Lines are Available 24/7
Se Habla Español

Tampa Trust Litigation Attorney

Florida trust disputes in Tampa and Hillsborough County — handled by Zoecklein Law, P.A.

📞 Free consultation: 877-206-0022

⭐ 4.9 Rating · 600+ 5-Star Reviews · 5,000+ Clients · Florida Bar No. 0085615 · Tampa & Statewide Service

If you are a beneficiary or trustee in a Tampa, Florida trust dispute, the case is filed in the Hillsborough County Circuit Court Probate Division and governed by the Florida Trust Code (Chapter 736). Whether you need to remove a trustee, demand an accounting, contest a trust, or defend a fiduciary surcharge claim, venue in Hillsborough County affects strategy, timeline, and cost.

Zoecklein Law, P.A. handles Tampa trust litigation from our Brandon office — just 15 minutes from the Hillsborough County courthouse on Twiggs Street — with statewide reach to Florida's Second District Court of Appeal, which hears Hillsborough County trust appeals.

Tampa Trust Litigation Services

Trustee Removal

Petitions to remove Florida trustees under Fla. Stat. § 736.0706 for breach of trust, lack of cooperation, unfitness, or persistent failure to administer.

Trust Accounting Demands

Petitions to compel annual accountings under § 736.08135 and objections to deficient accountings under § 736.1008.

Breach of Fiduciary Duty

Surcharge actions to impose personal liability on trustees for self-dealing, imprudent investment, comingling, or favoritism among beneficiaries.

Trust Contests

Challenges to trust validity based on lack of capacity, undue influence, fraud, or improper execution under §§ 736.0406 and 732.5165.

Beneficiary Disputes

Disputes among beneficiaries over interpretation, distributions, accounting objections, and trust modification.

Successor Trustee Petitions

Petitions to appoint successor trustees when the named successor cannot serve or when the court must select an independent fiduciary.

Where Tampa Trust Cases Are Heard

Tampa Probate Division & Trust Litigation Venues

Trial court (probate division): Hillsborough County Circuit Court, Probate & Trust Division — 800 E. Twiggs Street, Tampa, FL 33602. Trust petitions, accounting actions, trustee removal motions, and surcharge actions are all filed in the Probate Division.

Appellate court: Florida Second District Court of Appeal — Lakeland and Tampa. Final orders in Hillsborough County trust cases are appealed here. The Second DCA recently decided Schiro v. Elliott, No. 2D2025-2366 (Fla. 2d DCA May 29, 2026), in our firm's favor, affirming homestead protection for property held in a Hillsborough County trust.

Mediation: Most Hillsborough trust cases are referred to mediation before trial. The county maintains a court-connected mediation program; private mediators are also routinely used. Mediation typically occurs 4–8 months into the case.

Service of process: For out-of-state trustees, Florida's long-arm statute reaches non-resident trustees who administered Florida real estate or held funds for Florida beneficiaries — see Covenant Trust Co. v. Guardianship of Ihrman, 45 So. 3d 499 (Fla. 2d DCA 2010), the leading Hillsborough-area case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I file a trust lawsuit in Tampa?

Tampa trust lawsuits are filed in the Hillsborough County Circuit Court, Probate Division, at 800 E. Twiggs Street, Tampa, FL 33602. The court has jurisdiction over trusts administered in Hillsborough County, trusts with Hillsborough-resident trustees, and trusts holding Hillsborough real estate. Filing fees are approximately $400. Petitions for trustee removal, accounting actions, and surcharge claims all go to the Probate Division.

How much does it cost to hire a Tampa trust litigation attorney?

Tampa trust litigation typically costs $3,500–$5,000 for filings and motion-driven cases, scaling to $25,000–$150,000 for fully litigated matters with discovery, expert witnesses, and trial. Florida’s fee-shifting statute (Fla. Stat. § 736.1004) can shift fees to the losing party — applied in cases like Levine v. Stimmel, 272 So. 3d 847 (Fla. 5th DCA 2019). Initial consultations at Zoecklein Law are free; we provide a candid cost estimate during the consult.

How long does Tampa trust litigation take?

Most Hillsborough County trust cases take 12–24 months from filing to final judgment. Uncontested removals can complete in 60–180 days. Full surcharge actions or trust contests take 18–36 months because of discovery, depositions, and required evidentiary hearings. Mediation (typically required before trial in Hillsborough) settles roughly 70% of cases and dramatically shortens timelines.

Who is the trust litigation attorney for Tampa cases at Zoecklein Law?

Brice Zoecklein, Esq. (Florida Bar No. 0085615) leads the firm’s Tampa trust litigation practice. Brice is the Managing Attorney of Zoecklein Law, P.A., admitted to the Florida Bar, and a Stetson Law J.D. cum laude graduate. The firm represented the prevailing party in Schiro v. Elliott, No. 2D2025-2366 (Fla. 2d DCA May 29, 2026), securing affirmance of homestead protection for Hillsborough County trust property.

Does Zoecklein Law have a Tampa office?

Our primary office is in Brandon, FL — approximately 15 minutes from downtown Tampa — at 150 E. Bloomingdale Ave., Brandon, FL 33511. The Hillsborough County Circuit Court at 800 E. Twiggs Street is a 20-minute drive. We also maintain a St. Petersburg satellite office at 4021 Central Ave., Suite B for clients on the west side of the Bay. We handle court appearances in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Hernando, and surrounding counties.

Trust Litigation Guide

The complete Florida trust litigation guide

Grounds for removal, accounting demands, surcharge actions, no-contest rules, costs, and remedies under Chapter 736.

Brice Zoecklein, Esq.
About the Attorney

Brice Zoecklein, Esq.

Managing Attorney, Zoecklein Law, P.A. · Florida Bar No. 0085615 · Trust Litigation, Estate Planning, Probate

Have a Tampa trust dispute? We can help.