Probate in Hendry County: Where It’s Filed
LaBelle is in Hendry County, which sits in Florida’s 20th Judicial Circuit. Probate is filed with the Hendry County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. Cases are handled at the Hendry County Courthouse at 25 East Hickpochee Avenue in LaBelle, where the Clerk takes probate at the Civil counter on the second floor of the Judicial Center and the circuit judge keeps chambers. Attorneys e-file every document through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, which is why an out-of-state family can have a Hendry County estate handled without anyone traveling to the courthouse.
Hendry County probate is filed at the courthouse in LaBelle, where the Clerk handles it from the Civil counter on the second floor of the Judicial Center, and the circuit provides no probate case management, so proposed orders go straight to the judge through the e-filing portal. We serve LaBelle and Hendry County residents, including LaBelle, Clewiston, Harlem, Felda, Montura, Pioneer.
Which Kind of Probate You’ll Need
Most Hendry County estates pass through one of three doors. The cheapest one may be open.
- Disposition without administration. Tiny estates with only exempt property and final-expense reimbursement; days to weeks.
- Summary administration. Estates of $150,000 or less (raised from $75,000 on July 1, 2026) after exempt property, or when the decedent died more than two years ago; often weeks.
- Formal administration. Everything else; a personal representative is appointed and the case runs about 6 to 12 months.
We confirm which applies at your consult and quote a flat fee. Estimate the cost and timeline first →
How Long, and What It Costs
Formal administration is paced by the 3-month creditor-claim window; clean distribution waits for it to pass. Florida law sets a presumed-reasonable attorney fee scaled to the estate, but it’s a ceiling, not a mandate. Our flat fees start at $1,500 (disposition), $2,500 (summary), and $3,500 (formal). Government costs, the Hendry County filing fee (about $400), newspaper publication, and certified copies, are additional and passed through at cost. See the full Florida probate guide →
Out-of-State Personal Representatives
Under Florida law, you can serve as personal representative of a Hendry County estate from another state if you’re related to the decedent by blood, adoption, or marriage; an out-of-state child qualifies. We represent personal representatives across LaBelle and Hendry County by phone, video, and e-signature.
Local Rules, Judges, and the Clerk’s Probate Office
Every circuit publishes administrative orders and local procedures that control how probate actually runs in Hendry County, including which division gets the case, which checklists are required, and how proposed orders reach the judge. Hendry probate is handled from the Clerk’s Civil counter on the second floor of the Judicial Center in LaBelle, because there is no probate line in the office directory at all. The mandatory checklists on the circuit’s probate page belong to Lee County and are not Hendry requirements. A proposed order goes straight to the judge through the e-filing portal, no more than ten days after a hearing and no later than three business days before a court-ordered event, and the judge asks a filer to check the Clerk’s website first and confirm that every supporting document is viewable in the electronic court file. The same circuit judge hears every circuit case in Hendry and in Glades, from chambers in LaBelle. The circuit’s probate series holds three orders and the newest of them was signed in 2003, so no current circuit order governs how a Hendry probate case is filed. What governs instead is the assigned judge’s posted rules on proposed orders, because the circuit says in one sentence that no case management is provided in this county.
- Administrative orders of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit
- Twentieth Judicial Circuit judges directory
- The clerk’s probate office for Hendry County
You do not have to learn any of this yourself. Part of what a flat fee covers is an attorney who already files under these rules, so nothing bounces back for a missing checklist.
Rather handle the filing yourself? Our Hendry County Probate Court filing guide is the procedural version of this page, with the courthouse address, where the original will goes, which forms the county wants, the posted filing fee, and an eleven-step checklist for opening the estate.
Handling a LaBelle estate?
A free 30-minute consult tells you which kind of probate applies and what it will cost.
Book your free consultFrequently Asked Questions
How do I choose a probate lawyer in LaBelle?
Ask the same four questions everywhere in Florida. Is the fee flat or the statutory percentage, in writing? Does the lawyer litigate if a will contest or objection erupts mid-case? Can the whole case be handled without you coming to Florida, since Florida probate e-files statewide? And does the estate, not you personally, pay the fee? We answer flat, yes, yes, and yes for LaBelle and Hendry County families.
Where is probate filed in Hendry County?
Probate is filed with the Hendry County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, in the 20th Judicial Circuit, where the decedent was domiciled. Attorneys e-file through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, so you don't have to appear in person. We handle Hendry County estates wherever you are.
How long will it take?
Formal administration in any Florida county usually runs 6 to 12 months because the 3-month creditor-claim window (§733.702) must pass. Summary administration is faster, often a few weeks to about two months.
Do I need a local attorney if I live out of state?
You need a Florida attorney for most formal administrations (Fla. Prob. R. 5.030), but you don't need to be local. We represent personal representatives across LaBelle and Hendry County by phone, video, and e-signature.
Sources
- Fla. Stat. ch. 733 to 735 (administration); §733.304 (nonresident PR); §733.702 (creditor claims); Fla. Prob. R. 5.030 (attorney required). Filing via the Hendry County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller (20th Judicial Circuit) and the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. (retrieved 2026-06-07)
Updated August 12, 2026. Reviewed by Kevin D. Klagge, Esq., Fla. Bar No. 99502. Attorney Kevin Klagge represents families, businesses, and international clients in estate and tax planning, business structuring, and international law, with a focus on Florida legal tools. He litigates estate and business issues in court. General information about Florida law, not legal advice. We serve LaBelle and Hendry County residents from Miami; this is not a LaBelle office.