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Russell County, AL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Russell County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Russell County Probate Court |
| Filing office | Russell County Probate Office, Russell County Courthouse, First Floor, 1000 Broad Street, Phenix City, AL 36867 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 700, Phenix City, AL 36867 |
| Phone | (334) 298-7979 |
| Fax | (334) 384-9866 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, closed on all holidays |
| Estate filing fee | No estate filing total is posted online. Alabama uses probate fee items under Ala. Code § 12-19-90 plus local-law charges that can affect the total, so call the probate office before filing. |
| Local probate forms | No dedicated estate petition forms category is posted. The Wills and Administrations page is informational. |
| E-filing | No estate petition e-filing process is posted. Ask the probate office how to submit the petition and original will, if any. |
| Case lookup | Russell County operates an online lookup at ingprobate.com/Russell_Probate with land records and a separate probate case records lookup. Land records are posted online from June 2002 forward. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the probate office when a hearing is scheduled whether phone or video attendance is allowed for that hearing. |
| Website | www.russellcountyprobate.us |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Russell County, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, account statements, real estate interests, vehicles, and the original will if one exists. The probate path depends on what must be transferred, who is entitled to act, and whether the estate needs a personal representative, meaning an executor under a will or an administrator when there is no will.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then helps organize the information needed for a Russell County probate filing. That early inventory helps you avoid filing a petition that is too narrow or missing assets the personal representative will later need authority to manage.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Russell County Probate Court serves Russell County from the Russell County Courthouse in Phenix City. No satellite probate office or second county seat is published for Russell County.
For a person who lived in Alabama, venue is generally the probate court of the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. For a nonresident decedent, venue can be in an Alabama county where the decedent left assets, and Alabama also recognizes venue designated under Ala. Code § 43-8-162.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the probate path. Review the will, family information, assets, debts, and whether a personal representative is needed. A person holding the will after death has a duty to deliver it to someone able to secure probate under Ala. Code § 43-8-270.
- Prepare the petition for the Russell County Probate Court. If there is a will, the requested authority is usually letters testamentary for the executor. If there is no will or no executor able to serve, the requested authority is usually letters of administration for an administrator.
- File with the Russell County Probate Office at the Russell County Courthouse, First Floor, 1000 Broad Street, Phenix City. Bring or send the original will if there is one, and call (334) 298-7979 before filing to confirm the current estate filing total because Russell County does not post an estate filing-fee total online.
- Follow the probate judge's scheduling instructions. If a hearing is set, ask the probate office at that time whether phone or video attendance is allowed for that specific hearing.
- Receive authority if the petition is granted. The probate judge acts on the petition, and the estate receives letters testamentary or letters of administration that show the personal representative's authority to act for the estate.
- Give required notices and handle creditor claims. Alabama's nonclaim rule bars claims not presented within six months, with a 30-day period after actual notice for creditors entitled to actual notice, under Ala. Code § 43-2-350.
- Administer the estate. The personal representative gathers assets, safeguards property, pays valid expenses and claims in the order Alabama law requires, keeps records, and follows any bond, inventory, sale, or accounting instructions from the probate court.
- Close the estate when administration is ready for settlement. After assets are collected, claims are handled, and distributions are ready, file the required settlement or closing papers with the Russell County Probate Court.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Russell County
Russell County's online Forms section is organized around categories such as business licenses, court records, elections, notary public forms, and marriage certificate requests. It does not post a dedicated estate petition forms category for wills, administrations, or estate opening papers.
The Russell County Wills and Administrations page explains topics such as probating a will, filing a petition for letters of administration, and office access to will copies, but it is not a dedicated estate forms library. If you are preparing to file, call the probate office before relying on an online folder or general forms page.
