Monday, February 27, 2012

Attorney Jennifer Neilson presenting at Gulf Harbour Golf & Country Club

Attorney Neilson will speak about Estate Planning (Wills, Trusts and Powers of Attorney), Misconceptions about Florida Law, Probate Avoidance, Homestead and Spousal Election at an invitation only luncheon in Fort Myers.  For information regarding future speaking engagements, visit our website.  www.neilsonlawpa.com

Neilson Law, P.A. will exhibit at the Big Boy Toy Show in Fort Myers

Attorney Jennifer Neilson of NEILSON LAW, P.A., a Florida lawyer concentrating in probate, trusts, and estate planning will exhibit at the Big Boy Toy Show on March 31 and April 1 at the Civic Center in Fort Myers, Florida.  http://www.bigboyshow.com/

Visit our booth for special prizes!!!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

In Florida Probate when is the deadline to object to the Will or Personal Representative?

 Three months from service of the Notice of Administration. 

A Florida personal representative shall promptly serve a copy of the notice of administration on the following persons who are known to the personal representative:
(a) The decedent's surviving spouse;
(b) Beneficiaries;
(c) The trustee of any trust described in s. 733.707(3) and each qualified beneficiary of the trust as defined in s. 736.0103(14), if each trustee is also a personal representative of the estate; and
(d) Persons who may be entitled to exempt property
F.S. 733.212 (1)
 Florida Statutes Section 733.212(3) states:

Any interested person on whom a copy of the notice of administration is served must object to the validity of the will, the qualifications of the personal representative, the venue, or the jurisdiction of the court by filing a petition or other pleading requesting relief in accordance with the Florida Probate Rules on or before the date that is 3 months after the date of service of a copy of the notice of administration on the objecting person, or those objections are forever barred.
 
 In a recent Florida case, decedent's mother filed an objection to the appointment of a foreign Personal Representative alleging that the non-resident, non-family member was not qualified.  The court disallowed the objection as time barred.  In ruling against the mother, the court relied on F.S. 733.212(3)  which bars untimely objections to qualifications of personal representative except where fraud, misrepresentation or misconduct is not apparent on the face of the petition for administration or discovered within the three-month limitation period.  Hill v. Davis, 36 Fla. L. Weekly S487 (Fla. 2011)

NEILSON LAW, P.A.