Fla. Stat. § 744.634 — Florida Code / Title XLIII / Chapter 744 / Part VIII / Section 744.634
744.634 Guardian’s accounts, filing with court and certification to United States Department of Veterans Affairs; notice and hearing on accounts; failure to account.
Status: in_force

(1) Every guardian who receives on account of his or her ward any moneys from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs shall annually file with the court on the anniversary date of the appointment, in addition to such other accounts as may be required by the court, a full, true, and accurate account under oath, which account is an account of all moneys so received by him or her and of all disbursements from such moneys, and which account shows the balance of the moneys in his or her hands at the date of such filing and shows how the moneys are invested. A certified copy of each of such accounts filed with the court shall be sent by the guardian to the office of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs having jurisdiction over the area in which such court is located. If the requirement of certification is waived in writing by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, an uncertified copy of each of such accounts shall be sent.

(2) The court, at its discretion or upon the petition of an interested party, shall fix a time and place for the hearing on such account; and notice of the hearing shall be given by the court to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs not less than 15 days prior to the date fixed for the hearing.

(3) The court need not appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the ward at the hearing provided for in subsection (2). If the residence of the next kin of the ward is known, notice by registered mail shall be sent to such relative. Notice also shall be served on the ward; or, if the ward is mentally incapable of understanding the matter at issue, the notice may be served on the person in charge of the institution where the ward is detained, or on the person having charge or custody of the ward.

(4) When a hearing on an account is required by the court or requested in the petition of an interested party as provided in subsection (2), the judge of the court on the day of the hearing as provided for in subsection (2) shall carefully examine the vouchers and audit and state the account between the guardian and ward. Proper evidence shall be required in support of any voucher or item of the account that may appear to the court not to be just and proper, such evidence to be taken by affidavit or by any other legal mode. If any voucher is rejected, the item or items covered by the disapproval of any voucher or vouchers shall be taxed against the guardian personally. After such examination, the court shall render a decree upon the account, which shall be entered on the record, and the account and vouchers shall be filed. Such partial settlement shall be taken and presumed as correct on final settlement of the guardianship.

(5) If a guardian fails to file any account of the moneys received by him or her from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs on account of his or her ward within 30 days after such account is required by either the court or the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or fails to furnish the United States Department of Veterans Affairs a copy of his or her accounts as required by subsection (1), such failure shall be a ground for the removal of the guardian.

History: ss. 7, 8, ch. 11906, 1927; CGL 2139, 2140; ss. 9, 10, ch. 14579, 1929; CGL 1936 Supp. 2146(10), (11); s. 1, ch. 73-304; s. 12, ch. 84-62; s. 49, ch. 93-268; s. 1123, ch. 97-102.