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Clarke County, AL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Clarke County probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | Clarke County Probate Court |
| Probate office | 114 Court Street, Grove Hill, AL 36451 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 10, Grove Hill, AL 36451 |
| Phone | (251) 275-3251 |
| Fax | (251) 275-8427 |
| Filing fee | Clarke County's posted probate cost sheet, as available on August 23, 2026, lists administration of estate at $145.00, probating a last will and testament at $145.00, and extra will pages after five pages at $3.00 per page under the statutory page-charge structure in Ala. Code § 12-19-90. The cost sheet does not print a revision date, so confirm the current total with the probate office before filing. |
| Local forms | No Clarke County estate petition packet is published. The RT-1 form linked by the office is for deed recording, not for opening an estate. |
| E-filing | Clarke County does not publish an estate e-filing option. Ask the probate office how it wants the petition, original will if any, and supporting papers delivered. |
| Case or records search | The probate office offers a free-to-create online records portal with no document access fee. The county does not state whether that portal includes estate case records, so call (251) 275-3251 if the item you need is not visible there. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the probate office when the hearing is set whether phone or video attendance can be considered. |
| Website | https://clarkecountyal.com/probate/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a probate path in Clarke County, make a working list of the person's assets, debts, likely heirs, and whether there is an original will. The probate office will need enough information to understand whether you are asking for letters testamentary, letters of administration, a sale-related petition, or another estate filing.
Estate settlement is easier when you know what accounts and property exist before you file. Sunset's asset discovery searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then helps organize what you found for the Clarke County probate packet.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Clarke County Probate Court in Grove Hill serves Clarke County from one published probate office at 114 Court Street. No satellite probate office is published for estate filings.
Venue for an Alabama will or estate matter is generally 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). If the person lived in Clarke County at death, start with the Clarke County Probate Office.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the original will if there is one, a death certificate, names and addresses for heirs or beneficiaries, a basic asset and debt list, and the information needed to ask for an executor or administrator to be appointed.
- Prepare the petition for the Clarke County Probate Court. Alabama uses executor for the person named in a will and administrator when there is no will or no named person can serve; both are personal representatives.
- File through the Clarke County Probate Office at 114 Court Street in Grove Hill or ask the office how it wants the papers delivered. If there is an original will, ask how the office wants the original submitted.
- Pay the Clarke County filing cost when you file. The county's posted cost sheet, as available on August 23, 2026, lists $145.00 for administration of estate and $145.00 to probate a last will and testament, with $3.00 per page after five will pages under Ala. Code § 12-19-90. Confirm the current total before filing because the county's document does not print a revision date.
- The probate judge reviews the filing, determines whether notice or a hearing is needed, and acts on the request for appointment. Ask the probate office whether phone or video attendance can be considered if a hearing is scheduled.
- If the will is admitted or an administration is opened, the court issues letters testamentary for an executor or letters of administration for an administrator.
- Publish and give creditor notice as required. Alabama's nonclaim rule generally bars claims not timely presented, with rules for actual notice to known or reasonably ascertainable creditors (Ala. Code § 43-2-350).
- Administer the estate by collecting assets, paying approved expenses and claims in the required order, handling sale petitions if needed, and keeping records for the final accounting or settlement.
- Close the estate through the probate court when administration is complete. If a dispute requires relief the probate court cannot decide, an interested party may seek removal of the already-opened administration to the circuit court under Ala. Code § 12-11-41.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Clarke County
Clarke County does not publish an estate petition, estate cover sheet, or probate checklist for opening an estate. The probate office's published RT-1 form is for recording a deed, not for starting probate.
Because there is no local estate packet online, call the Clarke County Probate Office before filing to ask what petition format, death certificate, original will, heir information, and copies the office wants for your specific estate settlement.
Fees
Clarke County publishes an itemized probate cost sheet. The amounts below are the county's posted figures as available on August 23, 2026, but the document itself does not print a revision date. Confirm the current total with the Clarke County Probate Office before filing.
