This is my running list of significant Florida trusts-and-estates related appellate opinions for 2007. If you think I’ve missed an important case that deserves wider notice, please let me know. As new decisions are published I’ll add them to the list. The cases listed below are hyper-linked to a copy of the original source document and any commentary I may have written about the case.

2007 Probate Court Filing Statistics [click here]

  1. Disque v. Unger, 2007 WL 101375 (Fla. 4th DCA Jan 17, 2007) (Practice & Procedure)
  2. Hernandez v. Hernandez, 2007 WL 120051 (Fla. 5th DCA Jan 19, 2007) (Removal of Personal Representatives and Surcharge)
  3. Spoerr v. Manhattan Natl. Life Ins. Co., 2007 WL 128815 (S.D.Fla. Jan 12, 2007) (Practice & Procedure)
  4. Keller v. Estate of Keller, 2007 WL 162770 (Fla. 4th DCA Jan 24, 2007) (Will and Trust Contests)
  5. Glover v. Miller, 2007 WL 247899 (Fla. 4th DCA Jan 31, 2007) (Practice & Procedure)
  6. Simpson v. In re Estate of Norton, 2007 WL 397463 (Fla. 3d DCA Feb 07, 2007) (Practice & Procedure)
  7. Hernandez v. Gil, — So.2d. —, 2007 WL 466029 (Fla. 3d DCA Feb 14, 2007) (Will & Trust Contests) [Attorney Interview]
  8. Harding v. Rosoff, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 461381(Fla. 4th DCA Feb 14, 2007) (Will and Trust Contests)
  9. Juega v. Davidson, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 465523 (Fla. 3d DCA Feb 14, 2007) (Practice & Procedure)
  10. EHQF Trust v. S & A Capital Partners, Inc. , — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 45838 (Fla. 4th DCA Jan 09, 2007) (Appellate Practice in Probate)
  11. Arthur v. Milstein, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 602630 (Fla. 4th DCA 2007) (Decedent’s Remains)
  12. Cutler v. Cutler, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 601866 (Fla. 3d DCA Feb 28, 2007) (Homestead)
  13. In re Gosman, 2007 WL 707365 (Bankr.S.D.Fla. Mar 05, 2007) (equitable lien; homestead property)
  14. In re Estate of Coukos, 947 So.2d 1290, 32 Fla. L. Weekly D433 (Fla. 2d DCA Feb 09, 2007) (Dependent Relative Revocation)
  15. Trenchard v. Gray, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 837294 (Fla. 2d DCA Mar 21, 2007) (Spousal Elective Share Claims)
  16. Schilling v. Herrera, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 981627 (Fla. 3d DCA Apr 04, 2007) (Tortious Interference with Inheritance)
  17. Garcia v. Morrow, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 983053 (Fla. 3d DCA Apr 04, 2007) (Personal Representatives)
  18. Fach v. Brown Bros. Harriman Trust Co. of Florida, 949 So.2d 260 (Fla. 4th DCA Feb 07, 2007) (Appellate Practice in Probate; Venue)
  19. The Florida Bar v. Maurice, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 1074948 (Fla. Apr 12, 2007) (Ethics)
  20. Morrison v. West, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 1135659 (Fla. 4th DCA Apr 18, 2007) (Settlement Agreements)
  21. Miller v. Goodell, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 1201892 (Fla. 4th DCA Apr 25, 2007) (Contested Guardianship Proceedings)
  22. Phillips v. Hirshon, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 1263475 (Fla. 3d DCA May 02, 2007) (Homestead)
  23. Bryan v. Dethlefs, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 1425499 (Fla. 3d DCA May 16, 2007) (Trust Construction)
  24. Diaz v. Ashworth, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 1484550 (Fla. 3d DCA May 23, 2007) (Will and Trust Contests)
  25. Key v. Trattmann, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 1517827 (Fla. 1st DCA May 25, 2007) (Resulting Trusts)
  26. Marshall v. HQM of Winter Park, LLC, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 1647561 (Fla. 5th DCA Jun 08, 2007) (Death Certificates)
  27. Weiss v. Berkett, 949 So.2d 1092 (Fla. 3d DCA Feb 07, 2007) (Lack of Prosecution)
  28. Forman v. State Dept. of Children & Families, 2007 WL 601628 (Fla. 4th DCA Feb 28, 2007) (Powers of Attorney)
  29. City of Key West v. Knowles, 948 So.2d 58 (Fla. 3d DCA Jan 10, 2007) (Dead Bodies)
  30. Creasy v. Estate of Mabie, 2007 WL 1773197 (Fla. 1st DCA Jun 21, 2007) (Appellate Practice in Probate)
