Orange County Probate and Estate Planning Attorney | Yergey & Yergey, P.A.
Local Practice
Yergey & Yergey, P.A. represents clients throughout Orange County — including Apopka, Maitland, Winter Garden, Ocoee, Windermere, Belle Isle, Edgewood, Bay Lake, Lake Buena Vista, Eatonville, Oakland, and the unincorporated areas surrounding them — in probate administration, estate planning, guardianship, trust administration, and probate litigation.
Our Orlando office at 910 N. Fern Creek Avenue is the home venue for Orange County probate matters. We have practiced before the Orange County Probate Division of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court continuously since 1928, when founder C. Arthur Yergey was admitted to the Florida Bar. Four generations of Yergey attorneys have appeared in Orange County courts since.
Orange County's geographic and economic breadth — from established families in Winter Park and Windermere to growing communities in Apopka and Horizon West to commercial estates in Lake Buena Vista — creates substantial demand for sophisticated probate, estate planning, and guardianship counsel. The credentials our firm brings to Orange County matters (an LL.M. in Taxation, dual Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediators, active probate litigation capability) are not commonly found together in one firm in this market.
Probate Court Information
All Orange County probate matters — regardless of which Orange County municipality the decedent resided in — are filed in the Orange County Probate Division of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in downtown Orlando.
The Orange County Probate Division handles all forms of probate, guardianship, and trust proceedings authorized under Florida law:
- Summary Administration (Fla. Stat. § 735.201) — for estates with non-exempt assets at or below the statutory threshold, or decedents who died more than two years ago
- Formal Administration (Fla. Stat. Chapter 733) — required for estates above the Summary Administration threshold and for any contested matter
- Ancillary Administration (Fla. Stat. § 734.102) — for out-of-state decedents who owned Florida real property in Orange County
- Guardianship proceedings under Fla. Stat. Chapter 744 — including Emergency Temporary Guardianship, plenary and limited guardianship, and restoration of capacity
- Trust proceedings, including breach of fiduciary duty actions under Fla. Stat. Chapter 736
- Will contests, removal of personal representatives, and probate-related civil litigation
For Orange County families outside the City of Orlando, distance to the Probate Division varies: Apopka approximately 15 miles, Winter Garden approximately 15 miles, Windermere approximately 12 miles, Ocoee approximately 13 miles. Our firm handles all hearings and filings; in-person client presence at the courthouse is typically not required.
How We Serve Orange County Clients
Probate Administration (Orange County)
We represent personal representatives and beneficiaries from every Orange County municipality. Whether the estate is filed from Apopka, Maitland, Winter Garden, Ocoee, Windermere, or any unincorporated area, the matter is heard in the same Orange County Probate Division. We handle Summary and Formal Administration as well as contested matters that require active probate litigation.
Estate Planning for Orange County Families
Wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, durable powers of attorney, living wills, and healthcare surrogate designations. For Orange County families with significant real estate holdings — particularly in established communities like Winter Park, Windermere, and Lake Nona — David A. Yergey III's LL.M. in Taxation supports planning around federal estate tax exposure, homestead implications under Fla. Const. art. X, § 4, and inter-generational transfer strategies.
Guardianship Proceedings
All forms of Orange County guardianship — Emergency Temporary, plenary, limited, and guardian advocacy — are handled at the same courthouse. We have appeared in Orange County guardianship matters across our firm's history, and David A. Yergey III is Founding President of the Florida Guardianship Support Network.
Trust Administration and Litigation
Guidance for Orange County successor trustees and representation of beneficiaries in trustee breach proceedings under Fla. Stat. § 736.0802.
Mediation
Both partners are Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediators. For Orange County estate, trust, and guardianship disputes that can be resolved short of trial, mediation is typically faster, less costly, and preserves family relationships.
What to Bring to Your First Consultation
For a probate matter (Orange County)
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Original will, if one exists, or the most recent copy you have
- Address where the decedent resided at death (determines venue confirmation)
- Preliminary asset inventory, including any Orange County real property and its parcel identification number if known
- Names and contact information for all beneficiaries and intestate heirs
- Any prior correspondence from the Orange County Probate Division
For an estate planning consultation
- Existing estate planning documents, if any
- General asset list including Orange County real property
- Names of intended personal representative, trustee, agent under power of attorney, and healthcare surrogate
- Family structure, including any out-of-state beneficiaries or beneficiaries with special needs
Ready to speak with an Orange 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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