St. Lucie County Probate and Estate Planning Attorney | Yergey & Yergey, P.A.
Local Practice
St. Lucie County's population has nearly doubled since 2000, driven by Port St. Lucie's growth into one of Florida's larger cities. Fort Pierce remains the county seat and the historic anchor. The county's estate caseload accordingly spans newer suburban Port St. Lucie families, longstanding Fort Pierce residents, coastal Hutchinson Island property owners, and the substantial retiree population that has settled here from the Northeast.
Yergey & Yergey, P.A. represents St. Lucie County clients in probate administration, estate planning, guardianship proceedings, trust administration, and probate and trust litigation. The firm has appeared in the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit.
St. Lucie shares the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit with Indian River, Martin, and Okeechobee counties. The firm's adjacent Nineteenth Circuit work in Indian River and Okeechobee translates directly to St. Lucie practice.
Probate Court Information
St. Lucie County probate matters are filed in the St. Lucie County Circuit Court — Probate Division at the courthouse in Fort Pierce.
St. Lucie County is in the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida. The St. Lucie Probate Division handles a notably higher caseload than the adjacent Okeechobee or Indian River divisions, with corresponding scheduling and division-assignment conventions.
- Summary Administration (Fla. Stat. § 735.201)
- Formal Administration (Fla. Stat. Ch. 733)
- Ancillary Administration (Fla. Stat. § 734.102) — common given St. Lucie's substantial out-of-state-resident property ownership
- Trust proceedings under Fla. Stat. Ch. 736
- Guardianship under Fla. Stat. Ch. 744
Approximately 125 miles from our Orlando office at 910 N. Fern Creek Avenue — typically 2 to 2.5 hours via the Florida Turnpike. Many procedural matters can proceed without travel.
St. Lucie-specific note on coastal property and insurance: Hutchinson Island and the broader St. Lucie coastline carry distinct insurance and rebuilding-cost realities — wind exposure, flood zone classifications, and Citizens Property Insurance coverage are recurring topics in coastal-property estates. Where a decedent held coastal property with pending insurance recovery or in-progress repairs at death, the estate inherits those questions and the personal representative manages them through the administration.
How We Serve St. Lucie County Clients
Probate in the Nineteenth Circuit
St. Lucie County Summary and Formal Administration at the Fort Pierce courthouse. Contested probate, including will contests under Fla. Stat. § 733.109 and removal of personal representatives under Fla. Stat. § 733.506.
Estate Planning for St. Lucie Families
Wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, durable powers of attorney, living wills, and healthcare surrogate designations — drafted with attention to coastal-property considerations and the multi-state realities common in St. Lucie estates.
Guardianship
Emergency Temporary Guardianship petitions, plenary and limited guardianship, contested guardianship, guardian advocacy, and annual accountings filed in the St. Lucie County Probate Division.
Trust Administration
Successor-trustee guidance and beneficiary representation in trustee breach proceedings under Fla. Stat. § 736.0802.
Mediation
Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediation for St. Lucie County probate, trust, and guardianship disputes.
What to Bring to Your First Consultation
For a probate matter (St. Lucie County)
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Original will, if one exists, and any trust documents
- Decedent's St. Lucie residence address at death
- Preliminary asset inventory, including St. Lucie County real property and any pending insurance claims on coastal property
- Names and contact information for all beneficiaries, including out-of-state heirs
For an estate planning consultation
- Existing estate planning documents
- Property inventory, including any coastal or barrier-island holdings
- Current homeowner's and flood insurance summaries
- Names of intended fiduciaries
Ready to speak with a St. Lucie 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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