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Monroe County, AL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Monroe County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Monroe County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 65 N Alabama Ave, Monroeville, AL 36461 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 665, Monroeville, AL 36460 |
| Phone | (251) 743-4107 |
| Fax | (251) 575-3320 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Thursday |
| Filing fee | Current estate filing total is not published online. Confirm the amount with the probate office before filing. Alabama probate fees use the statutory schedule in Ala. Code § 12-19-90 plus any local-law charges that apply. |
| Local forms | No local estate petition, checklist or cover sheet is published online. |
| E-filing status | No estate-petition electronic filing instructions are published online. Ask the probate office how it wants the filing delivered. |
| Case lookup | Monroe County ING Probate portal: https://www.ingprobate.com/monroe_probate/ |
| Remote appearance | Not published online. Ask the probate office when a hearing is set. |
| Website | https://www.monroecountyonline.com/Default.asp?ID=345&pg=Probate+Judge |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Monroe County, make a list of the assets, debts, beneficiaries, heirs and any original will. The probate office can tell you its filing logistics, but it cannot choose the right legal path for you.
Sunset helps families start estate settlement with asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then organizes what was found so the Monroe County filing decision is based on a clearer picture of the estate.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Monroe County Probate Court serves Monroe County from Monroeville. Alabama venue for probating a will 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).
File Monroe County estate matters through the Monroe County Probate Office at the courthouse address or mailing address shown above, unless the probate office gives different delivery instructions.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the original will if there is one, the death information, the names and addresses of interested people, and a working list of assets and liabilities. A person holding a will after death has a duty to deliver it to someone able to secure probate (Ala. Code § 43-8-270).
- Decide whether the estate needs full administration in Monroe County or whether a statewide simplified path may apply. If full administration is needed, the petition asks the Monroe County Probate Court to appoint an executor or administrator, the personal representative who will act for the estate.
- Prepare the filing packet. Monroe County does not publish a local estate packet online, so ask the probate office what petition format, supporting papers and copies it wants before you file.
- File through the Monroe County Probate Office in Monroeville or by the mailing instructions the office gives you. If there is a will, be ready to provide the original will. Confirm the current filing total before sending payment because Monroe County does not publish a current estate filing-fee amount online.
- The probate judge reviews the petition and may set a hearing or ask for more information. If travel is difficult, ask the probate office whether the court will allow phone or video participation for that hearing.
- If the court grants the petition, it issues letters testamentary when there is a will naming an executor, or letters of administration when an administrator is appointed.
- After appointment, publish and send required creditor notice. Alabama's nonclaim rule generally bars claims not presented within six months, with a separate 30-day period after actual notice for a creditor entitled to actual notice (Ala. Code § 43-2-350).
- Collect and manage estate assets, address allowed claims and expenses, keep the estate accounting organized, and request court approval for settlement and distribution when the estate is ready to close. If an estate dispute requires equity relief that the Monroe County Probate Court is not handling, an interested party may seek removal of the administration after the probate court has acted (Ala. Code § 12-11-41).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Monroe County
Monroe County does not publish a local estate petition, checklist or cover sheet online. The only fee material found on the county site is an old land-document recording charge PDF, which should not be used as an estate filing-fee guide.
Because Alabama does not provide a public statewide probate form set for every county, call the Monroe County Probate Office before filing to ask what petition format, proposed order, notice papers and copies the court expects for your situation.
Local nuance
Monroe County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for Monroe County filings |
|---|---|
| County case portal | Monroe County uses an ING Probate portal at https://www.ingprobate.com/monroe_probate/ with options to look up probate cases and land matters. Use that county portal rather than the Alabama trial-court access site when checking a Monroe County probate matter. |
| Short Thursday hours | The probate office publishes regular hours through 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, but only until 12:00 noon on Thursday. Plan filings and phone calls around that shorter Thursday schedule. |
Recent updates
| Change | What changed | Effective date |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama small-estate law | Act 2025-431 changed Alabama's summary distribution ceiling. The current statewide amount is $47,000 under Ala. Code § 43-2-696.02, tied to the combined Article 6 allowances. | October 1, 2025, with the current $47,000 amount in effect through at least March 31, 2027 |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Monroe County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by confirming how the home is titled and whether any assets require Monroe County probate authority. If a court appointment is needed, file through the Monroe County Probate Office in Monroeville. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize title questions and prepare the estate settlement information needed before contacting the probate office or an attorney. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Use the Monroe County Probate Court if Monroe County is the proper Alabama venue. Because electronic filing instructions and remote hearing practices are not published online, call before sending a petition or planning travel. | Sunset helps gather institution information, create a task list and connect you with a local probate attorney if Monroe County court steps are required. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If estate authority is needed to sign sale papers, expect to ask the Monroe County Probate Court for letters testamentary or letters of administration. A lawyer is especially useful when real property, heirs and sale timing all overlap. | Sunset helps find assets and debts, organize the sale-related probate packet and connect the family to Monroe County probate counsel. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it can help | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Monroe County Probate Office | Filing logistics, current fee amount, local delivery instructions, hearing scheduling questions and questions about the county case portal. The office cannot choose your legal strategy. | (251) 743-4107; 65 N Alabama Ave, Monroeville, AL 36461 |
| Legal Services Alabama | Free civil legal help for low-income Alabamians, subject to eligibility and case priorities. Its published areas include heirs property and estate planning. | 866-456-4995; https://legalservicesalabama.org/ |
| AlabamaLegalHelp.org | Self-help site named by Legal Services Alabama for Alabama legal information and referrals. | https://www.alabamalegalhelp.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider hiring a probate attorney if the will may be contested, heirs disagree, a home must be sold, creditor claims are unclear, business assets are involved, or an interested party may seek removal of the administration under Ala. Code § 12-11-41. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches broadly for financial accounts and helps families build a practical asset list before they decide what to file in Monroe County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's information into an organized estate settlement packet so the petition, interested-person details and asset summary are easier to review with the probate office or counsel.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Monroe County estate needs legal guidance, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Alabama probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, understand what comes next and get connected to the right local help without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Monroe County, Alabama?
File through the Monroe County Probate Office for the Monroe County Probate Court in Monroeville. The courthouse address is 65 N Alabama Ave, Monroeville, AL 36461, and the mailing address is PO Box 665, Monroeville, AL 36460.
What are the Monroe County Probate Office hours?
The office publishes hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Thursday.
Does Monroe County publish probate forms online?
No local estate petition, checklist or cover sheet is published online. Call the probate office before filing to ask what format and supporting papers it wants.
How much does it cost to file probate in Monroe County?
Monroe County does not publish a current estate filing-fee total online. Confirm the amount with the probate office before filing. Alabama probate fees use the statutory schedule in Ala. Code § 12-19-90 plus any local-law charges that apply.
Can I look up a Monroe County probate case online?
Yes. Monroe County has an ING Probate portal at https://www.ingprobate.com/monroe_probate/ with a probate case lookup option. Use that county portal for Monroe County probate lookup.
Can I file a Monroe County estate petition electronically?
Monroe County does not publish estate-petition electronic filing instructions online. Ask the probate office how it wants the filing delivered before you send documents or payment.
Can I attend a Monroe County probate hearing by phone or video?
Monroe County does not publish a remote-appearance rule online. Ask the probate office about phone or video participation when the hearing is set.
Do I have to travel to Monroeville for probate?
Not always for every task, but do not assume a hearing or original-document requirement can be handled from elsewhere. Call the Monroe County Probate Office before planning travel, mailing an original will or arranging a remote request.
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.