Losing someone you love is one of life's most difficult moments. The last thing a grieving family needs is legal confusion. We bring clarity, efficiency, and compassion to the probate process so you can focus on what matters.
Probate is the court-supervised process of validating a will, paying final debts, and distributing estate assets to beneficiaries. In Florida, the process can be straightforward or complex — it depends on the size of the estate, the nature of the assets, and whether disputes arise.
At The Faulkner Firm, we guide personal representatives, trustees, and beneficiaries through every phase — from filing the initial petition to final accounting and distribution. Our goal is always to move the process forward as efficiently as possible while protecting the estate's value.
We open the estate in the appropriate county court and have the will admitted, if one exists. If there is no will, we navigate intestate succession under Florida law.
We identify, locate, and value all estate assets — real property, financial accounts, business interests, personal property, and other holdings.
We manage the creditor notice process and evaluate all claims against the estate — protecting the estate from improper or inflated claims.
Once debts and taxes are resolved, we prepare the final accounting and distribute assets to beneficiaries — closing the estate cleanly and correctly.
Many estates go through probate unnecessarily. A properly structured estate plan — including a revocable living trust, beneficiary designations, and joint ownership strategies — can keep most or all of an estate out of probate entirely. If you are going through this process now, we will help you close it efficiently. And if you want to protect your own family from the same experience, we can help you plan ahead.