Pinellas County probate help.

Clerk and filing

E-filing and records search

• Administrative Order 2023-038 PI-CIR requires attorneys to e-file pleadings and papers in all divisions through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal; wills (including codicils) and separate writings on deposit are the originals that go to the clerk. jud6.org
• Since October 1, 2022, non-represented parties must designate an email address for service under Supreme Court Order 21-990, or ask the clerk for an excusal. mypinellasclerk.gov
• Judge Newton's Section 3 requires proposed orders and other documents through the E-Filing Portal and directs filers to submit proposed orders and letters as "File Document(s) on Existing Case to Clerk". Her office cannot accept documents for filing with the clerk or checks for certified copies of orders. jud6.org
• Judge Campbell's Section 4 also requires proposed orders and other documents through the E-Filing Portal, states that JAWS is not compatible with the Odyssey software so an upload to JAWS never reaches the judge, and does not accept documents for filing with the clerk. jud6.org

Probate filing fees posted by the clerk

Source: Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller fee schedule, checked October 16, 2026. Posted probate fees that have a § 28.2401 amount are $1 above that amount (plus the $4 petition charge where § 28.2401(3) applies), except the caveat: the schedule posts $49.00 against a $40 cap. The schedule also lists Trusts at $400.00 and Notice of Trust at $41.00, which § 28.2401(1) does not list.

Judges and divisions

6th Judicial Circuit. Serves Pasco and Pinellas counties (§ 26.021(6), Florida Statutes).

Courthouses that hear probate

• Clearwater Courthouse (Probate Court Records, Room 106), 315 Court Street, Clearwater, FL 33756 jud6.org probate assignment
• St. Petersburg Judicial Building, 545 1st Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 jud6.org probate assignment

• Section 26.021 composes the sixth judicial circuit of Pasco and Pinellas Counties. flsenate.gov
• The circuit's probate and guardianship administrative order list includes order 2025-035 (Pinellas probate case assignment), orders 2023-040 and 2023-038 (electronic filing in Pasco and Pinellas), order 2024-025 (guardianship) and order 2026-006 (mental health confidentiality). jud6.org
• Administrative order 2026-017 is the Pinellas circuit judicial assignments order effective May 18, 2026. jud6.org
• Judge Cynthia Newton's page lists the St. Petersburg Judicial Building, Room 402, Section 3; the assignment orders (2025-035 and 2026-017) label Probate Standard Section 3 as Clearwater. jud6.org
• Judge Pamela A.M. Campbell's page lists the St. Petersburg Judicial Building, Room 300, Section 4. jud6.org
• The circuit's courthouse directory lists the Clearwater Courthouse, 315 Court Street, and the St. Petersburg Judicial Building, 545 1st Avenue North. jud6.org

Administrative orders

Orders of the 6th Judicial Circuit that apply to probate and guardianship cases in Pinellas County. Circuit order index.

• AO 2026-017 PI-CIR, Pinellas Circuit Court Judicial Assignments. Date: Signed May 15, 2026; effective May 18, 2026. Assigns Probate Standard Section 3 to Judge Newton and Section 4 to Judge Campbell, and Probate Specialty Sections 1 and 2 to Judges Todd and Loar; rescinds AO 2025-049.
• AO 2025-035 PI-CIR, Assignment of Probate Cases in Pinellas County. Date: Signed September 24, 2025; effective December 8, 2025. Sends probate cases to Section 3 or Section 4 by the ZIP code of the petitioner's attorney (or of an unrepresented petitioner), splits unlisted ZIP codes evenly, and routes Marchman Act cases to Specialty Section 1 and Risk Protection Orders to Specialty Section 2.
• AO 2023-038 PI-CIR, Electronic Filing in Pinellas County. Date: Signed October 31, 2023. Requires attorneys to e-file in all divisions through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal; wills on deposit are filed electronically with the original delivered to the clerk.
• AO 2024-025 PA/PI-CIR, Guardianship and Guardian Advocate Procedures. Date: Signed August 1, 2024. Sets background-check, application and oath requirements for proposed and appointed guardians in Pasco and Pinellas.
• AO 2026-006 PA/PI-CIR, Mental Health, Confidentiality of Guardianship Examining Committee Reports and Guardian Ad Litem Reports. Date: Signed February 3, 2026. Governs confidentiality of guardianship examining committee reports and guardian ad litem reports.

