Madison County probate help.

Clerk and filing

E-filing and records search

• The clerk's home page links the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal as E-File (File Court Documents Online). madisonclerk.com
• Online court records are searched through the county's OCRS site (public and attorney access); a Registration User Agreement is returned to the clerk to access records online. madisonclerk.com

Probate filing fees posted by the clerk

Source: Madison County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller fee schedule, checked October 16, 2026. Madison County's clerk site lists no probate filing fees; the rows above show the § 28.2401 maximum for each filing. Call the clerk at (850) 973-1500 for the amount due.

Judges and divisions

3rd Judicial Circuit. Serves Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee and Taylor counties (§ 26.021(3), Fla. Stat.).

Courthouses that hear probate

• Madison County Courthouse, 125 SW Range Avenue, Madison, FL 32340; (850) 973-1500; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. madisonclerk.com probate assignment

• Judge Hardee's office: 125 SW Range Ave, Madison, FL 32340; phone 850-253-0165. thirdcircuitfl.org

Administrative orders

Orders of the 3rd Judicial Circuit that apply to probate and guardianship cases in Madison County. Circuit order index.

• GAO 2026-020, General Assignment of Judges, July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026. Date: July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026 (signed June 2026). Assigns each Third Circuit judge to divisions by county, including Probate and Guardianship in each county, with the recusal order for each assignment.
• AO 2024-001, Appointment of General Magistrate. Date: Signed February 21, 2024; effective March 7, 2024. Appoints Christina Nieto Seifert as General Magistrate for the Third Judicial Circuit; the order lists probate, guardianship, mental health, trusts, substance abuse and adult protective services among the matters and sends emergent matters to the circuit judges.
• AO 2007-010, Sealing of Confidential Non-Criminal Court Files and Records. Date: Procedures effective December 1, 2006. Requires a written Motion to Seal and a noticed hearing before the assigned judge before a non-criminal court record is sealed or made confidential.

Local requirements and forms

Filing

• The clerk's Probate & Guardianship Department and Mental Health Department are listed among the clerk's services; all clerk departments answer at (850) 973-1500. madisonclerk.com

Hearings and proposed orders

• The General Magistrate page lists probate and guardianship assignments for Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Suwannee and Taylor counties and lists only foreclosures and pro se family under Madison County; Madison probate and guardianship goes to Judge Hardee under GAO 2026-020. thirdcircuitfl.org

Sealed records

• A non-criminal court record is sealed only after a written Motion to Seal and a noticed hearing before the assigned judge (AO 2007-010). thirdcircuitfl.org

Forms and checklists

• Clerk records page (registration user agreement for online records), Madison County Clerk

Property and homestead

• The Department of Revenue states that a homestead exemption can decrease taxable value by as much as $50,000, that applications go to the property appraiser in the county where the property is located, and that the property appraiser determines whether a parcel is entitled to an exemption. floridarevenue.com

Death certificates

• Death certificates are ordered through VitalChek, the only vendor the Department of Health authorizes online, or in person or by mail. In-person and mail orders cover deaths in Florida from 2009 to the present; earlier deaths go to the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. madison.floridahealth.gov
• A copy of a valid driver's license, passport, state-issued ID or military ID goes with every request. madison.floridahealth.gov

Sources

Last checked: October 16, 2026. Each source shows the text that supports the facts above.

1. Florida Statutes § 26.021, judicial circuits (2026), checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • (3) The third circuit is composed of Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor Counties.
2. Third Judicial Circuit, home page, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • The Third Judicial Circuit is one of twenty trial court circuits in the State of Florida.
   • Its main administrative offices are in Lake City.
3. Third Judicial Circuit, Administrative Orders index, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • GAO 2026-020
   • General Assignment Of Judges No. 2026- 020 July 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026
   • AO 2024-001-APPOINTMENT OF GENERAL MAGISTRATE
   • SEALING OF CONFIDENTIAL NON-CRIMINAL COURT FILES AND RECORDS
4. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal serves as a single, statewide access point connecting thousands of users to Florida's court system.
5. Florida Department of Revenue, Property Tax Exemptions and Additional Benefits, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • Submit all applications and documentation to the property appraiser in the county where the property is located.
   • The property appraiser determines if a parcel is entitled to an exemption.
   • the property owner may be eligible to receive a homestead exemption that would decrease the property’s taxable value by as much as $50,000.
6. Madison County Clerk, Court Services page, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • All departments within the Clerk’s office can be reached at (850) 973-1500
   • Probate & Guardianship Department
   • Mental Health Department
   • Hours Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM EST
   • Courthouse Address 125 SW Range Avenue Madison, Florida 32340
7. Madison County Clerk, Contact page, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • In Person: 125 SW Range Avenue Madison, Florida 32340
   • Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller P.O. Box 237 Madison, FL 32341-0237
   • Phone: (850) 973-1500
8. Madison County Clerk, home page, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • E-File File Court Documents Online
   • Court & Official Records Search
9. Madison County Clerk, Records page, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • Locate court records for Madison County, Florida, through the online portal.
   • Complete the Registration User Agreement form to access records in Madison County, Florida
   • Electronically File Official Records
10. Madison County Online Court Records Search (OCRS), checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Public
    • This option allows for anonymous access to court records.
    • Attorney
    • This option allows for Attorneys of Record to see their cases.
11. Third Judicial Circuit, Madison County page, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • 125 Southwest Range Avenue Madison, FL 32340
    • Judicial Assignments for Madison County
12. Third Judicial Circuit, General Assignment of Judges No. 2026-020 (July 1 to December 31, 2026), checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • IN RE:General Assignment Of Judges No. 2026- 020 July 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026
    • The judicial assignments for the Third Judicial Circuit are as follows
    • Madison County
    • Domestic relations and DOR cases; Injunctions for protection and Probate and Guardianship Disqualifications and recusals to Judge Browning, then Judge Parker
    • Judge Cary A. Hardee, III

