Price v. Austin, — So.3d —-, 2010 WL 3120212 (Fla. 1st DCA Aug 10, 2010)
Over the last few years probate lawyers have been scratching their heads wondering if, when and how Civ. Pro. Rule 1.525, the rule setting a 30-day post-judgment deadline for filing fee motions in civil litigation, applies to contested probate and trust proceedings. This is an important issue; the last thing any lawyer wants to do is blow a deadline for claiming fees on behalf of his client. Here’s what the rule says:
Any party seeking a judgment taxing costs, attorneys’ fees, or both shall serve a motion no later than 30 days after filing of the judgment, including a judgment of dismissal, or the service of a notice of voluntary dismissal.
By now there’s no question the rule applies in any "adversary" probate proceeding and in all trust litigation. In 2008 the 2d DCA held here that the rule applies in Trust litigation, then in 2009 the 5th DCA held here that the rule applies in adversary probate proceedings, and now in the linked-to opinion the 1st DCA has come to the same conclusion with respect to adversary guardianship proceedings:
[A] notice that the proceeding for incapacity was adversary was served on June 12, 2008. On July 7, 2008, the court entered an order determining total incapacity. Over a year later, on September 18, 2009, appellant served a verified petition to approve payment of fees. Florida Probate Rule 5.025(d)(2) provides that, once a proceeding under the probate rules has been declared to be adversarial, it “shall be conducted similar to suits of a civil nature and the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure shall govern, including entry of defaults.” Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.525 requires a motion for attorney’s fees to be filed “no later than 30 days after filing the judgment….” In Hays v. Lawrence, 1 So.3d 1176, 1177 (Fla. 5th DCA 2009), the court held that, in a proceeding declared as adversarial, rule 1.525 governed a motion for attorney’s fees filed pursuant to section 733.106(2) and affirmed a denial of a claim for attorney’s fees as untimely under the rule. Although Hays involved a different fee statute than the case before us, section 733.106(2) and section 744.108, applicable here, are similar. Both statutes are legislative expressions of the desirability of the payment of attorney’s fees for services rendered under the specified proceeding. Accordingly, because the petition for attorney’s fees was untimely filed under rule 1.525, the trial court’s order denying fees is AFFIRMED.
Must be an "adversary" proceeding:
An important point to keep in mind with respect to contested guardianship (and probate) proceedings is that Rule 1.525 only applies to "adversary" proceedings (assume the rule applies to all trust proceedings). So if someone tries to block your fee petition by citing to this rule, make sure your judge understands it simply does NOT apply to probate and guardianship proceedings that have NOT been declared adversarial in accordance with Florida Probate Rule 5.025.