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Probate Litigation

Top-Ranked Probate Litigation Lawyers in Bradenton, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.211 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked probate litigation lawyers in Bradenton, Florida are Lori Maryl Dorman “LORI” (LexRank 80.00), Rodney Duane Gerling (78.80) and Doris Anne Bunnell (78.60).

This ranking lists 11 probate litigation lawyers in Bradenton, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 11 to 37 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
11
Fully verified
11 of 11

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Lori Maryl Dorman “LORI”

    Independent practice · Bradenton, FL

    Verified
    • 30 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); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 25.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.4)
  2. No change

    Rodney Duane Gerling

    Independent practice · Bradenton, FL

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

    Ranks #2 with 78.80: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Experience (28.8/30); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.20 points behind #1, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)
    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 25.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.4)

    1.20 points behind #1 (Lori Maryl Dorman “LORI”): Experience −1.2.

  3. No change

    Doris Anne Bunnell

    Independent practice · Bradenton, FL

    Verified
    • 37 years experience
    • Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 78.60: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (0/20). 0.20 points behind #2, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 25.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.4)

    0.20 points behind #2 (Rodney Duane Gerling): Data quality −1.4.

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

  4. No change

    Edwin Blake Melhuish

    Independent practice · Bradenton, FL

    Verified
    • 37 years experience
    • Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 78.60: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 25.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.4)

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

  5. No change

    Fred E Moore

    Independent practice · Bradenton, FL

    Verified
    • 26 years experience
    • Business · Eminent Domain
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 77.33: strongest in Reputation (4/20) and Experience (30/30); held back by Practice-area relevance (13.3/20). 1.27 points behind #4, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 0.4)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 25.8)

    Held back by

    • Practice-area relevance 13.3/20 (ranking avg 17.1)

    1.27 points behind #4 (Edwin Blake Melhuish): Practice-area relevance −6.7.

  6. No change

    James Emery Lynch

    Independent practice · Bradenton, FL

    Verified
    • 19 years experience
    • Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 72.80: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20). 4.53 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.4)

    4.53 points behind #5 (Fred E Moore): Experience −7.2, Reputation −4.

  7. No change

    Randolph L. Smith

    Independent practice · Bradenton, FL

    Verified
    • 22 years experience
    • Insurance · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 71.40: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Experience (26.4/30); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.40 points behind #6, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Experience 26.4/30 (ranking avg 25.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.4)

    1.40 points behind #6 (James Emery Lynch): Practice-area relevance −5.

  8. No change

    Robert Matthew Elliott

    Independent practice · Bradenton, FL

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

    Ranks #8 with 69.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (0/20). 2.40 points behind #7, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.4)

    2.40 points behind #7 (Randolph L. Smith): Experience −2.4.

  9. No change

    Derek Anthony DiPasquale

    Independent practice · Bradenton, FL

    Verified
    • 21 years experience
    • Consumer Protection · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 68.80: strongest in Local relevance (5/5) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (0/20). 0.20 points behind #8, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.4)

    0.20 points behind #8 (Robert Matthew Elliott): Data quality −1.4.

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

  10. No change

    Paul Christopher Grivas

    Independent practice · Bradenton, FL

    Verified
    • 19 years experience
    • Environmental · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 67.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (0/20). 1.00 points behind #9, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.4)

    1.00 points behind #9 (Derek Anthony DiPasquale): Experience −2.4.

  11. No change

    M. Brandon Robinson “Brandon”

    Independent practice · Bradenton, FL

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

    Ranks #11 with 58.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (13.2/30). 9.60 points behind #10, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.4)
    • Experience 13.2/30 (ranking avg 25.8)

    9.60 points behind #10 (Paul Christopher Grivas): Experience −9.6.

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 · 11 profile pages109 facts for 11 lawyers

Probate Litigation market in Bradenton

LexRanked tracks 11 lawyers in probate litigation law in Bradenton, Florida. 11 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
11
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
11 of 11
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
22 years11 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 Bradenton

What sets these Bradenton 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 11 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 11 to 37 (median 22)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Florida State University College of Law (3 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Bradenton office address and probate litigation as a practice area on record. It compares 11 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 Manatee County is in Florida's Twelfth 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.

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 Bradenton?

State court cases in Manatee County are heard in Florida's Twelfth Judicial Circuit.

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?

11 of the 11 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Lori Maryl Dorman “LORI”, Rodney Duane Gerling, Doris Anne Bunnell, Edwin Blake Melhuish and Fred E Moore and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Lori Maryl Dorman “LORI” scores 80.00 and Rodney Duane Gerling 78.80, a gap of 1.20 points, mostly in experience. 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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