Local requirements and forms

Filing and assignment

• Florida Probate Rule 5.030 requires an attorney for many probate and guardianship cases and for the personal representative in a formal administration (cited by the clerk). mypinellasclerk.gov
• The Sixth Circuit's Local Rule 1 assigns estates, guardianships, incapacity cases, Chapter 393, Baker Act and Marchman Act cases, Probate Rules proceedings and trust administration to the Probate and Guardianship Division. Local Rule 3 assigns cases to sections by blind random assignment unless an administrative order says otherwise. jud6.org
• Pinellas probate cases are assigned to Probate Standard Section 3 or Section 4 by the ZIP code of the petitioner's attorney, or of the petitioner when unrepresented. The order lists ZIP codes 33755 through 33767 (and others, including Pasco ZIP codes) for Section 3 and 33701 through 33716 (and others, including Manatee and Sarasota ZIP codes) for Section 4. jud6.org
• A case with a ZIP code not listed is assigned so Sections 3 and 4 get an even share; the Administrative Office of the Courts reviews the distribution at least semi-annually. jud6.org
• When the Petition to Determine Incapacity carries a ZIP code not listed in paragraph 2 of AO 2025-035, the accompanying petition for appointment of guardian goes to the same section as the incapacity petition. Marchman Act petitions go to Specialty Section 1 and Risk Protection Order petitions to Specialty Section 2. jud6.org
• When a Standard Section judge enters an order of disqualification in an individual case, the clerk reassigns that case to the other Standard Section (paragraph 12). When a Standard Section judge enters an order of recusal from all cases of a named party or attorney, the clerk reassigns all cases from that party or attorney to the other Standard Section (paragraph 11(a)). A motion to reopen a case in an open section goes to the former section unless that judge entered an order of recusal (paragraph 14). jud6.org

Wills

• The custodian must deposit a will with the clerk in the county where the decedent resided within 10 days after learning of the death, giving the date of death or the last four digits of the Social Security number. No attorney is needed to file the will. mypinellasclerk.gov
• Section 732.901 sets the 10-day deposit duty and a 20-year minimum retention period for the original will. flsenate.gov
• Wills (including codicils) and separate writings identifying devises of tangible property placed on deposit may be scanned and e-filed, but the original goes to the clerk. jud6.org

Estate types

• Formal administration may be filed when the estate subject to administration exceeds $150,000, excluding exempt assets, or when a representative must be appointed to act for the estate; the clerk says an attorney is required for the personal representative. mypinellasclerk.gov
• Summary administration may be filed when the estate subject to administration does not exceed $150,000, excluding exempt assets, or the decedent has been dead over two years. No personal representative is appointed, no letters issue and no bond is required. This matches § 735.201(2) as amended by chapter 2026-57. mypinellasclerk.gov
• Disposition of personal property without administration (§ 735.301) is an informal petition for a small amount of personal property; no real estate can be transferred by it. A surviving spouse, a surviving child when there is no spouse, or a person who paid the funeral expenses may be eligible. mypinellasclerk.gov

Bonds

• The clerk's page prints the unofficial estate bond schedule the judges consider: $18,000 for estates of $0 to $75,000; $25,000 for $75,001 to $100,000; $35,000 for $100,001 to $175,000; $50,000 for $175,001 to $250,000; $75,000 for $250,001 to $500,000; $100,000 minimum above $500,000, with the page directing multipliers of $100,000 for each $500,000 of the estate (a $1,100,000 estate calls for a bond of $225,000). Every wrongful death estate has a minimum bond of $18,000, and exempt assets and homestead are usually left out of the total. mypinellasclerk.gov
• Judge Newton (Section 3) sets a typical minimum bond of $18,000 and waives bond only in exceptional circumstances, such as a proposed personal representative who is a licensed attorney, or all beneficiaries consenting where the decedent died more than two years earlier. jud6.org
• Judge Campbell (Section 4) sets a typical minimum bond of $18,000, waives bond only in exceptional circumstances, and will consider a petition to sell property later claimed as homestead or exempt before the creditor period ends if the proceeds stay in escrow or trust. jud6.org

