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Bradley County, AR Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Bradley County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Bradley County Circuit Court, probate division |
| Courthouse address | 101 E. Cedar St., Warren, AR 71671 |
| Mailing address | Use 101 E. Cedar St., Warren, AR 71671 unless a clerk gives a different mailing instruction. |
| Probate filings go to | Call before filing. Bradley County has separate circuit clerk and county clerk counters at the courthouse. Circuit clerk: (870) 226-2272. County clerk: (870) 226-3464. |
| Fax | Circuit clerk: (870) 226-8416. County clerk: (870) 226-8404. |
| Hours | Counter hours were not posted on the Bradley clerk pages available online. Call before you travel to Warren or mail a filing. |
| Filing fee | $165.00 to open a decedent's estate, made up of the $150.00 uniform filing fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and the $15.00 court technology fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. Those amounts remain current after 2025 amendments to those statutes. A small-estate affidavit is $25.00, plus $5.00 per certified copy, under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, with the amount unchanged by 2021 Act 423 approved March 23, 2021. |
| Local forms | The Arkansas Judiciary publishes official probate forms and the statewide probate cover sheet. No Bradley-specific probate packet was posted on the circuit clerk page; ask the clerk whether any local instruction sheet is required. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. A self-represented filer should ask the Bradley County clerk whether this court will register them for e-filing; filing in person or by mail is the fallback. |
| Case search | Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad provides statewide case information. Document availability varies by court. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the clerk and check the Tenth Judicial Circuit administrative plan for the assigned circuit judge's practice. |
| Website | Circuit clerk: https://www.bradleycircuitclerk.com/. County office listing: https://www.arcounties.org/counties/bradley/. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in Warren, list the accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts, benefits, and recurring bills in the decedent's name. The right Arkansas path depends on what must be transferred, whether a personal representative needs letters, and whether the estate qualifies for the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101.
Because Bradley County's online pages do not name a single probate filing counter, call both clerk offices before you mail or bring paperwork to the courthouse. Sunset can help with the estate settlement groundwork by searching across more than 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets before the probate packet is prepared.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Bradley County is filed at the Bradley County Courthouse in Warren, in the probate division of the Bradley County Circuit Court. Bradley County is part of Arkansas's Tenth Judicial Circuit with Ashley, Chicot, Desha, and Drew counties, but a Bradley County estate is filed at the Bradley County courthouse, not in another county.
Arkansas venue for probate of a will or administration is in the county where the decedent resided at death; if the decedent did not reside in Arkansas, the rule looks to where the greater part in value of Arkansas property is located, where the decedent died if there is no Arkansas residence or property, or where a cause of action may be maintained by the personal representative if the decedent died outside Arkansas with no Arkansas residence or property (A.C.A. § 28-40-102). The first legally commenced proceeding extends to all Arkansas property, and a case filed in the wrong county can be transferred after venue is determined (A.C.A. § 28-40-102).
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, asset information, creditor information, and the names and addresses of heirs and devisees.
- Check the Arkansas timing rules. A will or administration generally must be applied for within five years after death (A.C.A. § 28-40-103). If 45 days have passed and the estate is $100,000 or less after encumbrances and excluding the homestead and statutory allowances, the affidavit route may fit under A.C.A. §§ 28-41-101 and 28-39-101; 2021 Act 423, approved March 23, 2021, did not change that amount.
- Choose the filing path. Use the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 when it fits and no personal representative has been appointed. Use full administration when letters testamentary or letters of administration are needed, when disputes exist, or when the affidavit route does not fit (A.C.A. § 28-48-102).
- Prepare the Arkansas Judiciary probate forms for the chosen path and include the statewide probate cover sheet. For a nonresident personal representative, review the official Designation of Process Agent form before filing.
- Before going to the courthouse, call the Bradley County Circuit Clerk at (870) 226-2272 and the Bradley County Clerk at (870) 226-3464 to confirm which counter accepts decedent-estate filings and whether current counter hours or mailing instructions have changed.
