Estate of Briggs CA1/2
Lake County resident Marlin Briggs died, with his primary assets consisting of several parcels of real property, two of which were in Florida. Following his appointment as special administrator, respondent Tom Cariveau hired a Florida law firm to open an ancillary probate proceeding there, a proceeding that appellant Gregory Hobbs had for months insisted on—indeed going so far as to file a petition seeking such appointment. And Cariveau paid the firm for its services, which were of substantial benefit to the estate.
Cariveau filed a final accounting, to which Hobbs filed objections. The Lake County Probate Court held a two-day hearing, at the conclusion of which it approved the accounting, finding among other things that it “was necessary and proper” for Cariveau to retain Florida counsel. Hobbs appeals, asserting primarily that the payments to Florida counsel were made without court order, and thus Cariveau should be surcharged for such payments. Hobbs also objects to a $
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