“There are no instances where men are so easily imposed upon as at the time of their dying, under pretense of charity.” Lord Chancellor in Attorney-General v. Bains, Prec. Ch. 270, 272, 24 Eng.Rep. 131, 131 (1708).
A Look at the Requirements of Will Revocation by Physical Act
The Law
Florida is one of several states that have a strict requirement for revocation of a person’s Will. Florida law allows a person to revoke their will by either written instructions, or by physical act. For revocation by writing, the document must be a subsequent Will, codicil, or other writing executed with the same formalities required for the original Will (signed at the end and witnessed.) See Fla.Stat. §732.505.
Florida Statutes section 732.506 sets forth the requirements for revocation by act:
“A will or codicil is revoked by the testator, or some other person in the testator’s presence and at the testator’s direction, by burning, tearing, canceling, defacing, obliterating, or destroying it with the intent, and for the purpose of revocation.” (more…)
Probate is the legal process of settling the estate of a decedent, specifically resolving all claims made by creditors (for example, credit card companies, hospitals, automobile loans) and distributing the decedent’s property to the beneficiaries named under a valid will or, if there is no valid will, to the beneficiaries named in the state intestacy laws.
Do I Have a Case? (Part Four)
As I have indicated in prior posts, there are certain categories of evidence that I look for in order to prove undue influence, which has been defined by Florida courts as conduct amounting to overpersuasion, duress, force, coercion, or artful or fraudulent contrivances to such a degree that the free agency and will power of the testator is destroyed. In re Carpenter’s Estate, 253 So. 2d 697 (Fla. 1971).
In Florida, the legislature has created a presumption of undue influence. What does this mean? (more…)
Lost Will: Evidence Has To Be Sufficient to Overcome Presumption that Will Was Revoked When It Cannot Be Located After Death.
On October 1, 2008, The Florida Fourth District Court of Appeals reversed a Broward County Probate Court ruling in Balboni vs. LaRocque 33 Fla.L.Weekly D2314a ( 4th District. Case No. 4D07-3991. October 1, 2008) holding that the evidence presented was legally insufficient to rebut the presumption of intentional revocation. (more…)
Fourth District Opinion Suggests Attorney Fee Petitions Are Subject to De Novo Review: An examination of Section 733.106 fee petitions and Duncombe v. Adderly, –So.2d–, 2008 WL 4489234, 33 Fla.L. Weekly D2367a (4th DCA October 8, 2008).
The Law
The Florida Probate Code provides, at Fla.Stat. §733.106(3), that “any attorney who has rendered services to an estate may be awarded reasonable compensation from the estate.” Thus, an attorney who has rendered services to an estate may apply for an award of attorney’s fees. The petition for fees is then reviewed by the probate court, and after hearing, either approved, denied or modified by the probate court. (more…)
Do I Have a Case? (Part Three)
As I have indicated in prior posts, there are certain categories of evidence that I look for in order to prove undue influence and then the case develops and follows the facts that are discovered. Undue influence has been defined by Florida courts as conduct amounting to overpersuasion, duress, force, coercion, or artful or fraudulent contrivances to such a degree that the free agency and will power of the testator is destroyed. In re Carpenter’s Estate, 253 So. 2d 697 (Fla. 1971). (more…)
Ouch! Stinging Stipulations: Florida’s First District Court of Appeal reverses trial court’s appointment of personal representative of estate based on strict application of probate statute and the litigants’ own stipulation.
As a probate litigation attorney, I frequently stipulate to a variety of things as a matter of professional courtesy and/or for judicial economy and efficiency. However, as the opinion released today by the First district Court of Appeal reminds us, stipulations have implications and consequences that are sometimes visible only to an experienced eye. (more…)
Do I have a Case? (Part Two)
As I have indicated in prior posts, there are certain categories of evidence that I look for in order to prove undue influence and then the case develops and follows the facts that are discovered. Undue influence has been defined by Florida courts as conduct amounting to over-persuasion, duress, force, coercion, or artful or fraudulent contrivances to such a degree that the free agency and will power of the testator is destroyed. In re Carpenter’s Estate, 253 So. 2d 697 (Fla. 1971). (more…)
