Category: Probate

Probate in Palm Beach County can vary based on the circumstances, but generally, formal administration can take 12 to 15 months to complete. Summary administration can take less than a month to complete. However, the probate process can take longer if disputes or other difficulties arise. When working with a…

In Florida, the hearsay rule does not bar the contents of, and most testimony about, a decedent’s will or trust. The Florida “hearsay rule does not bar the testimony of the plaintiffs regarding (1) the fact that the decedent had executed a will and (2) the contents of the will.”…

Florida law permits the challenge to a joint account’s ownership where the creation of the ownership, or a change to the ownership, was the result of undue influence or lack of capacity. See, e.g., Cripe v. Atl. First Nat’l Bank of Daytona Beach, 422 So. 2d 820 (Fla. 1982). There…

Probate is the legal term for a court-directed process during which a will is reviewed by the court for validity and authenticity. Probate also refers to the general administering of a deceased person’s will or the estate of a deceased person without a will. When a person who had assets…

When Florida and Palm Beach County residents create their estate plan, they often instinctively choose a close friend or family member as their estate’s personal representative. Your personal representative has a great responsibility and likely is not familiar with the role you have asked them to play.  Although the personal…