Clerk of the Circuit Court
Carolyn Timmann
The clerk site also styles the name Carolyn (Barton) Timmann. She was first sworn in on January 8, 2013, and the biography says she is serving a fourth term.
Official sourceStaff review draft · Not indexed
Florida Probate Guide · Nineteenth Judicial Circuit
Martin County Probate Court Guide2026 EDITION
Martin County probate is filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Stuart. Amended Administrative Order 2026-03, effective January 12, 2026, assigns all Martin probate to Judge Sherwood Bauer.
Court details last reviewed October 29, 2026
Court information
Where is probate filed in Martin 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 sourceMartin County Courthouse
- Address
- 100 SE Ocean Boulevard, Stuart, FL 34994
- Public counter hours
- Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
- Probate contact
- 772-288-5539
Current assignments
Who handles probate matters in Martin County?
Judicial assignments and staff contacts can change. These names were checked against official court sources on October 29, 2026.
Circuit Judge
Hon. Sherwood Bauer Jr.
The assignment order gives him all Martin probate and guardianship, effective January 12, 2026. The order prints Sherwood Bauer. The circuit probate page prints Sherwood Bauer Jr. It does not name a judicial assistant.
Official sourceLocal procedure
What local probate rules apply?
The clerk says a will must be deposited within 10 days after the custodian learns of the death, with the date of death or the Social Security number. Indexing a will is $1. Disposition of personal property without administration follows Florida Statutes § 735.301, cannot be used when real property is involved, and has a $231 filing fee. The clerk says staff at the Probate Division will help complete that petition and present it to the judge. The Hobe Sound branch is temporarily closed for renovations. Mail may go to P.O. Box 9016, Stuart, FL 34995-9016. The circuit probate page’s summary description is shorter than § 735.201. Use the statute. 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 Martin address is probatemc@circuit19.org.
Proposed-order checklist
- 1E-file the petition through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.
- 2Deposit an original will within 10 days after learning of the death. The clerk lists a $1 indexing fee.
- 3Email the proposed order in Microsoft Word to probatemc@circuit19.org only after the case is open.
Are probate hearings remote?
Proposed orders for a Martin probate go by email to probatemc@circuit19.org, in Word, after the case is open. For disposition without administration, the clerk says to come to the Probate Division. No separate Martin hearing-format sheet was verified.
Can Lauren handle the case remotely?
An uncontested Martin estate can often be e-filed without a trip to Stuart. The clerk still tells people using disposition without administration to come to the Probate Division. Hearing format was not verified.
Process overview
How does a Martin 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 Martin 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 Martin Clerk’s posted probate lines. Guardianship and audit lines on the same table are not listed. The summary lines are “less than $1,000” and “$1,000 or more.” Confirm the total before filing.
Clerk servicePosted fee
Formal, ancillary, curatorship, or conservatorship$400
Trust$400
Summary administration — less than $1,000$235
Summary administration — $1,000 or more$345
Caveat or notice of trust$41
Disposition of personal property without administration$231
Petition to admit a foreign will$231
Reopen$50
Indexing a will$1
Straight answers
Martin County probate FAQ
Where do I file probate in Martin County?
The probate phone is 772-288-5539. The Stuart office is the Martin County Courthouse, 100 SE Ocean Boulevard, Stuart, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The main office line is 772-288-5576. The Hobe Sound branch is temporarily closed for renovations. Mail may go to P.O. Box 9016, Stuart, FL 34995-9016.
Who is the Martin County probate judge?
Amended Administrative Order 2026-03, effective January 12, 2026, assigns all Martin probate and guardianship to Hon. Sherwood Bauer. The circuit probate page prints Sherwood Bauer Jr. The order does not name a judicial assistant.
What estates qualify for Florida Summary Administration in Martin 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 Martin 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
- Martin Clerk — Probate and guardianship
- Martin Clerk — Probate, guardianship, and trust fees
- Martin Clerk — Meet the Clerk
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.