First a PR is not the personal representative until approved by the court. A person named as a PR in a will can wait as long as they want. Anyone...

No notice of appearance given.

Its not necessary for lawyers within the same firm and his appearance is notice that he is involved. A notice is not always required.

Should the trust have paid a tax on that full $36K, or on only half, or not at all?

Florida does not have community property which leads me to believe that the trust is under another state's jurisdiction and rules. You should post...

What must she do in order to deposit/cash this check?

The actual answer depends on the amount of the check. For very small estates where the money is less than the cost of burial, there is a...

Can you tell me the website where I can print the form "motion to reopen estate".

You may be able to find one, but a Personal representative must be represented by an attorney in FL if there are more than 1 beneficiary.

Can you win this case over the ashes? Can you sue the funerally home for emotional damages? Are you the attorney/law firm for me

Sounds like something you only discuss with a personal injury attorney. At some point you may need to open a probate to maintain the action against...

I need an attorney or law firm who can tackle these issues and win.

This sounds like something I need to discuss with a personal injury attorney

Probate

Technically, it can be fixed, but there is no authority to rent the home until it is transferred. A probate should be opened to transfer the home...

What must I do to take care of this properly? Must I go to court and be appointed administrator of his estate? Can we ignore?

Sounds like you do need a probate to take care of the insurance. You may want to consult with a probate attorney over this.

What are our options?

If your father lived in FL, it sounds like the beneficiaries may have lapsed and in that case you will need to open a probate to direct the funds...