In Jasper, this family-owned funeral home provides traditional funerals, cremations and funeral services with cremation, along with limousine and notary service. Its own musicians and chorale take part in services, and a second line serves the Valdosta area and nearby Georgia counties.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Hamilton County, Florida
How probate works in Hamilton County: the Clerk of Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Hamilton County Clerk of Circuit Court
Hamilton County · 3rd Judicial Circuit
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
207 Northeast 1st Street, Room 106, Jasper, FL 32052
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysE-filing mandatory for attorneys since April 1, 2013. Optional for self-represented parties. Statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal for all circuit courts.
Filing in person
Walk-ins acceptedFor a Disposition of Personal Property Without Administration, bring the required documents to the Probate Division; staff help complete the petition and present it to the probate judge. The filing fee is due when the petition is filed.
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe Clerk's office assists heirs and beneficiaries with a Disposition of Personal Property Without Administration (Fla. Stat. 735.301), which is not available when real property is involved. An estate with solely owned real property goes through probate with an attorney, and the Clerk's office gives no legal or procedural advice.
Departments
- Probate Department1-386-792-1288 · 207 Northeast 1st Street, Room 106Court case questions go to the office by phone rather than email.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Hamilton County
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Hamilton County, probate runs through the Clerk of Circuit Court at 207 Northeast 1st Street, Room 106, Jasper. The court sits in the 3rd Judicial Circuit.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Florida intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Florida estates take 9 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 3 monthsFla. Stat. §§ 733.2121, 733.702 (later of 3 months from first publication or 30 days from service on a served creditor), 733.703, 733.705, 733.707, 733.710Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Hamilton County
What probate costs in Hamilton County, Florida comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Clerk of Circuit Court at 207 Northeast 1st Street, Room 106, Jasper. The court is part of the 3rd Judicial Circuit.
Florida charges $400Fla. Stat. §§ 28.2401(1)(g), (3); 44.108(1)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Florida are based on reasonable compensation — usually hourly billing or a flat fee for the engagement.
Florida sets executor compensation on a statutory schedule that is presumed reasonable — about $15,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 3.0%Fla. Stat. § 733.617Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Florida requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under Fla. Stat. § 733.402Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Florida typically runs 9 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Clerk of Circuit Court
Probate cases in Hamilton County, Florida are filed at the Clerk of Circuit Court. The court sits in the 3rd Judicial Circuit.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Probate Department.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Florida has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Hamilton County Self-Filing Assessment.
Hamilton County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Disposition of Personal Property Without Administration document checklist
Requires the original will (if any), death certificate, funeral home statement, notarized consents from all heirs, and asset documentation (bank statements, stock certificates, or insurance).
SourceDocument Requirements
Original will deposited within 10 days; no fee
Wills must be deposited within 10 days of the testator's death; there is no charge or filing fee to deposit a will and a receipt is issued. Certified copies $1.00/page plus $2.00 certification.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Clerk of Circuit Court: Verified Petition for Administration drafted to Fla. Prob. R. 5.200 (petitioner interest, decedent data, beneficiaries, venue, § 733.301 priority, will statement, asset value); Original of the decedent's last will and any codicils (deposited with the court within 10 days of knowledge of death, Fla. Stat. § 732.901), in a testate estateFla. Stat. §§ 733.101-733.402 (venue, petition, appointment, letters, bond); Fla. Prob. R. 5.200 (petition), 5.235 (issuance of letters, bond), 5.030 (attorney required)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Hamilton County
In Florida a death is registered locally, and in Hamilton County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Florida Department of Health in Hamilton County as well as by Florida Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Registrar
Hamilton County · Florida Department of Health in Hamilton County
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-5:00 PM
Office
209 Southeast Central Avenue, Jasper, FL 32052
Website
Certified copies
At the counter, issued while you wait
P.O. Box 267
Jasper, FL 32052
Fax
1-386-792-2352
Local rule
- The office holds deaths that occurred in Hamilton County from 1949 to the present.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $10 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
District Medical Examiner
Hamilton County · Medical Examiner's Office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
4368 North Davis Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209-4502
Website
Serves this county
City of Jacksonville Medical Examiner's Office (District 3 (Columbia and Hamilton Counties, served by District 4))
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Funeral Homes in Hamilton County
2 funeral homes and crematories in Hamilton County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.
