, Florida statutes direct how their assets will be distributed based on whether the decedent had a spouse, children, children from outside the marriage, parents, siblings and so on. If a person dies without a will or any living relatives then his or her property will escheat to the state (become the property of the state).
If a person dies intestate, the decedent's probate assets will be distributed to the decedent's heirs in the following order of priority:

a) If the decedent was survived by a spouse but was not survived by any lineal descendants, the surviving spouse receives all of the decedent's estate.
b) If the decedent was survived by a spouse and was survived by one or more lineal descendants (all of whom are the descendants of both the decedent and his or her spouse), the surviving spouse receives the entire intestate estate.
c) If the decedent was survived by a spouse and survived by one or more lineal descendants (at least one of whom is not also a lineal descendant of the surviving spouse), the surviving spouse receives one-half of the probate assets, and the decedent's lineal descendants share the remaining half.
d) If the decedent was not married at his or her death but was survived by one or more of his or her lineal descendants, those descendants will receive all of the decedent's estate. If there is more than one lineal descendant, the decedent's estate will be divided among them 'per stirpes' which is the manner prescribed by Florida law. The easiest way to understand per stirpes is to divide the assets at the first generational level where there is a survivor. If any of those individuals pre-deceased the decedent, their share will be split between their descendants, if any. If there are no surviving descendants, their share will not be counted when making the division between their siblings. Basically if you predecease your parents, your children will divide your share of your parent's estate. If you have no children or descendents, your share will go to your siblings.
e) If the decedent was not married at his or her death and had no surviving lineal descendants, the decedent's probate assets will pass to the decedent's surviving parents, if they are living, otherwise to the decedent's brothers and sisters if living, otherwise to the decedent's nieces and nephews.
f) Florida's intestate laws will pass the decedent's probate estate to other, more remote heirs if the decedent is not survived by any of the close relatives described above.

Do I need the original Will in Florida?

In Florida only an original will can be admitted to the court unless there are extenuating circumstances.

What happens if I cannot find the original Will?

A Will that cannot be found that was last seen in the hands of the testator is presumed to have been destroyed by the decedent. If a will has been destroyed by the decedent it is presumed that the decedent intended to revoke the will. It is possible to admit a copy when the original cannot be found and people can testify to its validity. This process is not guaranteed because you have to overcome the presumption that the testator destroyed the will intentionally.

Is a Will valid in Florida?

In order for a will to be admitted to court, it must be a validly executed will under the statutes governing Wills. For a Florida will to be valid, it must be signed at the end by the testator and two witnesses, who each in the presence of the other witness the testator's signature. It is not necessary that the testator sign their name, an X is sufficient. If the will was validly created in another state, Florida Courts will generally recognize the will.

If you are having problems getting a copy of a will or would like your Florida will reviewed to make sure it is valid and does what you want, you should contact a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer to discuss your situation.

When is a Florida probate required?

If a Jacksonville resident dies owning anything in his or her name individually a probate is necessary in Florida. In addition, if a person living in another state owns real property (a home or land) in Florida there will also need to be a probate case opened in Florida. Some examples of individually owned assets include a checking account, a stock account, an insurance policy payable to the insured's estate or someone who does not survive the decedent, a home or other real estate, or bonds. Just because a Florida will names an asset and a beneficiary, does not mean that the asset will be distributed per the terms of the will. If such asset is jointly owned, for example, it will generally pass to the surviving joint owner (with few exceptions). To carry out the instructions in the will, you must first open a probate. In Florida if there is more than one beneficiary, a lawyer will be required to open the probate. This is because if while you can represent yourself in a probate case, you cannot represent another if you are not a licensed attorney in Florida.

When is a probate not required?

If an asset has a payable-on-death beneficiary or a joint owner it is not subject to probate. If there are no assets that are not disposed of upon death, there is often no need to open a probate in Florida. Property that is generally not included in the probate estate includes life insurance proceeds that are not payable to the decedent's estate, jointly owned property, and property held in an intervivos trust (a trust created during the life of the decedent commonly called a living trust, revocable trust, or revocable living trust). Trust property may be used to satisfy the expenses of estate administration and claims of creditors if the probate property is not sufficient. If you have a trust, a notice that the trust exists is required to be filed with the probate court to give creditors the ability to file claims and notify the trustee that there are debts that need to be paid. If the only property owned that is subject to a probate is upside down or does not have equity, the beneficiaries may choose to abandon the property and not complete a Florida probate. This is happening more and more with many homes having negative equity.

