Located just 22 miles west of downtown Apalachicola (32320) along the coastal US Highway 98 corridor in neighboring Port St. Joe (32456 — sharing the same Eastern Time Zone and Forgotten Coast real estate market), these five long-established, zero-discipline probate, estate planning, trust, and real property law practices frequently represent Franklin County seniors, commercial watermen, and multi-county coastal landowners—particularly when conflict-of-interest rules arise among Apalachicola's small local bar or when an estate holds real property across both Franklin (2nd Judicial Circuit) and Gulf (14th Judicial Circuit) Counties: (1) Law Offices J. Patrick Floyd Chartered / John Patrick Floyd, P.A. (Florida Sunbiz Document #P02000010029 & #J42152, 408 Long Avenue / P.O. Box 950, Port St. Joe, FL 32456, (850) 227-7413, j.patrickfloyd@jpatrickfloyd.com), led by 48-year Forgotten Coast practitioner John Patrick 'J. Patrick' Floyd, Esq. (Florida Bar #257001, admitted 1978; 0 10-year disciplinary actions), whose probate notices, quiet-title actions, and estate filings appear regularly in the Franklin County Clerk of Court docket in Apalachicola; (2) Novak Law Group, PLLC (318 6th Street, Port St. Joe, FL 32456, (850) 229-4700, https://www.novaklaw.us), led by Principal Attorney and appointed Gulf County Attorney Jeremy T.M. Novak, Esq. (Florida Bar #44698, admitted September 25, 2007; Rutgers School of Law – Camden J.D. 2000; also admitted in NJ; 0 disciplinary actions), focusing on Last Wills and Testaments, revocable and irrevocable living trusts, Enhanced Life Estate ('Lady Bird') deeds, durable powers of attorney, and probate administration; (3) Rish & Gibson, P.A. (Florida Sunbiz Document #F14179, 116 Sailor's Cove Drive / P.O. Box 39, Port St. Joe, FL 32457, (850) 229-8211, https://www.psjlaw.com), led by 44-year Real Property, Probate & Trust Law (RPPTL) Section practitioner Thomas Sandifer Gibson, Esq. (Florida Bar #350583, admitted November 2, 1982; University of Alabama School of Law J.D.; 0 disciplinary actions); (4) Costin & Costin (Florida Sunbiz Document #K07409, 413 Williams Avenue / P.O. Box 98, Port St. Joe, FL 32456, (850) 227-1159), led by RPPTL Section attorneys Charles Anthony Costin, Esq. (Florida Bar #699070, admitted October 6, 1987; Nova Southeastern Law J.D.; 0 discipline) and Lauren Michelle Costin, Esq. (Florida Bar #1035580, admitted April 20, 2022; Faulkner Law J.D. 2021; 0 discipline); and (5) Clinton T. McCahill, P.A. (Florida Sunbiz Document #P05000010990, 817 Marvin Avenue, Port St. Joe, FL 32456, (850) 229-9040), led by 30-year practitioner and Port St. Joe City Attorney Clinton Thomas McCahill, Esq. (Florida Bar #73482, admitted January 29, 1996; 0 discipline). Regulatory Exclusion Note: Port St. Joe attorney Clayton Bowers Studstill is excluded due to Florida Supreme Court disciplinary remand proceedings (acceptsMedicaid: false).
Official Verification Sources: The Florida Bar Member Profiles — John Patrick Floyd (#257001), Jeremy T.M. Novak (#44698) & Thomas S. Gibson (#350583); Novak Law Group, PLLC (318 6th St, Port St. Joe) & Rish & Gibson, P.A. (#F14179); The Florida Bar Member Profiles — Charles A. Costin (#699070), Lauren M. Costin (#1035580) & Clinton T. McCahill (#73482)
Issuer: The Florida Bar (RPPTL Section) & Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations
Notes: Verified 2026-10-26: (1) John Patrick 'J. Patrick' Floyd, Esq. (FL Bar #257001, admitted 1978, 0 discipline; Law Offices J. Patrick Floyd Chartered, Sunbiz #P02000010029, 408 Long Ave, Port St. Joe, FL 32456, (850) 227-7413). (2) Jeremy T.M. Novak, Esq. (FL Bar #44698, admitted Sept 25, 2007, 0 discipline; Novak Law Group, PLLC, 318 6th St, Port St. Joe, FL 32456, (850) 229-4700). (3) Thomas Sandifer Gibson, Esq. (FL Bar #350583, admitted Nov 2, 1982, RPPTL Section, 0 discipline; Rish & Gibson, P.A., Sunbiz #F14179, 116 Sailor's Cove Dr, Port St. Joe, FL 32457, (850) 229-8211).