Hearings and timing

• Both judges schedule hearings by email only, and require the motion to be e-filed and posted on the docket before a hearing is requested. jud6.org
• Judge Newton will not confirm a hearing unless all requested information is provided; non-evidentiary hearings are by phone, and hearings with witnesses or evidence are by Zoom. jud6.org
• Judge Newton: if formal notice is served on all interested persons, proof of service is filed and no objection is filed, a hearing is typically not necessary. jud6.org
• Judge Campbell: do not send out the notice of hearing until the judicial assistant confirms the hearing time. jud6.org
• Uncontested administrations should finish within 12 months from Letters of Administration to final discharge, and contested ones within 24 months from filing (Judge Newton and Judge Campbell). jud6.org

Summary administration

• Both judges state that summary administrations do not contemplate hearings and that an estate with issues beyond summary relief must convert to formal administration. jud6.org

Records

• There is no internet access to imaged probate documents unless you are a registered user; images are also available at the public view terminals in the clerk's locations, and copies cost $1.00 per page. mypinellasclerk.gov
• The clerk's court case research (Public View) needs no login; probate inquiry covers 1973 to 1987. mypinellasclerk.gov

Forms and checklists

• Clerk Estate forms: Summary Administration (intestate and testate), Statement of Claim, Disposition of Personal Property without Administration, and the Court's order checklists and discharge audit worksheet, Pinellas County Clerk
• Practice preferences, Judge Newton (Section 3), Sixth Judicial Circuit
• Practice preferences, Judge Pamela A.M. Campbell (Section 4), Sixth Judicial Circuit
• Local Rules 1 and 3, Sixth Judicial Circuit

Property and homestead

• Homestead: file any time during the year before the March 1 deadline; an exemption shown on a TRIM notice for a property bought after January 1 was granted to the prior owner and is removed on December 31. The exemption ends when the property is sold, rented or otherwise changes ownership. pcpao.gov
• A $5,000 widow or widower exemption requires a permanent Florida resident; remarriage or a divorce before the death ends eligibility; submit the deceased spouse's death certificate; homestead is not required for this exemption. pcpao.gov
• The Property Appraiser asks to be told of the death of the sole owner of a homestead (the benefit belonged only to that owner) and asks for the death certificate and probate filings such as an Order Determining Homestead, personal representative deeds and dispositions of property; the new owner needs to act to avoid liens for undeserved exemptions. pcpao.gov
• The Property Appraiser's offices are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday; phone (727) 464-3207. pcpao.gov

Death certificates

• Death certificates are ordered through VitalChek, the only vendor the Department of Health authorizes online, or in person or by mail; a legible copy of valid photo identification goes with every request. pinellas.floridahealth.gov
• Certificates cover deaths in Florida from 2009 to the present; earlier deaths go to the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. Cause of death is released to family members and legal representatives. pinellas.floridahealth.gov
• The Mid-County Health Department, 8751 Ulmerton Road, Largo, handles birth and death certificates; the department is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. pinellas.floridahealth.gov

Records and help

• The clerk's probate page prints $150,000 for both: formal administration when the estate exceeds $150,000 and summary administration when it does not exceed $150,000. mypinellasclerk.gov
• Section 735.201(2) in the 2026 Florida Statutes reads $150,000, as amended by chapter 2026-57, effective July 1, 2026. flsenate.gov
• Chapter 2026-57 amended § 735.201(2) and took effect July 1, 2026. laws.flrules.org
• The clerk's Public View needs no login for case research; online copy requests are available for records not offered free. mypinellasclerk.gov
• The Clerk's page lists low and no-cost legal assistance for probate: Community Law Program (727) 582-7480, Clearwater Bar Referral (727) 461-4880, and Gulfcoast Legal Services (727) 443-0657 or (727) 821-0726. mypinellasclerk.gov
• The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service takes calls at 800-342-8011, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. floridabar.org

