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Jackson County, FL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court, Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, Jackson County; probate is a division of the Circuit Court, not a separate court |
| Filing office | Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller (Clayton O. Rooks, III) |
| Courthouse | 4445 Lafayette Street, Marianna, FL 32446 |
| Mailing address | Jackson County Clerk of the Circuit Court, P.O. Drawer 510, Marianna, FL 32447 |
| Phone | (850) 482-9552 |
| Fax | (850) 482-9920 |
| [email protected] | |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Central time; closed legal holidays |
| Filing fee | The statutory base under F.S. 28.2401 is $395 for formal administration and $340 for summary administration of an estate of $1,000 or more, plus a $4 additional charge on the petition; the Jackson Clerk's posted probate fee schedule totals $400 for formal administration and $345 for summary administration of an estate of more than $1,000 ($235 under $1,000, $231 for disposition without administration) (Clerk fee schedule, verified July 2026). Confirm the current total with the Clerk before filing. |
| Local probate forms | None. The Clerk publishes no local probate forms, and Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set; probate filings are petitions prepared under the Florida Probate Rules, in most cases by an attorney |
| E-filing | Through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com); mandatory for attorneys, optional for self-represented filers, who may also file on paper at the Clerk's counter |
| Online case search | Statewide CiviTek Online Court Records Search for Jackson County (county 32), with a public anonymous access option, linked from the Clerk's Search Court Records page |
| Remote appearance | The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit states that many court proceedings can be attended remotely by Zoom; the Zoom link comes from the court notice or the judge's judicial assistant, so ask the Clerk or the circuit whether a remote appearance is available for your matter |
| Website | https://www.jacksonclerk.com |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Jackson County, know exactly what is in the estate. Which Florida path fits depends on whether there is a will and on the value and type of the assets: formal administration under F.S. Chapter 733, summary administration under F.S. 735.201 for a smaller estate, or disposition of personal property without administration under F.S. 735.301 for a limited class of estates with no real property. The dollar thresholds that separate these paths are statewide and are explained on the Florida state page; identify the estate first so you and your attorney file the right petition once.
Identify every bank and credit-union account, retirement plan, brokerage holding, life-insurance policy, vehicle, and parcel of real property, along with every debt, before you go to the Clerk. Whether the decedent's Marianna, Graceville, or rural Jackson County home was homestead property matters, because Florida homestead often passes outside the probate estate and is not counted toward the summary-administration limit. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Circuit Court of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit serves Jackson County along with Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, and Washington counties. Within Jackson, the court covers the whole county, including Marianna (the county seat), Graceville, Sneads, Cottondale, Malone, Grand Ridge, Alford, Bascom, Campbellton, Greenwood, and Jacob City. Jackson probate matters are filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the courthouse at 4445 Lafayette Street in Marianna, and are heard by a Fourteenth Judicial Circuit judge. There is no separate probate division; probate is heard on the Circuit Court's general docket, and estate filings are handled at the Clerk's counter at the same courthouse.
Venue for a decedent's estate is governed by F.S. 733.101. Administration is proper first in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, then, if the decedent had no Florida domicile, in a county where the decedent's property is located, and, if the decedent had neither domicile nor property in Florida, in the county where any debtor of the decedent resides. In practice, file in Jackson County for a decedent who lived here.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the documents. Collect the original signed will (if any), a certified copy of the death certificate, the proposed personal representative's contact information and photo ID, the names and addresses of the beneficiaries and other interested persons, and a list of the assets and debts with values.
- Choose the path based on the estate. Depending on whether there is a will and on the value and type of assets, the route may be formal administration (F.S. Chapter 733), summary administration (F.S. 735.201), or disposition of personal property without administration (F.S. 735.301). The governing thresholds are statewide and are on the Florida state page.
- Confirm whether an attorney is required. Under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030, the personal representative must be represented by a Florida-licensed attorney unless the personal representative remains the sole interested person (or is the only beneficiary with no other interested persons), or is a Florida-licensed attorney. Because most administrations involve more than one interested person, most Jackson estates are filed through counsel.
- Prepare the petition. For a formal or summary administration, prepare the petition and supporting documents under the Florida Probate Rules (Fla. Prob. R. 5.010 to 5.530). Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set and Jackson has no local packet, so in most cases an attorney prepares and files the papers.
- File with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Attorneys must e-file through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com). A self-represented filer may register and e-file through the portal or file on paper at the Clerk's counter at 4445 Lafayette Street, Marianna, or by mail to P.O. Drawer 510, Marianna, FL 32447.
- Pay the filing fee. The statutory base under F.S. 28.2401 is $395 for formal administration and $340 for summary administration of an estate of $1,000 or more, plus a $4 additional charge on the petition; the Jackson Clerk's posted fee schedule totals $400 for formal administration and $345 for summary administration of an estate of more than $1,000 (verified July 2026). Confirm the current total with the Clerk before filing.
- Give notice and publish. The personal representative serves notice on interested persons and publishes a notice to creditors, which opens the creditor-claim period. A creditor must file its claim by the later of 3 months after first publication or 30 days after being served (F.S. 733.702), and in all events within 2 years of death (F.S. 733.710).
