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Probate Litigation

Top-Ranked Probate Litigation Lawyers in Altamonte Springs, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.210 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked probate litigation lawyers in Altamonte Springs, Florida are Steven Lawrence Barcus (LexRank 80.00), Donald George Morrison (78.60) and Richard Allan Heller (75.00).

This ranking lists 10 probate litigation 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 11 to 54 years in practice. 1 of the 10 lists Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
10
Fully verified
10 of 10

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Steven Lawrence Barcus

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

    Verified
    • 41 years experience
    • Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 80.00: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Experience (30/30).

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 16.1)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.0)
  2. No change

    Donald George Morrison

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

    Verified
    • 42 years experience
    • Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 78.60: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Experience (30/30). 1.40 points behind #1, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 16.1)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.0)

    1.40 points behind #1 (Steven Lawrence Barcus): Data quality −1.4.

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

  3. No change

    Richard Allan Heller

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

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

    Ranks #3 with 75.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10). 3.60 points behind #2, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.0)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    3.60 points behind #2 (Donald George Morrison): Practice-area relevance −5.

  4. No change

    Jennifer Lynn Elkins

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

    Verified
    • 24 years experience
    • Guardianship · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 73.80: strongest in Experience (28.8/30) and Data quality (10/10). 1.20 points behind #3, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 26.0)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    1.20 points behind #3 (Richard Allan Heller): Experience −1.2.

  5. No change

    Diana Passalacqua

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

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

    Ranks #5 with 72.40: strongest in Experience (28.8/30) and Professional credentials (15/15). 1.40 points behind #4, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 26.0)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    1.40 points behind #4 (Jennifer Lynn Elkins): Data quality −1.4.

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

  6. No change

    Meredith Pitts Smith

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

    Verified
    • 22 years experience
    • Guardianship · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 71.40: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Experience (26.4/30). 1.00 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Experience 26.4/30 (ranking avg 26.0)

    1.00 points behind #5 (Diana Passalacqua): Experience −2.4.

  7. No change

    Joseph Dayton Foley Jr.

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

    Verified
    • 54 years experience
    • Bankruptcy · Guardianship
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 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 #6, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 26.0)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Practice-area relevance 12.5/20 (ranking avg 16.1)

    0.30 points behind #6 (Meredith Pitts Smith): Practice-area relevance −2.5, Data quality −1.4.

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

  8. No change

    Stephanie Sauer Woods

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

    Verified
    • 21 years experience
    • Guardianship · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 68.80: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5). 2.30 points behind #7, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    2.30 points behind #7 (Joseph Dayton Foley Jr.): Experience −4.8.

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

  9. No change

    Zane Matthew Thompson

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

    Verified
    • 11 years experience
    • Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 63.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (13.2/30). 5.60 points behind #8, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 16.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Experience 13.2/30 (ranking avg 26.0)

    5.60 points behind #8 (Stephanie Sauer Woods): Experience −12.

  10. No change

    Karen Kay Estry

    Independent practice · Altamonte Springs, FL

    Verified
    • 15 years experience
    • Consumer Protection · Guardianship
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 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). 1.87 points behind #9, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 26.0)
    • Practice-area relevance 13.3/20 (ranking avg 16.1)

    1.87 points behind #9 (Zane Matthew Thompson): Practice-area relevance −6.7.

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 · 10 profile pages100 facts for 10 lawyers

Probate Litigation market in Altamonte Springs

LexRanked tracks 10 lawyers in probate litigation law in Altamonte Springs, Florida. 10 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
10
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
10 of 10
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
24 years10 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 10 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 11 to 54 (median 24)
Languages besides English Other (1), Spanish (1)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Florida State University College of Law (2 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Altamonte Springs office address and probate litigation as a practice area on record. It compares 10 probate litigation lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. The Florida Bar does not board-certify lawyers in probate litigation, 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

Florida probate disputes run on short deadlines: an objection to a will is due 3 months after the notice of administration is served, creditor claims are generally due 3 months after the first notice to creditors, and most claims end 2 years after death.

Rule What it means
Will contest deadline An objection to a will's validity must be filed within 3 months after the notice of administration is served (Fla. Stat. § 733.212)
Undue influence A will, or any part of it, procured by fraud, duress, mistake or undue influence is void (§ 732.5165)
Burden of proof The will's proponent proves its execution; the contestant then proves the grounds, and a presumption of undue influence shifts the burden where it applies (§ 733.107)
Creditor claims Claims are due by the later of 3 months after first publication of the notice to creditors or 30 days after service on a creditor (§ 733.702)
Two-year bar Most claims against a decedent end 2 years after death (§ 733.710)
Trust contests A contest of a revocable trust is barred 6 months after the trustee sends the trust and the required notice, if that is earlier (§ 736.0604)
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

How long do I have to contest a will in Florida?

An interested person served with the notice of administration must file an objection within 3 months after service, under section 733.212. The period can be extended only for a misstatement by the personal representative about the deadline.

On what grounds can a will be challenged?

A will, or any part of it, is void if procured by fraud, duress, mistake or undue influence (section 732.5165). A will is also open to challenge if the person who made it was not of sound mind (section 732.501).

How long do creditors have to file a claim against an estate?

By the later of 3 months after the first publication of the notice to creditors or 30 days after a creditor is served (section 733.702). Most claims are barred 2 years after death in any case (section 733.710).

How long do I have to contest a trust in Florida?

For a trust that was revocable at death, the earlier of the general limitations period or 6 months after the trustee sends you the trust and the notice the statute requires (section 736.0604).

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 probate litigation lawyers in Altamonte Springs?

Yes. 1 of the 10 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?

10 of the 10 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Steven Lawrence Barcus, Donald George Morrison, Richard Allan Heller, Jennifer Lynn Elkins and Diana Passalacqua and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Steven Lawrence Barcus scores 80.00 and Donald George Morrison 78.60, 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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