Will a probate be required in state other than Florida?

If the decedent owned real property in a state other than Florida without in their individual name, a probate will be required to dispose of the real property that was owned in the other state. If property is owned in more than one state, a probate will be required in each state that real property was owned. A probate in another state is called an ancillary probate administration.

If you have questions regarding a Florida probate, you should contact a Jacksonville Probate Lawyer to discuss your situation and what makes the most sense given your particular circumstances.

After you die, you may have money, property, and other assets that were in your own name. Generally the assets which did not automatically become someone else's upon your death are part of your probate estate. Many individuals attempt to make sure that there are no assets in their probate estate when they die. This is often done with the help of a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer and can often include Florida Revocable Trust as well as reviewing ones beneficiary designations.

A will is where you would typically define who will be the personal representative or the Executor of your estate. While the many estate plans in Florida will not need a PR or executor, many individuals do not fully plan to deal with all of their assets and a Florida executor is needed. Generally the executor is someone in whom you can put the utmost trust. Your Executor will be the person in charge of making sure all your assets including your money are gathered, kept safe and distributed according to state law and your desires. There are certain people who will get paid before any distributions are made. Generally, the PR, court costs, and lawyers are paid first, then the burial expenses are paid (up to $6000 is a priority claim). After these bills are paid, the creditors are paid and only after the bills are paid, do the beneficiaries receive what is left from the probate estate.

Florida Statute 733.707 discusses the priority that claims are paid. In general they are paid in the following order:

Class 1 - Costs, expenses of administration, and compensation of the personal representative and their attorneys fees

Class 2 - Reasonable Funeral, interment, and grave marker expenses, whether paid by a guardian, the PR or any other person not to exceed $6000. (Additional costs are treated as an unsecured creditor.

Class 3 - Debts and taxes with preference under federal law.

Class 4 - Reasonable and necessary medical and hospital expenses of the last 60 days of the last illness of the decedent, including compensation of persons attending the decedent.

Class 5 - Family allowance.

Class 6 - Arrearage from court ordered child support.

Class 7 - Debts acquired after death by the continuation of the decedent's business, but only to the extent of the assets of that business.

Class 8 - All other claims including those founded on judgments or decrees rendered against the decedent during the decedent's lifetime, and any excess sums allowed in the Class 2 and Class 4 claims.

After paying the expenses in Class 1 - Class 7, if the estate is insufficient to pay all of the Class 8 claims, the Class 8 claims shall be pro-rated. If the probate estate does not have sufficient assets, any revocable trust's assets can be used.

How your Executor determines your heirs, should have been designated by you while you are alive through a will. The will is governed by Florida state law which mandates your Executor has a fiduciary duty to distribute your money and assets to whomever you state in your will should get the money or assets. The fiduciary duty is one of the highest duties one person can owe another. The fiduciary duty imparts on the person owing the duty (your Executor) the obligation of good faith, impartiality, honesty, and diligence. This basically means your Executor must act as if he or she was you making the decision while you were alive.

While many of you may be thinking that fewer Florida Probate cases will involve federal estate tax returns in 2011, the opposite is actually true. It seems with the new $5 Million estate tax exemption that most estates will not need to file a tax return. What most people do not realize is that by failing to file an estate tax return in 2010 (Form 706) the spouse of a decedent will lose the portability of the unused portion of the estate tax exemption that is available to the surviving spouse. Form 706 was just released by the IRS and if you know someone who passed away in 2011, you should have them ask their CPA or Tax Attorney about the benefits of filing a Form 706 and the risks and potential tax liabilities if one is not filed.

Who gets make the funeral arrangements for our parents? Why was Dad or Mom Cremated? How can I stop my mom, step-parent, parents significant other, or sibling from the improper disposition of my relatives remains?

These are all questions dealing with the same issue: Who gets to make the decision about the disposition of a person who has recently died? As a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer we always talk to our clients about the importance of discussing your desires with those who will make the decisions, but what if someone takes over and does something that was not wanted? Can it be stopped? In most cases, the damage may be done before you have knowledge of what is happening, but in some cases there is time to stop arrangements. Florida statutes define the legally authorized person who can make the decisions regarding disposition of a body. In doing so there is a priority list that starts with the decedent, as it should.

That means if you make arrangements regarding your disposition, your decisions should be followed - as long as they are known, and able to be learned of prior to alternative arrangements being carried out.

