When a Florida power of attorney is not enough: agent fights, banks, and court
A Florida durable power of attorney fails as a complete answer when the principal can no longer sign, when the agent will not follow the document, or when a bank or family member forces a court fight. Chapter 709 gives interested people a path to ask a court for relief under § 709.2116. Document prep cannot replace that.
Facts, not legal advice. ClickDocs prepares a Florida financial durable power of attorney. It does not litigate agent disputes and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Who this is for
You already have a Florida power of attorney on paper, and something is broken in real life.
You suspect the agent is overspending, hiding records, or ignoring the principal’s wishes.
A bank will not honor a facially valid document and the standoff is escalating.
Who this is not for
Someone who still needs to create a first Florida financial DPOA while capacity is clear. Start at /learn/florida-durable-power-of-attorney.
Someone who only needs a calm revoke-and-replace path. See /learn/how-to-revoke-a-florida-power-of-attorney and the FAQ revoke article.
Someone looking for a DIY lawsuit packet. This page will not draft pleadings.
Signs the document alone will not fix it
- The principal can no longer understand or sign a revocation or a replacement
- The agent refuses to produce receipts after a proper request under § 709.2114(6)
- Money is moving in ways that look like self-dealing under § 709.2114
- Two agents (or an agent and a family member) give conflicting instructions to the same bank
- A guardianship or incapacity petition is already filed, which can suspend agent authority under § 709.2109
- You need a judge to construe, terminate, or restrain the power of attorney
Agent duties in plain words
Under § 709.2114, an agent who has accepted appointment is a fiduciary. Core duties include acting only inside the authority granted, in good faith, and not contrary to the principal’s best interest (with limited statute exceptions). Agents must keep records of receipts, disbursements, and transactions. They must generally act loyally for the principal’s sole benefit and avoid conflicts that impair impartial action.
If you ask for an accounting as the principal, a guardian, another fiduciary, or a qualifying agency, the agent generally has 60 days to comply, or to explain in writing why more time is needed and then finish within another 60 days.
Source: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/709.2114
Court relief: § 709.2116
Florida Statutes § 709.2116 lets a court construe or enforce a power of attorney, review an agent’s conduct, terminate the agent’s authority, remove the agent, and grant other appropriate relief.
Under § 709.2116(2), the principal, the agent, certain fiduciaries, a health-care decision-maker when health care is affected, a protective agency, a person asked to honor the power of attorney, or another interested person who shows the court a welfare interest and a good-faith need for intervention, may petition. The statute also addresses attorney’s fees and third-person refusal fights. This page does not draft that petition. A Florida attorney does.
Source: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/709.2116
Notice still matters before (and during) a fight
Revocations and other Chapter 709 notices need written delivery under § 709.2121. Banks and brokerages have special content and timing rules. Skipping notice is a common way a “we revoked it” story fails at the counter.
Source: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/709.2121
Supported decisionmaking will not fix an abusive agent
A supported decisionmaking agreement under § 709.2209 is not a durable power of attorney and does not authorize the supporter to bind the principal. It will not remove a rogue agent.
Source: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/709.2209
When ClickDocs still fits
If the principal still has capacity, trusts a replacement agent, and the path is revoke-then-replace (not a courtroom), ClickDocs can prepare a new Florida financial durable power of attorney for $89. Preview before you pay.
Form start: /start?product=durable-power-of-attorney&state=florida
Product page: https://clickdocs.org/florida/durable-power-of-attorney
Revoke depth: /learn/how-to-revoke-a-florida-power-of-attorney
Guardianship contrast: /learn/florida-guardianship-vs-power-of-attorney
When you need a Florida attorney instead
Talk to a Florida attorney when:
- You need court relief under § 709.2116
- Capacity is gone and guardianship or another Chapter 744 tool is on the table
- You need emergency orders to freeze accounts or remove an agent
- Criminal exploitation or adult-protective services issues sit next to the civil POA fight
- A third person is liable under the statute for refusing a valid power of attorney and you need that pressed in court
ClickDocs does not name a referral firm and does not take a cut of legal fees. The Florida Bar’s public Find a Lawyer tools are at https://www.floridabar.org/
If you believe an older adult is being exploited in Florida, you can also contact the Florida Abuse Hotline resources published by the Department of Children and Families. Hotline details change; verify on the state’s current page before you call.