Clay County Probate and Estate Planning Attorney | Yergey & Yergey, P.A.
Local Practice
Clay County functions in significant part as a bedroom community to Jacksonville — Orange Park, Fleming Island, and Middleburg house substantial populations of professionals who commute into Duval County for work, military families connected to NAS Jacksonville, and a growing population of retirees drawn to the lower cost of living and waterfront access along the St. Johns River and Black Creek.
Yergey & Yergey, P.A. represents Clay County families in probate, estate planning, guardianship, trust administration, and litigation matters. The firm has appeared in the Clay County Probate Division and is familiar with Fourth Judicial Circuit conventions.
Clay County estates frequently involve circumstances that benefit from counsel familiar with both the substantive Florida law and the practical realities of the area: military Survivor Benefit Plan considerations, deferred compensation from federal employers and major Jacksonville-area corporations, and the venue questions that arise when a decedent worked in Duval County but resided in Clay.
Probate Court Information
Clay County probate matters are filed in the Clay County Circuit Court — Probate Division at the courthouse in Green Cove Springs.
Clay County is in the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida (alongside Duval and Nassau counties). The Fourth Circuit has its own administrative orders, division assignments, and scheduling conventions. The Clay County Probate Division in Green Cove Springs operates somewhat differently from the higher-volume Duval County Probate Division in Jacksonville.
- Summary Administration (Fla. Stat. § 735.201)
- Formal Administration (Fla. Stat. Ch. 733)
- Guardianship under Fla. Stat. Ch. 744
- Trust proceedings under Fla. Stat. Ch. 736
- Ancillary Administration (Fla. Stat. § 734.102) for out-of-state owners of Clay County property
Approximately 140 miles from our Orlando office at 910 N. Fern Creek Avenue — typically 2 to 2.5 hours via I-95 and US-17. Most procedural matters can be handled by filing and remote appearance; in-person appearance is reserved for hearings that require it.
Clay-specific note on military and federal-employer estates: NAS Jacksonville and other federal installations mean Clay estates frequently involve federal Survivor Benefit Plan benefits, TSP balances, military retirement, and VA-related claims that proceed alongside the state-court probate. These have their own procedures separate from the probate process and benefit from counsel that has handled them before.
How We Serve Clay County Clients
Probate Administration in the Fourth Circuit
Clay County Summary and Formal Administration, including contested probate matters. Will contests, removal of personal representatives, and breach of fiduciary duty claims under the Florida Probate Code.
Estate Planning for Clay Families
Wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, durable powers of attorney, living wills, and healthcare surrogate designations — written with attention to military beneficiary designations, federal employer retirement plans, and the inter-county asset situations common in the Jacksonville metro area.
Guardianship
Emergency Temporary Guardianship petitions, plenary and limited guardianship, contested guardianship, guardian advocacy, and annual accountings filed in the Clay County Probate Division.
Trust Administration and Litigation
Successor-trustee guidance and beneficiary representation in trustee breach proceedings under Fla. Stat. § 736.0802 and related sections of the Florida Trust Code.
Mediation
Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediation in probate, trust, and guardianship disputes — both partners certified.
What to Bring to Your First Consultation
For a probate matter (Clay County)
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Original will, if one exists
- Decedent's residence address at death (Clay venue confirmation under Fla. Stat. § 733.101)
- Preliminary asset inventory, including Clay County real property and any Survivor Benefit Plan / TSP / military retirement information if applicable
- Names and contact information for all beneficiaries and intestate heirs
For an estate planning consultation
- Existing estate planning documents, if any
- Information on military or federal-employer retirement benefits, including survivor designations
- Names of intended fiduciaries
- Family structure details, including any military-connected children with special needs eligible for Survivor Benefit Plan continuation
Ready to speak with a Clay County probate attorney?
Call (407) 843-0430 or book a consultation online.
Or text PROBATE to (407) 906-9507 for a faster response.
Yergey & Yergey, P.A. | 910 N. Fern Creek Avenue, Orlando, FL 32803
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