Questions regarding Florida Inheritance Law and Florida Inheritance Lawsuits.

When Olga Kuhnreich died, she was unmarried and had no children.  She was survived by her niece, Conchita, and Sister Gladys.  Olga’s will named Conchita as the Personal Representative.  Conchita read the last will and testament after Olga’s death and was confused as to who was to inherit Olga’s home.  The confusion was Article Three of the Will, titled “Specific Bequests of Real and/or Personal Property,” concerned two parcels of real estate. First, a West Palm Beach condominium unit was gifted outright to two named beneficiaries. Second, “[f]rom the sale of: 202 N.W. 18 Street[,] Delray Beach, Florida 33444,” the will gifted specific dollar amounts to five persons: Robert Kuhnreich, $5,000; “Lane Abbot, AKA Orlando Abad,” $10,000; “David Mears, AKA David Abad,” $10,000; “Connie Abad, AKA Conchita Abad,” $30,000; and Maria De Cuena, $5,000.  Article Three ended with this sentence:

“In the event that I do not possess or own any property listed above on the date of my death, the bequest of that property shall lapse.”

Article Four was titled “Homestead or Primary Residence.” It stated:

I will, devise and bequeath all my interest in my homestead or primary residence, if I own a homestead or primary residence on the date of my death that passes through this Will, to see above primary residence. If I name more than one person, they are to receive the property [X] equally, after all estate taxes, debts are satisfied.

Name Address Relationship

Gladys Pajares 1150 N.E. 155 Street, N. Miami Beach Fla Sister

Conchita Donahue 44 Pine Oak Drive, Littleton, Colorado Niece

Property: Primary Resident[sic] 202 N.W. 18 Street Delray Beach, Florida 33444 (more…)

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears….

How much ear bending is influence verses undue influence?

As a law firm that focuses on probate, estate and trust litigation, we encounter all sorts of factual scenarios. In one case where our client was the longtime caregiver/friend of the decedent, a will contest was against the estate planning documents which left the estate substantially to the friend to the exclusion of a son and grandchild. The cause of action contesting the will sounds in undue influence and intentional interference with an expectancy. Throughout the course of the discovery, opposing counsel maintained that the care-giving services provided by our client amounted to overreaching and undue influence. However, as per the Second District Court of Appeal in Florida, the conduct of a person charged with:

Undue influence, as it is required for invalidation of a will, must amount to over-persuasion, duress, force, coercion, or artful or fraudulent contrivances to such a degree that there is destruction of the free agency and will power of the one making the will. Mere affection, kindness or attachment of one person for another may not of itself constitute undue influence. Heasley v. Evans, 104 So.l 2d 854, 857 (Fla. 2d DCA 1958). (more…)

Many clients request information on the differences between Guardianships and Powers of Attorney.  These are important topics when decisions must be made for a family member who has been deemed incapacitated, can no longer manage their own finances or make their own medical decisions.

An ordinary or standard power of attorney document provides the authority for another person (the agent or attorney-in-fact) to make decisions and take actions on the principal’s behalf when the principal is unable to do so for himself or herself.  In the event the principal becomes physically incapacitated, and for example, they break a hip and need extensive rehabilitation, then the principal will not be able to attend to their normal monthly payment of bills or banking transactions.  Also, the principal may plan to take an extended trip or vacation, and may need to have documents executed while they are away.  The ordinary or standard power of attorney document would authorize the principal’s chosen agent or attorney-in-fact to sign documents, receive and pay bills and make banking transactions on the principal’s behalf.  An ordinary or standard power of attorney would become invalid if the principal became mentally incapacitated. (more…)

DISTINGUISHING DAMAGES SOUGHT BY FIDUCIARIES AND INDIVIDUALS UNDER FLORIDA STATUTES §415.1111 and §772.11

When trying to decide between which cause of action to file against a person who has committed financial exploitation against or theft from a vulnerable or disabled adult, one must first establish who has been damaged, the vulnerable or disabled adult themselves, or an individual with an expectancy in inheritance or other interest expected from the vulnerable or disabled adult, and whose expectancy or interest was lost or diminished as a result of the exploitation or theft against the vulnerable adult.

Pursuant to Fla. Stat. §415.1111, “A vulnerable adult who has been abused, neglected, or exploited . . . has a cause of action against any perpetrator and may recover actual and punitive damages for such abuse, neglect, or exploitation.” [reproduced below] The action may only be brought by the vulnerable adult, or that person’s guardian, by a person or organization acting on behalf of the vulnerable adult with the consent of that person or that person’s guardian, or by the personal representative of the estate of a deceased victim without regard to whether the cause of death resulted from the abuse, neglect, or exploitation. This cause of action allows for punitive damages. (more…)