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Florida Statute 744.3115 - Full Text and Legal Analysis
Florida Statute 744.3115 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research
Link to State of Florida Official Statute
F.S. 744.3115 Case Law from Google Scholar Google Search for Amendments to 744.3115

The 2024 Florida Statutes (including 2025 Special Session C)

Title XLIII
DOMESTIC RELATIONS
Chapter 744
GUARDIANSHIP
View Entire Chapter
F.S. 744.3115
744.3115 Advance directives for health care.In each proceeding in which a guardian is appointed under this chapter, the court shall determine whether the ward, prior to incapacity, has executed any valid advance directive under chapter 765.
(1) For purposes of this section, the term “health care decision” has the same meaning as in s. 765.101.
(2) If any advance directive exists, the court shall specify in its order and letters of guardianship what authority, if any, the guardian shall exercise over the ward with regard to health care decisions and what authority, if any, the surrogate shall continue to exercise over the ward with regard to health care decisions.
(3) Pursuant to the grounds listed in s. 765.105, or if the surrogate is unwilling or unable to act, the court may, upon motion from any interested person or upon its own motion, with notice to the surrogate; next of kin, if known; and any other interested persons as the court may direct, modify or revoke the authority of the surrogate to make health care decisions for the ward. Any order revoking or modifying the authority of the surrogate must be supported by specific written findings of fact after a hearing on the motion.
(4) If a court order provides that a guardian is responsible for making health care decisions for the ward, the guardian shall assume the responsibilities of the surrogate which are provided in s. 765.205.
(5) If a guardian discovers an advance directive for health care for the ward after the guardian is appointed, the guardian must file the advance directive with the court as soon after its discovery as is reasonable, but no later than the due date for the initial guardianship report or the annual guardianship plan or the filing date for a petition seeking to exercise authority regarding life-prolonging procedures in compliance with s. 744.4431, whichever is earlier. After the guardian files an advance directive for health care, the court must determine if the advance directive is an alternative to guardianship and what authority, if any, the guardian will exercise over health care decisions for the ward pursuant to subsections (3) and (4).
(6) Upon a finding by the court that a health care surrogate designation or a durable power of attorney is an alternative to guardianship for health care decisions, the surrogate or agent may exercise the right to make health care decisions for the ward under the applicable advance directive or durable power of attorney without order of the court even if the surrogate or agent has been appointed as guardian of the ward for other delegable rights.
History.s. 6, ch. 92-199; s. 1, ch. 94-183; s. 7, ch. 2006-178; s. 8, ch. 2015-83; s. 1, ch. 2023-287.

F.S. 744.3115 on Google Scholar

F.S. 744.3115 on CourtListener

Amendments to 744.3115


Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 744.3115

Total Results: 11

In Re Guardianship of Graham

963 So. 2d 275, 2007 WL 2189111

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Aug 1, 2007 | Docket: 1697473

Cited 3 times | Published

relating to her health care and her property. See § 744.3115, Fla. Stat. (2006).[1] The Directive named Larry

Martinez v. Guardianship of Smith

159 So. 3d 394, 2015 Fla. App. LEXIS 3966, 2015 WL 1238445

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 18, 2015 | Docket: 60246583

Cited 2 times | Published

court essentially revoked the designation. Section 744.3115, Florida Statutes (2012), provides: In each

Graham v. Dept. of Children and Families

970 So. 2d 438, 2007 WL 4245627

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 5, 2007 | Docket: 1695553

Cited 1 times | Published

without notice and a hearing, in violation of section 744.3115, Florida Statutes (2007). We agree in part

In Re: Amendments to the Florida Probate Rules - 2020 Fast-Track Report

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Feb 18, 2021 | Docket: 59299022

Published

744.3045, Fla. Stat. Preneed guardian. § 744.3115, Fla. Stat. Advance directives for health care

In Re: Amendments to the Florida Probate Rules - 2020 Fast-Track Report

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Dec 31, 2020 | Docket: 27333564

Published

references amended. Statutory References § 744.3115, Fla. Stat. Advance directives for health care

In Re: Amendments to the Florida Probate Rules - Guardianship

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Sep 3, 2020 | Docket: 18407701

Published

744.3045, Fla. Stat. Preneed guardian. § 744.3115, Fla. Stat. Advance directives for health care

In Re: Amendments to the Florida Probate Rules - 2019 Regular-Cycle Report

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Dec 19, 2019 | Docket: 16761661

Published

744.104, Fla. Stat. Verification of documents. § 744.3115, Fla. Stat. Advance directives for health care

In Re: Amendments to the Florida Probate Rules - 2019 Regular-Cycle Report

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Nov 14, 2019 | Docket: 16761661

Published

744.104, Fla. Stat. Verification of documents. § 744.3115, Fla. Stat. Advance directives for health care

In Re AMENDMENTS TO the FLORIDA PROBATE RULES

199 So. 3d 835, 41 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 358, 2016 Fla. LEXIS 1963, 2016 WL 4586099

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Sep 1, 2016 | Docket: 4418545

Published

notes revised. Statutory References § 744.3115, Fla. Stat. Advance directives for health care

In Re Amend. to Florida Probate Rules

986 So. 2d 576, 33 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 542, 2008 Fla. LEXIS 1242, 2008 WL 2686339

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jul 10, 2008 | Docket: 1426902

Published

744.104, Fla. Stat. Verification of documents. § 744.3115, Fla. Stat. Advance directives for health care

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

744.104, Fla.Stat. Verification of documents. § 744.3115, Fla.Stat. Advanced directives for health care