- Attend the hearing if one is set. The petition is presented to a Fourteenth Judicial Circuit judge. The circuit states that many court proceedings can be attended remotely by Zoom; the Zoom link comes from the court notice or the judge's judicial assistant, so ask the Clerk or the circuit whether your matter can be handled remotely.
- Receive the authority document. On appointment the court issues Letters of Administration, the proof of the personal representative's authority to act, in every case, whether or not there is a will. Request enough certified copies for the banks and institutions involved.
- Administer and close. Inventory the assets, pay valid claims in statutory priority, account to the interested persons, distribute the remaining assets, and close the estate.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Jackson County
Jackson County publishes no local probate forms of its own, and Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set: probate filings are petitions prepared under the Florida Probate Rules (Fla. Prob. R. 5.010 to 5.530), and Florida Courts Help states that it does not provide probate forms. The Clerk's self-help packets cover criminal, eviction, family law, and small-claims matters, not probate. Because Fla. Prob. R. 5.030 requires a Florida-licensed attorney in most administrations, most estates do not self-file a probate packet: the attorney prepares the petition and files it through the statewide portal. For questions about local intake, filing in person versus by mail, or what the Marianna counter needs, call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at (850) 482-9552.
| Resource | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Jackson County Clerk of the Circuit Court, probate (jacksonclerk.com) | The Clerk's probate page, which publishes the county's full probate fee schedule alongside the office's contact information and hours |
| Florida Courts Help, probate (flcourts.gov) | The judiciary's probate self-help page; it explains that no statewide probate forms are provided and points to the Florida Probate Code and local resources |
| Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com) | The statewide portal for filing probate documents; mandatory for attorneys, optional for self-represented filers |
Fees
Florida sets the Clerk's base probate service charges by statute (F.S. 28.2401): formal administration $395, summary administration $340 for an estate of $1,000 or more, and disposition of personal property without administration $230, plus a $4 additional service charge on administration petitions. On top of that statutory base, counties add further mandatory statutory charges, so the Clerk's published total is higher than the bare base. The Jackson County Clerk's own posted probate fee schedule totals are below (Clerk probate page on jacksonclerk.com; verified July 2026).
| Filing | Fee | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Formal administration | $400.00 | Jackson County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Summary administration, estate value more than $1,000 | $345.00 | Jackson County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Summary administration, estate value less than $1,000 | $235.00 | Jackson County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Disposition of personal property without administration | $231.00 | Jackson County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Opening any estate | $231.00 | Jackson County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Foreign wills | $231.00 | Jackson County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Caveat | $41.00 | Jackson County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Notice of trust | $41.00 | Jackson County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Petition to establish trust | $400.00 | Jackson County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Reopen fee | $50.00 | Jackson County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Exemplified certificates, including signing and sealing | $7.00 | Jackson County Clerk posted fee schedule |
The schedule appears on the Clerk's probate page at jacksonclerk.com. Fee amounts change when the Legislature amends the statutory charges, so confirm the current total with the Clerk at (850) 482-9552 before filing. The same posted schedule lists separate totals for guardianship, curatorship, and conservatorship filings, and certified copies and record searches are charged separately.
Local nuance
Jackson County-specific considerations
Jackson keeps Central time. Jackson County is in the Central time zone, unlike most of Florida, which is on Eastern time. The Clerk's office is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Central time, so plan filing deadlines, phone calls, and any hearing times around the Central-time clock and the 4:30 PM close.
Mail goes to a post office drawer, not the courthouse street address. The Clerk's physical courthouse is 4445 Lafayette Street, Marianna, FL 32446, but mail is directed to P.O. Drawer 510, Marianna, FL 32447. Attorneys e-file through the statewide portal; a self-represented filer may e-file, mail the papers to the post office drawer, or file in person at the counter.