- File the packet at the Bradley County Courthouse in Warren with the probate clerk of the circuit court and pay the opening fee listed in the at-a-glance table, or ask the court about proceeding in forma pauperis under Rule 72.
- If the petition is opposed or a demand for notice has been filed, the court must set a hearing; otherwise, the court may decide whether a hearing is needed (A.C.A. § 28-40-110). Ask the clerk and check the Tenth Judicial Circuit administrative plan before assuming any phone or video option.
- After the court appoints a personal representative, the clerk issues letters under the court's seal, including letters testamentary or letters of administration as applicable (A.C.A. § 28-48-102).
- Publish notice of appointment, serve copies on heirs, devisees, and known or reasonably ascertainable unpaid creditors within one month after first publication, and serve the Arkansas Department of Human Services if required. Claims are barred six months from first publication if not properly presented (A.C.A. § 28-40-111).
- Administer the estate by collecting assets, addressing claims and taxes, preparing any required inventory or accounting, distributing property under the court's authority, and seeking final distribution and discharge when the estate settlement is ready to close.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Bradley County
Use the Arkansas Judiciary's official probate forms for decedent estates and the statewide probate cover sheet. The official set includes petitions for appointment, petition for probate of will and appointment of personal representative, proof of will, bond and acceptance forms, letters forms, notices, inventory, accounting, and the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101.
| Form issue | Bradley County note |
|---|---|
| Statewide forms | Arkansas publishes official probate forms for use in the probate division of circuit court. |
| Probate cover sheet | Use the statewide probate cover sheet with a new probate filing. |
| Bradley-specific forms | The Bradley County Circuit Clerk page does not post a probate packet, checklist, or separate cover sheet. Ask the clerk before filing whether the county clerk keeps any additional local instruction sheet. |
| Where to file | Call both Bradley clerk counters before filing because the public Bradley pages do not identify which counter accepts decedent-estate filings. |
Local nuance
Bradley County-specific considerations
| Local issue | What to do |
|---|---|
| Two clerk counters | Bradley County is not one of Arkansas's combined circuit and county clerk counties. The circuit clerk and county clerk are separate offices at 101 E. Cedar St. in Warren. |
| Probate counter not named online | The Bradley County public pages available online do not identify which clerk counter accepts decedent-estate filings. Call both before filing: circuit clerk at (870) 226-2272 and county clerk at (870) 226-3464. |
| Same courthouse address | Both offices are at the Bradley County Courthouse, so the key question is the correct counter and current filing instructions, not a different courthouse. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Legal help coverage | Legal Aid of Arkansas became the sole Legal Services Corporation funded provider for all 75 Arkansas counties on January 1, 2026. Families should use Legal Aid of Arkansas's statewide intake rather than older county resource lists. |
| Electronic filing | The Arkansas Judiciary's eFlex rejection policy took effect December 9, 2025, and eFlex subscription billing ends June 5, 2026. Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov, while self-represented access remains court specific. |
| Case search | Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad is the statewide public case information site for Arkansas circuit court information. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Bradley County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by identifying how the home is titled and which assets, if any, still need court authority. If probate is needed, call the Bradley clerk counters before filing in Warren. The homestead and statutory allowances matter when evaluating the affidavit route under A.C.A. §§ 28-41-101 and 28-39-101. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, title issues, and the probate packet needed for the estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the estate qualifies for the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, the affidavit is filed with the court's probate clerk and certified copies can then be used with asset holders. If letters are needed, ask about the Designation of Process Agent form and the assigned judge's appearance practice. | Sunset helps organize asset information, prepare the affidavit or full-administration packet, and connect the family with local counsel if needed. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | The affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 can reach real property when it fits, but real property adds publication requirements and a creditor window. A sale often requires letters under A.C.A. § 28-48-102, so call the Bradley clerk counters before choosing the filing path. | Sunset helps gather property and account information, prepare the court packet, and find a Bradley County probate attorney for sale authority and closing issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Bradley County Circuit Clerk | One of the two courthouse counters to call before filing a decedent-estate matter in Warren. | (870) 226-2272; https://www.bradleycircuitclerk.com/ |