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

   • The state is divided into 20 judicial circuits
   • (6) The sixth circuit is composed of Pasco and Pinellas Counties.
2. Florida Statutes § 28.2401, probate service charges and filing fees (2026), checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • Fee for formal administration, guardianship, ancillary, curatorship, or conservatorship proceedings .......... $395
   • Fee for summary administration - estates valued at $1,000 or more .......... $340
   • Fee for summary administration - estates valued at less than $1,000 .......... $230
   • Charge for caveat .......... $40
   • Fee for disposition of personal property without administration .......... $230
   • Fee for guardianship proceedings of person only .......... $230
   • Fee for veterans' guardianship pursuant to chapter 744 .......... $230
   • Fee for petition for determination of incompetency .......... $230
   • Charge for exemplified certificates .......... $7
   • 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.
   • Recording shall be required for all petitions opening and closing an estate; petitions regarding real estate; and orders, letters, bonds, oaths, wills, proofs of wills, returns, and such other papers as the judge shall deem advisable to record or that shall be required to be recorded under the Florida Probate Code.
3. Florida Statutes § 732.901, production of wills (2026), checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • The custodian of a will must deposit the will with the clerk of the court having venue of the estate of the decedent within 10 days after receiving information that the testator is dead.
   • the clerk shall retain and preserve the original will in its original form for at least 20 years
4. Florida Statutes § 735.201, summary administration (2026), checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • does not exceed $150,000 or that the decedent has been dead for more than 2 years
   • s. 7, ch. 2026-57
5. Chapter 2026-57, Laws of Florida, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • Section 7. Subsection (2) of section 735.201, Florida Statutes, is amended
   • Section 14. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
6. The Florida Bar, Lawyer Referral Service, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • Call 800-342-8011, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
7. 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.
8. Pinellas Clerk, Probate & Mental Health, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • The Probate department handles court records of estate cases, guardianships of minors and incapacitated persons, Baker Act cases involving mental health disorders and Marchman Act cases involving drug and alcohol abuse; and accepts deposit wills for filing.
   • Electronic Service Required: Pursuant to Supreme Court Order 21-990, beginning October 1, 2022, all non-represented parties are required to designate an email address to which service must be directed.
   • Florida Probate Rule 5.030 requires an attorney for many Probate and Guardianship cases.
   • The Clerk's Self-Help Center cannot assist with Probate matters, and the Clerk's office staff cannot give legal advice.
   • Community Law Program - (727) 582-7480 Clearwater Bar Referral - (727) 461-4880 Gulfcoast Legal Services - (727) 443-0657 or (727) 821-0726
   • Clearwater Courthouse 315 Court Street, Room 106 Clearwater, FL 33756 Phone: (727) 464-7000 North County Customer Information & Service Center 3165 McMullen Booth Rd. Fessler Center, Building B Clearwater, FL 33761 Phone: (727) 464-7000 St. Petersburg Branch 545 First Avenue North St. Petersburg, FL 33701 Phone: (727) 464-7000
   • The custodian of the original Last Will and Testament of a deceased person must deposit the will with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the decedent resided, within ten (10) days after receiving information that the person is deceased. The custodian must supply the person's date of death or the last four digits of the person's social security number to the Clerk upon deposit of the will. You do not need an attorney to file the will with the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
   • There are three types of estate proceedings: Formal Administration, Summary Administration, and Disposition of Personal Property without Administration.
   • A Formal Administration proceeding may be filed when the value of the entire estate subject to administration exceeds $150,000, excluding exempt assets (see Florida Statute Chapter 732), and/or when it is necessary to appoint a representative to act on behalf of the estate, such as when there is a lawsuit on behalf of the estate.
   • Florida Probate Rule 5.030 requires an attorney for Personal Representatives in Formal Administration proceedings.
   • A Summary Administration proceeding may be filed when the value of the entire estate subject to administration does not exceed $150,000, excluding exempt assets (see Florida Statute Chapter 732). If the decedent has been dead for over two years, the value may exceed $150,000. In a Summary Administration, a personal representative is not appointed, Letters of Administration are not issued, and a bond is not required.
   • Florida Statute 735.301 allows for an informal petition to be filed with the court to transfer assets when the decedent left a small amount of personal property (no real estate can be transferred through this process).
   • If the petitioner is a surviving spouse, or if no spouse, the surviving child of the decedent; or they paid the funeral expenses for the decedent, they may be eligible for this process.
   • At this time, there is no internet access available to the public for viewing imaged documents unless you are a registered user.
   • Images of probate court documents are also available for viewing at any of the Clerk's locations on the public view terminals.
   • The copies will be mailed to you upon receipt of the service fee of $1.00 per page.
   • Estate Gross Value Bond $ 0 - 75,000* $ 18,000 $ 75,001 - 100,000 $ 25,000 $ 100,001 - 175,000 $ 35,000 $ 175,001 - 250,000 $ 50,000 $250,001 - 500,000 $ 75,000 $500,001 - unlimited $ 100,000 minimum**
   • *Every wrongful death estate will have a minimum bond of $18,000. **Use multipliers of $100,000 for each $500,000 of the estate (i.e. $1,100,000 estate calls for a bond of $225,000).
   • Typically, the value of exempt assets and homestead property is excluded from the total assets used to determine the bond.

