(1) Unless otherwise provided in the contract, a personal representative is not individually liable on a contract, except a contract for attorney’s fee, properly entered into as fiduciary unless the personal representative fails to reveal that representative capacity and identify the estate in the contract.
(2) A personal representative is individually liable for obligations arising from ownership or control of the estate or for torts committed in the course of administration of the estate only if personally at fault.
(3) Claims based on contracts, except a contract for attorney’s fee, entered into by a personal representative as a fiduciary, on obligations arising from ownership or control of the estate, or on torts committed in the course of estate administration, may be asserted against the estate by proceeding against the personal representative in that capacity, whether or not the personal representative is individually liable.
(4) Issues of liability as between the estate and the personal representative individually may be determined in a proceeding for accounting, surcharge, or indemnification, or other appropriate proceeding.
History.—s. 82, ch. 75-220; s. 32, ch. 77-87; s. 228, ch. 77-104; s. 1015, ch. 97-102; s. 144, ch. 2001-226.
Structure Florida Statutes
Title XLII - Estates and Trusts
Chapter 733 - Probate Code: Administration of Estates
Part VI - Duties and Powers of Personal Representative (Ss. 733.601-733.620)
733.601 - Time of accrual of duties and powers.
733.603 - Personal representative to proceed without court order.
733.604 - Inventories and accountings; public records exemptions.
733.6065 - Opening safe-deposit box.
733.607 - Possession of estate.
733.608 - General power of the personal representative.
733.609 - Improper exercise of power; breach of fiduciary duty.
733.610 - Sale, encumbrance, or transaction involving conflict of interest.
733.611 - Persons dealing with the personal representative; protection.
733.612 - Transactions authorized for the personal representative; exceptions.
733.613 - Personal representative’s right to sell real property.
733.614 - Powers and duties of successor personal representative.
733.615 - Joint personal representatives; when joint action required.
733.616 - Powers of surviving personal representatives.
733.617 - Compensation of personal representative.
733.6171 - Compensation of attorney for the personal representative.