Big Bend Chapter

Inspiring professional growth…one paralegal at a time. ®

Welcome to the Big Bend Chapter!

f you are a non-member and have any interest in receiving individual announcements regarding our upcoming events, kindly complete the form at the following link https://forms.gle/5yvMiPrimodMGnuS6.  You do not need to be a member of the Chapter, certified or registered, to attend our events.  

Online Seminar
Online seminar for members for 2.0 pre-approved non-substantial credits for The Privacy Action Plan and The Private & Secure Online Shopping. Information about these CLEs can be viewed at:
https://privacyactionplan.com/coursesFor further details email cduquette@rumberger.com

March 23, 2024 - Don’t miss your opportunity to register for the Spring Seminar! Get your registration forms in today for the all-day seminar on March 23. Email ladyapaf@gmail.com for more details:



The new leadership is as follows:



Chapter’s Call to Action Report:

Chapter’s IT’S THE LAW
Worth the Mention

With Alabama’s recent in vitro fertilization (IVF) ruling, a recent opinion issued by the Florida Supreme Court on February 15, 2024, on the inheritance rights of a child conceived from reproductive cells* of a person or persons who died before the transfer of their cells to a carrier, is worth the mention. Florida Statute §742.17(4) states that if the child is “provided for” in the decedent’s will, then he/she is entitled to benefits of the decedent’s estate. The Eleventh Circuit defined “provided for” as “the will must give something to the child as contemplated by the decedent when the will was made.”

In Case No. SC2022-1432, the Florida Supreme Court opined that a child, conceived posthumously, was not provided for in the decedent’s Will and was therefore not eligible to claim survivor benefits of the estate from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The decedent’s Will provided the wife with the homestead, tangible personal property, and benefits of his estate. Following the death of her husband, the wife conceived a second child using reproductive samples that were provided to the fertility clinic by her husband after the birth of their first child (also conceived by IVF). Following the birth of the second child, the wife filed for survivor benefits for the child. The request was denied by the SSA who determined that the child did not qualify. The wife appealed the determination with SSA and was denied. The matter went from the agency to the federal court, up on appeal with the Eleventh Circuit, and then to the Florida Supreme Court. The Florida Supreme Court agreed with the SSA’s interpretation of the Florida Statutes that the Will did not specifically “provide for” a posthumously conceived child as under §742.17. The Court stated that the Will would have to reflect that the testator contemplated the conception of the child after his death so that the child would be provided for in the Will.” In this case, the decedent’s Will references “after born or adopted children” which the Court interprets as children born after the Will was prepared and prior to the husband’s death. Also, the Will stated that should the wife precede the husband in death, the tangible personal property would be distributed to the “then living children.” The Court ruled that this applied only to children living at the time of the husband’s death and therefore excluded any posthumously conceived children, confirming the determination made by the SSA.
*See opinion for the certified question as posed from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Chapter’s OF INTEREST
Florida Supreme Court Oral Arguments are heard August through June of the calendar year and are open to the public with first come first serve in-person seating limited to 165 visitors. Visit the Florida Supreme Court’s Observing Oral Arguments page for more information and be sure to check the Oral Argument Schedule for upcoming dates and times. Final Calendars are posted the Friday before the scheduled Oral Argument. To watch a live broadcast or view an archived broadcast of oral arguments, visit the Oral Argument Broadcasts & Ceremonial Sessions page of the Florida Supreme Court.

 

Chapter LIGHTER SIDE

In Honor of Black History Month
Black History Month was initiated to honor the contributions of African Americans to the history of the United States. While you may be able to name the most prominent figures in our U.S. history, including Rosa Parks, George Washington Carver, Jackie Robinson, and John Mercer Langston, do you know
Florida’s history like you think you know Florida? Test your knowledge and see the answers on page 5.
1. Name the first African American to hold a position in Florida’s cabinet?
2. Who was Florida’s first African American Supreme Court Justice?
3. Name the first two African American women who represented Florida in the U.S. Congress?
4. How many sites are on the Florida Black Heritage Trail?

Chapter’s Resource Corner
NALA has New CP Exam Specifications, effective January 2024. Visit NALA for more information.

Chapter’s ANSWERS – DO YOU KNOW FLORIDA?
1. Jonathan C. Gibbs, Secretary of State (1868-1873)
2. Joseph Woodrow Hatchett was born on Sept. 17, 1932, in Clearwater and died on April 30, 2021, in Tallahassee at the age of 88. Judge Hatchett was a graduate of Florida A&M University and Howard University School of Law. Judge Hatchett served as a United States Magistrate of the US District Court, Middle District of Florida from 1971-1975 before being appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Reubin Askew. Judge Hatchett was the 65th Justice on the Supreme Court and served from 1975-1979. Judge Hatchett was appointed to the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals by President Jimmy Carter in 1979 and served until 1999. For more information, visit Florida Supreme Court.
3. Corrine Brown served from 1993-2017 and was succeeded by Al Lawson. Carrie Mae Pittman Meek served from 1993 to 2003 and was succeeded by Kendrik Meek.

4. 141 sites. To read more about the Black Heritage trail and the historical sites in your county or a county near you, see links below:

https://www.visitflorida.com/travel-ideas/articles/black-arts-history/
https://dos.fl.gov/historical/preservation/heritage-trails/black-heritage-trail/


Our Seminar Sponsors of the 2023 Annual Spring Seminar are as follows.  The Chapter's sponsorships allow us to continue to provide the in-person events at a cost-effective level as well as offset the expenses associated with our annual seminar.  Please support these sponsors whenever possible.  Detailed contact information for our sponsors can be found on our Facebook Page:

Our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/tallahasseeparalegals and Website https://bigbend.pafinc.org/ provides updated details about our events.

Chapter Events

Big Bend Chapter's Annual Spring Seminar Meet and Greet

More info

Big Bend Chapter's Annual Spring Seminar

More info