Recent Blog Posts
How a Marital Settlement Agreement Can Affect Your Will–Even Decades Later
A Florida resident is generally free to determine the terms of their own will. They can, for instance, choose to disinherit their adult children if they wish. But a person may also enter into a legally binding contract that subsequently affects the terms of their will. For example, a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement might… Read More »
Is a Probate Estate Liable for Back Child Support?
When it comes to paying creditors of a probate estate, some claims take legal priority over others. In fact, Florida law establishes eight different probate creditor classes. Those in Class 1, related to the expenses of administering the probate estate itself, take priority over all other claims. Another example is Class 6, which covers… Read More »
Who Can Open a Deceased Person’s Safe Deposit Box in Florida?
When someone passes away, one of the first tasks their family or legal representative will do is try and locate a will. Many Florida residents choose to keep their original will and other key documents, such as their life insurance policies, in a safe deposit box. But how does the decedent’s estate or next… Read More »
What Happens When You Refuse to Transfer Assets to a Legally Appointed Guardian in Florida?
When an adult Florida resident is incapacitated and unable to manage their own affairs, a court may need to step in and appoint a guardian. It is not uncommon in these situations for family members to litigate the question of who should be the guardian. But once the court renders judgment on the issue,… Read More »
Can You Pursue Estate Litigation Outside of Probate in Florida?
As a general rule in Florida, legal disputes over a deceased individual’s probate estate must be resolved as part of the probate proceeding itself. Put in different terms, if you had an adequate opportunity to litigate a probate dispute during the original administration of the estate, you cannot later try and file a separate… Read More »
What Happens When a Florida Probate Lawyer Has a Conflict of Interest?
Probate disputes in Florida can lead to litigation. This means a trial before a judge who must hear witness testimony with respect to the underlying issue, such as a contested will. In some cases, this can present certain legal conflicts, particularly when the attorney who prepared the will may also end up as a… Read More »
3 Questions to Ask Before Contesting a Will in Florida
It is not unusual for someone to be shocked or angered when they are excluded from a loved one’s will. For many people in this situation, their initial response may be to try and contest the will. But will contests are rarely actually filed in Florida–and even more rarely succeed. With that in mind,… Read More »
Does a Florida Estate Have to Pay Civil Fines Assessed Against the Deceased?
Although civil lawsuits against a deceased defendant may continue against their estate after their death, criminal cases typically die with the accused. After all, you cannot prosecute a dead person. The general rule is that a criminal prosecution must be suspended or “abated” once the court is notified of the defendant’s death. Even in… Read More »
Are Second Cousins Legal Heirs of an Intestate Estate in Florida?
When there is no will for a probate estate in Florida, state law determines who will inherit the decedent’s (deceased person’s) property. In cases where the decedent was not married at the time of their death, Section 732.103 of the Florida Statutes specifies the following order of inheritance: the descendants of the decedent, i.e.,… Read More »
Is “Adult Adoption” Necessary for Someone to Inherit from Your Florida Estate?
Retired National Football League player Michael Oher recently made national headlines after filing a petition in Tennessee state court to end a conservatorship created by a couple who allegedly told them they had adopted them as their son. According to an NBC Miami report, when Oher was 18 years old and living in the… Read More »
Mark R. Manceri, P.A. is a boutique law firm that specializes in Estate, Trust and Guardianship litigation. These matters include Will and Trust contests involving lack of capacity, undue influence, forgery, improper execution and tortious interference...