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Probate Litigation

Top-Ranked Probate Litigation Lawyers in New Port Richey, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.28 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked probate litigation lawyers in New Port Richey, Florida are Henry Stephenson (LexRank 75.00), John Kenneth Renke III (75.00) and Thomas Patrick Altman (73.60).

This ranking lists 8 probate litigation lawyers in New Port Richey, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 6 to 40 years in practice. 1 of the 8 lists Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
8
Fully verified
8 of 8

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Henry Stephenson

    Independent practice · New Port Richey, FL

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

    Ranks #1 with 75.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
  2. No change

    John Kenneth Renke III

    Independent practice · New Port Richey, FL

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

    Ranks #2 with 75.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
  3. No change

    Thomas Patrick Altman

    Independent practice · New Port Richey, FL

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

    Ranks #3 with 73.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15). 1.40 points behind #2, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    1.40 points behind #2 (John Kenneth Renke III): Data quality −1.4.

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

  4. No change

    Joseph Anthony Porcelli “Joseph”

    Independent practice · New Port Richey, FL

    Verified
    • 30 years experience
    • Eminent Domain · Environmental
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 72.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Practice-area relevance (12/20). 1.60 points behind #3, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Practice-area relevance 12/20 (ranking avg 15.7)

    1.60 points behind #3 (Thomas Patrick Altman): Practice-area relevance −3.

  5. No change

    Jeffrey Alan Bacca

    Independent practice · New Port Richey, FL

    Verified
    • 31 years experience
    • Bankruptcy · Insurance
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 71.93: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Practice-area relevance (13.3/20). 0.07 points behind #4, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Practice-area relevance 13.3/20 (ranking avg 15.7)

    0.07 points behind #4 (Joseph Anthony Porcelli “Joseph”): Data quality −1.4.

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

  6. No change

    Paul Michael Messina Jr.

    Independent practice · New Port Richey, FL

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

    Ranks #6 with 69.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (19.2/30). 2.73 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 15.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 24.4)

    2.73 points behind #5 (Jeffrey Alan Bacca): Experience −10.8.

  7. No change

    Jason Thomas Zandecki

    Independent practice · New Port Richey, FL

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

    Ranks #7 with 64.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Experience (19.2/30). 5.00 points behind #6, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 24.4)

    5.00 points behind #6 (Paul Michael Messina Jr.): Practice-area relevance −5.

  8. No change

    Stephen B. Skipper

    Independent practice · New Port Richey, FL

    Verified
    • 6 years experience
    • Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 57.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (7.2/30). 7.00 points behind #7, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 15.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.7)

    Held back by

    • Experience 7.2/30 (ranking avg 24.4)

    7.00 points behind #7 (Jason Thomas Zandecki): Experience −12.

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 · 8 profile pages80 facts for 8 lawyers

Probate Litigation market in New Port Richey

LexRanked tracks 8 lawyers in probate litigation law in New Port Richey, Florida. 8 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
8
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
8 of 8
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
30 years8 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 New Port Richey

What sets these New Port Richey 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 8 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 6 to 40 (median 30)
Languages besides English Hungarian (1), Italian (1), Romanian (1), Spanish (1)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Stetson University College of Law (3 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a New Port Richey office address and probate litigation as a practice area on record. It compares 8 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 Pasco County is in Florida's Sixth 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 New Port Richey?

State court cases in Pasco County are heard in Florida's Sixth Judicial Circuit.

Are there Spanish-speaking probate litigation lawyers in New Port Richey?

Yes. 1 of the 8 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?

8 of the 8 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Henry Stephenson, John Kenneth Renke III, Thomas Patrick Altman, Joseph Anthony Porcelli “Joseph” and Jeffrey Alan Bacca and others.

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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