Florida Statute 733.602 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2024 Florida Statutes (including 2025 Special Session C)

Title XLII
ESTATES AND TRUSTS

Chapter 733
PROBATE CODE: ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATES

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F.S. 733.602

733.602 General duties.—

(1) A personal representative is a fiduciary who shall observe the standards of care applicable to trustees. A personal representative is under a duty to settle and distribute the estate of the decedent in accordance with the terms of the decedent’s will and this code as expeditiously and efficiently as is consistent with the best interests of the estate. A personal representative shall use the authority conferred by this code, the authority in the will, if any, and the authority of any order of the court, for the best interests of interested persons, including creditors.

(2) A personal representative shall not be liable for any act of administration or distribution if the act was authorized at the time. Subject to other obligations of administration, a probated will is authority to administer and distribute the estate according to its terms. An order of appointment of a personal representative is authority to distribute apparently intestate assets to the heirs of the decedent if, at the time of distribution, the personal representative is not aware of a proceeding challenging intestacy or a proceeding questioning the appointment or fitness to continue. Nothing in this section affects the duty of the personal representative to administer and distribute the estate in accordance with the rights of interested persons.

History.—s. 1, ch. 74-106; s. 74, ch. 75-220; s. 27, ch. 77-87; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 270, ch. 79-400; s. 3, ch. 89-340; s. 1001, ch. 97-102; s. 125, ch. 2001-226; s. 37, ch. 2006-217; s. 11, ch. 2009-115.

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Amendments to 733.602

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 733.602

Total Results: 33

Thompson v. Hodson

825 So. 2d 941

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 9, 2002 | Docket: 1691138

Cited 12 times | Published

representative's statutory fiduciary obligation under section 733.602(1), Florida Statutes (1993), does not really

Pontrello v. Estate of Kepler

528 So. 2d 441, 1988 WL 63459

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 22, 1988 | Docket: 1717658

Cited 9 times | Published

testate and intestate estates. In addition, section 733.602(1) describes the duties of a personal representative

Fletcher v. Valdes (In Re Valdes)

98 B.R. 78, 1989 Bankr. LEXIS 461, 1989 WL 29456

United States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Florida | Filed: Mar 15, 1989 | Docket: 1812696

Cited 7 times | Published

proceeding is a fiduciary based upon Florida Statute § 733.602. The personal representative has the same fiduciary

Mims v. Miller

513 So. 2d 1120

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Oct 16, 1987 | Docket: 1689499

Cited 5 times | Published

with the terms of the will and the Probate Code. § 733.602(1), Fla. Stat. (1985). Mims also established a

In Re Estate of Pearce

507 So. 2d 729, 12 Fla. L. Weekly 1304, 1987 Fla. App. LEXIS 8304

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 20, 1987 | Docket: 1659425

Cited 5 times | Published

"Duties and Powers of Personal Representative." Section 733.602 is headed "General duties"; section 733.608

All Children's Hosp., Inc. v. Owens

754 So. 2d 802, 2000 WL 320681

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 29, 2000 | Docket: 431022

Cited 4 times | Published

representative to settle and distribute the estate. See § 733.602, Fla. Stat. (1993). The personal representative

State v. Lahurd

632 So. 2d 1101, 1994 WL 60835

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 2, 1994 | Docket: 1514026

Cited 4 times | Published

exercises in dealing with property of the trust. § 733.602(1), Fla. Stat. (1991). See also Wohl v. Lewy,

Wolf Sanitary Wiping Cloth, Inc. v. Wolf

526 So. 2d 702, 13 Fla. L. Weekly 1152, 1988 Fla. App. LEXIS 1916, 1988 WL 44489

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 10, 1988 | Docket: 1679828

Cited 4 times | Published

consistent with the best interests of the estate. § 733.602(1), Fla. Stat. (1985). The Florida supreme court

Reshard v. Britt

819 F.2d 1573, 56 U.S.L.W. 2030

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Jun 26, 1987 | Docket: 66225645

Cited 4 times | Published

to trustees as described by § 737.-302," F.S. § 733.602. Aside from a futile effort to support the trial

Fain v. Hall

463 F. Supp. 661, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15301

District Court, M.D. Florida | Filed: Jan 3, 1979 | Docket: 2007895

Cited 4 times | Published

even without consideration of §§ 733.302, .304. § 733.602(1) makes it the duty of a personal representative

Guadalupe v. Peterson

779 So. 2d 494, 2000 WL 1781448

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 6, 2000 | Docket: 2544887

Cited 3 times | Published

best interests of the interested persons. See § 733.602(1), Fla. Stat. (1997). Where the personal representative

In Re Estate of Montanez

687 So. 2d 943

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 12, 1997 | Docket: 1718653

Cited 3 times | Published

consistent with the best interests of the estate." § 733.602(1), Fla. Stat. Furthermore, a personal representative

Kathleen G. Kozinski, etc. v. Amy Stabenow and Nora Faul

152 So. 3d 650, 2014 Fla. App. LEXIS 18086, 2014 WL 5611595

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 5, 2014 | Docket: 2592849

Cited 2 times | Published

the standards of care applicable to trustees.” § 733.602(1), Fla. Stat. (2014); see also § 733

Bookman v. Davidson

136 So. 3d 1276, 2014 WL 1772707, 2014 Fla. App. LEXIS 6472

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 5, 2014 | Docket: 60239968

Cited 2 times | Published

contractors, accountants, and attorneys. Section 733.602(1), Florida Statutes, prescribes the general

