Tampa Bay & SW FL · Circuit 20

Charlotte County probate help.

We serve Charlotte County (including Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Englewood, and surrounding areas) under the 20th Judicial Circuit, with the county seat in Punta Gorda. Probate, estate planning, and trust administration — all on flat fees, all remote-friendly.

Call 941.352.1006 Join the waitlist

Charlotte County wraps Charlotte Harbor — the largest natural harbor in Florida. Punta Gorda is the seat, Port Charlotte the largest community. Boca Grande / Gasparilla Island sits at the harbor mouth. About 190,000 residents, 20th Judicial Circuit.

— A probate attorney near you

Looking for a probate or estate planning attorney near you in Charlotte County?

We serve all of Charlotte County — Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Englewood, Boca Grande, and the surrounding communities — with flat-fee probate, estate planning, wills, and trusts. Most of it happens by phone, email, and e-signature, so “near me” really means wherever you are in Charlotte County.New-client intake is closed until late October 2026; the Charlotte County filing details on this page stay free to use.

— At a glance

Where you'll go. What you'll need.

The courthouse

Charlotte County Justice Center

Address350 E Marion Ave, Punta Gorda, FL 33950Phone(941) 637-2199HoursMonday–Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm

Probate division on the 2nd floor. Self-help center on the ground floor. Parking lot behind the courthouse — free for visitors.

Clerk's website ↗E-file portal ↗

Death certificates

Charlotte County Health Department · Vital Records

Address1100 Loveland Blvd, Port Charlotte, FL 33980Phone(941) 624-7200HoursMonday–Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm

Cost · Local DOH fees vary — call ahead. Order 8–12 certified copies for an estate.

Order 8–12 certified copies — banks, title companies, the IRS, and the court each need their own. Ordering more upfront saves trips back later.

Order online ↗

— Local notes

Probate in Charlotte County, as we see it.

Charlotte County is one of the most retirement-concentrated counties in Florida. The median age is in the high 50s, the snowbird population peaks every winter, and a meaningful share of our caseload here is summary administration for older estates. The 2026 reform doubling the threshold to $150k has been particularly impactful for Charlotte clients — many estates that previously triggered formal admin now qualify.

Practically, this means we file in the 20th Judicial Circuit (different from Sarasota's 12th — same firm, different clerk's office, slightly different procedures). The Charlotte County Justice Center is in Punta Gorda; we know the staff and the rhythms. Filing-to-order timelines here run roughly 6–10 weeks for clean summary cases.

Hurricane Ian (September 2022) is still in the background of many cases. Properties damaged or destroyed, insurance claims tangled with probate, mobile home parks displaced. We work these alongside the standard estate process.

— What's different about probate here

Local quirks worth knowing.

20th Judicial Circuit, not 12th. Different from Sarasota — Charlotte courts file at the Punta Gorda courthouse, with their own clerk and judges.
Heavy summary admin volume. With an older population and often-modest estates, summary administration is the dominant path here.
Hurricane Ian aftermath. Properties damaged or destroyed in 2022 still complicate estates — insurance proceeds, demolished homes, lost personal property all need careful handling.
Boca Grande / Gasparilla Island properties carry seven-figure values and often involve trust admin alongside probate. Our approach there is the same — calm, precise, plain-English.
Many Port Charlotte mobile home parks. Mobile homes have their own DMV-style title transfer process. Often pairs with disposition without administration for very small estates.

— Cities & neighborhoods