2017 Palm Beach County Bar Association's Bench Bar Conference
March 10, 2017
Guardianship Practice in the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit
Probate/Guardianship Morning Session 1 - 8:30-9:45
Location: 1 B&C (first floor)
This 1 hour and 15 minute session is geared toward guardianship attorneys and judges and those
who want to learn more about the guardianship practice.
Moderator:
Preston Mighdoll, Esquire
Judges:
North County – Judge Scher, Judge Miller and Judge Kroll
Central County – Judge J. Keyser
South County – Judge Coates, Judge Goodman, and Judge Ticktin
Administrators:
Clerk & Comptroller Sharon Bock, Deputy Inspector General & Chief Guardianship
Investigator Anthony Palmieri, Case Manager Tehera Smith Granger, and Case
Manager Jill Mitchell
Session
Coordinators:
Holly M. O’Neill and Jamison C. Evert
A. LOCAL GUARDIANSHIP PRACTICE UPDATE: (10 minutes)
An update on judicial rotations in the Probate Division and new Administrative Order 6.31010/16 regarding Professional Guardian Registry & Appointment of Professional Guardian
presented by Ashley Crispin Ackal.
B. SUPREME COURT GUARDIANSHIP ISSUES WORKGROUP: (20 minutes)
The Honorable Robert W. Lee (Broward County) is a member of the Guardianship Workgroup
created by Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Labarga in October 2016 to examine judicial
procedures and best practices pertaining to guardianship cases. Judge Lee will discuss some of
the Workgroup’s findings that will be the basis of its interim report (due in October 2017) and its
final report (due by September 2018) which will evaluate guardianship practices and provide
recommendations as to ways to enhance the guardianship process in Florida.
C. THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AND PROFESSIONAL GUARDIANS (OPPG): (15 minutes)
The Florida legislature recently created the OPPG under the Florida Department of Elder Affairs
and significantly overhauled Florida guardianship law. The OPPG is responsible for the
registration, education, and oversight of professional guardians and the appointment and
oversight of public guardians. An administrative representative will discuss the essentials of
what you need to know about the OPPG, where you can find more information, and how to file a
grievance related to public and professional guardians.
D. JUDICIAL DISCUSSION: (15 minutes)
The judges overseeing guardianship proceedings and their case managers will discuss issues they
encounter in their respective divisions, explain how they are utilizing efiling and other
technology, and provide comments and suggestions to practitioners.
E. BENCH-BAR DISCUSSION (15 minutes)
An open discussion between the judges of the Probate Division, practitioners, panelists,
administrators, and other stakeholders in Palm Beach County guardianship practice.