This is my running list of significant Florida trusts-and-estates related appellate opinions for 2023. 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. DiSorbo v. American Van Lines, Inc., — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 27810 (Fla. 4th DCA January 04, 2023) (right to jury trial; mixed legal and equitable claims)
  2. Taulbee v. Kozel, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 218784 (Fla. 3d DCA January 18, 2023) (adoption vs. terms of will)
  3. Williams v. Williams, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 216793 (Fla. 3d DCA January 18, 2023) (reopening estate after 60+ years)
  4. In re Trust of Wines, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 1484241 (Fla. 5th DCA February 03, 2023) (trust litigation; due process rights)
  5. Morrow v. Morrow, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 1807799 (Fla. 3d DCA February 8, 2023) (handwritten wills are valid)
  6. Caveglia v. Heinen, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 2395314 (Fla. 4th DCA March 08, 2023) (invalidity of Louisiana will)
  7. Stirberg v. Fein, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 2506099 (Fla. 4th DCA March 15, 2023) (invalid homestead devise; trust)
  8. Parisi v. Kingston, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 2505847 (Fla. 3d DCA March 15, 2023) (validity of Florida POA executed in Argentina)
  9. Thayer v. Hawthorn, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 2903993 (Fla. 4th DCA April 12, 2023) (joint deed; homestead waiver)
  10. Larkins v. Mendez, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 3485303 (Fla. 3d DCA May 17, 2023) (convenience accounts; civil contempt orders)
  11. U.S. v. Paulson, 68 F.4th 528 (9th Cir. May 17, 2023) (estate tax transferee liability)
  12. Tsuji v. Fleet, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 4246120 (Fla. June 29, 2023) (two-year non-claim statute bars all claims, including insurance-only claims)
  13. Brown v. Regan, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 4094879 (Fla. 4th DCA June 21, 2023) (constructive trusts)
  14. Ford v. In Re Estate of Ford, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 5249664 (Fla. 3d DCA August 16, 2023) (form of creditor claim; title disputes)
  15. Haskin v. Haskin, 388 So.3d 56 (Fla. 3d DCA August 16, 2023) (Agreement requiring testator to provide that 50% of estate be divided among children of first marriage and possibly other children was not ambiguous)
  16. Nieves v. Senior Health TNF, LLC, 369 So.3d 760, 2023 WL 5313060 (Fla. 2d DCA August 18, 2023) (standing to sue as PR prior to appointment)
  17. Royal v. Royal, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 6522742 (Fla. 6th DCA October 6, 2023) (non-probate cases not subject to DeWitt)
  18. Roller v. Collins, 373 So.3d 35, 2023 WL 6932574 (Fla. 5th DCA October 20, 2023) (trusts as UCC accommodation parties; beneficiary’s lack of standing to sue)
  19. Tatlici v. Tatlici, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 7361551 (Fla. 4th DCA November 8, 2023) (spousal testamentary property rights under Turkish law; Turkish marital domicile)
  20. Gnaegy v. Morris, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 8609214 (Fla. 3d DCA December 13, 2023) (standard for removal of personal representative and trustee)
  21. Grassfield v. Grassfield, — So.3d —-, 2023 WL 8608324 (Fla. 2d DCA December 13, 2023) (“substantial compliance” with trust revocation requirements)