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Guardianship

Top-Ranked Guardianship Lawyers in Altamonte Springs, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.26 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked guardianship lawyers in Altamonte Springs, Florida are Jennifer Lynn Elkins (LexRank 73.80), Diana Passalacqua (72.40) and Meredith Pitts Smith (71.40).

This ranking lists 6 guardianship lawyers in Altamonte Springs, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 15 to 54 years in practice. 1 of the 6 lists Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
6
Fully verified
6 of 6

The ranking

Ordered by organic LexRank score; paid placements are labelled and never affect a position. How we rank

  1. No change

    Jennifer Lynn Elkins

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

    Verified
    • 24 years experience
    • Guardianship · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 73.80: strongest in Experience (28.8/30) and Data quality (10/10).

    Strongest

    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 26.2)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.3)
  2. No change

    Diana Passalacqua

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

    Verified
    • 24 years experience
    • Guardianship · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 72.40: strongest in Experience (28.8/30) and Practice-area relevance (15/20). 1.40 points behind #1, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 26.2)
    • Practice-area relevance 15/20 (ranking avg 14.3)

    1.40 points behind #1 (Jennifer Lynn Elkins): Data quality −1.4.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  3. No change

    Meredith Pitts Smith

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

    Verified
    • 22 years experience
    • Guardianship · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 71.40: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Practice-area relevance (15/20). 1.00 points behind #2, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.3)
    • Practice-area relevance 15/20 (ranking avg 14.3)

    1.00 points behind #2 (Diana Passalacqua): Experience −2.4.

  4. No change

    Joseph Dayton Foley Jr.

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

    Verified
    • 54 years experience
    • Bankruptcy · Guardianship
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 71.10: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Practice-area relevance (12.5/20). 0.30 points behind #3, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.2)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Practice-area relevance 12.5/20 (ranking avg 14.3)

    0.30 points behind #3 (Meredith Pitts Smith): Practice-area relevance −2.5, Data quality −1.4.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  5. No change

    Stephanie Sauer Woods

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

    Verified
    • 21 years experience
    • Guardianship · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 68.80: strongest in Practice-area relevance (15/20) and Professional credentials (15/15). 2.30 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 15/20 (ranking avg 14.3)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    2.30 points behind #4 (Joseph Dayton Foley Jr.): Experience −4.8.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  6. No change

    Karen Kay Estry

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Consumer Protection · Guardianship
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 61.33: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (18/30) and Practice-area relevance (13.3/20). 7.47 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.3)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 26.2)
    • Practice-area relevance 13.3/20 (ranking avg 14.3)

    7.47 points behind #5 (Stephanie Sauer Woods): Experience −7.2, Practice-area relevance −1.7.

Data sources behind the scores

Every score on this page is calculated from facts backed by these sources. Each profile shows which source supports which fact and when it was last checked.

  • floridabar.org · Official / regulatory · 6 profile pages60 facts for 6 lawyers

Guardianship market in Altamonte Springs

LexRanked tracks 6 lawyers in guardianship law in Altamonte Springs, Florida. 6 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
6
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
6 of 6
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
23 years6 lawyers

Calculated by LexRanked from its own records on ; data verified . Ratings and review counts count only when backed by a source; figures from fewer than three profiles are withheld. All lawyers in Altamonte Springs

What sets these Altamonte Springs lawyers apart

Every lawyer in this ranking has a The Florida Bar license verified as eligible to practice, and every fact shown links to its source. The figures below come from each lawyer's Florida Bar profile.

Fact about the 6 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 15 to 54 (median 23)
Languages besides English Spanish (1)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Altamonte Springs office address and guardianship as a practice area on record. It compares 6 guardianship lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. The Florida Bar does not board-certify lawyers in guardianship, so the practice area is the one each lawyer lists on their Florida Bar profile, which The Florida Bar does not review. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

A Florida guardianship starts with a verified petition to determine incapacity, and the court-appointed guardian must report to the court within 60 days and file a plan every year; the ward keeps rights such as yearly review and restoration as soon as possible.

Rule What it means
Petition Any adult may file a verified petition to determine that a person is incapacitated (Fla. Stat. § 744.3201)
Who may serve A Florida resident 18 or older; a nonresident only if related to the ward as the statute lists (§ 744.309)
Disqualification A person convicted of a felony may not serve as guardian (§ 744.309(3))
Initial report The guardian files an inventory or initial plan within 60 days after letters of guardianship are signed (§ 744.362)
Annual plan A guardian of the person files an annual guardianship plan within 90 days after the anniversary month (§ 744.367)
Rights kept The ward keeps rights including an annual review, continuing review of restrictions and restoration to capacity at the earliest possible time (§ 744.3215)
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Seminole County is in Florida's Eighteenth Judicial Circuit

How to choose among these lawyers

Confirm the license, ask who will handle your matter, and get the fee terms in writing before you sign.

  1. Look up the lawyer in The Florida Bar's directory and check the bar number shown on their LexRanked profile.
  2. Ask whether the lawyer you meet will handle your matter personally, and how many matters like yours they have handled recently.
  3. Ask how they charge and what costs are extra, and get the agreement in writing.
  4. If you prefer to work in another language, check the languages listed on each profile.

Further reading

Sources for the rules above

Frequently asked questions

Who can file for guardianship in Florida?

Any adult may file a verified petition to determine that a person is incapacitated, under section 744.3201. The court then decides on capacity and on who should serve as guardian.

Can someone outside Florida be a guardian?

Only if related to the ward in a way section 744.309 lists, such as by blood or adoption, or the spouse of such a relative. Florida residents 18 or older may serve unless disqualified.

Who cannot be a guardian in Florida?

A person convicted of a felony, or one who cannot carry out the duties because of incapacity or illness or is otherwise unsuitable (section 744.309(3)).

What reports must a Florida guardian file?

An initial report within 60 days after letters are signed (section 744.362) and, for a guardian of the person, an annual guardianship plan within 90 days after the anniversary month (section 744.367).

What rights does a person under guardianship keep?

Among others, an annual review of the guardianship report and plan, continuing review of any restriction of rights and restoration to capacity at the earliest possible time (section 744.3215).

Which court handles cases in Altamonte Springs?

State court cases in Seminole County are heard in Florida's Eighteenth Judicial Circuit.

Are there Spanish-speaking guardianship lawyers in Altamonte Springs?

Yes. 1 of the 6 ranked lawyers lists Spanish on their Florida Bar profile. Each LexRanked profile shows the languages on record.

How is this ranking ordered?

By the LexRank score, calculated only from facts with a cited source: experience, practice-area relevance, awards on record such as board certification, professional credentials, data quality and location. Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Payment never changes a position.

Do client reviews affect the LexRank score?

Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Reviews are shown on profiles for information only, and Reputation counts only awards on record, such as board certification. How we rank

Which lawyers are verified?

6 of the 6 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Jennifer Lynn Elkins, Diana Passalacqua, Meredith Pitts Smith, Joseph Dayton Foley Jr. and Stephanie Sauer Woods and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Jennifer Lynn Elkins scores 73.80 and Diana Passalacqua 72.40, a gap of 1.40 points, mostly in data quality. Compare them side by side

About this ranking

Last updated
Methodology
LexRank v1.2 - deterministic, reproducible scoring
Editorial review
LexRanked editorial team,
Independence
Positions are never sold. Paid placements, if any, are labelled and do not affect scores.

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