Hillsborough County Probate and Estate Planning Attorney | Yergey & Yergey, P.A.
Local Practice
Hillsborough County is the fourth most populous county in Florida and the urban center of the Tampa Bay metropolitan area — Tampa, Brandon, Plant City, Riverview, and the rapidly growing Wesley Chapel and South Hillsborough corridors create one of the more demographically and economically varied probate caseloads in the state. The Hillsborough Probate Division accordingly handles everything from small estate matters to substantial high-net-worth administration and complex trust litigation.
Yergey & Yergey, P.A. represents Hillsborough County clients in probate, estate planning, guardianship, trust administration, and litigation matters. The firm has appeared in the George Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa for matters before the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit's Probate Division.
While most Hillsborough estate matters can find counsel within Hillsborough or adjacent Pinellas, families occasionally retain out-of-county firms specifically for matters where added depth on tax (LL.M.-level analysis) or contested matters is needed. Yergey & Yergey takes that work where it makes sense for the client.
Probate Court Information
Hillsborough County probate matters are filed in the Hillsborough County Circuit Court — Probate, Guardianship, and Trust Division at the George Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa.
Hillsborough County is the sole county in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida — meaning the Thirteenth Circuit's administrative orders and conventions apply to one county only. The Hillsborough Probate Division is one of the higher-volume probate divisions in the state and has its own scheduling, e-filing, and division-assignment conventions.
- 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
- Will contests, removal of personal representatives, and probate litigation in the Tampa courthouse
Approximately 85 miles from our Orlando office at 910 N. Fern Creek Avenue — typically 95–110 minutes via I-4. Many routine matters proceed without travel; the firm appears in Tampa when court presence is required.
Hillsborough-specific note on volume and procedure: the Hillsborough Probate Division handles a substantially larger caseload than most Florida probate divisions, which means scheduling, e-filing conventions, and division-specific hearing customs matter. Counsel without prior Hillsborough experience can lose weeks on simple matters by misallocating around the division's practice expectations. The firm bills for the time we actually spend; we do not bill clients for our learning curve on local procedure.
How We Serve Hillsborough County Clients
Probate in the Thirteenth Circuit
Hillsborough County Summary and Formal Administration at the George Edgecomb Courthouse. Contested probate, including will contests under Fla. Stat. § 733.109, removal of personal representatives under Fla. Stat. § 733.506, and breach of fiduciary duty actions.
Estate Planning for Hillsborough Families
Wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, durable powers of attorney, living wills, and healthcare surrogate designations. For Hillsborough clients with substantial estates, business interests, or multi-state holdings, David A. Yergey III's LL.M. in Taxation supports federal estate tax planning.
Guardianship
Emergency Temporary Guardianship petitions, plenary and limited guardianship, contested guardianship, guardian advocacy, and annual accountings. David A. Yergey III is Founding President of the Florida Guardianship Support Network.
Trust Administration and Litigation
Successor-trustee guidance and beneficiary representation in trustee breach proceedings under Fla. Stat. § 736.0802 and § 736.0813.
Mediation
Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediation for Hillsborough County probate, trust, and guardianship disputes — both partners certified.
What to Bring to Your First Consultation
For a probate matter (Hillsborough County)
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Original will, if one exists, or any trust documents
- Decedent's Hillsborough residence address at death
- Preliminary asset inventory, including Hillsborough County real property and business interests
- Names and contact information for all beneficiaries and intestate heirs
- Any prior correspondence from the Thirteenth Circuit Probate Division
For an estate planning consultation
- Existing estate planning documents, if any
- General asset list including any Tampa Bay business interests or commercial real estate
- Names of intended fiduciaries
- Family structure, including any out-of-state beneficiaries or beneficiaries with special needs
Ready to speak with a Hillsborough 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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