This is my running list of significant Florida trusts-and-estates related appellate opinions for 2011. 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.

  1. Marger v. De Rosa, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 252942 (Fla. 2d DCA January 28, 2011) (Homestead Rights vs. Joint Tenancy Rights)
  2. Relinger v. Fox, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 439428 (Fla. 2d DCA Feb 09, 2011) (Abating vs. consolidating will contests & trust actions)
  3. Habeeb v. Linder, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 613392 (Fla. 3d DCA Feb 09, 2011) (Does deed signed by both spouse = homestead waiver)
  4. Henderson v. Elias, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 710190 (Fla. 4th DCA Mar 02, 2011) (Florida probate court’s lack of jurisdiction over non-residents)
  5. Figel v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 2011 WL 860470 (S.D.Fla. Mar 09, 2011) (Trustee’s investment duties)
  6. Reid v. In re Estate of Sonder, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 1007137 (Fla. 3d DCA Mar 23, 2011) (Trust Reformation)
  7. Lauritsen v. Wallace, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 1195873 (Fla. 5th DCA Apr 01, 2011) (Can decedent’s will forgive debts of his insolvent estate)
  8. Levin v. Levin, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 1772245 (Fla. 4th DCA May 11, 2011) (Insane delusion)
  9. TTSI Irrevocable Trust v. Reliastar Life Ins. Co., — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 1810601(Fla. 5th DCA May 13, 2011) (Insurable Interests)
  10. Shapiro v. Tulin, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 1878014 (Fla. 4th DCA May 18, 2011) (Agreement to make a will)
  11. Drucker v. Duvall, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 1878144 (Fla. 4th DCA May 18, 2011) (Venue; Fee Agreement Disputes)
  12. BankAtlantic v. Estate of Glatzer, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 1877839 (Fla. 3d DCA May 18, 2011) (Corporate funds vs. estate funds)
  13. Melican v. Parker, 289 Ga. 420 (May 31, 2011) (Ademption)
  14. Lituchy v. Estate of Lituchy, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 2135597 (Fla. 4th DCA Jun 01, 2011) (Can PR go pro se?)
  15. Crawford v. Barker, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 2224808 (Fla. Jun 09, 2011) (Marital settlement agreement vs. beneficiary designation forms)
  16. U.S. v. Jicarilla Apache Nation, — S.Ct. —-, 2011 WL 2297786 (U.S. Jun 13, 2011) (“fiduciary exception” to the attorney-client privilege)
  17. Hirchert Family Trust v. Hirchert, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 2415787 (Fla. 5 Dist. Jun 17, 2011) (Equitable exception to Florida’s homestead creditor protection)
  18. Bright v. Baltzell, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 2462760 (Fla. 4th DCA Jun 22, 2011) (Voluntary Dismissal: Costs v Fees)
  19. LoCascio v. Estate of LoCascio, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 2555644 (Fla. 3d DCA June 29, 2011) (PR removal; due process rights)
  20. Hancock v. Share, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 2650887 (Fla. 5th DCA July 8, 2011) (Guardian’s authority to approve structured settlement binding ward after age 18)
  21. Thorpe v. Myers, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 2731937 (Fla. 2d DCA Jul 15, 2011) (Guardian’s statutory entitlement to compensation + payment of attorneys fees/costs)
  22. Faulkner v. Faulkner, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 2937302 (Fla. 1st DCA Jul 22, 2011) (Assessing examining committee fees in emergency temporary guardianships)
  23. Levin v. Levin, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 3477032(Fla. 4th DCA Aug 10, 2011) (Assessing attorney’s fees against beneficiary’s share of estate)
  24. Long v. Willis, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 3587411 (Fla. 2d DCA Aug 17, 2011) (Rights of minors when appointing PR’s)
  25. Basile v. Aldrich, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 3696309 (Fla. 1st DCA August 23, 2011) (Does will without residuary clause = partial intestacy?)
  26. Hill v. Davis, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 3847252 (Fla. Sep 01, 2011) (Limitations period; objecting to Personal Representative’s appointment)
  27. Ortmann v. Bell, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 4104908 (Fla. 2d DCA Sep 16, 2011) (Sufficient evidence: Breach of Trust)
  28. In re Amendments to Florida Probate Rules, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 4467595(Fla. Sep 28, 2011) (Changes conforming to new legislation)
  29. Guy Bennett Rubin, P.A. v. Guettler, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 4577670 (Fla. 4th DCA Oct 05, 2011) (Contingency fee agreement in probate litigation)
  30. Steffens v. Evans, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 4577938 (Fla. 4th DCA Oct 05, 2011) (Waiver of marital inheritance rights)
  31. Siegel v. JP Morgan Chase Bank, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 4949794 (Fla. 4th DCA Oct 19, 2011) (Revocable trust’s remainder beneficiary’s standing to sue)
  32. Lehman v. Lucom, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 5061182 (Fla. 4th DCA Oct 26, 2011) (PR’s breach of fiduciary duty)
  33. In re Amendments to Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure, No. SC11-192 (Fla. Nov. 3, 2011) (New/expanded appellate rule 9.170 for probate & guardianship proceedings)
  34. Davis v. Estate of James Davis, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 5375110 (Fla. 3d DCA Nov 09, 2011) (Attorney’s fee claims)
  35. Darian v. Weymouth, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 5554786 (Fla. 4th DCA Nov 16, 2011) (Lapse of interest in revocable trust)
  36. Agee v. Brown, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 5554833 (Fla. 4th DCA Nov 16, 2011) (Ethics violation does not equal void will)
  37. Layne v. Layne, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 5560563 (Fla. 1st DCA Nov 16, 2011) (Does quit claim deed trump intestacy rights)
  38. Grisolia v. Pfeffer, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 5864806 (Fla. 3d DCA Nov 23, 2011) (Homestead creditor protection for non-citizens)
  39. Corya v. Sanders, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 6057899 (Fla. 4th DCA Dec 07, 2011) (Trustee’s duty to provide annual accountings)
  40. SPCA Wildlife Care Center v. Abraham, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 6183491 (Fla 4th DCA Dec 14, 2011) (cy pres doctrine)
  41. Rosenkrantz v. Feit, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 6183525 (Fla. 3d DCA Dec 14, 2011) (Rights/duties of attorneys-in-fact)
  42. Rothman-Browning v. Marshall, — So.3d —-, 2011 WL 6373038 (Fla. 4th DCA December 21, 2011) (Right to hearing on objections to guardianship reports)