Estate Planning & Administration in Fort Lauderdale
By Find Local Law Editorial Team · Last reviewed: May 26, 2026
Researched and drafted with AI assistance and verified against primary sources (statutes, Judicial Council forms, and official court websites). This is general information, not legal advice.
Estate planning in Fort Lauderdale is mostly transactional: wills, trusts, and powers of attorney are drafted and signed without going to court. Those documents matter later — if an estate must be administered, probate is heard in the Circuit Court of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit in and for Broward County, Probate Division. Sound planning can reduce or simplify what eventually passes through that court.
The local court decides where your case is heard; the substantive law lives in our statewide guides. Start with the Florida estate planning hub, then read about wills, living trusts, or powers of attorney.
A plan that fits your family is worth getting right the first time. To get matched with a local Fort Lauderdale estate-planning attorney, connect with a lawyer.
Local court (if probate is needed)
Court: Estate planning in Fort Lauderdale is mostly transactional — wills, trusts, and powers of attorney are prepared without going to court — but if probate is later needed, it is heard in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court for Broward County, Probate Division.
Drafting a will, trust, or power of attorney does not require a court. Those documents matter later: if an estate has to be administered, probate is handled in the Circuit Court of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit in and for Broward County, Probate Division. Verify the court's current location, hours, and filing procedures on its official website before you file anything related to an estate.
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Start your free intakeFrequently asked questions
- Do I need to go to court to make a will in Fort Lauderdale?
- No. Estate planning — wills, trusts, and powers of attorney — is transactional and prepared without a court. A court only becomes involved later, if the estate must be probated.
- Where is probate handled for a Fort Lauderdale estate?
- In the Circuit Court of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit in and for Broward County, Probate Division. Good planning can reduce or simplify what eventually goes through that court.