Clerk of the Circuit Court
Jerald D. Bryant
The clerk site says Jerald D. “Jerry” Bryant was elected to begin serving on January 1, 2021.
Official sourceStaff review draft · Not indexed
Florida Probate Guide · Nineteenth Judicial Circuit
Okeechobee County Probate Court Guide2026 EDITION
Okeechobee County probate is filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Amended Administrative Order 2026-03, effective January 12, 2026, assigns all Okeechobee probate to Judge Laurie Buchanan.
Court details last reviewed October 29, 2026
Court information
Where is probate filed in Okeechobee County?
Probate filings go through the county Clerk of Court and are assigned within the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit. Check the Clerk’s current instructions before mailing documents or visiting in person.
Check the official court sourceOkeechobee County Courthouse
- Address
- 312 NW 3rd Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972
- Public counter hours
- Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
- Probate contact
- 863-763-2131
Current assignments
Who handles probate matters in Okeechobee County?
Judicial assignments and staff contacts can change. These names were checked against official court sources on October 29, 2026.
Circuit Judge
Hon. Laurie E. Buchanan
The assignment order gives her all Okeechobee probate and guardianship, effective January 12, 2026. The order prints Laurie Buchanan. County Judge William Wallace is assigned to assist with probate, not to replace her. The order does not name a judicial assistant.
Official sourceLocal procedure
What local probate rules apply?
No separate Okeechobee probate-procedure page was found, so this guide does not restate a local estate-value test. Use Florida Statutes § 735.201. The clerk’s fee schedule is used below. Its formal line is labeled “Formal administration, guardianship, etc.” Original wills, codicils, and death certificates are filed in paper under the circuit’s probate instructions. After the case is open, the circuit asks that proposed orders go by email in Microsoft Word, with a copy of the filed pleading, the completed opening or closing checklist, and a description of the requested action. The subject line should include the case number, the estate name, and the document type. The circuit says it will not forward ex parte communications to the judge. The Okeechobee address is probate@circuit19.org.
Proposed-order checklist
- 1E-file the petition through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.
- 2File the original will, any codicil, and the original death certificate in paper.
- 3Email the proposed order in Microsoft Word to probate@circuit19.org only after the case is open.
Are probate hearings remote?
Proposed orders for an Okeechobee probate go by email to probate@circuit19.org, in Word, after the case is open. No Okeechobee hearing-format sheet was verified, so this guide does not describe how to set a hearing.
Can Lauren handle the case remotely?
An uncontested Okeechobee estate can often be e-filed without a trip to the courthouse. The original will and death certificate are still paper filings. Hearing format was not verified.
Process overview
How does a Okeechobee County probate move forward?
The exact path depends on the estate and the court’s orders. This overview shows the common sequence for a matter filed in the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit; it is not a filing checklist or a promise of timing.
- 01
Open the estate
File the petition, original will when applicable, death certificate, and required supporting documents.
- 02
Court review
The Clerk processes the filing and the assigned division reviews petitions, checklists, and proposed orders.
- 03
Administer assets
Address notices, creditors, inventory, taxes, property, and distributions required for the selected process.
- 04
Distribute and close
After court requirements are met, distribute the remaining assets and complete the steps needed to close.
2026Threshold
Florida Summary Administration may be available when the estate subject to administration, less exempt property, does not exceed $150,000 or the decedent has been dead for more than two years, subject to the other requirements of Florida Statute § 735.201.
Court costs
What does probate cost in Okeechobee County?
Court filing fees are separate from attorney fees. Lauren reviews the estate before confirming the legal scope and whether flat-fee representation is available.
These are the Okeechobee Clerk’s posted probate lines. The formal line on the schedule reads “Formal administration, guardianship, etc.” Guardianship-only lines are not listed. Confirm the total before filing.
Clerk servicePosted fee
Formal administration, guardianship, and related proceedings$400
Summary administration — less than $1,000$235
Summary administration — $1,000 or more$345
Opening any estate$231
Caveat$41
Notice of trust$41
Disposition of personal property without administration$231
Petition and order to admit a foreign will$231
Indexing a will filed for record only$1
Reopen$50
Straight answers
Okeechobee County probate FAQ
Where do I file probate in Okeechobee County?
The clerk lists the office at 312 NW 3rd Street, Okeechobee, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The phone is 863-763-2131. Confirm that those office hours are the probate counter.
Who is the Okeechobee County probate judge?
Amended Administrative Order 2026-03, effective January 12, 2026, assigns all Okeechobee probate and guardianship to Hon. Laurie Buchanan. The circuit probate page prints Laurie E. Buchanan. County Judge William Wallace assists with probate. The order does not name a judicial assistant.
What estates qualify for Florida Summary Administration in Okeechobee County?
Under Florida Statutes § 735.201, summary administration is available when the decedent has been dead for more than two years, or when the value of the estate subject to administration in Florida, less the value of property exempt from the claims of creditors, does not exceed $150,000.
Clear next steps after a difficult loss.
Call for a free 15-minute consultation about a Okeechobee County probate. Lauren Richardson Law serves families throughout Florida, including people managing an estate from another state.
Verification record
Official sources
Last checked October 29, 2026
- Florida Statutes § 735.201 — Summary administration
- Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
- Florida Statutes § 28.2401 — Service charges and filing fees in probate matters
- Amended Administrative Order 2026-03 — Judicial assignments for 2026, effective January 12, 2026
- Nineteenth Circuit — Probate and guardianship division
- Okeechobee Clerk — Fee schedule, probate section
- Okeechobee Clerk — Meet the Clerk
- Okeechobee Clerk — Office hours and address
This guide provides general information, not legal advice. Court assignments, procedures, fees, and hearing formats can change. Confirm current requirements with the Clerk and assigned division before acting.