Resignation and Removal of Personal Representatives Under Florida Probate Statute

by | Mar 13, 2013

Resignation and Removal of Personal Representatives Under Florida Probate Statute

 

PART V

CURATORS; RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL

OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES

733.501 Curators.

733.502 Resignation of personal representative.

733.503 Appointment of successor upon resignation.

733.5035 Surrender of assets after resignation.

733.5036 Accounting and discharge following resignation.

733.504 Removal of personal representative; causes for removal.

733.505 Jurisdiction in removal proceedings.

733.506 Proceedings for removal.

733.5061 Appointment of successor upon removal.

733.508 Accounting and discharge of removed personal representatives upon removal.

733.509 Surrender of assets upon removal.

 

733.501 Curators.—

(1) When it is necessary, the court may appoint a curator after formal notice to the person apparently entitled to letters of administration. The curator may be authorized to perform any duty or function of a personal representative. If there is great danger that any of the decedent’s property is likely to be wasted, destroyed, or removed beyond the jurisdiction of the court and if the appointment of a curator would be delayed by giving notice, the court may appoint a curator without giving notice.

(2) Bond shall be required of the curator as the court deems necessary. No bond shall be required of banks and trust companies as curators.

(3) Curators shall be allowed reasonable compensation for their services, and the court may consider the provisions of s. 733.617.

(4) Curators shall be subject to removal and surcharge.

 

733.502 Resignation of personal representative.—A personal representative may resign. After notice to all interested persons, the court may accept the resignation and then revoke the letters of the resigning personal representative if the interests of the estate are not jeopardized by the resignation. The acceptance of the resignation shall not exonerate the personal representative or the surety from liability.

 

733.503 Appointment of successor upon resignation.—When the personal representative’s resignation is accepted, the court shall appoint a personal representative or shall appoint a curator to serve until a successor personal representative is appointed.

 

733.5035 Surrender of assets after resignation.—When the resignation has been accepted by the court, all estate assets, records, documents, papers, and other property of or concerning the estate in the resigning personal representative’s possession or control shall immediately be surrendered to the successor fiduciary. The court may establish the conditions and specify the assets and records, if any, that the resigning personal representative may retain until the final accounting of the resigning personal representative has been approved.

 

733.5036 Accounting and discharge following resignation.—

(1) A resigning personal representative shall file and serve a final accounting of the personal representative’s administration.

(2) After determination and satisfaction of the liability, if any, of the resigning personal representative, after compensation of the personal representative and the attorney and other persons employed by the personal representative, and upon receipt of evidence that undistributed estate assets have been delivered to the successor fiduciary, the personal representative shall be discharged, the bond released, and the surety discharged.

 

733.504 Removal of personal representative; causes for removal.—A personal representative may be removed and the letters revoked for any of the following causes, and the removal shall be in addition to any penalties prescribed by law:

(1) Adjudication that the personal representative is incapacitated.

(2) Physical or mental incapacity rendering the personal representative incapable of the discharge of his or her duties.

(3) Failure to comply with any order of the court, unless the order has been superseded on appeal.

(4) Failure to account for the sale of property or to produce and exhibit the assets of the estate when so required.

(5) Wasting or maladministration of the estate.

(6) Failure to give bond or security for any purpose.

(7) Conviction of a felony.

(8) Insolvency of, or the appointment of a receiver or liquidator for, any corporate personal representative.

(9) Holding or acquiring conflicting or adverse interests against the estate that will or may interfere with the administration of the estate as a whole. This cause of removal shall not apply to the surviving spouse because of the exercise of the right to the elective share, family allowance, or exemptions, as provided elsewhere in this code.

(10) Revocation of the probate of the decedent’s will that authorized or designated the appointment of the personal representative.

(11) Removal of domicile from Florida, if domicile was a requirement of initial appointment.

(12) The personal representative would not now be entitled to appointment.

 

733.505 Jurisdiction in removal proceedings.—A petition for removal shall be filed in the court having jurisdiction of the administration.

 

733.506 Proceedings for removal.—Proceedings for removal of a personal representative may be commenced by the court or upon the petition of an interested person. The court shall revoke the letters of a removed personal representative. The removal of a personal representative shall not exonerate the removed personal representative or the removed personal representative’s surety from any liability.

 

733.5061 Appointment of successor upon removal.—When a personal representative is removed, the court shall appoint a personal representative or shall appoint a curator to serve until a successor personal representative is appointed.

 

733.508 Accounting and discharge of removed personal representatives upon removal.—

(1) A removed personal representative shall file and serve a final accounting of that personal representative’s administration.

(2) After determination and satisfaction of the liability, if any, of the removed personal representative, after compensation of that personal representative and the attorney and other persons employed by that personal representative, and upon receipt of evidence that the estate assets have been delivered to the successor fiduciary, the removed personal representative shall be discharged, the bond released, and the surety discharged.

 

733.509 Surrender of assets upon removal.—Upon entry of an order removing a personal representative, the removed personal representative shall immediately deliver all estate assets, records, documents, papers, and other property of or concerning the estate in the removed personal representative’s possession or control to the remaining personal representative or successor fiduciary.

Author:
Barry E. Haimo, Esq.
Haimo Law
Strategic Planning With Purpose
Email: barry@haimolaw.com
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