Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
Kelvin Soto, Esq.
Probate, guardianship, and mental health are reached at 407-742-3500, option 7. The Poinciana branch is not listed as the probate counter.
Official sourceStaff review draft · Not indexed
Florida Probate Guide · Ninth Judicial Circuit
Osceola County Probate Court Guide2026 EDITION
Osceola County probate is filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the Judge Jon B. Morgan Courthouse in Kissimmee. The Ninth Circuit directory lists two probate judges at the Thomas S. Kirk Justice Center. Their 2026 procedure sheets still show an Orlando address, so that conflict has to be confirmed before anyone relies on a chambers address.
Court details last reviewed October 29, 2026
Court information
Where is probate filed in Osceola County?
Probate filings go through the county Clerk of Court and are assigned within the Ninth Judicial Circuit. Check the Clerk’s current instructions before mailing documents or visiting in person.
Check the official court sourceJudge Jon B. Morgan Courthouse
- Address
- 2 Courthouse Square, Kissimmee, FL 347412nd Floor
- Public counter hours
- Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
- Probate contact
- 407-742-3500
Current assignments
Who handles probate matters in Osceola County?
Judicial assignments and staff contacts can change. These names were checked against official court sources on October 29, 2026.
Circuit Judge
Hon. Heather L. Higbee
The judge directory lists her at the Thomas S. Kirk Justice Center, Courtroom 1, Division 5, subdivision 02, for probate, guardianship, and mental health. Judicial assistant Julie Salcedo, 407-836-9580. Her March 24, 2026 procedure sheet is titled Division 2 and lists 2000 E. Michigan Street, Orlando, and 2Orange@ninthcircuit.org. Confirm which address applies to an Osceola case.
Official sourceCircuit Judge
Hon. Greg A. Tynan
The judge directory lists him at the Thomas S. Kirk Justice Center, Courtroom 5, Division 5, subdivision 9, for probate, guardianship, and mental health. Judicial assistant Kisha Peel, 407-836-9486. His May 15, 2026 procedure sheet is titled Division 9 and lists the same Orlando street address and 9orange@ninthcircuit.org. Confirm which address applies to an Osceola case.
Official sourceLocal procedure
What local probate rules apply?
The clerk says attorneys e-file probate documents. Someone who cannot use the portal may bring the documents to the office with a hardship letter. The clerk does not require original documents except an original will, codicils, separate writings to the will, an oath of a witness to a will, proof of will, bonds, commissions, authenticated or exemplified copies, and a declaration naming a preneed guardian. A will must be deposited within ten days, with a death certificate if one is available. An attorney is not required just to deposit a will. The clerk’s summary-administration sentence uses the current $150,000 figure. Its disposition-without-administration section states more than one asset limit, so those figures are not repeated here.
Proposed-order checklist
- 1E-file through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. If that is not possible, the clerk asks for the documents plus a hardship letter.
- 2Deliver the original will and the other original documents the clerk still requires. Most other originals are not required.
- 3Do not send proposed orders to the Orlando address on the 2026 procedure sheets until staff confirms that address is the chambers for an Osceola case.
Are probate hearings remote?
Judge Higbee’s and Judge Tynan’s 2026 procedure sheets describe email to an Orange division address and a physical address in Orlando. The judge directory places both judges at the Thomas S. Kirk Justice Center. Those two sources disagree, so this draft does not repeat the hearing or proposed-order steps. Confirm the current sheet before noticing a hearing.
Can Lauren handle the case remotely?
An uncontested Osceola estate can often be e-filed without a trip to Kissimmee. The clerk still wants a hardship letter when someone cannot use the portal and is bringing papers in. Hearing format is not summarized here because the judges’ procedure sheets and the directory do not agree on the chambers address.
Process overview
How does a Osceola 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 Ninth 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 Osceola 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 figures combine the filing fees in Florida Statutes § 28.2401 with the additional $4 service charge that subsection (3) adds to formal, ancillary, and summary administration. A caveat is $40, and disposition without administration is $230. The Osceola Clerk probate page does not post those dollar amounts. It says the disposition filing fee is set by Florida statute. Confirm the total before filing.
Clerk servicePosted fee
Formal or ancillary administration$399
Summary administration — estate under $1,000$234
Summary administration — estate $1,000 or more$344
Caveat$40
Disposition without administration$230
Straight answers
Osceola County probate FAQ
Where do I file probate in Osceola County?
File with Clerk Kelvin Soto at the Judge Jon B. Morgan Courthouse, 2 Courthouse Square, 2nd Floor, Kissimmee. The clerk lists hours as Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The phone is 407-742-3500, and probate is option 7.
Who are the Osceola County probate judges?
The Ninth Circuit directory lists Hon. Heather L. Higbee and Hon. Greg A. Tynan at the Thomas S. Kirk Justice Center for probate, guardianship, and mental health. Their 2026 procedure sheets still list 2000 E. Michigan Street, Orlando. Confirm the chambers address before sending an order or a hearing packet. Judge Mark S. Blechman is the Orange County probate judge, not the Osceola assignment.
What estates qualify for Florida Summary Administration in Osceola 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. The Osceola Clerk page states the same dollar figure and the two-year alternative in shorter form.
Clear next steps after a difficult loss.
Call for a free 15-minute consultation about a Osceola 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
- Osceola Clerk — Probate
- Osceola Clerk — Locations
- Osceola Clerk — Contact and department listing
- Ninth Judicial Circuit — Judges
- Judge Heather L. Higbee procedures, last modified March 24, 2026
- Judge Greg A. Tynan procedures, last modified May 15, 2026
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.