Florida law allows for a trustee in Florida to be removed for certain reasons. The grounds to remove a trustee in Florida include:
(a) The trustee has committed a serious breach of trust;
(b) The lack of cooperation among co-trustees substantially impairs the administration of the trust;
(c) Due to the unfitness, unwillingness, or persistent failure of the trustee to administer the trust effectively, the court determines that removal of the trustee best serves the interests of the beneficiaries; or
(d) There has been a substantial change of circumstances or removal is requested by all of the qualified beneficiaries, the court finds that removal of the trustee best serves the interests of all of the beneficiaries and is not inconsistent with a material purpose of the trust, and a suitable cotrustee or successor trustee is available.
A trustee has the duty to administer the trust diligently for the benefit of the beneficiaries. A trustee must deal impartially with the trust beneficiaries, i.e., treat them even-handedly and act in the interest of the trust as a whole. Further, the law requires a trustee to seek approval from a court for the exercise of a trust power when it conflicts with the trustee’s individual interest.
