Boca Raton Probate Lawyers for Contested Estates and Will Disputes

When a Boca Raton family loses a loved one, the probate process is supposed to move an estate through the court in an orderly way. In reality, disagreements over the validity of a will, the conduct of a personal representative, or the division of property can turn an ordinary probate into a contested estate. Our practice is built around exactly those moments: when beneficiaries, heirs, and fiduciaries cannot agree and the dispute must be resolved under Florida law.

Where Probate Disputes Begin in Palm Beach County

Most contested estates in the Boca Raton area start with a single question that escalates. A child discovers a will signed weeks before death that favors a new caregiver. Siblings disagree about whether a parent had capacity. A surviving spouse learns the estate plan tried to disinherit her despite Florida’s elective share protections. Each of these situations is governed by the Florida Probate Code, Chapters 731 through 735 of the Florida Statutes, and each can be litigated in the Palm Beach County probate division.

What Makes Florida Probate Unique

Florida law contains protections that frequently become the center of a fight. Homestead property is shielded by Article X, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution and passes outside the ordinary estate, which often surprises out-of-state heirs. The elective share under Section 732.2065 and the statutes that follow guarantees a surviving spouse a percentage of the elective estate, regardless of what a will says. And because Florida has no state estate tax or inheritance tax, disputes here tend to focus on validity, fiduciary conduct, and asset division rather than tax planning.

How We Approach Contested Estates

We represent beneficiaries who believe a will does not reflect the true wishes of the deceased, personal representatives defending their administration, and family members caught in disputes over homestead, trusts, and lifetime transfers. Our work covers will contests based on undue influence, fraud, and lack of testamentary capacity, as well as challenges to Lady Bird (enhanced life estate) deeds and revocable trusts created under Chapter 736. Whether an estate proceeds through formal administration, summary administration, or ancillary probate, we focus on the contested issues that determine who ultimately inherits.

Areas We Handle

This site explains the core paths a Boca Raton estate can take: formal administration for larger or more complex estates, summary administration for smaller ones, ancillary probate when out-of-state property or heirs are involved, the duties of a personal representative or executor, and full probate litigation when a will or fiduciary is challenged. Each page is written with the realities of a disputed estate in mind.

Talk With a Florida Probate Attorney

This page is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Florida probate deadlines and procedures are strict, and the right strategy depends on the specific facts of your family’s situation. If you are facing a contested estate or anticipate a will dispute in the Boca Raton area, consult a licensed Florida probate attorney promptly so your rights are protected within the statutory timelines.

For more on our Florida practice, see our overview of Florida probate administration. Morgan Legal Group's affiliated New York office also handles New York elder law.