Florida's New Trust Code
Florida's new trust code (FTC) becomes effective on July 1, 2007.
As Florida practitioners (and courts) work their way through this comprehensive statute, there are a few resources all should keep handy until we start getting some appellate opinions construing the new code:
- Legislative Staff Analysis of FTC. Prof. Powell's Scrivener's Summary of the FTC was basically incorporated verbatim into the Legislative Staff Analysis for the FTC. The value of Prof. Powell's explanation of all of the important subsections of the FTC and the underlying policy rationales for material changes to existing Florida trust law cannot be overstated. This is the definitive resource for understanding the FTC.
- Final Committee Draft of FTC. Contains cross references to all corresponding Uniform Trust Code provisions. UTC commentary should be helpful in the absence of Florida appellate opinions.
- Prof. Powell's two Florida Bar Journal Articles explaining the new FTC (see here and here).
- UTC Reporter's Summary of FTC.
Thanks for sharing some good resources. The link for the final draft of the New Florida Trust Code which you provided also contains three appendices which will be very useful: A cross-reference from Chapter 736 to 737, another cross reference from Chatper 737 to 736, and an appendix on effective dates for various sections within the new trust code. The Florida Bar Seminar you referenced is also very worthwhile because the presenters all worked in the drafting process over many years.