Florida Statute 744.369 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2024 Florida Statutes (including 2025 Special Session C)

Title XLIII
DOMESTIC RELATIONS

Chapter 744
GUARDIANSHIP

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F.S. 744.369

744.369 Judicial review of guardianship reports.—

(1) The court shall review the initial guardianship report within 60 days after the filing of the clerk’s report of findings to the court. The court shall review the annual guardianship report within 30 days after the filing of the clerk’s report of findings to the court.

(2) The court may appoint a general or special magistrate to assist the court in its review function. The court may require the general or special magistrate to conduct random field audits.

(3) If an initial or annual report is not timely filed, the court shall order the guardian to file the report or to show cause why the report has not been filed within the prescribed time. Service of the order and subsequent proceedings shall be governed by s. 744.3685.

(4) The court must review the initial and annual guardianship report to determine that the report:

(a) Meets the needs of the ward;

(b) Authorizes the guardian to act only in areas in which an adult ward has been declared incapacitated; and

(5) Upon examining the initial or annual guardianship report, the court shall enter an order approving or disapproving the report. If the court disapproves the report, the court shall order the guardian to provide a revised report or proof of any item in the report to the court. The guardian shall do so within a reasonable amount of time set by court.

(6) If the guardian fails to comply with the court order entered pursuant to subsection (5), the court shall take immediate action to compel compliance or to sanction the guardian after a hearing with appropriate notice to the ward, the ward’s counsel, if any, the guardian, and the ward’s next of kin.

(7) If an objection has been filed to a report, the court shall set the matter for hearing and shall conduct the hearing within 30 days after the filing of the objection. After the hearing, the court shall enter a written order either approving, or ordering modifications to, the report. If an objection is found to be without merit, the court may assess costs and attorney’s fees against the person who made the objection.

(8) The approved report constitutes the authority for the guardian to act in the forthcoming year. The powers of the guardian are limited by the terms of the report. The annual report may not grant additional authority to the guardian without a hearing, as provided for in s. 744.331, to determine that the ward is incapacitated to act in that matter. Unless the court orders otherwise, the guardian may continue to act under authority of the last-approved report until the forthcoming year’s report is approved.

History.—s. 54, ch. 89-96; s. 38, ch. 90-271; s. 1, ch. 99-277; s. 96, ch. 2004-11; s. 17, ch. 2015-83.

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Amendments to 744.369

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 744.369

Total Results: 10

Sun Bank and Trust Co. v. Jones

645 So. 2d 1008, 1994 Fla. App. LEXIS 9379, 1994 WL 531274

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Sep 30, 1994 | Docket: 1222869

Cited 6 times | Published

Cf. § 744.3725, Fla. Stat. (Supp. 1990). [3] § 744.369(1) and (5), Fla. Stat. (Supp. 1990). [4] The

Amend. to Rules of App. Proc., Civ. Proc.

887 So. 2d 1090, 2004 WL 2201732

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Sep 30, 2004 | Docket: 1515169

Cited 5 times | Published

Order requiring guardianship report; contempt. § 744.369, Fla. Stat. Judicial review of guardianship reports

In Re Amendments to the Florida Probate Rules

584 So. 2d 964, 16 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 557, 1991 Fla. LEXIS 1335, 1991 WL 169366

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Aug 22, 1991 | Docket: 1515221

Cited 5 times | Published

after Fla.R.Civ.P. 1.490. Statutory Reference § 744.369(2), Fla. Stat. Judicial review of guardianship

Ly v. DEPT. OF HEALTH & REHAB.

696 So. 2d 430

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 2, 1997 | Docket: 1695937

Cited 3 times | Published

Plourde, 396 So.2d 1215 (Fla. 3d DCA 1981) Section 744.369, Florida Statutes, provides for judicial review

Rothman-Browning v. Marshall

83 So. 3d 859, 2011 Fla. App. LEXIS 20447, 2011 WL 6373038

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 21, 2011 | Docket: 60306514

Cited 1 times | Published

her due process. The guardian responds that section 744.369(1), Florida Statutes, only requires the trial

Estate of Patricia McLain, McLain, Jr. v. Guardianship of Patricia A. McLain

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Apr 4, 2025 | Docket: 69843629

Published

objections to annual guardianship reports."); § 744.369(7) ("If an objection has been filed to a

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

Order requiring guardianship report; contempt. § 744.369, Fla. Stat. Judicial review of guardianship reports

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

Order requiring guardianship report; contempt. § 744.369, Fla. Stat. Judicial review of guardianship reports

Morgan v. Guardianship of Turgeon

724 So. 2d 175, 1999 Fla. App. LEXIS 69, 1999 WL 2803

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 6, 1999 | Docket: 64785473

Published

section 744.331.1 We grant the petition. See § 744.369(8) (additional authority may not be granted to

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

Order requiring guardianship report; contempt. § 744.369, Fla.Stat. Judicial review of guardianship reports