Estate of Carpenter

In Re:  Estate of Carpenter – the presumption of undue influence in Florida and the Florida Probate Code.

I have written at great length of the various factors I assess when determining whether to accept a case for prosecution. I now turn my attention to the Florida decisional case law from the Florida Supreme Court in the seminal case of In re Estate of Carpenter, 253 So.2d 697 (Fla. 1971) its practical application, and the Florida legislature’s response through enactment of section 733.107 of the Florida Probate Code which today supersedes Carpenter.

When the validity of a will or trust is challenged based upon the theory of undue influence, the challenger must prove the instrument at issue (will or trust document) resulted from the exercise of undue influence on the mind of the person executing the will or trust instrument. The Carpenter decision from the Florida Supreme Court sets forth the basic principal of law that the challenger’s initial burden can be met by proof of sufficient facts to raise a presumption of undue influence. Simply stated, a presumption of undue influence arises upon a showing that a party who (1) occupied a confidential relationship with the testator, (2) was a substantial beneficiary under the will, and (3) was active in procuring the instrument. Read the rest of this entry