Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
Tom Bexley
Named on the circuit clerk directory and on the clerk contact page archived October 16, 2026.
Official sourceStaff review draft · Not indexed
Florida Probate Guide · Seventh Judicial Circuit
Flagler County Probate Court Guide2026 EDITION
Flagler County probate is filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the Kim C. Hammond Justice Center in Bunnell. Judge Christopher A. France is the judge whose published division includes probate.
Court details last reviewed October 29, 2026
Court information
Where is probate filed in Flagler County?
Probate filings go through the county Clerk of Court and are assigned within the Seventh Judicial Circuit. Check the Clerk’s current instructions before mailing documents or visiting in person.
Check the official court sourceKim C. Hammond Justice Center
- Address
- 1769 E. Moody Blvd, Building 1, Bunnell, FL 32110Building 1
- Public counter hours
- Confirm before visiting. The circuit lists most facilities as 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday, excluding holidays. The archived clerk contact page did not list counter hours.
- Probate contact
- 386-313-4400
Current assignments
Who handles probate matters in Flagler County?
Judicial assignments and staff contacts can change. These names were checked against official court sources on October 29, 2026.
Circuit Judge
Hon. Christopher A. France
Bunnell. Divisions 47, Unified Family, and 51, Probate. Judicial assistant Jennifer Sirman, 386-313-4515. That number is the judge’s office, not the clerk counter.
Official sourceLocal procedure
What local probate rules apply?
File through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. The live clerk site was blocked on October 29, 2026, so the fee lines come from the October 16, 2026 archive of the filing-fees page. No Flagler proposed-order sheet was verified.
Proposed-order checklist
- 1E-file the petition and related filings through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.
- 2Deposit an original will with the clerk when the statute requires it. The archived fee table lists deposit of a will as no fee.
- 3Use the assigned judge’s current instructions for proposed orders. None were verified for Flagler.
Are probate hearings remote?
No circuit-wide proposed-order sheet was verified on the Seventh Circuit site. E-file the petition through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal and follow the assigned judge’s current instructions. Do not assume another circuit’s mail-only or Zoom rule applies here.
Can Lauren handle the case remotely?
An uncontested Flagler estate can often be prepared and e-filed without a trip to Bunnell. Hearing format depends on the assigned judge, and this circuit has not published a circuit-wide remote-hearing rule that this draft could verify.
Process overview
How does a Flagler 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 Seventh 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 Flagler 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 clerk’s posted probate totals, not a copy of another county’s table. Confirm the current total before filing. The statutory base in § 28.2401 is often $1 lower than a clerk’s posted line. The Flagler lines are from the clerk filing-fees page as archived October 16, 2026. The live site was blocked on October 29, 2026.
Clerk servicePosted fee
Formal administration$400
Summary administration — $1,000 or less$235
Summary administration — greater than $1,000$345
Caveat or notice of trust$41
Disposition of personal property without administration$231
Opening an estate of one document or more, not including letters or a summary order$231
Deposit of a willNo fee
Straight answers
Flagler County probate FAQ
Where do I file probate in Flagler County?
File with Clerk Tom Bexley at the Kim C. Hammond Justice Center, 1769 E. Moody Blvd, Building 1, Bunnell. The published phone is 386-313-4400. Confirm counter hours before visiting.
Who is the Flagler County probate judge?
The circuit directory lists Hon. Christopher A. France in Bunnell for Division 51, Probate, and Division 47, Unified Family. His judicial assistant is Jennifer Sirman at 386-313-4515.
What estates qualify for Florida Summary Administration in Flagler 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. A clerk page that still describes an older dollar figure is not the current test.
Clear next steps after a difficult loss.
Call for a free 15-minute consultation about a Flagler 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
- Seventh Judicial Circuit — Clerks of the Court
- Seventh Judicial Circuit — Judges overview
- Seventh Judicial Circuit — Courthouse hours and holidays
- Seventh Judicial Circuit — Flagler County
- Flagler Clerk contact page, archived October 16, 2026
- Flagler Clerk filing fees, archived October 16, 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.