Florida Probate Court - Bradford County Probate Court
Bradford County Florida was originally named New River County when it was created in 1858 It was renamed to Bradford County in 1861. Bradford County in located in Central Florida and is home to several state correctional facilities including the best known one named Florida State Prison.
The Bradford County Probate Department is part of the Bradford County Clerk of Court which is located at 945 N Temple Avenue, Stark, Florida 32091 and you can also access general information through the county government website which is www.mybradfordcounty.com. For questions regarding probate or even specific case information, you can contact the Probate Clerk at 904-966-6280.
The Probate Department at the Bradford County Clerk of Court exists to oversee the administration of a decedent's assets to the beneficiaries either by the instructions of a Last Will & Testament left by the decedent, or in the case of no existing Will, in accordance to the statutes of the Florida Probate Code. You can read more about the laws governing probate at Florida Statutes Sections 732 through 735.
It is very important that you consult an experienced probate attorney if you are the Personal Representative, or sometimes referred to as Executor, or a beneficiary named in a decedent's Will. The Florida probate procedure is very complicated and can present many pitfalls for an unexperienced attorney in the area of probate. There are some rare instances when an attorney would not be required as stated in the Florida Statutes but even then it is best to consult an attorney for a consultation to make sure that nothing is overlooked and that the beneficiaries of the estate receive their inheritance free and clear of any future claims against that property.
It is most important to be aware that Florida Statutes require that a decedent's original Last Will & Testament be filed within 10 days of the decedent's date of death. The Will needs to be filed in the Florida county that the decedent was a legal resident of at the time of their death. This is a requirement whether or not the estate will go through the probate process or not.
The attorney you consult or decide to hire does not necessarily have to be located in the same county as the decedent was. Any attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Florida can file for probate in any county in Florida. It would be best to hire a local lawyer in the case that there would be litigation involved with the probate such as contesting a Will. In this circumstance the attorney will be required to make court appearances and can become costly if there are travel expenses involved. Call 1-800-PROBATE ext 5 to learn more about the Bradfor County Probate Court.
It is also good to know that the attorney's fees for probate can vary depending on the complexity and extra circumstances that can arise from the probate procedure. You should expect the attorney fee to vary from either a flat rate fee or a percentage of the estate's assets. You can read more about the Florida Statute regarding attorney fees at Florida Statute 733.6171. It is best to discuss with you attorney what the fee will be upfront but remember that if an attorney negotiates a significantly lesser fee, you may "get what you pay for."
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