Next a person listed on your Department of Defense Record of Emergency Data (DD Form 93) for those who die while serving in military service.

If there are no documents, the surviving spouse, even if not living as husband and wife, an adult child, a parent, an adult sibling, an adult grandchild, a grandparent, and if you exhaust that list it can be any person in the next degree of kinship. The Florida Statutes even provide that if there is no family member, the guardian, the personal representative, the attorney in fact, health surrogate, a public health officer, medical examiner, county commission, or basically any one willing to assume the responsiblity as the legally authorized person.

If the decision is made my someone in a class of people (one of several adult children) to cremate a body, the funeral establishment can rely on that one person as long as the person represents that she or he is not aware of any objection to the cremation by others in the same class or any person in a higher priority class.

A Florida Estate Planning Lawyer can help educate you on how to property draft documents to make sure you understand how to address these issues properly, while you can and before it causes problems between your family members. Does your Florida Estate Planning address the following?

How do I make sure my wishes are carried out? and
How to I educate those whom will make the decision as to how to make sure that my wished are carried out?

I recently updated the Free Florida Probate Handbook to deal with many of the changes from this year's legislature. If you have a preivous copy or would like an undated verstion please let us know by requesting on this page.

IN RE AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA PROBATE RULES

IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO THE FLORIDA PROBATE RULES.

No. SC11-1575.

Supreme Court of Florida.

September 28, 2011.

Tasha K. Pepper-Dickinson, Co-Chair, and John Christopher Moran, Co-Chair, Florida Probate Rules Committee, West Palm Beach, Florida; John F. Harkness, Jr., Executive Director, and Krys Godwin, Bar Liaison, The Florida Bar, Tallahassee, Florida, for Petitioner.


PER CURIAM.
In response to recent legislation, The Florida Bar's Probate Rules Committee (Committee) has filed an out-of-cycle, fast-track report of proposed amendments to the Florida Probate Rules. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.; Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.140(e).
The Committee proposes amendments to rules 5.025 (Adversary Proceedings), and 5.240 (Notice of Administration). The proposals are in response to statutory changes made by chapter 2011-183, Laws of Florida, which went into effect upon being signed into law by the Governor on June 21, 2011. See ch. 2011-183, §§ 3-4, 8, 14, Laws of Fla. (creating §§ 732.615, 732.616, Fla. Stat.; amending § 733.212, Fla. Stat. (2010); providing effective date). The Executive Committee of the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar unanimously approved the proposals.

After considering the Committee's proposals and reviewing the relevant legislation, we adopt the Committee's proposals.1 Subdivision (a) (Specific Adversary Proceedings) of rule 5.025 is amended to add proceedings to reform a will, modify a will, and determine pretermitted status to the list of probate and guardianship proceedings that are "adversary proceedings" to which the Rules of Civil Procedure apply under the rule. The Committee determined that the new actions to reform or modify a will created by chapter 2011-183, sections 3-4, Laws of Fla. (creating §§ 732.615, 732.616, Fla. Stat.), should be treated as adversary proceedings. The Committee also determined that an action to determine a pretermitted share should be treated as an adversary proceeding.

Subdivision (d)(2) of rule 5.025 is amended to exclude Rule of Civil Procedure 1.525 (Motion for Costs and Attorney Fees) from the requirement that the Rules of Civil Procedure govern adversary probate and guardianship proceedings. Cf. Amendments to Fla. Family Law Rules of Procedure (Rule 12.525), 897 So.2d 467 (Fla. 2005) (adopting new rule 12.525 to provide that rule 1.525 shall not apply to proceedings governed by family law rules).

Consistent with statutory changes made by chapter 2011-183, section 8, Laws of Florida (amending § 733.212, Fla. Stat. (2010)), subdivision (b)(2) of rule 5.240 (Notice of Administration) is amended to require that a notice of administration include a statement that "the fiduciary lawyer-client privilege in section 90.5021, Florida Statutes, applies with respect to the personal representative and any attorney employed by the personal representative."

Accordingly, we amend the Florida Probate Rules as reflected in the appendix to this opinion. New language is underscored, and deleted language is struck through. The committee notes are offered for explanation only and are not adopted as an official part of the rules. The amendments shall become effective immediately upon the release of this opinion. Because the amendments were not published for comment prior to their adoption, interested persons shall have sixty days from the date of this opinion in which to file comments with the Court.

It is so ordered.

