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Probate Litigation

Top-Ranked Probate Litigation Lawyers in Sarasota, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.215 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of October 31, 2026, the top-ranked probate litigation lawyers in Sarasota, Florida are Scott Hays Carter (LexRank 80.00), Laurie Blythe Sams (80.00) and Gail Gottardo Fagan (78.60).

This ranking lists 15 probate litigation lawyers in Sarasota, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. Their experience ranges from 2 to 48 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
15
Fully verified
15 of 15

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Scott Hays Carter

    Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard PC · Sarasota, FL

    Verified
    • 35 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).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 19.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
  2. No change

    Laurie Blythe Sams

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #2 with 80.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 19.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
  3. No change

    Gail Gottardo Fagan

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

    Verified
    • 48 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). 1.40 points behind #2, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 19.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)

    1.40 points behind #2 (Laurie Blythe Sams): Data quality −1.4.

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

  4. No change

    Jennifer Lodge Grosso

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #4 with 77.60: strongest in Experience (27.6/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20). 1.00 points behind #3, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 27.6/30 (ranking avg 19.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)

    1.00 points behind #3 (Gail Gottardo Fagan): Experience −2.4.

  5. No change

    Allan F Baily

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #5 with 75.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10). 2.60 points behind #4, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 19.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    2.60 points behind #4 (Jennifer Lodge Grosso): Practice-area relevance −5.

  6. No change

    Gregory A Kaiser

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #6 with 75.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 19.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
  7. No change

    Robert James Hynds

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #7 with 71.40: strongest in Experience (22.8/30) and Practice-area relevance (20/20). 3.60 points behind #6, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 22.8/30 (ranking avg 19.7)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)

    3.60 points behind #6 (Gregory A Kaiser): Experience −7.2, Data quality −1.4.

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

  8. No change

    Jeffrey Martin Guy “Jeff Guy”

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #8 with 68.00: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (18/30). 3.40 points behind #7, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 18/30 (ranking avg 19.7)

    3.40 points behind #7 (Robert James Hynds): Experience −4.8.

  9. No change

    Matthew Joseph Kelly

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #9 with 64.40: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (14.4/30). 3.60 points behind #8, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 14.4/30 (ranking avg 19.7)

    3.60 points behind #8 (Jeffrey Martin Guy “Jeff Guy”): Experience −3.6.

  10. No change

    Allie R.B. Castellano

    Buckman, Buckman & Castellano, P.A. · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #10 with 63.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (13.2/30). 1.20 points behind #9, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 13.2/30 (ranking avg 19.7)

    1.20 points behind #9 (Matthew Joseph Kelly): Experience −1.2.

  11. No change

    Nicholas Joseph Castellano II

    Buckman, Buckman & Castellano, P.A. · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #11 with 63.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (13.2/30).

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 13.2/30 (ranking avg 19.7)
  12. No change

    Jordan John Riccardi

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #12 with 61.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Experience (16.8/30). 1.40 points behind #11, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 19.7)

    1.40 points behind #11 (Nicholas Joseph Castellano II): Practice-area relevance −5.

  13. No change

    Stacey Maloney

    Independent practice · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #13 with 57.20: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (7.2/30). 4.60 points behind #12, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 7.2/30 (ranking avg 19.7)

    4.60 points behind #12 (Jordan John Riccardi): Experience −9.6.

  14. No change

    Katherine M. Fall “Kate”

    Boyer & Boyer, P.A. · Sarasota, FL

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

    Ranks #14 with 54.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Experience (9.6/30). 2.60 points behind #13, mostly practice-area relevance.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Experience 9.6/30 (ranking avg 19.7)

    2.60 points behind #13 (Stacey Maloney): Practice-area relevance −5.

  15. No change

    Delanie Rose Gibbons

    Band Law Group P.L. · Sarasota, FL

    Verified
    • 2 years experience
    • Probate Litigation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #15?

    Ranks #15 with 52.40: strongest in Practice-area relevance (20/20) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Experience (2.4/30). 2.20 points behind #14, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 18.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Experience 2.4/30 (ranking avg 19.7)

    2.20 points behind #14 (Katherine M. Fall “Kate”): Experience −7.2.

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 · 15 profile pages150 facts for 15 lawyers

Probate Litigation market in Sarasota

LexRanked tracks 15 lawyers and 4 law firms in probate litigation law in Sarasota, Florida. 15 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 22, 2026.

Lawyers
15
Law firms
4
Verified professional data
15 of 15
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
15 years15 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 Sarasota

What sets these Sarasota 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 15 ranked lawyers Figure
Years in practice 2 to 48 (median 15)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Stetson University College of Law (8 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Sarasota office address and probate litigation as a practice area on record. It compares 15 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 Sarasota 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 Sarasota?

State court cases in Sarasota 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?

15 of the 15 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Scott Hays Carter, Laurie Blythe Sams, Gail Gottardo Fagan, Jennifer Lodge Grosso and Allan F Baily 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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