How Do I Interpret a Florida Will? What’s the Single Most Important Factor

How do you interpret a will in Florida? If you ask any estate litigation attorney who conducts trials involving wills, such as contesting wills or interpreting a will, they will tell you that probate court judges in the state of Florida focus repeatedly on one thing: the intent of the decedent. What was the intent of the person who passed away, and how was that intent expressed in their Florida will?

Are you confused about what a will says in Florida? Are you involved in a Florida probate where there’s a disagreement about whether you inherit something or not? Are you involved in an inheritance lawsuit? In a June 20, 2012 opinion, the Third DCA stated the following: ‘As always, the polestar of will interpretation is the testator’s intent, which is “ascertained from the four corners of the document through consideration of ‘all the provisions of the will taken together, rather than from detached portions or any particular form of words.’  Do you know the secret of getting evidence into a will contest trial if those four corners of that document don’t tell you what the decedent intended? Do you know the exception to the rule? How can a Florida trust and estates lawyer get other evidence in when its appropriate? How do you get in parole evidence when interpreting a will?  To read the entire case, click here.