CANADY, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, POLSTON, LABARGA, and PERRY, JJ., concur.
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS.

RULE 5.025. ADVERSARY PROCEEDINGS

(a) Specific Adversary Proceedings. The following must beare adversary proceedings unless otherwise ordered by the court: proceedings to remove a personal representative, surcharge a personal representative, remove a guardian, surcharge a guardian, probate a lost or destroyed will or later-discovered will, determine beneficiaries, construe a will, reform a will, modify a will, cancel a devise, partition property for the purposes of distribution, determine pretermitted status, determine pretermitted share, determine amount of elective share and contribution, and for revocation of probate of a will.

(b) Declared Adversary Proceedings. Other proceedings may be declared adversary by service on interested persons of a separate declaration that the proceeding is adversary.
(1) If served by the petitioner, the declaration shallmust be served with the petition to which it relates.
(2) If served by the respondent, the declaration and a written response to the petition shallmust be served at the earlier of:

(A) within 20 days after service of the petition, or
(B) prior to the hearing date on the petition.

(3) When the declaration is served by a respondent, the petitioner shallmust promptly serve formal notice on all other interested persons.
(c) [No Change]
(d) Notice and Procedure in Adversary Proceedings.

(1) Petitioner shallmust serve formal notice.
(2) After service of formal notice, the proceedings, as nearly as practicable, shallmust be conducted similar to suits of a civil nature and the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure shall govern, including entry of defaults. The Florida Rules of Civil Procedure govern, except for rule 1.525.
(3) The court on its motion or on motion of any interested person may enter orders to avoid undue delay in the main administration.
(4) If a proceeding is already commenced when an order is entered determining the proceeding to be adversary, it shallmust thereafter be conducted as an adversary proceeding. The order shallmust require interested persons to serve written defenses, if any, within 20 days from the date of the order. It shallis not be necessary to re-serve the petition except as ordered by the court.
(5) When the proceedings are adversary, the caption of subsequent pleadings, as an extension of the probate caption, shallmust include the name of the first petitioner and the name of the first respondent.

Rule 5.240. Notice of Administration
(a) [No Change]
(b) Contents. The notice shall state:

• (1) the name of the decedent, the file number of the estate, the designation and address of the court in which the proceedings are pending, whether the estate is testate or intestate, and, if testate, the date of the will and any codicils;


• (2) the name and address of the personal representative and of the personal representative's attorney, and that the fiduciary lawyer-client privilege in section 90.5021, Florida Statutes, applies with respect to the personal representative and any attorney employed by the personal representative;


• (3) that any interested person on whom the notice is served who challenges the validity of the will, the qualifications of the personal representative, venue, or jurisdiction of the court is required tomust file any objections with the court in the manner provided in the Florida Probate Rules within the time required by law or those objections are forever barred;


• (4) that any person entitled to exempt property is required tomust file a petition for determination of exempt property within the time provided by law or the right to exempt property is deemed waived; and


• (5) that an election to take an elective share must be filed within the time provided by law.

(c) Copy of Will. Unless the court directs otherwise, the personal representative of a testate estate shallmust, upon written request, furnish a copy of the will and all codicils admitted to probate to any person on whom the notice of administration was served.
(d) [No Change]
(e) Waiver of Service. For the purpose of determining deadlines established by reference to the date of service of a copy of the notice of administration in cases in which service has been waived, service on a person who has waived notice shall beis deemed to occur on the date the waiver is filed.

It is the PR's job in a Florida Probate case to take actions to gather the assets and distribute them to the beneficiaries. When wrongful death claims are not assets subject to distribution under Florida Probate, it is the personal representative of an estate who pursues a Wrongful Death Claim in Florida or another state. The Jacksonville Wrongful Death Lawyer will often work directly with a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer to pursue the claim for the family and children of the decedent.

The Yale Daily News is reporting that

The estate of former pharmacology student Annie Le GRD '13 filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the University in New Haven Superior Court on Tuesday, alleging that pervasive sexual harassment at the University "emboldened" her killer, Raymond Clark III, who is serving a 44-year sentence for the murder and who the suit claims was hired through Yale's negligence.

While many states have broader statutes dealing with wrongful death claims, Florida limits which family members can have a claim and often when an elderly person dies, the adult children may not be able to file a claim.

It is important to talk with a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer who is familiar with the Florida Wrongful Death Statute and requirements so that the correct form of probate is opened and unnecessary estate or personal assets are not waisted when there is no claim that can be recovered.