The Florida Estate Planning and Probate Law Blog is focused on recent federal and state case law and planning ideas.

FLORIDA CLOSER TO GUARDIANSHIP REFORM

 
Guardianship reform has been an issue growing in prominence due to the many abuses found in systems across the nation. Florida is in the process the guardianship reform movement and a step in the right direction as the state Senate is set to have a final vote on a bill that would create a team to oversee the state guardianship system. Scandals have rocked Florida in recent years including one case where a judge was appointing his wife who would then initiate lawsuits on behalf of the ward which family members saw as unnecessary and intended as a vehicle to increase the fees paid to the supposed protector. However, this is not the first attempt at reformation after a bill was passed in recent years which supposedly ended judicial favoritism towards specific Florida guardians although advocacy groups argue that it did little to deter judges. Let us hope this new bill does the trick since guardianship abuse undermines public confidence in the legal system and harms the most vulnerable members of our society.
 
A link to the bill can be found at: