733.609 Improper exercise of power; breach of fiduciary duty. - Florida Statutes

733.609 Improper exercise of power; breach of fiduciary duty.

   (1) A personal representative’s fiduciary duty is the same as the fiduciary duty of a trustee of an express trust, and a personal representative is liable to interested persons for damage or loss resulting from the breach of this duty. In all actions for breach of fiduciary duty or challenging the exercise of or failure to exercise a personal representative’s powers, the court shall award taxable costs as in chancery actions, including attorney’s fees.

   (2) When awarding taxable costs, including attorney’s fees, under this section, the court in its discretion may direct payment from a party’s interest, if any, in the estate or enter a judgment which may be satisfied from other property of the party, or both.

   (3) This section shall apply to all proceedings commenced hereunder after the effective date, without regard to the date of the decedent’s death.

History. s. 1, ch. 74-106; s. 78, ch. 75-220; s. 1006, ch. 97-102; s. 132, ch. 2001-226; s. 11, ch. 2003-154.