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Probate Litigation

Top-Ranked Probate Litigation Lawyers in Lakeland, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.214 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked probate litigation lawyers in Lakeland, Florida are Benjamin Waldrop Hardin Jr. (LexRank 80.00), Sandra Graham Sheets (79.00) and Stephen M Martin (78.60).

This ranking lists 14 probate litigation lawyers in Lakeland, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 1 to 52 years in practice. 2 of the 14 list Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
14
Fully verified
14 of 14

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Benjamin Waldrop Hardin Jr.

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

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

    Ranks #1 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 21)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
  2. No change

    Sandra Graham Sheets

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 38 years experience
    • Estate Planning · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 79.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Reputation (4/20). 1.00 points behind #1, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 21)
    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 0.6)

    1.00 points behind #1 (Benjamin Waldrop Hardin Jr.): Practice-area relevance −5.

  3. No change

    Stephen M Martin

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

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

    Ranks #3 with 78.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (0/20). 0.40 points behind #2, mostly reputation.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 21)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)

    0.40 points behind #2 (Sandra Graham Sheets): Reputation −4, Data quality −1.4.

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

  4. No change

    Theodore Willard Weeks IV “Ted”

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

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

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

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 21)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 17.1)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)

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

  5. No change

    Pierce James Guard Jr.

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

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

    Ranks #5 with 75.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20). 3.60 points behind #4, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 21)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)

    3.60 points behind #4 (Theodore Willard Weeks IV “Ted”): Practice-area relevance −5.

  6. No change

    Richard Clark May

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 49 years experience
    • Guardianship · Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 71.93: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Practice-area relevance (13.3/20). 3.07 points behind #5, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 21)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
    • Practice-area relevance 13.3/20 (ranking avg 17.1)

    3.07 points behind #5 (Pierce James Guard Jr.): Practice-area relevance −1.7, Data quality −1.4.

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

  7. No change

    Richard Albert Lopez

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 71.60: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (21.6/30). 0.33 points behind #6, 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 0.6)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 21)

    0.33 points behind #6 (Richard Clark May): Experience −8.4.

  8. No change

    Nicholas Joseph Troiano

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 36 years experience
    • Consumer Protection · Eminent Domain
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 70.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Practice-area relevance (12/20). 1.00 points behind #7, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 21)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
    • Practice-area relevance 12/20 (ranking avg 17.1)

    1.00 points behind #7 (Richard Albert Lopez): Practice-area relevance −8, Data quality −1.4.

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

  9. No change

    Mattie Hardin Tondreault

    Independent practice · Lakeland, 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 Reputation (0/20) and Experience (13.2/30). 7.40 points behind #8, 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 0.6)
    • Experience 13.2/30 (ranking avg 21)

    7.40 points behind #8 (Nicholas Joseph Troiano): Experience −16.8.

  10. No change

    Collin Roberts Clark

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

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

    Ranks #10 with 62.00: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (12/30). 1.20 points behind #9, 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 0.6)
    • Experience 12/30 (ranking avg 21)

    1.20 points behind #9 (Mattie Hardin Tondreault): Experience −1.2.

  11. No change

    Kevin Robert Albaum

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 12 years experience
    • Elder Law · Guardianship
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 with 61.73: strongest in Reputation (4/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (14.4/30) and Practice-area relevance (13.3/20). 0.27 points behind #10, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.6)

    Held back by

    • Experience 14.4/30 (ranking avg 21)
    • Practice-area relevance 13.3/20 (ranking avg 17.1)

    0.27 points behind #10 (Collin Roberts Clark): Practice-area relevance −6.7.

  12. No change

    David Christopher Fall “David C. Fall”

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 13 years experience
    • Guardianship · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #12?

    Ranks #12 with 60.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (15.6/30). 1.13 points behind #11, mostly reputation.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
    • Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 21)

    1.13 points behind #11 (Kevin Robert Albaum): Reputation −4.

  13. No change

    Landon Joseph Schneider

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 5 years experience
    • Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #13?

    Ranks #13 with 56.00: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (6/30). 4.60 points behind #12, 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 0.6)
    • Experience 6/30 (ranking avg 21)

    4.60 points behind #12 (David Christopher Fall “David C. Fall”): Experience −9.6.

  14. No change

    John Matthew Butz

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 1 year experience
    • Guardianship · Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #14?

    Ranks #14 with 46.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (0/20) and Experience (1.2/30). 9.80 points behind #13, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Reputation 0/20 (ranking avg 0.6)
    • Experience 1.2/30 (ranking avg 21)

    9.80 points behind #13 (Landon Joseph Schneider): Practice-area relevance −5, Experience −4.8.

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 · 14 profile pages143 facts for 14 lawyers

Probate Litigation market in Lakeland

LexRanked tracks 14 lawyers in probate litigation law in Lakeland, Florida. 14 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
14
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
14 of 14
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
22 years14 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 Lakeland

What sets these Lakeland 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 14 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 1 to 52 (median 22)
Languages besides English Spanish (2), French (1)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Stetson University College of Law (4 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Lakeland office address and probate litigation as a practice area on record. It compares 14 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 Polk County is in Florida's Tenth 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 Lakeland?

State court cases in Polk County are heard in Florida's Tenth Judicial Circuit.

Are there Spanish-speaking probate litigation lawyers in Lakeland?

Yes. 2 of the 14 ranked lawyers list 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?

14 of the 14 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Benjamin Waldrop Hardin Jr., Sandra Graham Sheets, Stephen M Martin, Theodore Willard Weeks IV “Ted” and Pierce James Guard Jr. and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Benjamin Waldrop Hardin Jr. scores 80.00 and Sandra Graham Sheets 79.00, a gap of 1.00 points, mostly in practice-area relevance. 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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