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Butler County, AL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Butler County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Butler County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 700 Court Square, Greenville, AL 36037 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 756, Greenville, AL 36037 |
| Phone | (334) 382-3512 |
| Fax | No fax number is published by the probate office. |
| Hours | Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Wednesday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. noon. |
| Filing fee | Butler County does not post a dated estate fee list. Expect a statutory fee structure under Ala. Code § 12-19-90 plus local-law charges, and call the probate office for the current total before filing. |
| Local forms | No Butler County estate petition, checklist, or cover sheet is posted online. |
| E-filing | Butler County does not post an estate e-filing route. Ask the probate office before submitting anything electronically. |
| Case search | Butler County uses an Ingenuity portal for probate case lookup and land lookup: https://www.ingprobate.com/butler_Probate/ |
| Remote appearance | No phone or video hearing policy is posted. Ask the probate office when a hearing is scheduled. |
| Website | https://www.butlercountyprobate.org/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you ask the Butler County Probate Office for opening instructions, list the estate assets, debts, account holders, real estate, vehicles, and expected heirs. The right estate settlement path depends on what must be collected, sold, transferred, or protected.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts before they prepare a petition, so the first filing in Greenville is based on a fuller picture of the estate.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Butler County Probate Court in Greenville serves probate matters for Butler County. Alabama venue for probating a will generally belongs in the probate court of the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, for a nonresident decedent, a county where the decedent left assets (Ala. Code § 43-8-162).
Butler County has one published probate courthouse location for estate filings: 700 Court Square, Greenville, AL 36037.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the original will if there is one, the death certificate, a list of heirs, a list of known assets and debts, and contact information for the person seeking appointment as executor or administrator.
- Call the Butler County Probate Office at (334) 382-3512 to confirm the current filing total, required petition format, copy requirements, and whether the office wants any materials mailed to PO Box 756 or brought to 700 Court Square in Greenville.
- File the petition in the Butler County Probate Office. If there is a will, ask to probate the will and issue letters testamentary. If there is no will, ask for appointment of an administrator and issuance of letters of administration.
- The probate judge reviews the petition and any required hearing setting. Ask at scheduling whether the court will allow any phone or video participation for that hearing.
- After appointment, the personal representative, meaning the executor or administrator, receives the authority document and begins collecting estate assets, securing property, and identifying creditors.
- Publish and send creditor notice as required. Alabama's nonclaim rule generally bars claims not presented within six months, with a 30-day period after actual notice for a known or reasonably ascertainable creditor entitled to that notice (Ala. Code § 43-2-350).
- If a dispute requires relief outside the probate court's authority, an interested party may seek removal of an already opened administration to the circuit court under Ala. Code § 12-11-41.
- Use the authority document to administer the estate, pay allowed claims in the required order, sell or transfer assets when authorized, make distributions, and complete the closing steps required by the probate court.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Butler County
Butler County does not post local estate forms online. Its probate website menu lists Home, Motor Vehicles, Online Payments, and Contact Us, but no estate petition, checklist, or cover sheet.
Call the Butler County Probate Office before you prepare a packet. Ask what petition format, death certificate, original will, proposed order, copies, and payment the office wants for the type of estate settlement you are opening.
Local nuance
Butler County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Butler County |
|---|---|
| County probate lookup | Butler County uses an Ingenuity portal that offers separate probate case lookup and land lookup. Use the probate case option for estate matters. |
| Wednesday hours | The probate office posts a Wednesday closing time of 12:00 p.m. noon, while Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday hours run to 4:00 p.m. |
| Fee list | No dated local estate fee list is posted online, so confirm the current total with the probate office before filing. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Alabama small-estate law | Act 2025-431 changed Alabama summary distribution law effective October 1, 2025. The current Alabama summary distribution ceiling is $47,000, effective October 1, 2025 and operative through at least March 31, 2027, under Ala. Code § 43-2-696.02. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Butler County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by identifying how the home is titled, what assets are solely in the decedent's name, and whether a Butler County probate filing is needed for authority over the estate. | Sunset helps find accounts, organize documents, and generate a Butler County probate packet for review before filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Call the Butler County Probate Office before traveling. Ask what can be mailed, what original documents are required, and whether the estate qualifies for Alabama's summary distribution path. | Sunset helps assemble the asset list, prepare the petition materials, and connect you with Alabama counsel if local filing help is needed. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires full administration and authority for a personal representative before listing, signing, or closing the sale. | Sunset helps organize asset discovery, generate the estate settlement packet, and find a local probate attorney for sale-related court issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Butler County Probate Office | Call (334) 382-3512 for filing logistics, current fees, hours, and hearing scheduling. Probate office staff can answer process questions, but they cannot choose a legal strategy for you. |
| Butler County probate lookup | Use https://www.ingprobate.com/butler_Probate/ for the county's probate case lookup. |
| Legal Services Alabama | Call statewide intake at 866-456-4995 or apply online for free civil legal help, subject to eligibility and program priorities. Its published work includes heirs property and estate planning. |
| AlabamaLegalHelp.org | Legal Services Alabama points readers to this site for legal self-help resources. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a probate attorney if heirs disagree, a will contest is possible, creditors are active, real estate must be sold, the estate may need removal of an already opened administration to the circuit court, or you are managing Butler County filings from outside Alabama. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps identify bank, investment, retirement, insurance, and other accounts so the estate settlement starts with a clearer inventory.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family information, asset list, and court requirements into an organized packet you can review before contacting the Butler County Probate Office.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate has a dispute, a home sale, missing heirs, or questions about authority, Sunset can connect the family with Alabama probate counsel.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, understand next steps, and decide when local legal help is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Butler County, Alabama?
File in the Butler County Probate Office at 700 Court Square, Greenville, AL 36037. The mailing address is PO Box 756, Greenville, AL 36037.
What are the Butler County Probate Office hours?
The office posts hours of Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Wednesday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. noon.
Does Butler County publish probate forms online?
No Butler County estate petition, checklist, or cover sheet is posted online. Call the probate office before preparing a packet so you know what format and attachments the office wants.
Can I e-file a probate petition in Butler County?
Butler County does not post an estate e-filing route. Call the probate office before assuming that any petition or later filing can be submitted electronically.
How do I look up a Butler County probate case?
Use Butler County's Ingenuity portal at https://www.ingprobate.com/butler_Probate/ and choose the probate case lookup option.
How much is the probate filing fee in Butler County?
Butler County does not post a dated estate fee list online. Call the probate office for the current total before filing. Alabama probate fees use a statutory structure under Ala. Code § 12-19-90, with local-law charges that can affect the amount due.
Can I attend a Butler County probate hearing by phone or video?
Butler County does not post a phone or video hearing policy. Ask the probate office about any available option when the hearing is scheduled.
Do I have to travel to Greenville for probate?
Not every task requires a trip at the same time, but the probate judge may require original documents, signatures, or a hearing. Call the probate office before traveling to ask what can be mailed and what must be handled at the courthouse.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.