Marion County Probate and Estate Planning Attorney | Yergey & Yergey, P.A.
Local Practice
Marion County is anchored by Ocala — long established as a center of the American thoroughbred industry — and includes Belleview, Dunnellon, Silver Springs Shores, and the Ocala National Forest communities. The estate matters that arise here include some that are distinctive to Marion: working horse farms, breeding operations, equine business succession, and the federal estate tax considerations that follow when a family's wealth is concentrated in operating-farm assets.
Yergey & Yergey, P.A. represents Marion County clients in probate administration, estate planning, guardianship proceedings, trust administration, and probate and trust litigation. The firm has appeared in the Marion County Probate Division at the Ocala Judicial Center.
Marion shares the Fifth Judicial Circuit with Lake, Sumter, Citrus, and Hernando counties — meaning that families whose interests span multiple Fifth Circuit counties can frequently be served with single-circuit efficiency rather than coordinated cross-circuit work.
Probate Court Information
Marion County probate matters are filed in the Marion County Circuit Court — Probate Division at the Judicial Center in Ocala.
Marion County is in the Fifth Judicial Circuit of Florida. The Marion Probate Division is a higher-volume practice than the adjacent Citrus, Sumter, or Lake County divisions and has its own scheduling 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
- Ancillary Administration (Fla. Stat. § 734.102) — relevant for out-of-state owners of Marion County horse farms
Approximately 80 miles from our Orlando office at 910 N. Fern Creek Avenue — typically 90–105 minutes via the Florida Turnpike and I-75. Many procedural matters can proceed without travel.
Marion-specific note on equine and agricultural estates: thoroughbred farms, breeding operations, and other equine businesses present succession questions that don't arise in typical residential estates. Continuity of agricultural classification under Fla. Stat. § 193.461, business-entity considerations for operating farms, registered breeding stock as separate-from-real-property assets, and the federal estate tax treatment of operating-farm valuations all warrant counsel familiar with the area's particular estate profile.
How We Serve Marion County Clients
Probate Administration
Marion County Summary and Formal Administration at the Ocala Judicial Center. Contested probate, including will contests and removal of personal representatives, with active appearance in the Fifth Circuit.
Estate Planning for Equine and Agricultural Estates
Wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, durable powers of attorney, living wills, and healthcare surrogate designations. For Marion clients with horse farms or operating agricultural businesses, David A. Yergey III's LL.M. in Taxation supports planning around federal estate tax exposure, generation-skipping considerations, and the tax classification of operating-business assets.
Guardianship
Emergency Temporary Guardianship petitions, plenary and limited guardianship, contested guardianship, guardian advocacy, and annual accountings filed in the Marion County Probate Division.
Trust Administration
Successor-trustee guidance for Marion County trusts and beneficiary representation in trustee breach proceedings under Fla. Stat. § 736.0802.
Mediation
Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediation for Marion County probate, trust, and guardianship disputes.
What to Bring to Your First Consultation
For a probate matter (Marion County)
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Original will, if one exists
- Decedent's residence address at death
- Preliminary asset inventory, including Marion County real property, equine operations, and any registered breeding stock
- Information on agricultural classifications (Fla. Stat. § 193.461) currently in place
- Names and contact information for all beneficiaries and intestate heirs
For an estate planning consultation
- Existing estate planning documents
- General asset list, including equine and agricultural business interests
- Current entity structures (LLCs, S-corps, partnerships) holding operating assets
- Names of intended fiduciaries, including any family members positioned to continue operating equine or agricultural businesses
Ready to speak with a Marion 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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