Case Title: In Re: Amendments to Florida Probate Rules 5.040, 5.330, and 5.930

Citation: 

Docket Number: SC22-1137

State: florida

Court: Florida Supreme Court

Date: 2023-02-02T00:00:00Z

Document:
Supreme Court of Florida 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC22-1137 
____________ 
 
IN RE:  AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA PROBATE RULES 
5.040, 5.330, AND 5.930. 
 
February 2, 2023 
 
PER CURIAM. 
The Florida Bar’s Probate Rules Committee (Committee) has 
filed a report proposing amendments to Florida Probate Rule 5.040 
(Notice) to clarify the requirements for proof of service, and to 
Florida Probate Rule 5.330 (Execution by Personal Representative) 
to conform the rule to Florida Probate Rule 5.400 (Distribution and 
Discharge).1  The Committee also proposes new Florida Probate 
Rule 5.930 (Affidavit of Qualified Custodian of Electronic Will), 
which contains a new form affidavit. 
The Committee and the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar 
approved the proposed amendments.  The Committee published its 
 
1.  We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.; Fla. R. 
Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.140(b)(1). 
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proposals for comment in The Florida Bar News prior to filing them 
with the Court and received no comments.  After the Committee 
filed its report, the Court published the proposals for comment.  No 
comments were received.  Having considered the Committee’s 
proposals, the Court hereby amends the Florida Probate Rules as 
proposed by the Committee.  The more significant amendments are 
discussed below. 
First, subdivision (a)(6) of rule 5.040 is revised to clarify that 
“evidence of delivery is not required” in probate proceedings when 
formal service is made by first-class mail.  Subdivision (e) is 
amended to reflect that service is completed as provided in 
subdivision (a)(5). 
Next, subdivision (g) of rule 5.330 is revised to conform the 
rule to rule 5.400 by requiring that a personal representative sign a 
petition for discharge rather than a petition for distribution and 
discharge. 
Additionally, new rule 5.930 (Affidavit of Qualified Custodian 
of Electronic Will), which contains a form affidavit for use by 
custodians of electronic wills, is adopted. 
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Accordingly, the Florida Probate Rules are amended as set 
forth in the appendix to this opinion.  New language is indicated by 
underscoring; deletions are indicated by struck-through type.  The 
amendments shall become effective April 1, 2023, at 12:01 a.m. 
It is so ordered. 
MUÑIZ, C.J., and CANADY, POLSTON, LABARGA, COURIEL, 
GROSSHANS, and FRANCIS, JJ., concur. 
 
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER 
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS. 
 
Original Proceeding – Florida Probate Rules 
 
James Grier Pressly III, Co-Chair, Florida Probate Rules Committee, 
Palm Beach, Florida, Stacy B. Rubel, Co-Chair, Florida Probate 
Rules Committee, Coral Gables, Florida, Joshua E. Doyle, Executive 
Director, The Florida Bar, Tallahassee, Florida, and Heather Savage 
Telfer, Bar Liaison, The Florida Bar, Tallahassee, Florida, 
 
