Probate in Washington County: Where It’s Filed
Chipley is in Washington County, which sits in Florida’s 14th Judicial Circuit. Probate is filed with the Washington County Clerk of Court and Comptroller, in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. Cases are handled at the Washington County Courthouse at 1293 Jackson Avenue in Chipley, where the Clerk’s office is Suite 101 and is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Central time. The Probate Division has one circuit judge, the chief judge of the six-county circuit, who also carries circuit-wide administration. Attorneys e-file every document through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, which is why an out-of-state family can have a Washington County estate handled without anyone traveling to the courthouse.
The Clerk’s Will on Deposit form preprints the file number with a WL segment, so a deposited will takes a WL number of its own rather than the estate number that comes later. Washington County probate is heard by the circuit’s chief judge, and his courthouse has no room number, so a notice of hearing lists the location as the Circuit Courtroom and states the time in Central time. A hearing that needs more than an hour is generally set in person, and an objection to appearing by Zoom has to be filed fourteen days before the hearing. We serve Chipley and Washington County residents, including Chipley, Vernon, Wausau, Caryville, Ebro, Sunny Hills.
Which Kind of Probate You’ll Need
Most Washington County estates pass through one of three doors. The cheapest one may be open.
- Disposition without administration. Tiny estates with only exempt property and final-expense reimbursement; days to weeks.
- Summary administration. Estates of $150,000 or less (raised from $75,000 on July 1, 2026) after exempt property, or when the decedent died more than two years ago; often weeks.
- Formal administration. Everything else; a personal representative is appointed and the case runs about 6 to 12 months.
We confirm which applies at your consult and quote a flat fee. Estimate the cost and timeline first →
How Long, and What It Costs
Formal administration is paced by the 3-month creditor-claim window; clean distribution waits for it to pass. Florida law sets a presumed-reasonable attorney fee scaled to the estate, but it’s a ceiling, not a mandate. Our flat fees start at $1,500 (disposition), $2,500 (summary), and $3,500 (formal). Government costs, the Washington County filing fee (about $400), newspaper publication, and certified copies, are additional and passed through at cost. See the full Florida probate guide →
Out-of-State Personal Representatives
Under Florida law, you can serve as personal representative of a Washington County estate from another state if you’re related to the decedent by blood, adoption, or marriage; an out-of-state child qualifies. We represent personal representatives across Chipley and Washington County by phone, video, and e-signature.
Local Rules, Judges, and the Clerk’s Probate Office
Every circuit publishes administrative orders and local procedures that control how probate actually runs in Washington County, including which division gets the case, which checklists are required, and how proposed orders reach the judge. Washington County probate is heard by the chief judge of the circuit, and three of his rules appear nowhere else in the Fourteenth. A hearing needing more than one hour is generally set in person, an objection to appearing by Zoom has to be filed no later than fourteen days before the hearing, and a proposed order is due fourteen days after it, in .docx with a PDF cover letter and no fill-in blanks or section breaks. The courthouse has no room number, so a notice of hearing lists the location as the Circuit Courtroom and states the time in Central time. The circuit has no probate-specific administrative order. Probate practice is set instead by the judge assignment plan and by the circuit’s own attorney-certified probate checklists, and every proposed order must be e-filed as a PDF cover letter plus a Word order in the circuit’s placeholder-code format.
- Administrative orders of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit
- Fourteenth Judicial Circuit judges directory
- The clerk’s probate office for Washington County
- Local probate forms and checklists
You do not have to learn any of this yourself. Part of what a flat fee covers is an attorney who already files under these rules, so nothing bounces back for a missing checklist.
Rather handle the filing yourself? Our Washington County Probate Court filing guide is the procedural version of this page, with the courthouse address, where the original will goes, which forms the county wants, the posted filing fee, and an eleven-step checklist for opening the estate.
Handling a Chipley estate?
A free 30-minute consult tells you which kind of probate applies and what it will cost.
Book your free consultFrequently Asked Questions
How do I choose a probate lawyer in Chipley?
Ask the same four questions everywhere in Florida. Is the fee flat or the statutory percentage, in writing? Does the lawyer litigate if a will contest or objection erupts mid-case? Can the whole case be handled without you coming to Florida, since Florida probate e-files statewide? And does the estate, not you personally, pay the fee? We answer flat, yes, yes, and yes for Chipley and Washington County families.
Where is probate filed in Washington County?
Probate is filed with the Washington County Clerk of Court and Comptroller, in the 14th Judicial Circuit, where the decedent was domiciled. Attorneys e-file through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, so you don't have to appear in person. We handle Washington County estates wherever you are.
How long will it take?
Formal administration in any Florida county usually runs 6 to 12 months because the 3-month creditor-claim window (§733.702) must pass. Summary administration is faster, often a few weeks to about two months.
Do I need a local attorney if I live out of state?
You need a Florida attorney for most formal administrations (Fla. Prob. R. 5.030), but you don't need to be local. We represent personal representatives across Chipley and Washington County by phone, video, and e-signature.
Sources
- Fla. Stat. ch. 733 to 735 (administration); §733.304 (nonresident PR); §733.702 (creditor claims); Fla. Prob. R. 5.030 (attorney required). Filing via the Washington County Clerk of Court and Comptroller (14th Judicial Circuit) and the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. (retrieved 2026-06-07)
Updated August 12, 2026. Reviewed by Kevin D. Klagge, Esq., Fla. Bar No. 99502. Attorney Kevin Klagge represents families, businesses, and international clients in estate and tax planning, business structuring, and international law, with a focus on Florida legal tools. He litigates estate and business issues in court. General information about Florida law, not legal advice. We serve Chipley and Washington County residents from Miami; this is not a Chipley office.