Local nuance
Russell County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Russell County filing |
|---|---|
| Single published office | Estate filings go through the Russell County Probate Office at the Russell County Courthouse in Phenix City. No satellite probate filing office is posted. |
| Office hours and holidays | The probate office posts weekday hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time and states that it is closed on all holidays. |
| Online lookup | Russell County uses its own ingprobate.com portal with land records and a separate probate case records lookup. The office states that land records are online from June 2002 forward, but it does not post a separate date range for probate case lookup. |
| Copy and certification charges | As posted by Russell County on August 23, 2026, will research and copies cost $1.00 per page, and document certification costs an additional $3.00. Those are records-copy charges, not the estate filing total, and probate fee items can also involve Ala. Code § 12-19-90. |
| Forms organization | The online forms area does not have a dedicated estate petition category. Treat estate opening papers as something to confirm with the probate office before filing. |
Recent updates
| Change | What changed |
|---|---|
| Act 2025-431 | Effective October 1, 2025, Alabama changed its summary distribution rules under the Revised Alabama Small Estates Act. Russell County filers using that path should confirm the current local publication and filing instructions with the probate office. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Russell County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by checking how the home is titled and whether any solely owned assets need a Russell County Probate Court case. If probate is needed, the spouse may need appointment as personal representative before selling, transferring, or collecting estate property. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize title and debt information, and prepare the estate settlement packet for review before filing in Phenix City. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Confirm whether the estate qualifies for Alabama's summary distribution path or needs full administration. Russell County does not post an estate e-filing process, so call the probate office about how to submit papers and whether a hearing can be handled by phone or video. | Sunset helps gather asset information remotely, generate the probate packet, and connect the family with a local probate attorney when local filing help is needed. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the child lived in Russell County and the home or other assets require probate authority, file in the Russell County Probate Court for letters testamentary or letters of administration. A sale may require court instructions depending on the estate and title issues. | Sunset helps organize the estate settlement workstream, locate financial accounts, and prepare attorney-ready information for a home-sale probate strategy. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it can help |
|---|---|
| Russell County Probate Office | Call (334) 298-7979 or visit the Russell County Courthouse, First Floor, 1000 Broad Street, Phenix City, for filing procedures, office hours, copy access, and scheduling instructions. Counter staff may explain office procedure, but they may not choose forms, prepare legal documents, or give legal advice. |
| Russell County online lookup | Use the Russell County ingprobate.com portal for land records and probate case records lookup. Land records are posted online from June 2002 forward. |
| Legal Services Alabama | Call statewide intake at 866-456-4995 or apply online. Legal Services Alabama provides free civil legal help for low-income Alabamians, subject to eligibility and case-type priorities, and lists heirs property and estate planning among its practice areas. |
| AlabamaLegalHelp.org | Legal Services Alabama identifies this as its self-help and referral site. Use it as a starting point for general Alabama civil legal information. |
When to hire an attorney
A probate attorney is especially useful if heirs disagree, the will may be contested, the estate includes real estate that must be sold, creditor claims are unclear, a bond issue arises, or the family is trying to manage a Russell County filing from outside Alabama. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets
Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families identify accounts and assets that may belong in the estate. That gives the personal representative a clearer starting point for estate settlement in Russell County.
Generate the probate packet
Sunset turns the family's information into an organized probate packet for the Alabama path, including the details a Russell County filing or attorney review is likely to need.
Find a local probate attorney
When a filing needs legal review, a real estate sale, a contested issue, or local court guidance, Sunset helps connect the family with a probate attorney who works in Alabama.
Sunset is free for families
Sunset is free for families. The platform helps organize the estate settlement process, reduce administrative work, and make the next Russell County probate step easier to understand.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Russell County?
File with the Russell County Probate Office at the Russell County Courthouse, First Floor, 1000 Broad Street, Phenix City, AL 36867. The office serves the whole county from that published location.
What are the Russell County Probate Office hours?
The office posts hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, and states that it is closed on all holidays.
Can I e-file a Russell County estate petition?
Russell County does not post an estate petition e-filing process. Call (334) 298-7979 before filing to ask how the probate office wants the petition and original will, if there is one, submitted.
Can I look up a Russell County probate case online?
Russell County operates an online lookup at ingprobate.com/Russell_Probate. The portal includes land records and a separate probate case records lookup. The office states that land records are online from June 2002 forward, but it does not post a separate coverage date for probate case records.
Does Russell County publish probate forms for wills and administrations?
Russell County posts a general Forms section, but it does not post a dedicated estate petition forms category. Its Wills and Administrations page is informational, so call the probate office before relying on online materials for an estate opening.
How much does it cost to file probate in Russell County?
Russell County does not post an estate filing-fee total online. Alabama probate costs include fee items under Ala. Code § 12-19-90 and local-law charges that can affect the total, so call the probate office for the current amount before filing.
Do I have to travel to Phenix City for a Russell County probate hearing?
That depends on whether the probate judge sets a hearing and what attendance method is allowed for that hearing. Ask the probate office about phone or video attendance when the hearing is scheduled.
Does Russell County have a separate probate office email?
The Russell County Probate Office contact page does not post an office-level email address. Use the phone number, fax number, mailing address, or courthouse address listed on this page.
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.