Issuer: The Florida Bar (RPPTL Section) & Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations
Notes: Verified 2026-10-26: Costin & Costin (Sunbiz #K07409, 413 Williams Ave, Port St. Joe, FL 32456, (850) 227-1159: Charles Anthony Costin #699070 & Lauren Michelle Costin #1035580, 0 discipline) and Clinton T. McCahill, P.A. (Sunbiz #P05000010990, 817 Marvin Ave, Port St. Joe, FL 32456, (850) 229-9040: Clinton Thomas McCahill #73482, 0 discipline).
Factual details and direct answers about US-98 West Port St. Joe Probate, Estate Planning & Lady Bird Deed Corridor — Novak Law Group, PLLC (Jeremy T.M. Novak, Esq.), Rish & Gibson, P.A. (Thomas S. Gibson, Esq.), Costin & Costin (Charles A. Costin, Esq. & Lauren M. Costin, Esq.), Law Offices J. Patrick Floyd Chartered & Clinton T. McCahill, P.A.'s services, licensing, and credentials.
Why do Apalachicola and western Franklin County families frequently retain J. Patrick Floyd, Jeremy Novak, Thomas Gibson, or Costin & Costin in neighboring Port St. Joe?
Port St. Joe sits just 22 miles west of Apalachicola along US Highway 98 in the same Eastern Time Zone. Because Apalachicola has a small resident bar where conflict-of-interest rules often prevent a local attorney from representing both sides of a multi-generational family estate or coastal boundary dispute, Franklin County families regularly retain J. Patrick Floyd, Esq. (#257001, (850) 227-7413 — who has filed probate and quiet-title cases in Franklin County for over 45 years), Jeremy T.M. Novak, Esq. (#44698, (850) 229-4700), Thomas S. Gibson, Esq. (#350583, (850) 229-8211), Costin & Costin (#699070 & #1035580, (850) 227-1159), or Clinton T. McCahill, Esq. (#73482, (850) 229-9040).
Can Port St. Joe probate attorneys file cases directly with the Franklin County Clerk of Court in Apalachicola?
Yes. Because Florida Bar licensure is statewide and all Florida probate and guardianship filings are processed through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, Port St. Joe attorneys regularly file Formal and Summary Probate Administrations with Franklin County Clerk of Court Michele Maxwell in Apalachicola and appear before Franklin County Judge Jay Gordon Shuler.
Connect with complementary legal, financial, and residential providers serving seniors in Apalachicola and Franklin County.
Centennial Bank — Apalachicola, Eastpoint, St. George Island & Carrabelle In-County Branches, Centennial Financial Services (Crowley Wealth / Ameriprise) & PeoplesSouth Bank (Apalachicola)
Apalachicola, Franklin County
(850) 653-2301
Apalachicola Housing Authority (HUD PHA #FL036) & Northwest Florida Regional Housing Authority (#FL046) — Franklin County Senior Public Housing & Section 8 Registry
Apalachicola, Franklin County
(850) 653-9304
George E. Weems Memorial Hospital (AHCA #4173 — Critical Access Swing-Bed Skilled Nursing, 24/7 Emergency & Weems Medical Centers East & West) & Ascension Sacred Heart Gulf Border Hospital
Apalachicola, Franklin County
(850) 653-8853
Expert guidance, benefit eligibility rules, and state protections for older Florida residents and family caregivers.
Franklin County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller — Probate, Guardianship & Small Estates Division (Hon. Michele Maxwell, Judge Jay Gordon Shuler, County Attorney Thomas M. 'Michael' Shuler, Esq. & 2nd Circuit Public Guardian)
Apalachicola, Franklin County
Law Office of Kristy Branch Banks, P.A. (Eastpoint / Apalachicola), Donna Duncan, P.A. (Apalachicola), Forgotten Coast Law / Gellis Law, PLLC (Sean W. Gellis, Esq., B.C.S.) & Manausa, Shaw & Minacci, P.A. (St. George Island Office) — In-County Probate, Estate Planning & Coastal Real Property Counsel
Apalachicola, Franklin County
2nd Judicial Circuit Board Certified Elder Law Specialists (B.C.S.) — The Sketchley Law Firm, P.A. (Twyla L. Sketchley, B.C.S.), McConnaughhay & Rudd, P.A. (Jana E. McConnaughhay, B.C.S. & Kandace E. Rudd, M.S.W., B.C.S.) & Heuler, Wakeman, Solomon Law Group, P.L.L.C. (Victoria E. Heuler, B.C.S., Max J. Solomon, B.C.S. & Mary L. Wakeman, B.C.S.)
Apalachicola, Franklin County
Kristy Branch Banks, P.A., Donna Duncan, P.A. & The Law Offices of Thomas M. Shuler, P.A. — Forgotten Coast US-98 East Border Probate, Estate Planning & Coastal Real Property Counsel (Serving Indian Pass, Cape San Blas & Port St. Joe)
Apalachicola, Gulf County
Disclaimer: This directory listing is for informational purposes only. Florida Senior Support does not endorse or guarantee the quality of services. Please verify information and services directly with the organization.