Access Orlando Probate Court Records

Orange County Handles Probate for Orlando Residents

Probate is filed in the county where the deceased person lived, not in the city. Orlando residents file with the Orange County Clerk of Courts. The courthouse is at 425 North Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando. Tiffany Moore Russell is the Orange County Clerk of Courts.

The 9th Judicial Circuit covers both Orange and Osceola counties. Orange County cases are handled in Orlando. Osceola County cases go to the Osceola County Courthouse in Kissimmee, even though the circuit court judge may be the same. For Orlando residents, all probate filings go to the Orange County Courthouse. For full county details, see the Orange County probate records page.

The Orange County Clerk's office accepts filings in person at the courthouse and through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. Most attorneys file electronically. Self-represented parties can also use the portal or file in person. Call ahead if you have questions about which documents to bring.

How to Search Orlando Probate Records

The Orange County Clerk offers an online case search at myorangeclerk.com. You can look up cases by the decedent's name, case number, or attorney. The system shows filings, case status, and hearing dates. Most records in active or recently closed cases are available online without charge.

For an overview of the 9th Circuit court services and local administrative orders, the official court site is a useful reference.

The 9th Circuit site at jud9.flcourts.org lists local rules, probate administrative orders, and links to forms used in Orange and Osceola counties.

Some documents in the online docket are available to view directly. Others require a visit to the courthouse or a written copy request. Inventories and accountings filed in probate cases are confidential by state law, meaning they do not appear in the public search results even when a case is otherwise open and visible.

For direct case searches, the Orange County Clerk's own portal is the best tool.

The myorangeclerk.com search tool lets you find probate cases by name or case number and view docket entries, including filed petitions, orders, and notices.

Plain copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost $2.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. Requests can be made in person, by mail, or through the clerk's online portal. Mail requests need a check payable to the Orange County Clerk of Courts and a self-addressed return envelope.

Types of Probate Cases Filed in Orange County

Florida's Probate Code, found in Chapters 731 through 735 of the Florida Statutes, defines three main paths for handling an estate. The right choice depends mostly on the size of the estate and the time elapsed since death.

Formal Administration is the standard process. It applies when the estate is worth more than $75,000 and the person died fewer than two years ago. The process requires a court-appointed personal representative, notice to creditors, an inventory of assets, payment of debts, and a final distribution to beneficiaries. In Orange County, formal administration typically runs six months to a year. Contested matters or cases with real property disputes often take longer.

Summary Administration is available when the estate is worth $75,000 or less, or when the person has been dead for more than two years. There is no personal representative. The court issues an order directing how assets are distributed. This process is much faster, often taking four to eight weeks from the date of filing when there are no issues.

Disposition Without Administration is the simplest type. It covers estates with no real property where the only assets are funds to pay the decedent's final expenses, such as funeral and medical bills. The total must be under roughly $6,000. The clerk handles these without a judge in most instances.

Under Florida Statute section 732.901, anyone who holds a decedent's will must deposit it with the clerk within 10 days of learning of the death. The will becomes a public record at that point, even if no probate case is ever opened.

Probate Filing Fees in Orange County

Florida sets base filing fees by statute, though the total amount depends on estate value and what documents are filed over the life of the case.

For formal administration, fees vary with estate size. Small estates may pay around $300 in court fees to open. Larger estates pay more, with fees set by the statutory schedule. Additional fees apply when filing petitions to sell property, objections to claims, and other motions during the case. The clerk can provide the current fee schedule at any time, and it is also posted on the myorangeclerk.com website.

Summary administration is less expensive. Most cases pay between $200 and $350 to file. If a will needs to be admitted as part of the summary administration, there may be a small extra charge for that document.

Disposition without administration has the lowest fees, often under $50. The exact amount depends on the specific petition and attachments filed with the clerk.

Attorney fees in Florida probate are governed by Florida Statute section 733.6171, which sets a schedule based on estate value. These fees come out of the estate itself. Personal representative compensation follows a similar statutory schedule. If you cannot afford filing fees, ask the clerk's office about applying for a fee waiver.

Legal Resources for Orlando Probate

Probate can be handled without a lawyer in some situations. Summary administration for a small, straightforward estate is something many people manage on their own with the right forms and instructions.

The Florida Courts Self-Help Center has approved probate forms and step-by-step instructions at flcourts.gov. These forms are accepted in Orange County courts.

Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida offers free civil legal aid to qualifying low-income residents in the Orlando area. They handle some probate matters. Their main number is (407) 841-7777. Income limits apply, and not all cases can be accepted, but it is worth calling to ask.

The Orange County Law Library at the courthouse has Florida Statutes, practice guides, and self-help forms. Library staff can help you find materials but cannot give legal advice.

The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service connects callers with licensed attorneys. Reach them at (800) 342-8011. Many probate attorneys in the Orlando area offer low-cost initial consultations. The Florida Bar's website also has a directory to search by practice area and county.

The City of Orlando's official site provides general contact information for residents navigating government services.

While the City of Orlando does not handle probate, its site links to Orange County services and resources that residents may need during the estate process.

The Probate Process for Orlando Estates

When an Orlando resident dies and an estate must be opened, the process follows Florida's Probate Code. Here is what formal administration looks like from start to finish in Orange County.

A family member, named executor, or other interested party files a petition for administration with the Orange County Clerk. The petition asks the court to open the estate, admit the will if there is one, and appoint a personal representative. The court issues an order and Letters of Administration once the petition is approved.

Letters of Administration are the document that gives the personal representative legal power to act. Banks, brokerages, and title companies all require this document before they will take any action on the decedent's accounts or property.

Next, the personal representative publishes notice to creditors in a newspaper. This is required by law. Creditors have three months from the date of first publication to file their claims. Claims that miss the deadline are generally barred.

The personal representative also files an inventory listing the estate's assets and their values. This document is confidential. The public cannot see it. Accountings filed later in the case are also confidential under Florida law.

Once creditors are handled and all valid debts paid, the representative files a petition for discharge and a final accounting. The court reviews everything, issues a final order, and closes the case. Assets then pass to the named beneficiaries or, if there is no will, to heirs under Florida's intestate succession laws.

In Orange County, straightforward formal administration cases often close in six to nine months. Cases with disputes, creditor contests, or real property issues take longer. Summary administration moves much faster, typically wrapping up in four to six weeks when no complications arise.