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Titled Assets Will Not Be Transferred If no one takes the necessary steps to probate the decedent's will, then these assets will remain titled in the decedent's name. This can lead to a whole host of problems, from issues with taxes and registration to the inability to sell the assets at a later date.

How Do I Access Probate Records? Most probate documents are public records, however, inventories and accountings filed in estates are confidential and may be viewed only by the personal representative, the personal representative's attorney or an "interested party," as defined in the Florida probate laws.

Probate is a court-supervised process for identifying and gathering the assets of a deceased person (decedent), paying the decedent's debts, and distributing the decedent's assets to his or her beneficiaries.

Most probate documents are public records, however, inventories and accountings filed in estates are confidential and may be viewed only by the personal representative, the personal representative's attorney or an "interested party," as defined in the Florida probate laws.

For formal administration, Florida law typically requires you to hire a probate attorney. However, you generally don't need to hire a probate attorney if the estate is very small or if you plan to file for an alternative version of probate, like summary administration or disposition without administration.

Do I Need a Lawyer for Florida Probate? Yes, in almost all cases you will need a Florida Probate Lawyer. Except for ?disposition without administration? (very small estates) and those estates in which the executor (personal representative) is the sole beneficiary, Florida law requires the assistance of an attorney.