Hello, I am trying to find out if it is within the legal law to be charged for "extraordinary services" and exactly what can be billed under this term.
I am the personal representative for my grandmothers estate. Her mobile home and assets totaled 51,000.00. The attorney stated that she was only getting the standard 3 %. However now that this is almost closed, I was billed a total for approximately 8000.00
About 5000.00 has been listed as "extraordinary services". These services listed by detail in the final accounting include every single e-mail correspondence with myself as P.R., every phone call, and also e-mails read from the Realtor who sold the home etc.
There are no "extraordinary services" from what I can see, and have disputed these charges, and insisted to have the attorney send me proof of this.
The attorney sent The Florida Senate 2011 Florida Statutes Chapter 733 Probate Code to my e-mail for proof, however that was after a week of insistent requests for proof, which already made me skeptical.
733.6171 Compensation of attorney for personal representative…….. and I have read what explains can be charged for what is termed "extraordinary" and I cannot find anywhere that states that phone calls, meetings, general contact e-mails etc, are to be charged.
I am not trying to be disrespectful to the profession, but am I to just "take an attorneys WORD, at everything thrown my way?
The attorney appears to myself to be skirting every issue I bring up about this, I need some help, I don’t feel comfortable about simply signing papers that pay out an extra 5000.00 for mailing envelopes, phone calls pertaining to simple questions regarding work needed done for the roofing etc.
I am wrong? I keep getting the reply that "I do not understand the laws" in a condescending type of manner, when I asked repeatedly for "proof" of this in the statues , I am not finding this in 733.6171 and I think I am being duped.
Some expert advice is much appreciated, thank you.
Teddy
P.S. If you have something that supports my theory or suspision and you want to include this for me, in your reply ( statutes or what is legal etc) so that at least I have something that I can e-mail the attorney back, so they know I am looking into this, and they take me serious, please do so.