Case search runs through the statewide CiviTek system. Jackson County does not run its own docket portal. Court records are searched through the statewide CiviTek Online Court Records Search for Jackson County (county 32), linked from the Clerk's Search Court Records page, which offers a public anonymous access option. To confirm a filing, you can also call the Clerk's office directly.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Jackson County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Marianna or rural Jackson County home was the decedent's homestead, Florida homestead protections usually let it pass to the surviving spouse outside the probate estate, often confirmed by a petition to determine homestead status filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. If other assets must be administered, the spouse (through counsel, unless she is the sole interested person under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030) files a summary or formal administration and is issued Letters of Administration. | Asset discovery to confirm how title is held and what else is in the estate. Packet generation for the qualifying paperwork. A vetted attorney referral where Fla. Prob. R. 5.030 requires counsel. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | A smaller estate that meets the statewide threshold can proceed by summary administration under F.S. 735.201, which appoints no personal representative and ends in an order distributing the assets; a very limited estate with no real property may qualify for disposition of personal property without administration (F.S. 735.301). Both are filed with the Jackson Clerk, and an out-of-state filer can work with Florida counsel through the statewide e-filing portal without repeated trips to Marianna. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate qualifies and to locate accounts from out of state. Packet generation for the petition, prepared in advance so an out-of-state filer can proceed largely remotely. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Because the estate holds real property that must be sold, it generally proceeds through formal administration under F.S. Chapter 733: the parent, represented by counsel under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030, petitions the Clerk of the Circuit Court, is appointed personal representative, receives Letters of Administration, and can then sell the home and distribute the proceeds. A Fourteenth Judicial Circuit judge hears the matter. | Asset discovery for the child's accounts and property. Packet generation for the formal administration filing. Attorney referral, and help if the sale or an heir dispute turns contested. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Jackson County Clerk of the Circuit Court, (850) 482-9552 (jacksonclerk.com) | The filing office for probate; local intake questions, filing by mail or in person, hours, case search, and the published probate fee schedule |
| Fourteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida (jud14.flcourts.org) | Court administration for Jackson County, judicial assignments, and the circuit's published Zoom remote-appearance guidance |
| Florida Courts Help, probate (flcourts.gov/Courts-System/florida-courts-help/other-resources/probate) | The judiciary's probate self-help page, with plain-language information on the probate process |
| Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com) | Registration and self-help for e-filing probate documents, the option available to self-represented filers |
| Legal Services of North Florida, Quincy office, (850) 875-9881 (lsnf.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents; its service area includes Jackson County |
| The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service, (800) 342-8011 (floridabar.org) | Statewide referrals to Florida-licensed probate attorneys, plus the consumer pamphlet Probate in Florida |
When to hire an attorney
Florida makes counsel the norm in probate. Under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030, the personal representative must be represented by a Florida-licensed attorney unless the personal representative remains the sole interested person, or is the only beneficiary with no other interested persons, or is a Florida-licensed attorney. Because most Jackson estates have more than one interested person, most formal and summary administrations here are handled through counsel, who also e-files through the statewide portal. Consider an attorney early when the estate holds real property that must be sold, when a will contest or heir dispute is likely, when the estate is insolvent or creditors are pressing, or when the estate includes a business interest or out-of-state property. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Florida probate attorney serving Jackson County and the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and public records to surface bank and credit-union accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, Jackson County real estate, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and which Florida estate settlement path fits before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the petition and supporting paperwork for your path, ready to file with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Marianna through the statewide e-filing portal or on paper.
Find a local probate attorney. Because Fla. Prob. R. 5.030 requires a Florida-licensed attorney in most administrations, Sunset connects families to a vetted Florida probate attorney serving Jackson County and the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.
Sunset is free for families. Revenue comes from bank partners that pay Sunset while estate funds sit in an FDIC-insured estate account ($3M coverage).
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file for probate in Jackson County?
With the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the Jackson County courthouse, 4445 Lafayette Street, Marianna, FL 32446, or by mail to P.O. Drawer 510, Marianna, FL 32447. Jackson is in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit. Florida has no separate probate court; probate is a division of the Circuit Court.
Do I have to e-file probate in Jackson County?
Attorneys must e-file through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com. A self-represented filer may register and e-file through the same portal or file on paper at the Clerk's counter in Marianna or by mail to the Clerk's post office drawer.
Do I need an attorney for probate in Jackson County?
Usually yes. Under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030, the personal representative must be represented by a Florida-licensed attorney unless the personal representative is the sole interested person (or the only beneficiary with no other interested persons), or is a Florida-licensed attorney. Because most estates have more than one interested person, most Jackson administrations are handled through counsel.
What time zone and hours does the Jackson County Clerk keep?
Jackson County is in the Central time zone, unlike most of Florida. The Clerk's office is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Central time, and is closed on legal holidays, so plan filings and calls around the Central-time clock.
Can I appear remotely for a Jackson County probate hearing?
Sometimes. The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit states that many court proceedings can be attended remotely by Zoom. The Zoom link comes from the court notice or the judge's judicial assistant, so ask the Clerk at (850) 482-9552 or the circuit whether a remote appearance is available when a hearing is set.
Can I look up a Jackson County probate case online?
Yes. Court records are searched through the statewide CiviTek Online Court Records Search for Jackson County (county 32), which offers a public anonymous access option and is linked from the Clerk's Search Court Records page. To confirm a filing you can also call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at (850) 482-9552.
What forms do I need for probate in Jackson County?
Jackson County publishes no local probate forms, and Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set. The Clerk's self-help packets cover criminal, eviction, family law, and small-claims matters, not probate. Probate filings are petitions prepared under the Florida Probate Rules, and in most cases an attorney prepares the petition. Call the Clerk at (850) 482-9552 with questions about local intake.
What does it cost to file probate in Jackson County?
The Jackson Clerk's posted probate fee schedule lists $400 for formal administration, $345 for summary administration of an estate of more than $1,000, $235 for summary administration under $1,000, and $231 for disposition of personal property without administration (verified July 2026). These totals sit on the statutory base set by F.S. 28.2401. Confirm the current total with the Clerk at (850) 482-9552 before filing.
Do I have to travel to Marianna to settle an estate there?
Not always. Attorneys and self-represented filers can file through the statewide e-filing portal, and papers can be mailed to the Clerk at P.O. Drawer 510, Marianna, FL 32447. Where a hearing is required, ask the Clerk or the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit whether it can be held by Zoom.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.