   Note: Read in a browser session on 2026-10-16. The clerk's site returns HTTP 403 (Cloudflare bot check) to scripts, so scripts/verify-county-facts.mjs cannot re-read this page.

9. Pinellas Clerk, Locations & Contact Us, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • office hours are Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (with the exception of Holidays)
   • Clearwater Courthouse 315 Court Street Clearwater, FL 33756 Phone: (727) 464-7000
   • Probate Court Records - Room 106 (727) 464-3321
   • St. Petersburg Branch 545 1st Avenue North, Room 153 St. Petersburg, FL 33701 Phone: (727) 464-7000
   • Intake Probate cases and pleadings.

   Note: Read in a browser session on 2026-10-16. The clerk's site returns HTTP 403 (Cloudflare bot check) to scripts, so scripts/verify-county-facts.mjs cannot re-read this page.

10. Pinellas Clerk, Fee Schedule (Probate Court Records Filing Fees), checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Probate Court Records Filing Fees Opening any estate of one document or more 231.00 Formal Administration, Guardianship, Ancillary, Curatorship and Conservatorship 400.00 Summary Administration - estates with value less than $1,000 235.00 Summary Administration - estates with value more than $1,000 345.00 Disposition of Personal Property without Administration 231.00 Preparation of each order: 7.00 Petition and Order to Admit Foreign Wills, Authenticated Copies, Exemplified Copies, or Transcript to Record 231.00 Guardianship Proceedings, Person Only 235.00 Veteran's Administration Guardianship 235.00 Counter/Cross/Third Party Petition (A petition for determination of beneficiaries by a third party would be subject to this fee) 395.00 Determination of Incapacity 231.00 Notice of Trust* 41.00 *Additional per trustee: 7.00 Trusts 400.00 Caveat 49.00 Preparation of each Notice of Caveator: 8.00 Reopen Fee 50.00
    • Audit Fee - Initial Verified Inventory Property Value in Excess of $25,000 85.00 Audit Fee - Annual and/or Trust Accounting(s) for Ward's Assets with value of: $25,000 or less 20.00 From $25,000.01 up to and including $100,000 85.00 From $100,000.01 up to and including $500,000 170.00 In excess of $500,000 250.00 Final Accounting No charge

    Note: Read in a browser session on 2026-10-16. The clerk's site returns HTTP 403 (Cloudflare bot check) to scripts, so scripts/verify-county-facts.mjs cannot re-read this page.

11. Pinellas Clerk, Forms (Estate), checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Summary Administration - Intestate
    • Summary Administration - Testate
    • Statement of Claim
    • Disposition of Personal Property without Administration
    • The following forms are used by Clerk staff and/or the Court to process Estate cases and are provided as a reference only.
    • Order Checklist - Petition for Administration
    • Order Checklist - Petition for Discharge
    • Audit for Discharge Worksheet

    Note: Read in a browser session on 2026-10-16. The clerk's site returns HTTP 403 (Cloudflare bot check) to scripts, so scripts/verify-county-facts.mjs cannot re-read this page.

12. Pinellas Clerk, View Records, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Court Records Public View Research Court Cases - No login required.
    • Probate Inquiry 1973-1987
    • Probate Court Records Clearwater Courthouse 315 Court Street, Room 106 Clearwater, FL 33756
    • Request and Order Copies Online

    Note: Read in a browser session on 2026-10-16. The clerk's site returns HTTP 403 (Cloudflare bot check) to scripts, so scripts/verify-county-facts.mjs cannot re-read this page.

13. Sixth Judicial Circuit, home, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • serves the citizens of Pasco and Pinellas counties in Florida's west central region.
14. Sixth Judicial Circuit, Administrative Orders, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Archived Admin. Orders By Subject
    • Archived Admin. Orders By Year
15. Sixth Judicial Circuit, Probate and Guardianship Division Administrative Orders, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Probate and Guardianship Division Administrative Orders
    • 2025-035 Assignment of Probate Cases in Pinellas County - Effective December 8, 2025
    • 2023-040 Electronic Filing in Pasco County
    • 2023-038 Electronic Filing in Pinellas County
    • 2024-025 Guardianship
    • 2026-006 Mental Health - Confidentiality of Guardianship Examining Committee Reports and Guardian Ad Litem Reports
16. Sixth Judicial Circuit, Judicial Assignments Administrative Orders, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • 2026-017 Pinellas Circuit Court Judicial Assignments -Effective May 18, 2026
17. Administrative Order 2026-017 PI-CIR, Pinellas Circuit Court Judicial Assignments, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2026-017 PI-CIR
    • PROBATE SPECIALTY COURT SECTIONS Section 1 Judge Kimberly Todd -Marchman Act cases only Section 2 Judge Doneene D. Loar -Risk Protection Order & Firearm Disability cases only
    • PROBATE COURT SECTION Section 3 Judge Cynthia Newton
    • PROBATE COURT SECTION Section 4 Judge Pamela A.M. Campbell
    • Effective May 18, 2026, Administrative Order 2025-049 is hereby rescinded.
    • DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers at Clearwater, Pinellas County, Florida, this 15th day of May 2026.
18. Administrative Order 2025-035 PI-CIR, Assignment of Probate Cases in Pinellas County, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2025-035 PI-CIR
    • RE: ASSIGNMENT OF PROBATE CASES IN PINELLAS COUNTY--EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 8, 2025
    • probate cases are to be assigned based upon the ZIP code of the petitioner's attorney or if the petitioner is unrepresented, the ZIP code of the petitioner.
    • are to be assigned to Probate Standard Section 3 in Clearwater:
    • 33755; 33756; 33757; 33758; 33759; 33760; 33761; 33762; 33763; 33764; 33765; 33766; 33767;
    • are to be assigned to Probate Standard Section 4 in St. Petersburg:
    • 33701; 33702; 33703; 33704; 33705; 33706; 33707; 33708; 33709; 33710; 33711; 33712; 33713; 33714; 33715; 33716;
    • cases with a ZIP code not listed in this Administrative Order are to be assigned in a manner that results in an even distribution of the cases between Probate Standard Section 3 and Probate Standard Section 4.
    • The Administrative Office of the Courts will review the case distribution at least semi-annually
    • When a Petition to Determine Incapacity is filed in the Probate Division with a ZIP code not listed in paragraph 2 of this Administrative Order, the accompanying Petition for Appointment of Guardian is to be assigned to the same section as the Petition to Determine Incapacity.
    • Petitions for Involuntary Treatment Services filed under the Marchman Act are to be assigned to Probate Specialty Section 1.
    • Petitions for Risk Protection Orders are to be assigned to Probate Specialty Section 2.
    • When a judge in a Probate Standard Section has entered an order recusing himself or herself from all cases of a named party or attorney, the Clerk must: i. Reassign all cases from that party or attorney to the other Probate Standard Section unless otherwise directed
    • When a judge in a Probate Standard Section has entered an order of disqualification in an individual case, the Clerk must reassign that case to the other Probate Standard Section unless otherwise directed.
    • A motion to re-open a case from an open section must be assigned to the former section unless the judge assigned to that section has entered an order of recusal.
    • ORIGINAL SIGNED SEPTEMBER 24, 2025 BY SHAWN CRANE, CHIEF JUDGE
19. Administrative Order 2023-038 PI-CIR, Electronic Filing in Pinellas County, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2023-038 PI-CIR
    • RE: ELECTRONIC FILING IN PINELLAS COUNTY
    • Except as otherwise provided in this Administrative Order, attorneys must e-file pleadings and papers in all divisions.
    • Wills (including codicils) and separate writings identifying devises of tangible property placed on deposit with the Clerk;
    • ORIGINAL SIGNED ON OCTOBER 31, 2023 BY SHAWN CRANE, CHIEF JUDGE
20. Administrative Order 2024-025 PA/PI-CIR, Guardianship and Guardian Advocate Procedures, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2024-025 PA/PI-CIR
    • RE: GUARDIANSHIP AND GUARDIAN ADVOCATE PROCEDURES
    • each proposed guardian must submit for filing an Application for Appointment of Guardian and an Oath of Guardian.
    • ORIGINAL SIGNED ON AUGUST 1, 2024 BY SHAWN CRANE, CHIEF JUDGE
21. Administrative Order 2026-006 PA/PI-CIR, Confidentiality of Examining Committee and Guardian Ad Litem Reports, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2026-006 PA/PI-CIR
    • CONFIDENTIALITY OF GUARDIANSHIP EXAMINING COMMITTEE REPORTS AND GUARDIAN AD LITEM REPORTS
    • ORIGINAL SIGNED ON FEBRUARY 3, 2026 BY SHAWN CRANE, CHIEF JUDGE
22. Sixth Judicial Circuit, Local Rules 1 and 3, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • 5. Probate and Guardianship Division All causes, proceedings, matters and actions pertaining to the probate of estates, administration of guardianships, incapacity proceedings, proceedings arising out of Chapter 393, Florida Statutes, the Baker Act, and Marchman Act, the Life-Prolonging Procedures Act, any proceeding arising under the Florida Probate Rules, and the administration of trusts, are assigned to the Probate and Guardianship Division.
    • All suits, causes, actions and proceedings shall be assigned to a section in a division on an equal, at random, blind assignment system, except when cases are assigned by administrative order or when a case is assigned by the Chief Judge or his or her designee.
23. Sixth Judicial Circuit, Courthouse Directory, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Clearwater Courthouse Address: 315 Court Street, Clearwater, FL 33756
    • St. Petersburg Judicial Building Address: 545 1st Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
24. Sixth Judicial Circuit, Judge Cynthia Newton, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Newton, Cynthia J. Circuit Judge Probate
    • Courthouse St. Petersburg Judicial Building Address 545 1st Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA Section 3 Room 402
25. Sixth Judicial Circuit, Judge Pamela A.M. Campbell, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Campbell, Pamela A.M. Circuit Judge Probate
    • Courthouse St. Petersburg Judicial Building Address 545 1st Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA Section 4 Room 300

