PALM BEACH DECLARATORY JUDGMENT ACTIONS AND THE FLORIDA STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS – when does it start to run ?

A very recent Palm Beach Appeals court opinion just spoke to the Florida statute of limitations for  declaratory judgment actions. This case is very important for #PalmBeachProbateLawyers as well as   #FloridaProbateLawyers. Here’s why:

1. Many of the  #PalmBeachEstateLawsuits  involve #WillChallenges or #FloridaWillContests.  Someone will challenge the will in a #PalmBeachEstate.                                                                                                                                                        Q: How do you     challenge a Florida will    in a #PalmBeachProbate ?                                                                                   A: You typically can ask the #PalmBeachProbateCourt for declaratory relief — a declaration of rights.   For example, you might ask the #ProbateCourt in #PalmBeachGardens, Florida or #DelrayBeach,Florida to   declare that the will is invalid.
2. Declaratory judgments are used by #PalmBeachProbateLitigators to help #EstateBeneficiaries and #PersonalRepresentatives determine who owns certain assets —   the estate or a beneficiary or an heir at law ?    For example, is a #PalmBeachBankAccount a    joint account   with a right of survivorship or is it an #EstateAccount which “goes” to the #PalmBeachEstate ? Is it part of the #PalmBeachProbate or does it go outside of Probate ?    Is a beneficiary designation — a named beneficiary —on a life insurance policy valid or not?
3. #TrustLawyers use declaratory actions to determine rights of #TrustBeneficiaries and   fiduciary duties     of #FloridaTrustees.  The #PalmBeachProbate Court can use the #FloridaTrustCode to intervene in the administration of a #PalmBeachTrust and determine, for example, whether a trust amendment was valid or not.

This #PalmBeachLawsuit did not deal with a #PalmBeachProbate issue or even a #TrustLitigation matter.    It did involve declaratory judgments and also the statute of limitations. Here’s the takeaway:

1.  A cause of action for   declaratory relief    accrues when the last element of the cause of action occurs.    What makes you need a declaration of rights from the court?    What happened that you need relief in this #PalmBeachCourt ?
2. The   statute of limitations    begins to run “when the action may be brought”.    Once you know or should know that you need a declaration, the clock begins to run. The law does not help those who sit on their rights, it helps those who seek to enforce them.