Wiggins v. Estate of Wright

786 So. 2d 1247, 2001 WL 667741

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 15, 2001 | Docket: 1681904

Cited 2 times | Published

survivors entitled to recover under the Act. § 733.602(1), Fla.Stat. (1997); Guadalupe v. Peterson, 779

In Re Estate of Gainer

579 So. 2d 739, 1991 WL 77623

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 29, 1991 | Docket: 1728629

Cited 2 times | Published

the Davises were added to the account. [6] Section 733.602, Florida Statutes, provides in pertinent part:

In the Matter of Jama

436 F. Supp. 963, 1977 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14478

District Court, M.D. Florida | Filed: Aug 15, 1977 | Docket: 901756

Cited 2 times | Published

with the duties and privileges of Fla.Stat. Section 733.602, the personal legal representative shall distribute

Richard and Chernecky v. Richard

193 So. 3d 964, 2016 WL 2340787, 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 6747

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 4, 2016 | Docket: 3060611

Cited 1 times | Published

consistent with the best interests of the estate,” § 733.602(1), and to “promptly publish a notice to creditors

In Re Amendments to the Fl. Probate Rules

964 So. 2d 140, 32 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 505, 2007 Fla. LEXIS 1234, 2007 WL 2002458

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jul 12, 2007 | Docket: 1689866

Cited 1 times | Published

removed personal representatives upon removal. § 733.602(1), Fla. Stat. General duties. *149 § 733.612(18)

Estate of Tarina M. White v. Florida Medical Examiners Commission and Dr. J. Radtke

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 16, 2025 | Docket: 70807689

Published

passed on through White to the Estate under section 733.602, Florida Statutes (2022). The Estate

In Re Amendments to the Florida Probate Rules

50 So. 3d 578, 35 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 482, 2010 Fla. LEXIS 1455, 2010 WL 3431722

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Sep 2, 2010 | Docket: 2396382

Published

removed personal representatives upon removal. § 733.602(1), Fla. Stat. General duties. § 733.612(18),

Cabana v. Kurzon (In Re Kurzon)

399 B.R. 274, 2008 WL 5411578

United States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Florida | Filed: Apr 12, 2008 | Docket: 1490617

Published

80 (Bankr. M.D.Fla.1989). Florida Statute Section 733.602(1) sets forth "a personal representative is

Disque v. Unger

955 So. 2d 1121, 2007 Fla. App. LEXIS 366, 2007 WL 101375

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 17, 2007 | Docket: 64850547

Published

estate. Alvin and the estate have appealed. Section 733.602(1), Florida Statutes (2003), which describes

Faskowitz v. Department of Legal Affairs

941 So. 2d 390, 2006 Fla. App. LEXIS 4671, 2006 WL 824566

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 31, 2006 | Docket: 64847716

Published

proceedings to determine whether maternal heirs exist. § 733.602(1). In the absence of maternal heirs, the remaining

MacDonald v. Mauriello

920 So. 2d 190, 2006 Fla. App. LEXIS 1804, 2006 WL 334998

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 15, 2006 | Docket: 64842184

Published

clause of the state constitution). Because section 733.602(2), Florida Statutes (2002), removes liability

In re Amendments to the Florida Probate Rules

912 So. 2d 1178, 30 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 666, 2005 Fla. LEXIS 1917, 2005 WL 2385258

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Sep 29, 2005 | Docket: 64840686

Published

removed personal representatives upon removal. § 733.602(1), Fla. Stat. General duties. § 733.612(18),

Amendments to the Florida Probate Rules

848 So. 2d 1069, 28 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 495, 2003 Fla. LEXIS 1063, 2003 WL 21402500

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jun 19, 2003 | Docket: 64823856

Published

removed personal representatives upon removal. § 733.602(1), Fla. Stat. General duties. § 733.612(18),

Cohen v. Schwartz

829 So. 2d 329, 2002 Fla. App. LEXIS 15678, 27 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. D 2338

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Oct 30, 2002 | Docket: 64818594

Published

one-third distribution. We reverse, pursuant to section 733.602, Florida Statutes (2001), because appellee

Amendments to the Florida Probate Rules

824 So. 2d 849, 27 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 423, 2002 Fla. LEXIS 873, 2002 WL 825699

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: May 2, 2002 | Docket: 64817121

Published

removed personal representatives upon removal. § 733.602(1), Fla. Stat. General duties. § 733.612(18),

Williams v. State

711 So. 2d 41, 1998 Fla. App. LEXIS 2273, 1998 WL 101538

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 11, 1998 | Docket: 64781039

Published

“A personal representative is a fiduciary....” § 733.602(1), Fla. Stat. (1997). A personal representative

DiDiego v. Crockett, Franklin & Chasen, P.A.

687 So. 2d 943, 1997 Fla. App. LEXIS 998

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 12, 1997 | Docket: 64771085

Published

consistent with the best interests of the estate.” § 733.602(1), Fla. Stat. Furthermore, a personal representative

In re Amendments to the Florida Probate Rules

607 So. 2d 1306, 17 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 636, 1992 Fla. LEXIS 1622, 1992 WL 249483

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Sep 24, 1992 | Docket: 64671175

Published

R&4 733.508, Fla.Stat. Accounting upon removal. § 733.602(1), Fla.Stat. General duties. § 733.612(18), Fla

Duncan v. Davis

579 So. 2d 739, 1991 Fla. App. LEXIS 2810

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 29, 1991 | Docket: 64658780

Published

the Davises were added to the account. . Section 733.602, Florida Statutes, provides in pertinent part: