Lauren Nagel Richardson

Lauren Richardson moved to Gainesville in 1993 to complete an LLM in Taxation at UF Law. Since then, she has focused her practice on protecting families and property through estate planning, guardianship, probate, special needs, and elder law. She also serves as co-counsel on wrongful death, personal injury and probate and trust litigation cases. Lauren's probate practice is Statewide. All other areas are throughout North Florida. Free phone consult. Reasonable fees.

Estate Planning

Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills

Probate

Probate Administration

Elder Law

Nursing Home Abuse

Medical Malpractice

Birth Injury, Medical Misdiagnosis, Pharmacy Errors, Surgical Errors

Personal Injury

Animal & Dog Bites, Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Construction Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Premises Liability, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death

Family Law

Guardianship & Conservatorship, Prenups & Marital Agreements

• Free Consultation
  Free office consultations in medical malpractice, personal injury, and wrongful death cases. Free phone consultation in all other areas of practice.
• Credit Cards Accepted
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  Other forms of payment: Checks Cash Money Order

Florida

Since 1996

Founding Attorney

Lauren Richardson Law, PLLC

2020 - Current

Of Counsel to Bogin, Munns & Munns, P. A.

2019 - 2020

Continuing to provide affordable and compassionate legal services in estate planning, probate, guardianship and elder law in Gainesville and surrounding areas. Now with the support of a law firm with 12 offices in Central Florida and North Central Florida. Free phone consultations. Statewide Florida Probate. Flat fees for summary administration and some estate planning.

Founding Attorney

Lauren Richardson Law, PLLC

2017 - 2019

Serving North Florida in estate planning, probate, guardianship, elder law and some family law matters. Also probate administration Statewide. LLM in Taxation. 20 years experience. Welcoming and professional. I will meet you at your home, nursing home or hospital if you are unable to come to my office.

Attorney

Knellinger, Jacobson & Associates

2011 - 2017

practicing probate administration Statewide and estate planning, probate, guardianship, wills, trusts, elder law, and some family law throughout North Florida.

University of Florida

LL.M. (1997) | Taxation

1993 - 1997

Tax Thesis: Private Inurement After the United Cancer Council Case

Florida State University College of Law

J.D. (1993) | Law

1990 - 1993

Honors: Graduated Magna Cum Laude; Book Awards: Constitutional Law, Intellectual Property

Activities: President: National Association of Public Interest Lawyers

Rollins College

B.A. (1990) | Philosophy

1984 - 1990

Honors: Bruce Wavell Philosophy Prize; NEH Younger Scholars Award

Pro Bono Service Award

Three Rivers Legal Services

2021

Pro Bono Service Award

Three Rivers Legal Services

2020

Pro Bono Service Award

Three Rivers Legal Services

2019

Pro Bono Service Award

Three Rivers Legal Services

2018

Pro Bono Service Award

Three Rivers Legal Services/Southern Legal Counsel

2017

The Florida Bar  # 0083119

Member

Current

Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association

Board Member

Current

Q. How to get formal notice to someone overseas?

May 15, 2023

A: Hi! Thanks for your question. If the other person is also an heir or other interested party, they can sign a joinder, waiver and consent to the petition. This joinder, waiver and consent form also includes language stating that the person waives notice and hearing. If you can find the joinder, waiver and consent form, then use that instead of formal notice. Have them sign (even electronically) and return it to you to file together with your other court documents. If you are still having difficulty filing a summary administration on your own, then you may need a probate attorney. Our office handles probate estates anywhere in Florida, and we offer a free 15 minute phone consultation.

Q. Mother passed away in 2015. No probate. Found out there are some accounts now with the state. Question on disposition.

May 10, 2023

A: Thank you for your question. You will most likely need to open a probate estate and get an order of summary administration from the Court in the county where your mother resided and then include a certified copy of that order in the packet that you send to State of Florida Unclaimed Property to claim the funds. The State is not going to release these funds to the heirs even if you start their claim process until you have a judge's order. I would be happy to discuss this case in more detail with you and offer you a quote. Our office offers a free 15 minute phone consultation, and we handle estates anywhere in Florida.

Q. Do I have to file a petition for Summary Administration to transfer a homestead if there are no non-exempt assets?

May 10, 2023

A: Thank you for your question. Yes, it is most likely that you will need to open a probate estate to transfer the homestead and the other assets. When an asset such as a homestead, a vehicle, or furniture, furnishings and appliances are deemed to be "exempt property", that does not mean that they are exempt from probate. That just means that they are exempt from creditor claims as they pass through the estate. You will still need an order signed by a judge to officially transfer ownership to you, especially of the homestead. The only exception is that the vehicle can be transferred at the tag office with a death certificate and an heirs affidavit that is on the back of the title transfer form. If there is more than one heir, then the other heirs will need to give you a tag office POA so that you can transfer title and/or sell the vehicle to a third party. The summary administration proceeding would involve filing two petitions with the Court. The first is the petition for summary administration which lists all of the assets and states that they are exempt. The second is the petition to determine homestead status. The order that you will be most interested in having is the order determining homestead status. When the judge signs that order and records it in the public records, it transfers the property to the heirs just like a deed. Then the heirs are the owners and are able to sell the property. This is the only way to get good clear title to the property (unless it was co-owned with survivorship--then you would only need to record a death certificate). The order of summary administration reflects that the vehicle and the contents of the home have also been transferred to the heirs. I would be happy to talk with you about this case in greater detail. Our office offers a free 15 minute phone consultation, and we handle probate estates anywhere in Florida.