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Probate Attorney for Starke, Florida

Settling a Starke estate, often from out of state, takes a court appointment and a Florida attorney.

We handle Starke and Bradford County probate wherever you are, for a flat fee you can see up front.

  • Done by phone, video, and e-signature
  • Flat fees from $1,500, no hourly surprises
  • Litigates Florida probate and trust disputes in court
Book a free 30-minute consult Flat fees from $1,500 · serving Starke and Bradford County residents

Quick Overview

Settling a Starke estate takes a court appointment and, for most formal cases, a Florida attorney, but not a local one, because we handle Starke and Bradford County probate by e-filing. Flat fees start at $1,500, and a formal case runs about 6 to 12 months. Which of the three kinds of probate you need, and what it costs, is below.

Topics to Know HideShow

Below, we walk through the 4 issues that decide whether this is the right move for you. Jump to any one.

  1. Probate in Bradford County: Where It’s Filed It files in the county where the person lived, and attorneys e-file every document, so an out-of-state family never has to travel to the Bradford County courthouse.
  2. Which Kind of Probate You’ll Need Most estates pass through one of three doors, and the cheapest may be open. Summary administration clears estates of $150,000 or less (raised from $75,000 on July 1, 2026), or any estate more than two years old.
  3. How Long, and What It Costs Flat fees start at $1,500 for disposition, $2,500 summary, and $3,500 formal. A formal case is paced by the 3-month creditor window, so it runs about 6 to 12 months.
  4. Out-of-State Personal Representatives You can serve as personal representative from another state if you are related to the decedent. An out-of-state child qualifies, and we handle it wherever you are.

That’s the quick version. The details below are what decide your situation, and where the costly mistakes hide.

Probate in Bradford County: Where It’s Filed

Starke is in Bradford County, which sits in Florida’s 8th Judicial Circuit. Probate is filed with the Bradford County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. Cases are handled at the Bradford County Courthouse at 945 North Temple Avenue in Starke. Attorneys e-file every document through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, which is why an out-of-state family can have a Bradford County estate handled without anyone traveling to the courthouse.

Bradford County takes probate mail at P.O. Drawer B rather than at the courthouse on North Temple Avenue, answers a dedicated probate line at 904-966-6297, and wants the death certificate filed with the original will, which the statute does not require. We serve Starke and Bradford County residents, including Starke, Lawtey, Hampton, Brooker, Graham, Theressa.

Which Kind of Probate You’ll Need

Most Bradford County estates pass through one of three doors. The cheapest one may be open.

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 Bradford County filing fee (about $400), newspaper publication, and certified copies, are additional and passed through at cost. See the full Florida probate guide →

Disposition without administration
From $1,500
The smallest estates, where the assets are exempt or do not exceed the funeral and final medical expenses. The petition and the order releasing the asset.
Summary administration
From $2,500
Estates under $150,000 of non-exempt assets, or where the death was more than two years ago. The petition, the orders and the transfer of the assets, usually without a personal representative.
Formal administration, routine estate
From $3,500
The full court process with a personal representative appointed. Letters of administration, notice to creditors and the claims period, the inventory, the accounting and the distribution. Larger estates estimated at the consult.
Recording costs vary by county and start at $19.20 for a deed. Documentary stamp tax, court filing fees, publication and certified copies are additional and passed through at cost.
See every fee on one page →

Out-of-State Personal Representatives

Under Florida law, you can serve as personal representative of a Bradford 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 Starke and Bradford 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 Bradford County, including which division gets the case, which checklists are required, and how proposed orders reach the judge. Bradford takes probate mail at P.O. Drawer B rather than at the courthouse on North Temple Avenue, answers a dedicated probate line at 904-966-6297, and wants the death certificate filed with the original will, which the statute does not require. Bradford also posts the only probate fee schedule among the circuit’s regional counties, at $400 for a formal administration, on a sheet last updated in December 2014. Hard copies go to the general magistrate at 201 E. University Avenue in Gainesville. The circuit numbers its orders in series, and Series 7 is the probate and guardianship series. The order that changes timelines most often is 7.14, which blocks an order determining homestead until the creditor periods have run.

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 Bradford 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 Starke estate?

A free 30-minute consult tells you which kind of probate applies and what it will cost.

Book your free consult

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose a probate lawyer in Starke?

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 Starke and Bradford County families.

Where is probate filed in Bradford County?

Probate is filed with the Bradford County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, in the 8th 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 Bradford 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 Starke and Bradford County by phone, video, and e-signature.

Sources

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 Starke and Bradford County residents from Miami; this is not a Starke office.

Starke probate, wherever you are

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