In Jasper, this Hamilton County funeral home has served families since it opened in 1946. It describes itself as family-owned and operated, with a third generation of the family now taking over.
Funeral homes by city: Jasper
Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.
Transferring Property in Hamilton County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Deeds and other real property documents for Hamilton County are recorded with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 207 Northeast 1st Street, Room 106, Jasper, FL 32052. Phone: 1-386-792-1288.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court charges $10 for the first page plus $9 for each additional page.
Recording Office Record
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Hamilton County
Phone
Office
207 Northeast 1st Street, Room 106, Jasper, FL 32052
Website
Fees
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $10 |
| Each additional page | $8.5 |
Fla. Stat. 28.24(13), (13)(c), (13)(d), (13)(e); Fla. Stat. 201.02(1)(a)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Hamilton County
Florida uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Hamilton County — the filing sequence, notice requirements, and accounting leave little room for error. Estates under the small-estate threshold are the usual exception.
Florida uses a presumed-reasonable fee schedule for probate attorneys — the percentages are a starting point that can be negotiated, especially for simple estates. Hamilton County firms typically follow the schedule for routine work and negotiate on complex matters.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Clerk of Circuit Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Live Oak firm in the historic downtown, practicing since 1965 across Suwannee, Madison, Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette, Taylor, and Dixie counties in the Third Judicial Circuit. The firm belongs to the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar and carries an AV Martindale-Hubbell peer rating.
North Florida firm with offices in Live Oak, Lake City, and Jacksonville, working the Third Judicial Circuit -- Suwannee, Columbia, Lafayette, Hamilton, Madison, Taylor, and Dixie counties. Handles probate, wills and estates, guardianship, and family law. Serving clients since 2007.
Gainesville firm serving Alachua County and north-central Florida since 1974. Handles probate and estate administration, trust administration, wills and trusts, Medicaid planning, and elder and minor guardianships. Richard Knellinger was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1974 and holds Martindale-Hubbell's AV Peer Review Rating.
A probate litigation attorney firm in Gainesville serving most of Florida (excluding Broward and Miami-Dade counties). Guides families through Florida's probate process with exclusive focus on estates and trusts. McCabe G. Harrison has an L.L.M. in taxation and expertise in financial and tax aspects.
Jacksonville firm handling estate administration for families across northeast Florida, from Duval and Clay through Marion and Suwannee counties. Opens probate estates, investigates creditor claims, addresses estate and income taxes, and distributes assets to heirs; also drafts wills, trusts, and advance directives. Robert W. Elrod, Jr. continues a practice his father started in 1966.
Gainesville firm handling probate in every Florida county on a flat fee, with an Ocala office and a fully remote administration process. Founding partner R. Nadine David advised Florida circuit court probate judges as a probate court staff attorney before entering private practice in 2014. Handles formal and summary administration, trust administration, and estate litigation.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(8)·
- Fla. Stat. § 733.617
- Fla. Stat. §§ 28.2401(1)(g), (3); 44.108(1)
- Fla. Stat. §§ 733.101-733.402 (venue, petition, appointment, letters, bond); Fla. Prob. R. 5.200 (petition), 5.235 (issuance of letters, bond), 5.030 (attorney required)
- Fla. Stat. §§ 733.2121, 733.702 (later of 3 months from first publication or 30 days from service on a served creditor), 733.703, 733.705, 733.707, 733.710
- Fla. Stat. 28.24(13), (13)(c), (13)(d), (13)(e); Fla. Stat. 201.02(1)(a)
- Hamilton County Clerk of Circuit Court, official page
- Hamilton County Clerk of the Circuit Court, official page
- Hamilton County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Florida statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Florida
Free tools for settling an estate in Florida: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Florida.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Florida: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 daysFla. Prob. R. 5.340; Fla. Stat. § 733.604Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 3 monthsFla. Stat. §§ 733.2121, 733.702 (later of 3 months from first publication or 30 days from service on a served creditor), 733.703, 733.705, 733.707, 733.710Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Florida happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeFla. Stat. § 736.0101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysFla. Stat. §§ 736.0813, 736.1008, 736.10081Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
Florida has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
Get the Answer
Hire a Florida Probate Attorney
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