This is my running list of significant Florida trusts-and-estates related appellate opinions for 2019. 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 the court’s original opinion and any commentary I may have written about the case. Click here for prior years.

  1. Goodstein v. Goodstein, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 140993 (Fla. 4th DCA January 09, 2019) (restricted depository accounts)
  2. Hadassah v. Melcer, — So.3d —- 2019 WL 141039 (Fla. 4th DCA January 09, 2019) (charities; qualified beneficiaries)
  3. Lee v. Lee, 263 So.3d 826 (Fla. 3d DCA January 23, 2019) (validity of real estate disclaimer)
  4. Bitetzakis v. Bitetzakis, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 405568 (Fla. 2d DCA February 01, 2019) (execution formalities)
  5. Johnson v. State, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 1053155 (4th DCA March 06, 2019) (criminal prosecution; exploitation of elderly; power of attorney)
  6. Samad v. Pla, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 1212338 (Fla. 2d DCA March 15, 2019) (extension; spousal election to take undivided one-half interest in homestead property)
  7. Romanoff v. Lazarus, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 1371931 (Fla. 4th DCA March 27, 2019) (non-waiver; personal jurisdiction objection)
  8. Sibley v. Estate of Sibley, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 1461325 (Fla. 3d DCA April 03, 2019) (trust construction; administratively dissolved charity)
  9. Maercks v. Maercks, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 1461493 (Fla. 3d DCA April 03, 2019) (non-appealable probate orders)
  10. Kaminsky v. Hecht, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 2018004 (Fla. 4th DCA May 08, 2019) (long arm jurisdiction; trustees)
  11. Almazan v. Estate of Aguilera-Valdez, 273 So.3d 9, 2019 WL 2018001 (Fla. 4th DCA May 08, 2019) (no sanctions post voluntary dismissal)
  12. Alexander v. Harris, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 2147281 (Fla. 2d DCA May 17, 2019) (spendthrift trust vs. child support claim)
  13. Levine v. Stimmel, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 2147611 (Fla. 5th DCA May 17, 2019) (no fees for unsuccessful 57.105 claim)
  14. Mullins v. Mullins, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 2396753 (Fla. 5th DCA . June 07, 2019) (homestead order vs. will; life estate)
  15. Ebeling v. SunTrust Bank as trustee of Richard W. Kohler Trust, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 2399410 (Fla. 2d DCA June 07, 2019) (Trust Construction; Life Estate)
  16. Reid v. Guardianship of Reid, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 2998530 (Fla. 4th DCA July 10, 2019) (factors; fee awards)
  17. Catano v. Capuano, 2019 WL 3035752 (S.D. Fla. July 11, 2019) (pleading RICO claims)
  18. Herman v. Bennett, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 3296631 (Fla. 1st DCA July 23, 2019) (Fla. R. Judicial Admin. 2.514 vs. Fla. Stat. § 733.702)
  19. Abdo v. Abdo, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 3676348 (Fla. 2d DCA August 07, 2019) (what is a constructive trust)
  20. Cruz v. Community Bank & Trust of Florida, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 3755444 (Fla. 5th DCA August 09, 2019) (standing; breach of trust)
  21. Wilson v. Wilson as Trustee of Paul C. Wilson Living Trust, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 3808162 (Fla. 4th DCA August 14, 2019) (prenuptial agreement vs. revocable trust)
  22. Reno v. Hurchalla, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 3938297 (Fla. 3d DCA August 21, 2019) (cy-près doctrine)
  23. Barrett v. Kapoor, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 4049633 (Fla. 3d DCA August 28, 2019) (trust construction action)
  24. Walters v. Agency for Health Care Administration, — So.3d —-, 2019 WL 6691513 (Fla. 3d DCA December 4, 2019) (co-op property, not homestead)