Palm Beach County Probate Records

When a person dies with titled assets in Palm Beach County, Florida, their next of kin or personal representative can file a petition in the local probate court to enable the settlement of the deceased person's debts and the transfer or distribution of their assets to the appropriate parties. This process is referred to as "probate," and the records created, collated, or maintained consequently are the "probate records".

Probate records encompass all documentary materials preserved in relation to an open or closed probate case. Like Palm Beach County court records, these records encompass a range of documents, including dockets, inventories, wills, petitions, bonds, renunciations, calendars, and judgments. They assist members of the public in genealogical research, confirming a will's validity, settling estate disputes, and determining the beneficiaries of estates.

Are Probate Records Public?

Yes. As stated in Rule 2.420 of the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration, probate records are open to the public in Palm Beach County. For this reason, any interested member of the public can ask to view or duplicate a probate record, or they can access an available remote database to search for, view, or request copies of case documents. However, some exemptions protect sensitive or confidential information from being released publicly.

Different confidential records are mentioned in Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin 2.420 and 2.425, such as estate inventories and accountings, guardianship reports, medical records, sensitive personally identifiable data (like a Social Security number), and financial information.

What is Probate Court in Palm Beach County?

Many probate proceedings in Palm Beach County, Florida, begin with will execution, that is, filing a will in court for authentication, which then allows for a person's estate to be distributed according to their wishes. However, these actions can also be intestate (where a decedent left no will). The court that oversees these cases is the Palm Beach County Circuit Court (Florida's 15th Judicial Circuit). This circuit court hears matters at the following locations.

Judge Daniel T. K. Hurley Courthouse (Main Courthouse)
205 North Dixie Highway
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Phone: (561) 355-2996

South County Courthouse
200 West Atlantic Avenue
Delray Beach, FL 33444

North County Courthouse
3188 PGA Boulevard
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

Apart from estate administration matters, the Palm Beach County Circuit Court also handles conservatorships and curatorships, guardianships, trusts, and involuntary commitments.

Probate Court Case Lookup

Members of the public have several avenues for looking up a probate case in Palm Beach County:

• Search Court Records Online: The Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller's Office provides an eCaseView portal for researching probate cases. Both guests and registered users can access this portal, and searches can be performed with a decedent's name or case number. However, guest access only allows for the viewing of case information and the documents filed on the court docket. Document images cannot be viewed online unless by registered users or attorneys of record.
• Send a Mail-in Application or Visit the Courthouse: Individuals can stop by any of the Clerk's office locations to obtain probate case information or documents. They can also send in a written request specifying the decedent's name, case number, and title of the relevant document to the following address:

Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Palm Beach County
Attention: Probate Division
P.O. Box 4667
West Palm Beach, FL 33402

Copy fees are applicable for mail and in-person requests. The Clerk charges $1 per page for photocopies, $2 per document for certified copies, and $7 per document for exemplified copies.

Note: For mail orders, a check or money order for the proper fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope should be enclosed. Payments can also be made via an escrow account.

For probate record inquiries, the Circuit Court Clerk can be emailed at probategaclerkweb@mypalmbeachclerk.com or reached at (561) 355-2986.

How to Find Probate Records Online Free

Accessing the Palm Beach Circuit Clerk's eCaseView portal (see FAQs) for a probate record search is entirely free, and users are also not charged for the search results. However, document copies have respective fees, regardless of the medium used to request them (online, in-person, by mail, etc.). The Clerk lists these costs on the Copies & Records Research Fees web page.

In addition, several third-party aggregator websites offer public record search services to interested persons. One benefit of utilizing these websites is that users can look up probate records in other jurisdictions, not strictly Palm Beach County. However, one may need to subscribe or pay for the search results.

How Long Does Probate Take in Florida?

The length of time until a probate case is closed in Florida varies. Usually, the more complex an estate is, the longer it takes to discharge. The case timeline is also influenced by other innate factors, such as statutory deadlines, tax issues, creditor or other disputes, beneficiary location challenges, and court backlogs. The Florida Bar estimates that a simple (less complex) estate may take around five or six months to final distribution (i.e., when all debts are settled and assets shared).

Are Wills Public Record?

Yes. Wills that have been probated in Palm Beach County are accessible to any member of the public. Therefore, individuals can visit any of the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller's office locations to view or copy a will. They can also send in a written request by mail for the documents.

How to Find Out If Someone Has a Will

To find out if a Palm Beach County resident wrote a will, a person can search probate court records at the county's Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller's office. An in-person or mail-in request can be made for such records.

However, it should be noted that a living person's will is a private document that is only accessible to the parties they authorize, which usually includes their legal representative or a trusted family member. Further, wills deposited at the clerk's office (per F.S. 732.901) are not public information until they have gone through the probate process.

Palm Beach County Family Court Case Search

Members of the public can find family court cases filed in Palm Beach County by searching the Circuit Clerk's eCaseView portal with a name or case number (see cases not accessible on eCaseView). Requesters can also submit in-person or mail-in requests for family case information or documents to the Clerk's office. However, they will be liable for any costs associated with their orders.

Although the Florida Court Rules provide public access to family court records, sealed or nonpublic family court records are only accessible to authorized parties—typically the case parties, their attorneys, and any entity possessing a court order. Confidential family court records include adoption records, mediation reports, psychological evaluations, drug test results, minors' identifying information, and child custody evaluation reports.