Opinion ID: 3006439
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Morgenthau and Lubee

Text: In Morgenthau, the personal representative of the decedent’s estate published a notice to creditors in a newspaper in March 2008, informing possible creditors of the estate that they had three months from the date of the first publication in which to file any claims outstanding against the estate. 26 So. 3d at 629. In April 2009, Morgenthau filed a statement of claim alleging that he was the holder of an outstanding note executed by the decedent and that the personal representative was aware of the amount due to Morgenthau. Id. The probate court -7- struck the claim as untimely because it was not filed within three months of the first publication of the notice to creditors. Id. at 629-30. On appeal, the First District found that even if Morgenthau was a known or reasonably ascertainable creditor of the estate who was therefore entitled to receive actual notice by service, because he was not served with a copy of the notice, he was required to file his claim within the three-month window following the first publication of the notice. Id. at 632 (“[T]he claim was untimely as appellant did not receive actual notice of the claim and was, thus, a creditor who fell in the three month filing window following publication.”). The district court stated that once Morgenthau’s claim fell outside the three-month window, it could only be considered if Morgenthau had requested and been granted an extension of time by the probate court. Id. Because Morgenthau filed only a statement of claim and did not seek an extension of time in which to file that claim, the district court concluded that “the probate court was bound by the relevant statutes to deny the claim.” Id. In Lubee, the decedent died in December 2006, and the notice to creditors was first published in November 2007. 77 So. 3d at 883. More than one year after the first publication, Lubee filed a statement of claim in the probate court. Id. Lubee asserted that because he was a readily ascertainable creditor entitled to be served with a copy of the notice to creditors, he was only required to file his claim -8- within thirty days after service of the notice under section 733.702(1) or within two years of the decedent’s death under section 733.10. According to Lubee, because he was never served with a copy of the notice to creditors, his claim was timely filed within two years of the decedent’s death. Id. The Second District disagreed and concluded that Lubee’s claim was untimely because it was filed outside of the three-month window. The Second District concluded that whether Lubee was a reasonably ascertainable creditor or not was immaterial. The court explained: Because a notice to creditors was published on November 16, 2007, creditors not entitled to actual notice were required to file their claims on or before February 16, 2008. See § 733.702(1). Creditors who were served with the notice to creditors were required to file their claims within thirty days following service. See id. Because he was not served with a copy of the notice to creditors, Mr. Lubee was required to file his claim in the probate proceeding within the threemonth window following publication. Alternatively, Mr. Lubee could seek an extension from the probate court pursuant to section 733.702(3) within the two-year window of section 733.710. See Morgenthau v. Estate of Andzel, 26 So. 3d 628, 632 (Fla. 1st DCA 2009); cf. Miller v. Estate of Baer, 837 So. 2d 448, 449 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002) (affirming order enforcing claim against estate where creditor failed to file claim within three-month window of section 733.702(1) but did file motion for extension of time within two-year window of section 733.710). It is undisputed that he did neither. Mr. Lubee’s filing of his claim in the probate proceeding within two years of the decedent’s death did not amount to a request for an extension of time and did not otherwise comply with the requirements of section 733.702. Mr. Lubee’s claim in the probate proceeding was untimely and therefore barred. As a result, the issue of whether or not Mr. Lubee was a readily ascertainable creditor was immaterial[.] Id. at 883-84 (emphasis added). -9- In Golden, the Fourth District rejected the analyses in Morgenthau and Lubee, finding the decisions inconsistent with the plain language of section 733.702(1), which allows a known or reasonably ascertainable creditor to file a claim against an estate “on or before the later of the date that is 3 months after the time of the first publication of the notice to creditors or . . . 30 days after the date of service on the creditor.” The court instead followed Fourth District precedent established in In re Estate of Puzzo, 637 So. 2d 26 (Fla. 4th DCA 1994), in which the court stated: Due process considerations require that Appellants be furnished notice so that they can determine that the time for filing claims has commenced. However, regardless of whether or not the claimants had actual notice, section 733.702(1), Florida Statutes, does not bar the claim of a creditor required to be served with a copy of the notice of administration, unless barred by section 733.710, until the later of the 3-month period following publication or 30 days after service of notice on the creditor. The latter period had not begun to run at the time Appellants’ claims were filed. We remand for the trial court to determine as to which of Appellant[s’] claims they were known or ascertainable creditors. Any such claims, though filed after the 3-month period, should not have been stricken as untimely if filed prior to the earlier of 30 days after service of notice of administration or 2 years after the decedent’s death. Golden, 126 So. 3d at 392 (alteration in original) (quoting Puzzo, 637 So. 2d at 27). The Fourth District concluded that the probate court should have determined whether Katherine or her guardianship was a known or reasonably ascertainable - 10 - creditor prior to determining the timeliness of her guardian’s claim, and if she or the guardianship was a known or reasonably ascertainable creditor, then the claim “though filed after the 3-month period, should not have been stricken as untimely if filed prior to the earlier of 30 days after service of notice of administration or 2 years after the decedent’s death.” Id. (quoting Puzzo, 637 So. 2d at 27).