    Note: The page reproduces the order's text. The signed PDF (a scanned image, https://thirdcircuitfl.org/wp-content/uploads/General-Assignment-of-Judges-No.-2026-020-July-1-2026-December-31-2026-pdf-signed.pdf) pairs each judge with the assignment in a table; the judge named here is the one in the row that carries the quoted assignment.

13. Third Judicial Circuit, Judge Cary A. Hardee, III, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Cary A. “Bo” Hardee, III
    • Madison
    • Probate & Guardianship
    • Mailing Address 125 SW Range Ave, Madison, FL 32340, United States
    • Phone: 850-253-0165
14. Third Judicial Circuit, General Magistrate page, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Christina N. Seifert
    • Judicial Assignments Columbia -Probate and Guardianship -Foreclosures -Pro Se Family Dixie -Probate and Guardianship -Foreclosures -Pro Se Family Hamilton -Probate and Guardianship -Foreclosures -Pro Se Family Madison -Foreclosures -Pro Se Family Suwannee -Probate and Guardianship -Foreclosures -Pro Se Family Taylor -Probate and Guardianship -Foreclosures -Pro Se Family
15. Florida Department of Health in Madison County, Death Certificates, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Order death certificates online through VitalChek® , the only vendor authorized by the Florida Department of Health.
    • Death Certificates are available for deaths occurring in the state of Florida from 2009 to present. Any death prior to 2009 must be requested from the Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville or through VitalChek® .
    • A legible copy of a valid driver’s license, passport, state-issued ID, or military identification card must accompany all requests.
    • $15 Death Certificate
    • Fax: 850-973-5007
    • 218 SW Third Ave. Madison, FL 32340
    • Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
16. Florida Department of Health in Madison County, location page, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • 218 SW Third Ave., Madison, FL 32340
    • Monday
    • 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
    • Saturday
    • Closed

    Note: The death certificate page says the office is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; the location page lists 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The death certificate page hours are used here.

17. Florida Statutes § 28.2401, probate service charges and filing fees (2026), checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Fee for the opening of any estate of one document or more
    • Charge for caveat .......... $40
    • Fee for petition and order to admit foreign wills, authenticated copies, exemplified copies, or transcript to record .......... $230
    • Fee for disposition of personal property without administration .......... $230
    • estates valued at $1,000 or more .......... $340
    • estates valued at less than $1,000 .......... $230
    • Fee for formal administration, guardianship, ancillary, curatorship, or conservatorship proceedings .......... $395
    • Fee for guardianship proceedings of person only .......... $230
    • Fee for veterans’ guardianship pursuant to chapter 744 .......... $230
    • Charge for exemplified certificates .......... $7
    • Fee for petition for determination of incompetency .......... $230
    • An additional service charge of $4 on petitions seeking summary administration, formal administration, ancillary administration, guardianship, curatorship, and conservatorship shall be paid to the clerk.
18. Third Judicial Circuit, AO 2007-010, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • IN RE:SEALING OF CONFIDENTIAL NON-CRIMINAL COURT FILES AND RECORDS
    • The moving party files a written motion with the Clerk of Circuit Court entitled “Motion to Seal;”
    • The moving party sets the matter for hearing, pursuant to notice entitled “Notice of Hearing on Motion to Seal,” before the judge assigned to the division in which the case is pending;
19. Third Judicial Circuit, AO 2024-001, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • AO 2024-001-APPOINTMENT OF GENERAL MAGISTRATE
    • many matters to include probate, guardianship, mental health, trusts, substance abuse and adult protective services are brought before the Probate, Guardianship and Trust Division of this court
    • Christina Nieto Seifert is hereby appointed as General Magistrate for the Third Judicial Circuit of Florida
    • This order shall be effective as of March 7, 2024.
    • DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers at Lake City, Columbia County, Florida, this 21st day of February, 2024.
    • emergent matters, styled as such, shall be referred to the Circuit Judges directly by the Clerk of the Circuit Court for review, not to the General Magistrate.
20. Florida Department of Revenue, Property Tax Local Officials, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Property appraisers establish the value of your property each year as of January 1.
    • Use the drop-down menu to visit your county property appraiser's website.