LEONORE MCLEAN, VIVA REESE, ADDIE DES ROCHER, DOLLY DES ROCHER BARTER, OSCAR DES ROCHER, ESTELLE ZUMWALT, HAZEL TINSELY, MARGIE PEARS AND GIDEON F. DES ROCHER, APPELLANTS,
v.
LITTLE RIVER BANK & TRUST CO., A BANKING CORPORATION, AS GUARDIAN OF THE PROPERTY OF JOSEPHINE D. MILLER, AN INCOMPETENT, AND EXECUTOR OF THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF JOSEPHINE D. MILLER, APPELLEE

Fla. 3d DCA | 1964-12-15
No. 64-367
Before CARROLL, TILLMAN PEARSON and HENDRY, JJ.
169 So. 2d 835 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (1964) Positive Treatment
Cited by 8 cases

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Synopsis

Legatees of Josephine D. Miller's estate filed a devastavit action against the bank serving as guardian and executor, challenging expenditures made during estate administration. The court clarified that while devastavit actions exist at common law and are authorized by statute, they cannot proceed in circuit court when an adequate remedy exists in probate court, but remanded to allow amendment of the complaint.


Holding

The circuit court lacks jurisdiction to hear a devastavit action while probate is pending in county judge's court and an adequate remedy exists there. However, devastavit is a recognized common-law cause of action authorized by statute that may be brought in equity or at law, and the trial court should have afforded plaintiffs an opportunity to amend their complaint to demonstrate whether the probate court lacked adequate remedial power.


Key Quotes

“Such an action is an adversary proceeding, brought by a party interested in the estate against the executor or administrator for judgment against him personally. Such a cause of action may be cognizable in equity or may be one entitled to be tried before a jury at law.”

Establishes the nature of a devastavit action as a recognized common-law cause of action that can proceed in either equity or law.

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Facts & Procedural History

Leonore McLean and other legatees under the will of Josephine D. Miller brought suit against Little River Bank & Trust Co., which served as both guard…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

The appellants, as legatees under the will of Josephine D. Miller, deceased, brought a complaint in equity against the appellee, Little River Bank & Trust Co., the Guardian (and later) the Executor of *836the Estate of Josephine D. Miller. The complaint was entitled: “Complaint in Devastavit and for Accounting”. It prayed that the chancellor take testimony as to the necessity for the expenditures made by the Guardian of the property as well as those made by the Executor of the Estate, and further that if the court found any of the expenditures to have been unnecessary, it enter a decree requiring the Executor to replace the wasted or divested funds.

The chancellor dismissed the complaint and correctly relied upon the opinion from this Court in Security Trust Company v. Cannon, Fla.App.1964, 165 So.2d 834. In that case, we were called upon to determine whether the circuit court had jurisdiction to inquire into the accounts of an executor during the time that the estate was being administered and, in addition, the accounting to be required by the county judge’s court. We held that jurisdiction to require the accounting was in the county judge’s court and that the circuit court was without jurisdiction to entertain the cause of action until it was made to appear that a remedy was not available in the probate court.

We relied upon Crosby v. Burleson, 142 Fla. 443, 195 So. 202, and made reference to Leonard v. Browne, Fla.App.1961, 134 So.2d 872. The Supreme Court case specifically recognized that conditions might arise where the circuit court could be called upon to use its power to effect a remedy in matters pertaining to estates, but held that the power did not exist to oust the county judge’s court when an adequate remedy existed in that court. The holding in Leonard v. Browne, supra, was in accord with the stated proposition.

We have again recited these holdings because it is possible that the Bar has misinterpreted our holding in the Security Trust Company suit to be a holding that the circuit court does not have jurisdiction of a devastavit action filed in equity.

The action of devastavit existed at common law and is specifically authorized by § 733.52 and § 733.53 Fla.Stat, F.S.A.1 Such an action is an adversary proceeding, brought by a party interested in the estate against the executor or administrator for judgment against him personally. Such a cause of action may be cognizable in equity or may be one entitled to be tried before a jury at law. It may, therefore, be filed either in equity or at law according to the nature of the cause, and, if at law, in the appropriate common-law court as determined by the amount involved. It is limited by the principle that it may not be used when the probate of the estate involved is pending so as to usurp the jurisdiction of the county judge’s court.

In the instant case the chancellor correctly determined that the complaint before him did not allege facts to establish that the probate court could not afford relief. He, therefore, properly, dismissed the complaint under the authority of Security Trust Company v. Cannon, Fla.App. 1964, 165 So.2d 834. We note however, that the complaint did infer that the guardianship proceeding was terminated. The tenor of the complaint is such that the plaintiffs ought to be allowed an opportunity to amend, if they so desire, in order *837to bring their complaint within the rule stated. Accordingly, the order appealed is affirmed in part and reversed in part and the cause remanded with direction to afford plaintiffs a reasonable opportunity to file an amended complaint.

Affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded.


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Citator

Cited By

  • …direction. See King v. King, Fla.App.1965, 178 So. 2d 35, “The circuit court jurisdiction may be invoked when it is made to appear that an adequate remedy in the probate court is not available”, McLean v. Little River Bank & Trust Co., Fla.App.1964, 169 So. 2d 835 and Security Trust Company v. Cannon, Fla.App. 1964, 165 So. 2d 834, “We conclude here that the estate of the decedent was under administration in the County Judges’ Court of Dade County, Florida, and that the various probate statutes and the broad…
  • King v. King, 178 So. 2d 35 (Fla. 3d DCA 1965)
    …place before and during the guardian’s tenure. It is our view that the amended complaint should not have been dismissed with prejudice. We recognize . the principles announced by this court in McLean v. Little River Bank & Trust Co., Fla.App.1964, 169 So. 2d 835, and in Security Trust Co. v. Cannon, Fla.App.1965, 165 So. 2d 834 and are of the opinion that the holding in this case is consistent with both of those decisions. The Security Trust and McLean cases recognize that the circuit court jurisdiction ma…
  • First Nat'l Bank IN Fort Lauderdale v. Moon, 234 So. 2d 402 (Fla. 4th DCA 1970)
    …of St. Petersburg, 1929, 98 Fla. 444, 124 So. 36. . Fla.App.1961, 134 So. 2d 290. . In re Donaldson’s Estate, Fla.App.1962, 147 So. 2d 552. . Id at 554. . Section 733.53, F.S.1967, F.S.A. . McLean v. Little River Bank & Trust Co., Fla.App.1964, 169 So. 2d 835. .Security Trust Co. v. Cannon, Fla.App. 1964, 165 So. 2d 834. .Id at 836. .Fla.App.1965, 178 So. 2d 35.…

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