Search Wakulla County Probate Records

Wakulla County probate court records are filed with the Clerk of Courts in Crawfordville and cover estate administration cases, will deposits, guardianship proceedings, and all related matters for residents of this Panhandle county. The Wakulla County Clerk serves the 2nd Judicial Circuit, which covers six counties in the Tallahassee region. This page covers how to search existing records, what types of probate cases the county handles, what fees to expect, and where to find legal help.

Wakulla County Clerk of Courts

The Wakulla County Clerk of Courts in Crawfordville handles all probate filings for the county. Clerk Hannah Mayfield maintains official probate records and works with the 2nd Judicial Circuit when matters need a judge's review, hearing, or order. Wakulla County is a smaller coastal Panhandle county, and the clerk's office can often provide more direct access and faster response than larger court systems in the state.

The 2nd Judicial Circuit covers Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla counties. This is the circuit that handles all probate cases filed in Wakulla County. Leon County serves as the main hub of the 2nd Circuit, with the primary circuit courthouse located in Tallahassee. Judges assigned to Wakulla County probate matters may hold hearings in Crawfordville or, in some situations, at the main circuit courthouse in Tallahassee. Confirm the hearing location with the clerk's office when a date is scheduled.

The Florida Courts website maintains a statewide clerk locator tool that confirms current contact details for Wakulla County and every other county in Florida. It's worth checking if you need to verify clerk information or find a direct portal link.

The Florida Courts Find a Clerk tool lists verified contact details and web links for all 67 county clerk offices in Florida, including Wakulla County.

The Florida Courts Find a Clerk page is the most reliable source for up-to-date Wakulla County Clerk contact information, hours, and any direct links to online case search portals.

Types of Probate Cases in Wakulla County

Florida law sets out three ways to close an estate. The Wakulla County Clerk handles all three. Which one applies depends on the size of the estate, how long the person has been deceased, and what types of assets are involved. Knowing the difference before you file can save time and money.

Formal Administration

Formal Administration is the full, court-supervised probate process. It applies when the estate's gross value exceeds $75,000 and the decedent died within the last two years. Chapter 733 of the Florida Statutes governs this process statewide. The court appoints a personal representative, who then inventories assets, notifies creditors, pays valid claims, handles any required tax filings, and distributes remaining assets to heirs.

Real property in Wakulla County that is titled solely in the decedent's name cannot be transferred to heirs without a court order. Even if the property is worth less than $75,000, title issues or heir disputes may still require Formal Administration. The mandatory creditor notice period under Chapter 733 means the process takes at minimum several months. Simple estates with no disputes tend to close faster; complex or contested ones can stretch considerably longer.

When there is no valid will, Florida's intestacy laws under Chapter 732 control who inherits. The statute sets a priority order starting with a surviving spouse, then descendants, and then more distant relatives.

Summary Administration

Summary Administration is faster and simpler than Formal Administration. It is available when the estate's net value is $75,000 or less, or when the decedent has been deceased for two or more years. Chapter 735 governs this process. No personal representative is appointed. Instead, heirs or beneficiaries file a petition with the Wakulla County Clerk and the court issues an Order of Summary Administration directing how assets are to be distributed.

Many Wakulla County estates involving a modest home, a bank account, and personal property may qualify for Summary Administration. If the decedent died more than two years ago and probate was never opened, Summary Administration becomes available regardless of the estate's total value, as long as it meets Chapter 735 requirements. This is an important option for families who delayed opening an estate.

Disposition Without Administration

This is the most limited of the three options. It applies only when the estate has no real property, consists entirely of personal property, and the total value does not exceed the amount owed for the decedent's final illness and funeral costs up to $6,000. The filing must be made within two years of the date of death. If approved by the Wakulla County Clerk, a letter is issued directing whoever holds the assets to release them to the person who paid those expenses. No court hearing is required. This option is also covered under Chapter 735.

Searching Wakulla County Probate Records

Probate court records in Wakulla County are public court records. Most can be accessed through the Wakulla County Clerk's office in Crawfordville. Call (850) 926-0300 or visit the clerk's office at 3056 Crawfordville Hwy to ask about specific case files. As a smaller county, online access may be more limited than what you would find in a larger Florida county. Calling ahead to confirm what is available electronically versus what requires an in-person visit is worth doing before making the trip.