| Bradley County Clerk | The other courthouse counter to call before filing, especially because Arkansas probate clerk duties can sit with different clerk offices by county. | (870) 226-3464; county office listing at https://www.arcounties.org/counties/bradley/ |
| Arkansas Judiciary official probate forms | Provides the statewide probate form set and probate cover sheet used for circuit court probate filings. | https://arcourts.gov/forms-and-publications/court-forms/probate-division/forms |
| Arkansas Law Help | Provides public legal information, including a packet for the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. | https://arlawhelp.org/ |
| Search ARCourts | Lets users search public case information statewide at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad. Document access varies by court. | https://caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad |
| Legal Aid of Arkansas | Income-restricted civil legal help. It may not take estate matters, but families can check eligibility and available topics. | 1-800-952-9243; https://arlegalaid.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a probate attorney when the estate includes real property to sell, heirs disagree, creditor claims are expected, a nonresident personal representative needs help with Arkansas procedure, or the Bradley clerk counters cannot answer filing-path questions without giving legal advice. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets
Sunset searches for accounts, policies, real estate clues, debts, and other assets so the family can understand what is actually in the estate before choosing a filing path in Bradley County.
Generate the probate packet
Sunset turns the estate information into a probate packet using the Arkansas forms and the statewide probate cover sheet, then helps the family understand what to ask the Bradley clerk before filing.
Find a local probate attorney
When an estate settlement needs court strategy, real property sale authority, creditor analysis, or help with a contested matter, Sunset can connect the family with a local probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families
Sunset is free for families. It helps organize the estate settlement, reduce missed assets, and prepare for the next step without charging the family for the initial guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for Bradley County?
File Bradley County probate matters at the Bradley County Courthouse, 101 E. Cedar St., Warren, AR 71671, in the probate division of the Bradley County Circuit Court. Call both courthouse clerk counters before filing because the public Bradley pages do not identify which counter accepts decedent-estate filings.
Which Bradley County clerk should I call first?
Call the Bradley County Circuit Clerk at (870) 226-2272 and the Bradley County Clerk at (870) 226-3464. Ask which counter accepts probate filings, what hours apply, and whether mailing or in-person filing is preferred for your packet.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Bradley County?
The Arkansas filing amount to open a decedent's estate is $165.00, made up of the $150.00 uniform filing fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and the $15.00 court technology fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. Those amounts remain current after 2025 amendments to those statutes. The affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee costs $25.00, plus $5.00 per certified copy, under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, with the amount unchanged by 2021 Act 423 approved March 23, 2021.
Does Bradley County have its own probate forms?
The Bradley County Circuit Clerk page does not post a probate packet, checklist, or separate cover sheet. Use the Arkansas Judiciary's official probate forms and statewide probate cover sheet, and ask the clerk whether any Bradley County instruction sheet is required.
Can I e-file a Bradley County probate case?
Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov under the Arkansas Judiciary's e-filing system. A self-represented filer should ask the Bradley County clerk whether this court will register them for e-filing; otherwise, ask how to file in person or by mail.
Will Bradley County set a hearing?
Arkansas law requires a hearing if the petition is opposed or if a demand for notice has been filed, and otherwise leaves the decision to the court (A.C.A. § 28-40-110). Ask the clerk how the assigned circuit judge handles scheduling in the Tenth Judicial Circuit.
How do I look up a Bradley County probate case?
Use Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad. It provides statewide case information for Arkansas circuit courts, although online document availability varies by court.
Do I have to travel to Warren for a Bradley County estate settlement?
Possibly. Call the clerk before you travel, especially if you live outside Arkansas. Some matters may be handled by mail or through counsel, while hearings and original-document filing rules depend on the court's instructions.
What deadline should I know before starting in Bradley County?
Arkansas generally requires application to admit a will or grant administration within five years after death (A.C.A. § 28-40-103). After letters are granted, the published creditor notice creates a six months claims bar from first publication (A.C.A. § 28-40-111).
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.