Largo Probate Court Records

Largo residents file probate cases through Pinellas County, which is served by the 6th Judicial Circuit. Probate filings for the county are handled at the Pinellas County Courthouse in Clearwater. This page explains how to find records, who to contact, what fees to expect, and how the process works for estates opened in Largo.

Which County Handles Probate for Largo

Largo is in Pinellas County and is the county's largest city by land area. The 6th Judicial Circuit covers both Pinellas and Pasco counties. For Largo residents, all probate matters go to the Pinellas County division of the 6th Circuit. Filings are made with the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court at the main courthouse in Clearwater, which is just a few miles from Largo.

Florida law requires that probate be opened in the county where the deceased person was domiciled at the time of death. For most Largo residents, that means Pinellas County. If someone had a primary residence elsewhere and only kept a seasonal home in Largo, the probate may need to be filed in a different county. When in doubt, an attorney can help determine the right jurisdiction.

For a full guide to Pinellas County probate procedures, local fees, and court resources, see the Pinellas County probate records page.

How to Search Largo Probate Records

The Pinellas County Clerk of Courts provides an online case search tool at pinellasclerk.org. You can search probate cases by the decedent's name, case number, or filing date. The search is free and open to the public. Most probate records are public in Florida, but inventories and accountings filed with the court are confidential under state law and will not show up in public records searches.

When you run a name search, results show the case number, names of parties, the filing date, and current case status. From the case view, you can see a list of all documents filed. Some can be viewed or downloaded online. Others require you to go to the courthouse or submit a written request by mail.

For certified copies of probate documents, contact the clerk's office directly. Certification fees are per document, and copy fees are per page. The clerk can tell you the exact cost when you request specific documents. Mail requests take longer than in-person requests, typically a week or two depending on volume.

The Pinellas County Clerk's online records portal is the fastest way to look up probate cases filed in the county for Largo residents.

The clerk's site offers case search, document access, and filing information for all Pinellas County probate matters, including estates opened in Largo.

If you are researching a very old case, some files may be stored in the county's archives. Ask the clerk's office about the retrieval process for older records. Archived case retrieval takes longer than accessing records from active or recently closed cases.

Types of Probate Cases Filed in Pinellas County

Florida law offers several ways to handle an estate. The right path depends on the value of what was left behind and when the person died. All of the following case types for Largo residents go through the Pinellas County Clerk and the 6th Circuit.

Formal Administration is required when the estate's non-exempt assets are worth more than $75,000. It is the full probate process. The court appoints a personal representative. That person notifies creditors, publishes a legal notice in a local newspaper, files an inventory of assets, pays debts, and distributes what remains. The inventory is confidential once filed. Creditors have three months from the first notice publication to file claims. Formal administration typically takes six months to a year or longer. Complex cases can take much more time.

Summary Administration is available when non-exempt estate assets are $75,000 or less, or when the decedent has been dead for more than two years regardless of estate size. It is faster and simpler. The petitioner files a petition with the court without having a personal representative appointed. If the court approves the proposed distribution, assets can move to heirs in a matter of weeks. Pinellas County sees many summary administration cases given the area's large retirement population.

Disposition Without Administration is the most limited option. It only works when there is no real property in the estate, the only debts are funeral and medical costs, and total assets are under $6,000. This is handled at the clerk's counter, not in court. It is the cheapest and fastest option but only fits a narrow set of situations.

Florida Statute 732.901 requires that any person holding a will must file it with the county clerk within 10 days of the testator's death. This requirement applies even when no probate case is being opened. The clerk holds the will as a permanent public record.

Largo's large retiree population means Pinellas County handles a significant number of probate cases each year. Both formal and summary administrations are common, and the court system is experienced with a wide range of estate situations.

Probate Filing Fees in Pinellas County

Probate filing fees in Pinellas County follow Florida's state fee schedule. Local surcharges may also apply. Fees can change, so always confirm current amounts with the clerk's office or on their website before you file.

For formal administration, the filing fee is typically around $400 or more. On top of that, you will pay to publish the notice to creditors in a local newspaper, which generally costs a few hundred dollars depending on the publication. Certified copies of letters of administration and other court documents carry per-page and per-document fees. If the court requires a bond for the personal representative, that cost is separate and depends on the estate size.

Summary administration petitions have lower filing fees, generally in the $235 to $300 range. The overall cost of a summary administration is far less than formal administration, both in filing fees and in attorney time if you hire legal help.

Florida statute sets attorney fees in probate at 3% of the first $1 million of the gross estate value. Personal representatives are entitled to the same statutory percentage as a fee for their work. Both are paid from estate assets, not out of pocket by the petitioner. Parties can agree to different fee amounts with court approval.

Call the Pinellas County Clerk's office at (727) 464-7000 or visit their website to get the most current fee schedule before you start a case. The clerk's staff can answer questions about what fees apply to your situation.

Legal Resources for Largo Residents

Several local organizations can help Largo residents deal with probate matters. The Pinellas County Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service that can connect you with a licensed probate attorney. Call (727) 461-4880 for referral information.

Bay Area Legal Services provides free civil legal help to income-eligible residents in Pinellas and surrounding counties. They handle some probate cases, especially for low-income families dealing with small estates. Call (727) 821-0726 for intake information. Their office serves the entire Tampa Bay area, including Largo.

The Florida Bar's lawyer search at floridabar.org lets you find probate attorneys by county. Filtering for Pinellas County will show licensed Florida attorneys who handle estate matters in the area.

The 6th Judicial Circuit has self-help resources available at the courthouse for people who want to handle simple cases on their own. Summary administration petitions for straightforward, small estates are sometimes completed without legal help. The clerk's staff can answer procedural questions but cannot give legal advice.

The Florida Statutes covering probate are in Chapters 731 through 735, available at leg.state.fl.us. Chapter 735 specifically covers summary administration and other simplified procedures. Reading these chapters before you file gives you a solid foundation for understanding what to expect.

The Probate Process for Largo Estates

When a Largo resident dies with assets that require probate, the process starts at the Pinellas County Courthouse in Clearwater. Here is how formal administration typically works in the 6th Circuit.

Any person holding the decedent's will must file it with the Pinellas County Clerk within 10 days of death. Once that is done, a petition for administration is filed. The petition includes the original will, a certified death certificate, and information about the proposed personal representative. The court reviews whether that person qualifies under Florida law. Only certain people can serve; non-resident non-relatives generally cannot.

After the court appoints the personal representative, letters of administration are issued. These letters give the representative authority to access accounts, manage assets, and deal with creditors. The representative must then notify known creditors by direct mail and publish a notice to creditors in a local newspaper for two consecutive weeks. From the first publication date, creditors have three months to submit claims.

The representative files an inventory of all estate assets during this period. The inventory is kept confidential. Once the creditor window closes, valid debts and taxes are paid. The representative then files a final accounting and petitions the court for discharge. If the court is satisfied, it approves the accounting and closes the estate. The representative is released from their duties.

Summary administration is much simpler. One petition, one proposed distribution order. No personal representative, no creditor publication, no inventory. If the petition meets the legal requirements and the court approves, assets transfer to heirs quickly.

Largo families dealing with larger or more complex estates, especially those with real property, business interests, or disputes among heirs, are almost always better served by hiring a Pinellas County probate attorney. For small, straightforward estates, the summary route is often manageable without legal help.

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