The Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County has appointed Daniel Ditaranto as the lead staff attorney for public guardianship and guardian advocacy projects. Ditaranto, a graduate of the University of Florida and the University of Florida Levin College of Law, previously worked for Morgan & Morgan and the Palm Beach County Public Defender’s Office. "We ar...
Put Something Back Pro Bono Project trains lawyers to tackle probate and guardianship cases
Dade Legal Aid’s Put Something Back Pro Bono Project recently held its annual probate pro bono recruitment seminar, “You Be the Judge for Newbies and Pros,” in partnership with the Miami-Dade Bar Probate and Guardianship Committee and Young Lawyers Section. The seminar offered insight and training for staff and pro bono attorneys, engaging participants to an...
Florida State Guardianship Association trains aspiring guardianship professionals
The Florida State Guardianship Association (FSGA), an organization dedicated to the protection of the dignity and rights of incapacitated persons, recently held an eight-hour instructional seminar tailored for aspiring guardianship professionals. The training targeted attorneys, judges who are new to presiding over guardianship cases, paralegals, and court p...
Proposed guardianship reform proposal draws scrutiny from Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section
Advocates are praising a bipartisan guardianship reform proposal, but some experts warn it would encourage family conflict and spark more adversarial court proceedings. Sen. Ileana Garcia, R-Miami, and Rep. Rita Harris, D-Orlando, filed SB 48/HB 887 respectively. The bills, which each face three committee hearings, have yet to be heard. Among other things, t...
Josesph “JB” Bensmihen elected president of the Florida State Guardianship Association
Joseph “JB” Bensmihen has become president of the Florida State Guardianship Association. The FSGA is approximately 500 members strong and includes guardians, attorneys, care providers, fiduciaries, social workers, nurses, court and clerk staff, and many other disciplines. They have a statewide presence through their 16 chapters and its members meet regularl...
Guardianship Improvement Task Force to hold virtual meeting August 19
The Guardianship Improvement Task Force will hold a virtual meeting on Thursday, August 19, from 12 to 2 p.m., EDT. The Guardianship Improvement Task Force includes clerks of court, legislators, judges, lawyers, guardians, and others, and members set out the goals they hope to accomplish in the next few months. The task force is sponsored and staffed by the ...
Guardianship Improvement Task Force to hold virtual meeting today
The Guardianship Improvement Task Force will hold a virtual meeting on Thursday, August 5, from 12 – 2 p.m., EDT. The Guardianship Improvement Task Force includes clerks of court, legislators, judges, lawyers, guardians, and others, and members set out the goals they hope to accomplish in the next few months. The task force is sponsored and staffed by the Fl...