    Note: The judge's page labels the practice preferences file 4.23.26; the file itself reads "EDITS as of 1/21/25".

26. Sixth Judicial Circuit, Practice Preferences, Judge Newton (Section 3), checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Updated: 07/07/2026
    • Pursuant to the A.O., all pleadings including proposed orders must be electronically submitted through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.
    • (NOTE: Proposed Orders/Letters are to be submitted as: File Document(s) on Existing Case to Clerk).
    • The Judge's office cannot accept any documents for filing with the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court or checks for certified copies of orders.
    • if formal notice is served on all interested persons, and proof of service is filed, in accordance with Fla. Prob. R. 5.040 and no objections have been filed, a hearing is typically not necessary.
    • scheduling is done via email. Petitions/Motions must be e-filed with the Clerk of the Court and posted on the docket prior to requesting hearing time.
    • Hearings will not be confirmed unless ALL this information is provided.
    • All non-evidentiary hearings will be by phone.
    • If there are witnesses and/or evidence to be produced at the hearing, then the hearing will be by Zoom,
    • Uncontested, with or without a federal estate tax return, should be completed within 12 months from the issuance of Letters of Administration to Final Discharge. Contested administrations are to be completed within 24 months from the filing to Final Discharge.
    • Typically, the minimum bond set is $18,000 as that is the highest bond available for the minimum bond premium
    • Every wrongful death estate will have a minimum bond of $18,000.
    • and only in exceptional circumstances will it be waived.
    • include cases in which the proposed PR is a licensed attorney or cases in which all beneficiaries consent to bond being waived and the decedent has been dead for more than two years.
    • Summary Administrations do not contemplate hearings. If there are issues beyond the limited relief provided in a Summary Administration, the estate must be converted to a Formal Administration.
27. Sixth Judicial Circuit, Practice Preferences, Judge Pamela A.M. Campbell (Section 4), checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Probate and Mental Health Division 545 First Avenue North, Room 300 St. Petersburg, FL 33701
    • EDITS as of 1/21/25
    • Pursuant to the AO, all pleadings including proposed orders must be electronically submitted through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.
    • JAWS IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE ODYSSEY SOFTWARE, so, if you upload to JAWS, the Judge will never see it.
    • All scheduling is done via email. Motions must be e-filed with the Clerk of the Court and posted on the docket prior to requesting hearing time.
    • Do not send out the Notice of Hearing until the hearing time has been confirmed by the JA.
    • Uncontested, with or without a federal estate tax return, should be completed within 12 months, from the issuance of Letters of Administration to Final Discharge. Contested administrations are to be completed within 24 months from the filing to final discharge.
    • Typically, the minimum bond set is $18,000 as that is the highest bond available for the minimum bond premium
    • Every wrongful death estate will have a minimum bond of $18,000.
    • and only in exceptional circumstances will it be waived.
    • The Judge's office cannot accept any documents for filing with the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court or checks for certified copies of orders.
    • the court will consider petitions to sell property which PRs will eventually seek to determine to be "homestead" or "exempt" as long as the proceeds are held in escrow or trust until such time as the creditors have been ascertained
    • Summary Administrations do not contemplate hearings. If there are issues beyond the limited relief provided in a summary administration, the estate must be converted to a formal administration.
28. Pinellas County Property Appraiser, Homestead Exemption, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • You may file anytime during the year, but before the state's deadline of March 1 for the tax year in which you wish to qualify.
    • If you purchased your property after January 1, and your Notice of Proposed Property Tax, also known as Truth in Millage (TRIM), reflects a homestead exemption, this is an exemption which was granted to the prior owner, and will be removed on December 31.
    • You no longer qualify for your exemption if: Property granted an exemption is sold or otherwise disposed of, if the property has been rented, when ownership changes in any manner
    • A death certificate or obituary notice for widow's/widower's exemption
29. Pinellas County Property Appraiser, Personal Exemptions, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Widow/Widower ($5,000)
    • Any widow or widower who is a permanent Florida resident may claim this exemption. If the surviving spouse remarries, they are no longer eligible. Spouses who divorced before death do not qualify for the exemption. Please submit a copy of the deceased spouse's death certificate when you file. Homestead is not required for this exemption.
30. Pinellas County Property Appraiser, Advise of Property Owner's Death, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • as this benefit belonged only to the sole owner.
    • The new owner will need to take steps to prevent costly liens due to undeserved exemptions.
    • Death certificate Probate filings related to the real property if it exists. This includes Orders Determining Homestead, Personal Representative deeds, and dispositions of property.
    • PHONE: (727) 464-3207
31. Pinellas County Property Appraiser, home, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Homestead Exemption
32. Pinellas County Property Appraiser, office locations and contact info, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • County Courthouse 315 Court Street 2nd Floor Clearwater, FL 33756
    • North County Northside Square 29269 US Hwy 19 North Clearwater, FL 33761
    • Mid County Co-located w/Tax Collector 13025 Starkey Rd Largo, FL 33773
    • South County 2500 34th Street North 2nd Floor St. Petersburg, FL 33713
    • PHONE: (727) 464-3207
    • FAX: (727) 464-3448
    • TTY: (727) 464-4062
    • HOURS: 8AM TO 5PM (MON - FRI)
33. Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County, Death Certificates, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • 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
    • A legible copy of a valid driver's license, passport, state-issued ID, or military identification card must accompany all requests.
    • You must be a family member or legal representative when requesting cause of death.
    • Mid-County location
    • Fees $9 Death Certificate $9 Additional Certificates $10 Notary $5 Rush Fee $5 Certificate Protective Sheath
    • Vital Statistics 727-507-4330 , Ext. 6316
34. Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County, Mid-County Health Department, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Physical Address: 8751 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL 33771 Phone: 727-524-4410
    • Birth and Death Certificates
    • Hours of Operation Monday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Wednesday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Thursday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday Closed Sunday Closed