Have you been interviewing trust and estates lawyers recently? Have they all made you provide them with a list of the parties involved before discussing your probate or guardianship matter with you? Why do West Palm Beach lawyers do this? There are strict ethics and conduct rules that lawyers in Florida must follow. One of those rules is that lawyers must avoid conflicts of interests. This is so that clients are represented fairly. Florida probate lawyers know that Rule 4-1.18 of Florida’s Rules of Professional Responsibility governs conflicts of interests regarding an attorney’s prospective clients.  A recent Third DCA opinion, Lopez v. Flores discusses this rule. 

A July 3, 2017 New York Times article discusses 21st Century Fox’s recent legal battles due to harassment allegations against their employees.

On July 3, 2017, The New York Times reported that Jamie Horowitz, a top executive at Fox Sports, was immediately fired after a sexual harassment investigation. 21st Century Fox, which owns Fox Sports and Fox News, has been negatively featured in the media a few times over the past year due to sexual harassment and misconduct claims.

Probate lawyers throughout Florida know that injunctions can be very beneficial in some circumstances. For example, an injunction can be used to prevent a Florida trustee from wrongfully draining a decedent’s bank accounts. In addition, an injunction can prohibit someone from conducting specified financial transactions without a court order.

What is a temporary injunction? How can a temporary injunction help me in my Florida probate litigation matter? When is an injunction needed? What should my West Palm Beach estate lawyer know about temporary injunctions? Am I required to pay a bond before my request for temporary injunction can be granted? Why would I have to pay a bond when seeking a temporary injunction?  You may want to read a June 21, 2017 Fourth DCA opinion, Lerner v. Dum.

Pankauski Hauser, our boutique probate litigation firm, recently moved to a new building located at 415 S. Olive Avenue. The new location is just a few blocks from Downtown West Palm Beach and the Main Probate Court. Last week, Pankauski Hauser celebrated the new space, and it was a great success!

If a mom or dad, or even a distant relative, dies without a will in Florida, you may inherit a lot more than you ever expected.  Why?  Well, that’s the Florida Probate Law .  One law, called the intestacy law, guarantees an inheritance for certain family members. But to know how much you inherit, you have to know the family tree.

Roger Ailes, former Fox News chairman, recently passed away in Palm Beach, Florida. Therefore, his estate will most likely be probated in Florida. His wife and children will probably inherit what he left behind according to a Florida will or trust. This is assuming that he met with a West Palm Beach estate planning attorney to create estate planning documents.

As we all know, Rockstar Prince passed away last year. His estate is currently being probated. With such a large estate, there has been a good amount of litigation, especially since Prince died intestate. What does dying intestate mean? This means that Prince died without a will. Therefore, heirs had to be identified, inheritances will need to be distributed, business decisions need to be made, and more! Could all of this money spent on litigation have been saved if Prince would have died with a detailed estate plan? Hiring an estate planning lawyer before you pass away is definitely a good idea, especially when your estate is worth millions.

On June, 26 2017,  Governor Rick Scott vetoed House Bill 277. This bill creates the Florida Electronic Wills Act, which  “authorizes the creation and execution of electronic wills, and provides that the execution of electronic wills may be witnessed and notarized through the use of remote technology.”  How would approving electronic wills impact the Florida probate world? Would it be harder for probate litigators to assist clients in contesting Florida wills? How would you be able to prove that the testator electronically signed a will if her physical signature is not required?