for Petitioner 
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Appendix 
RULE 5.040. 
NOTICE 
(a) 
Formal Notice. 
(1) 
Procedure for Formal Notice. When formal notice is 
given, a copy of the pleading or motion shallmust be served on 
interested persons, together with a notice requiring the person 
served to serve written defenses on the person giving notice within 
20 days after service of the notice, exclusive of the day of service, 
and to file the original of the written defenses with the clerk of the 
court either before service or immediately thereafter, and notifying 
the person served that failure to serve written defenses as required 
may result in a judgment or order for the relief demanded in the 
pleading or motion, without further notice. 
(2) 
Effect of Service of Formal Notice. After service of 
formal notice, informal notice of any hearing on the pleading or 
motion shallmust be served on interested persons, provided that if 
no written defense is served within 20 days after service of formal 
notice on an interested person, the pleading or motion may be 
considered ex parte as to that person, unless the court orders 
otherwise. 
(3) 
Manner of Service of Formal Notice. Formal notice 
shallmust be served in the following manner: 
(A)-(D) [No Change] 
(4) 
Persons to be Served. Service of formal notice under 
(a)(3)(A) and (a)(3)(D) shallmust be made on the following: 
(A) 
service on an interested person represented by 
an attorney shallmust be made by delivery to the attorney at his or 
her regular place of business;  
(B) 
service on an interested person who has filed a 
request for notice shallmust be made by delivery to such interested 
person at the address given in the request for notice; 
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(C) 
service on an incapacitated person or a person 
with a developmental disability shallmust be made by delivery: 
(i)-(ii) 
 [No Change] 
(D) 
service on a minor whose disabilities of nonage 
are not removed shallmust be made by delivery to the persons 
designated to accept service of process on a minor under chapter 
48, Florida Statutes, at their usual place of abode or regular place 
of business;  
(E) 
service on any other individual shallmust be 
made by delivery to such individual at his or her usual place of 
abode or to any person authorized to receive service of a summons 
on behalf of the individual as provided in chapter 48, Florida 
Statutes; or 
(F) 
service on a corporation or other business 
entity shallmust be made by delivery to such corporation or other 
business entity as provided in chapter 48, Florida Statutes.  
(5) 
Completion of Service. Service of formal notice 
pursuant to subdivision (a)(3)(A) shallwill be complete upon receipt 
by the person to whom delivery is made. Service of formal notice 
pursuant to subdivision (a)(3)(B) shallwill be complete as provided 
in the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure for service of process. Service 
of formal notice pursuant to subdivision (a)(3)(C) shallwill be 
complete as provided by Florida law for service of process. Service of 
formal notice pursuant to subdivision (a)(3)(D) shallwill be complete 
upon mailing.  
(6) 
Proof of Service. Proof of service shallmust be by 
verified statement of the person serving formal notice and there 
shallmust be attached to the verified statement the receipt signed 
by the person to whom delivery was made or other evidence 
satisfactory to the court that delivery was made. Alternatively, iIf 
service is obtained pursuant to subdivision (a)(3)(D), the verified 
statement must state the basis for service by first-class mail, the 
date of mailing, and the address to which the first-class mail was 
sent, and evidence of delivery is not required. Proof of service 
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pursuant to subdivisions (a)(3)(B) or (a)(3)(C) shallmust be made as 
provided by Florida law for service of process. 
(b) 
Informal Notice. When informal notice of a petition or 
other proceeding is required or permitted, it shallmust be served as 
provided in rule 5.041. 
(c) 
“Notice” Defined. In these rules, the Florida Probate 
Code, and the Florida Guardianship Law “notice” shall means 
informal notice unless formal notice is specified. 
(d) 
Formal Notice Optional. Formal notice may be given in 
lieu of informal notice at the option of the person giving notice 
unless the court orders otherwise. When formal notice is given in 
lieu of informal notice, formal notice shallmust be given to all 
interested persons entitled to notice. When formal notice is given in 
lieu of informal notice, that notice does not modify any time period 
otherwise specified by statute or these rules. 
(e) 
In the Manner Provided for Service of Formal Notice.  
If a document is served in the manner provided for service of formal 
notice, service is completed on receipt of the document, andas 
provided in subdivision (a)(5). pProof of service shallmust be in the 
manner set forth in subdivision (a)(6). 
Committee Notes 
Formal notice is the method of service used in probate 
proceedings and the method of service of process for obtaining in 
rem jurisdiction over the person’s interest in the estate property. 
The court does not acquire personal jurisdiction over a person by 
service of formal notice. “The manner provided for service of formal 
notice” is as provided in rule 5.040 (a) (3). 
Informal notice is the method of service of notice given to 
interested persons entitled to notice when formal notice is not given 
or required. 
Reference in this rule to the terms “mail” or “mailing” refers to 
use of the United States Postal Service. 
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Rule History 
1975 Revision-2020 Revision: [No Change] 
2023 Revision: Subdivision (a)(6) is amended to note evidence 
of formal notice is not required when sent by first-class mail. 
Subdivision (e) is amended to refer to subdivision (a)(5). Committee 
notes revised. 
Statutory References  
[No Change] 
Rule References  
[No Change] 
 
RULE 5.330. 
EXECUTION BY PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE 
Notwithstanding any other provisions of these rules, the 
personal representative shallmust sign the: 
(a)-(f) 
 [No Change] 
(g) 
petition for distribution and discharge; and 
(h) 
[No Change] 
Committee Notes 
Rule History 
1975 Revision-2010 Revision: [No Change] 
2023 Revision: Subdivision (g) was edited to conform with Fla. 
Prob. R. 5.400. Committee notes revised. 
Statutory References  
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[No Change] 
Rule References  
[No Change] 
 
RULE 5.930 
AFFIDAVIT OF QUALIFIED CUSTODIAN OF 
ELECTRONIC WILL 
STATE OF FLORIDA 
COUNTY OF  
 
 
I, .....(affiant)....., state under oath that: 
1. 
The affiant is: 
 
 a person domiciled in and a resident of Florida; or 
 
 a representative authorized to sign on behalf of .....(name of 
entity)..... which is incorporated, organized, or has its principal place of 
business in Florida. 
2. 
The affiant has been informed that .....(name of “testator”)..... has 
died. At the time of the testator’s death, the affiant or entity the affiant 
represents was the qualified custodian (the “qualified custodian”) who had 
custody of the electronic will .....(date of the “electronic will”)...... 
3. 
The qualified custodian deposited the electronic will with the Clerk 
of Court of   
 
 County, Florida on .....(date)...... 
4. 
The electronic record that contains the electronic will was held in 
the custody of the qualified custodian at all times from .....(date)..... until it was 
deposited with the clerk of court. 
5. 
To the best of the affiant’s knowledge, the electronic record that 
contains the electronic will was at all times, before being offered to the court, in 
the custody of a qualified custodian in compliance with section 732.524, 
Florida Statutes, and the electronic will has not been altered in any way since 
the date it was created. 
6. 
The qualified custodian has (check all that apply): 
 
 posted and maintained a blanket surety bond in compliance with 
the requirements of section 732.525(1)(a), Florida Statutes; or 
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 maintained a liability insurance policy in compliance with the 
requirements of section 732.525(1)(b), Florida Statutes. 
Affiant 
Sworn to (or affirmed) and subscribed before me by means of  
 
 
physical presence or  
 
 online notarization, this  
 
 day of  
 
 
, 20 
 
, by .....(name of person making statement)...... 
Signature of Notary Public—State of 
Florida  
(Print, Type, or Stamp 
Commissioned Name of Notary 
Public)  
Personally Known  
 
 
 
 or Produced  
 
 
  
Identification Type of Identification Produced