The Miami-Dade Probate Division
Florida does not use a standalone probate court. In Miami-Dade, probate is the Probate Division of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. The Probate Division has jurisdiction over mental health, guardianship, estates, and trusts. Six circuit judges and two general magistrates are assigned to the division. Judges and support staff sit at the Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center.
The image below opens the official Probate Division page.
That page links calendars, judge assignments, and service information for probate matters.
Probate Division Location
Probate filings and hearings center on the downtown justice center. The contact card below lists the office that handles probate cases.
Probate Division, 11th Judicial Circuit
Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center
20 NW 1st Avenue
Miami, FL 33128
305-275-1155
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
What Probate Covers in Miami-Dade
The Probate Division handles more than wills. It covers formal and summary estate administration, trusts, guardianship of a person or property, mental health proceedings, and Marchman Act substance abuse cases. Estate files can include petitions, death certificates, wills, inventories, notices to creditors, orders appointing a personal representative, accountings, and discharge orders. Guardianship and mental health files often contain confidential medical and incapacity information. The division also coordinates with the Clerk on probate forms, some of which are mandatory for certain filings under an Eleventh Circuit administrative memorandum.
Probate Terms and Case Codes
Probate filings use specific terms and case codes. Knowing them helps you read a docket and run a search.
- Testator
- The person who made the will.
- Executor / Personal Representative
- The person named to manage and settle the estate.
- Intestate
- Dying without a valid will.
- Caveat
- A filing that alerts the court before estate administration proceeds.
- Guardian
- A person appointed to manage a ward's person or property.
- Case codes
- CP is Circuit Probate, GD is Guardianship, and MH is Mental Health. Each uses case location 02.
How to Search Miami-Dade Probate Cases
Probate cases live in the Clerk's Civil, Family and Probate Courts Online System. The search uses the same fields as other civil cases, with the probate case codes. The table shows what you need.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Year | Dropdown | Yes | 1950 through current year |
| Case Sequence | Text | Yes | Six digits |
| Case Code | Dropdown | Yes | CP, GD, or MH for probate matters |
| Case Location | Dropdown | Yes | 02 for CP, GD, and MH |
| Party Name | Text | Optional | Decedent or party search when public |
| State Case Number | Segmented | Optional | County ID 13, year, code, sequence, location |
To check a hearing calendar, the court needs a probate case number ending in CP-02, GD-02, or MH-02 because some cases are confidential. The calendar then returns the judge, hearing time, and courtroom number.
Small Estates, Wills on Deposit, and Caveats
The Clerk offers several probate services beyond full administration. A Small Estates Petition, also called Disposition of Personal Property without Administration, is used when formal administration is not needed and no real property is involved. The steps below outline the small estate path.
- Confirm the decedent was a Miami-Dade County resident at the time of death.
- Confirm assets are $6,000 or less and do not exceed the funeral bill.
- If assets exceed $6,000, stop and consult an attorney, since the small estate route does not apply.
- Gather a certified death certificate and the other supporting documents.
- File in person at the Probate Court Office, or by mail with a self-addressed stamped envelope.
The Clerk also accepts Wills on Deposit, which holds an original will with the court, and Caveats, which put the court on notice before administration begins.
Certified Copies and Fees
Certified copies for probate cases can be requested online, by mail, or in person. The Clerk's standard copy and certification fees apply. The table lists the common charges.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Recorded document copy | $1 per page |
| Certification | $2 |
| Records staff search | $2 per name per year |
| Official Records advanced search unit | $1 per unit |
For full request methods and the complete fee schedule, see the Miami-Dade Clerk of Court page.
Guardianship and Mental Health Confidentiality
Some probate files are not open to the public. Guardianship records can contain medical and incapacity material that is confidential. Mental health and Marchman Act proceedings hold clinical information protected by Florida law and court confidentiality rules. The court's confidential-calendar design reflects this, since users need an exact case number to view limited calendar data. The broader public-access framework is on the Miami-Dade public records page.