  31. Commercial Capital Resources, LLC v. Giovannetti, 955 So.2d 1151 (Fla. 3d DCA Mar 28, 2007) (Settlement Agreements)
  32. Greene v. Borsky, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2119215 (Fla. 4th DCA Jul 25, 2007) (Appellate Practice in Probate)
  33. In re Guardianship of Graham, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2189111 (Fla. 4th DCA Aug 01, 2007) (Contested Guardianship Proceedings)
  34. In re Estate of Musil, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2317189 (Fla. 2d DCA Aug 15, 2007) (Lost Wills/Virtual Adoption)
  35. Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A. v. McAdam, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2376658 (Fla. 4th DCA Aug 22, 2007) (Attorney Malpractice)
  36. Becker v. Davis, 491 F.3d 1292 (11th Cir.(Fla.) Jul 11, 2007) (Trust Accountings)
  37. Barber v. Parrish, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2384521 (Fla. 1st DCA Aug 23, 2007) (Slayer Statute)
  38. Vaughan v. Boerckel, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2428516 (Fla. 4th DCA Aug 29, 2007) (Funding Revocable Trusts)
  39. 39.  Ziino v. Baker, — F.Supp.3d —-, 2007 WL 2433902 (M.D.Fla. Aug 22, 2007) (Spendthrift Trusts)
  40. Kravitz v. Levy, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2480538 (Fla. 4th DCA Sep 05, 2007) (Suing PR/Statue of Limitations)
  41. Ramunno v. Terranova, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2480980 (Fla. 4th DCA Sep 05, 2007) (Evidence)
  42. Ripoll v. Comprehensive Personal Care Services, Inc., — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2043483 (Fla. 3d DCA Jul 18, 2007) (Temporary Injunctions)
  43. J.P. Morgan Trust Co., N.A. v. Siegel, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2710957 (Fla. 4th DCA Sep 19, 2007) (Corporate Trustee Compensation Dispute)
  44. Berlin v. Pecora, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2710764 (Fla. 4th DCA Sep 19, 2007) (Tenants by the entireties)
  45. In re Estate of Magee, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2781131 (Fla. 2d DCA Sep 26, 2007) (Elective Share Statute)
  46. In re Guardianship of Stephens, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2811591 (Fla. 2d DCA Sep 28, 2007) (Contested Guardianship Proceedings)
  47. Wolfe v. Stevens, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2891413 (Fla. 2d DCA Oct 05, 2007) (Constructive Service of Process)
  48. In re Estate of Koshuba, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 2934936 (Fla. 2d DCA Oct 10, 2007) (Creditor Claims)
  49. Estate of Jelke v. C.I.R., — F.3d —-, 2007 WL 3378539 (11th Cir. Nov 15, 2007) (Estate Tax Valuation Case)
  50. In re Guardianship of Morrison, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 4180873 (Fla. 2d DCA Nov 28, 2007) (Contested Guardianship Proceedings)
  51. Graham v. Florida Dept. of Children and Families, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 4245627 (Fla. 4th DCA Dec 05, 2007) (Contested Guardianship Proceedings)
  52. Liberty Life Assur. Co. of Boston v. Miller, Slip Copy, 2007 WL 4233547 (S.D.Fla. Nov 29, 2007) (Power of Attorney; Life Insurance Beneficiary Designations)
  53. In re Commitment of Reilly, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 4270584 (Fla. 2d DCA Dec 07, 2007) (Contested Guardianship Proceedings)
  54. Gurfinkel v. Josi, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 4322156 (Fla. 3d DCA Dec 12, 2007) (Power of Attorney; Trust Construction Litigation)
  55. Chames v. DeMayo, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 4440212 (Fla. Dec 20, 2007) (Homestead Litigation)
  56. Griem v. Becker, — So.2d —-, 2007 WL 4482171(Fla. 3d DCA Dec 26, 2007) (Petition to Determine Heirs)

NON-FLORIDA CASES OF NOTE:

  1. Baker Botts, L.L.P. v. Cailloux, — S.W.3d —-, 2007 WL 460643 (Tex.App.-San Antonio Feb 14, 2007) (Conflicts of Interest)
  2. Estate of Hester v. U.S., — F.Supp.2d —-, 2007 WL 703170 (W.D. Va. Mar 02, 2007) (Estate Tax)
  3. Estate of Zlotowski v. C.I.R., T.C. Memo. 2007-203 (Jul 24, 2007) (PR Liability/Tax Penalty)