When searching for a specific probate case, have the decedent's full name and, if possible, an approximate date of death or the year the case was filed. Clerk staff can help locate case files and tell you what documents are in the record, but they cannot give legal advice on what to do with that information or what step to take next.

Florida Statute s.733.604 notes that inventories and accountings filed in a probate case are not automatically public. They can be viewed by interested parties such as heirs or creditors but are not open to general public inspection. Most other probate documents, such as petitions, orders, and the will itself, are public.

Certified copies of probate documents are available from the Wakulla County Clerk for a fee set under Florida law. Certified copies are often required by banks, title companies, or other agencies before they will release assets or transfer property. Ask the clerk's office about current copy fees and turnaround time when you visit or call.

Probate Fees in Wakulla County

Filing fees for probate cases in Wakulla County follow the Florida statutory fee schedule. The fee for opening a formal probate case varies based on the estimated value of the estate. Under Florida Statute s.28.241, filing fees are set statewide, though clerks may also assess additional service fees. Summary Administration petitions have a lower flat filing fee than Formal Administration.

Common fees to plan for in a Wakulla County probate case include the initial petition filing fee, fees for certified copies of letters of administration or orders of summary administration, and any service of process fees if documents need to be served on creditors or other parties. Attorney fees in probate cases, if an attorney is hired, are governed by s.733.6171, which sets reasonable compensation standards. Contact the Wakulla County Clerk at (850) 926-0300 for the current fee schedule before filing.

Wills and Filing Requirements

Under Florida Statute s.732.901, anyone who has custody of a will after the testator dies must file it with the clerk of the circuit court in the county where the decedent lived. This must happen within 10 days of learning of the death. The requirement is mandatory. Failure to file a known will can expose the person holding it to legal liability.

In Wakulla County, that filing goes to the Clerk of Courts at 3056 Crawfordville Hwy. Filing the will does not automatically open a probate case. It places the will on the public record in Wakulla County. If probate is later needed, the will is already on file. If no probate is opened, the will remains as a permanent record with no further action needed.

Anyone can file a will with the Wakulla County Clerk. You do not need to be a family member or an heir to do so. If you find a will among someone's belongings after their death, the legal duty to file it with the clerk falls on whoever has custody of it at that time.

Florida Probate Statutes That Apply in Wakulla County

All Wakulla County probate cases follow Florida's statewide probate code. The rules are the same in every Florida county. Local administrative orders from the 2nd Judicial Circuit may add specific procedural requirements. Check the 2nd Circuit website or confirm with the clerk's office before filing if you are unsure whether a local rule applies to your case.

• Chapter 731: General provisions and definitions for all Florida probate proceedings.
• Chapter 732: Wills and intestate succession. Covers valid will requirements and how property passes without a will.
• Chapter 733: Estate administration. Personal representative duties, creditor claims, inventories, and final distribution rules.
• Chapter 735: Small estates. Summary Administration and Disposition Without Administration.
• Chapter 744: Guardianship. Proceedings to appoint a guardian for incapacitated adults or minors, handled through the probate division.

Legal Help for Wakulla County Estates

The Florida Courts Self-Help Center has approved forms and step-by-step guides for people who want to handle their own probate case. For smaller Wakulla County estates going through Summary Administration or Disposition Without Administration, these resources can be enough to get through the process without an attorney.

For more complex estates, contested matters, or cases involving real property with title complications, hiring a probate attorney familiar with the 2nd Judicial Circuit is the safer route. North Florida Legal Services provides civil legal aid to qualifying low-income residents of the Panhandle region, including Wakulla County. The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service can also help you find a licensed Florida attorney who handles probate cases in the Wakulla County area.

The Florida Courts website has general probate information, statewide forms, and links to resources that apply to every Florida county, including Wakulla. The Florida Association of Court Clerks also has helpful general information on what the clerk's office can and cannot help with during a probate case.

Cities in Wakulla County

Wakulla County is a smaller Florida Panhandle county. No cities in Wakulla County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site.

Communities in Wakulla County include Crawfordville (the county seat), Sopchoppy, and St. Marks. All probate cases for Wakulla County residents are filed at the Clerk of Courts office in Crawfordville.

Nearby Counties

Wakulla County borders several other Panhandle counties, most within or adjacent to the 2nd Judicial Circuit. File in the county where the decedent lived at the time of death, especially if a property or address sits near a county line.