| Filing or petition | Posted amount |
|---|---|
| Administration of estate | $145.00, as posted August 23, 2026 |
| Last will and testament | $145.00, as posted August 23, 2026, plus $3.00 per page after five pages under Ala. Code § 12-19-90 |
| Petition to sell property, real or personal | $250.00, as posted August 23, 2026 |
| Petition for exempt property | $75.00, as posted August 23, 2026 |
| Foreign will or ancillary probate | $45.00, as posted August 23, 2026, with Alabama probate fee authority in Ala. Code § 12-19-90 |
| Guardianship or conservatorship | $350.00, as posted August 23, 2026 |
| Final settlement of guardianship or conservatorship | $150.00, as posted August 23, 2026 |
| Temporary guardianship | $275.00, as posted August 23, 2026 |
Local nuance
Clarke County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Clarke County filing |
|---|---|
| Published probate cost sheet | Clarke County posts estate-related costs, including $145.00 for administration of estate and $145.00 to probate a last will and testament as posted August 23, 2026. The document does not print a revision date, so ask the probate office for the current total before filing. |
| Online records portal | The probate office offers a free-to-create online records portal and states that document access carries no fee. The county does not state whether the portal includes estate case records, so call the office if you are looking for a probate matter. |
| Single Grove Hill office | Published Clarke County probate filing information points to one probate office at 114 Court Street in Grove Hill. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Alabama small-estate law changed effective October 1, 2025 | Act 2025-431 changed Alabama summary distribution rules and ties the current small-estate amount to the combined Article 6 allowances. The current amount is $47,000 under Ala. Code § 43-2-696.02. County-specific filing steps still come through the Clarke County Probate Office. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Clarke County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by confirming how the home is titled and what assets are only in the decedent's name. If an estate must be opened, file with the Clarke County Probate Office in Grove Hill and ask whether any exempt-property or sale-related petition is needed. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize the asset list, and prepare the probate packet for estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Call the Clarke County Probate Office before traveling to ask what the office needs, whether the original will must be delivered, and whether any hearing attendance by phone or video can be considered. | Sunset helps gather financial information remotely, assemble a filing packet, and connect you with local probate counsel if the office requires additional steps. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the child owned a Clarke County home in the child's name, expect a full estate administration and a possible petition to sell property. Clarke County's posted cost sheet lists a petition to sell real or personal property at $250.00 as posted August 23, 2026. | Sunset helps map the debts, accounts, title issues, and attorney needs before a sale petition is filed. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it can help | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Clarke County Probate Office | Filing location for Clarke County wills, estates, guardianships and conservatorships. The office can provide filing logistics, current costs, and hearing scheduling information, but not legal advice. | 114 Court Street, Grove Hill, AL 36451. Mailing: PO Box 10, Grove Hill, AL 36451. Phone: (251) 275-3251. Fax: (251) 275-8427. |
| Clarke County online records portal | Free account creation and no document access fee. The county does not state the portal's estate-case coverage, so call the probate office if you cannot find what you need. | Access through the Clarke County Probate Office website. |
| Legal Services Alabama | Free civil legal help for low-income Alabamians, subject to eligibility and case priorities. Its statewide information describes civil cases only and does not promise estate administration representation. | Statewide intake: 866-456-4995. Spanish line: 888-835-3505. AlabamaLegalHelp.org is named by Legal Services Alabama as a self-help site. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a probate attorney if the will may be contested, heirs disagree, real property must be sold, creditors are pressing, the estate may need removal of the administration to the circuit court, or you are trying to manage Clarke County filings from outside Alabama. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney when legal help is the right next step.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property that may affect estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized probate packet for the Clarke County Probate Office, including the asset details and family information that typically drive the first filing.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate involves a dispute, real property sale, creditor issue, or a court question you should not handle alone, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Alabama probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools without paying Sunset. If you choose to work with an attorney or another provider, that professional may charge for their services.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Clarke County, Alabama?
File through the Clarke County Probate Office at 114 Court Street in Grove Hill. The mailing address published by the office is PO Box 10, Grove Hill, AL 36451.
Does Clarke County publish probate forms online?
Clarke County does not publish an estate petition packet, estate cover sheet, or probate checklist online. The RT-1 form linked by the office is for deed recording, not for opening an estate.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Clarke County?
Clarke County's posted cost sheet, as available on August 23, 2026, lists administration of estate at $145.00 and probate of a last will and testament at $145.00. For a will longer than five pages, the posted sheet adds $3.00 per extra page under Ala. Code § 12-19-90. The document does not print a revision date, so confirm the current total with the probate office before filing.
Can I e-file a Clarke County probate petition?
Clarke County does not publish an estate e-filing option. Ask the probate office how it wants the petition, original will if any, death certificate, and supporting papers delivered.
Can I look up a Clarke County probate case online?
The Clarke County Probate Office offers a free-to-create online records portal and states that document access carries no fee. The county does not state whether that portal includes estate case records, so call (251) 275-3251 if the matter you need is not shown.
Can I attend a Clarke County probate hearing by phone or video?
Clarke County does not publish a standing phone or video hearing rule for probate. Ask the probate office about appearance options when the hearing is set.
Do I have to travel to Grove Hill to start estate settlement?
Maybe. If you live outside Alabama, call the Clarke County Probate Office before you travel to ask how it wants filings delivered, how an original will must be handled, and whether any hearing attendance option can be considered.
What letters will the Clarke County Probate Court issue?
If a will is admitted and the named person is appointed, the court issues letters testamentary. If there is no will or no named person can serve, the court may issue letters of administration to an administrator.
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.