Are you a litigant considering whether to participate in a private trial to resolve your dispute? While many people are familiar with binding arbitration but that’s just one of a handful of options a litigant has to reach a resolution. Under Florida Statutes Section 44.104, parties can also resolve a lawsuit by voluntarily participating in...
Category: <span>Probate & Inheritance Law</span>
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Understanding the 5 Types of Powers of Attorney
Often abbreviated “POA”, a power of attorney is a document used in estate planning to appoint a person or entity to manage your interests. This agent, by right of the POA has the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf regarding matters outlined in the document. 5 Types of Power of Attorney There are...
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Voluntary Trial Resolution in Florida
What Is Voluntary Trial Resolution? Voluntary trial resolution, or a private trial, is a type of alternative dispute resolution that allows two parties to come to an agreement by way of a third party acting as a judge and offering a verdict. In 1999 Florida legislature passed legislation that the Trial Lawyers Section of the...
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Inheritance of Virtual Assets in Florida
We live in a world where almost every person owns digital valuables. In the past, movies, music, bills, receipts, photos, and other documents were commonly held in physical form. In the event of the death of the original owner, these items were inherited by the beneficiary. However, with rapid tech advances, many of us prefer...
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International Law: Hague Conventions
Any practicing international law firm worth their weight should be immediately familiar with Hague Conventions. They have been pivotal in defining many of the laws helping to govern internationally. That is to say, these multilateral agreements stem from more than a hundred years of cooperation. However, it may be surprising to learn there is not...
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What Happens When You Do Not Probate a Will?
If a person passes away with a will in place, the decedent will name someone—like a spouse or child—to serve as their personal representative. The personal representative bears the responsibility of closing out the estate, distributing assets, and paying creditors. Having a will requires the personal representative to probate it in court. However, a personal...
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How to Probate Florida Property from Afar
When surviving family members need to probate Florida property from another state, it is vital to understand that, unless the personal representative is the sole interested party, they must hire a Florida probate lawyer to represent the mater in probate court. Survivors do not have to be in Florida to probate assets, although they will need...
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Just Because You Can… Should You?
Would you extract your own tooth? Perform surgery on yourself? Shopping on amazon for things I don’t really need, I came across a few interesting items. Did you know amazon sells a surgical bone saw? Or a human rib spreader? Or dental extraction tools? Neither did I, until now. And the reviews, very entertaining! While...
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Florida Baby Boomers and Probate
As Florida Baby Boomers continue to age, there will inevitably be an increase in the amount of deaths in the United States, especially in Florida, where many baby boomers reside. When a loved one dies, regardless of whether or not they have a will, the estate must go through a process called “probate,” with the...
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What is a Personal Representative (PR) for an estate?
When someone passes away in Florida or while owning assets in Florida, then the estate of the decedent will go through the Florida probate process. Part of this process includes appointing of a Florida personal representative to oversee the affairs of the estate. A personal representative can be an individual, a bank, or a trust...