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Chicot County, AR Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Chicot County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Chicot County Circuit Court, probate division |
| Courthouse city | Lake Village |
| Clerk address | 108 Main Street, Lake Village, AR 71653 |
| Probate filing contact | Call before filing. Chicot County lists a circuit clerk at (870) 265-8010 and a county clerk at (870) 265-8000, both at 108 Main Street. Ask which counter is accepting decedent estate filings. |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is published for the Chicot clerk counters. Ask before mailing originals to 108 Main Street. |
| Fax | Circuit clerk fax: (870) 265-8012. County clerk fax: (870) 265-8006. |
| Hours | Hours are not published for the Chicot clerk counters. Call before visiting Lake Village. |
| Filing fee | $165.00 to open a decedent's estate, current as of August 2026: $150.00 uniform filing fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 plus the $15.00 court technology fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. The affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee filing is $25.00, current as of August 2026, with $5.00 per certified copy, current as of August 2026 (A.C.A. § 28-41-101). |
| Local forms | No Chicot County probate packet is published online. Use the Arkansas Judiciary's 33 Official Probate Forms and the statewide probate cover sheet. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. A self-represented filer should ask the Chicot clerk whether that court will register them and, if not, ask for in-person or mail filing instructions. |
| Case search | Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad provides free statewide case information. Document availability varies by court. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the Chicot clerk whether the circuit judge will approve phone or video attendance and whether the Tenth Judicial Circuit administrative plan gives instructions. |
| Website | No Chicot County government probate page is published online. Use the Arkansas Judiciary probate forms page and call the Chicot clerk counters for local filing instructions. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you call the Chicot clerk counters, make a working list of assets, debts, the original will if there is one, real estate, vehicles, accounts, and any property already passing by beneficiary designation or survivorship. That first inventory helps you ask the right question: whether the family needs full administration or a smaller affidavit path under Arkansas law.
Sunset's estate settlement tools can search across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organize documents, and turn what you find into a clearer filing plan for Lake Village. That work is especially useful in Chicot County because the public contact information does not identify a single probate filing counter.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Chicot County is filed in the probate division of the Chicot County Circuit Court in Lake Village, in Arkansas's Tenth Judicial Circuit. Chicot County is served by its own courthouse city and is not combined with another county for filing, even though the Tenth Judicial Circuit also includes Ashley, Bradley, Desha, and Drew counties.
Arkansas venue for probate of a will and estate administration is set by A.C.A. § 28-40-102: if the decedent lived in Arkansas, file where the decedent resided at death; if not, use the Arkansas county with the greater part in value of the decedent's Arkansas property; if there was no Arkansas residence or property but the death occurred in Arkansas, use the county of death; otherwise use a county where the personal representative may maintain a cause of action. The first legally commenced proceeding controls statewide, and a case filed in the wrong county can be transferred rather than started over.
For Chicot County, call both Lake Village clerk counters before filing if you are unsure where to take the petition: circuit clerk at (870) 265-8010 and county clerk at (870) 265-8000.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, names and addresses of heirs and devisees, a first asset list, known debts, and any documents showing survivorship or beneficiary designations.
- Check timing. Arkansas generally requires an application to admit a will to probate or grant administration within five years after death (A.C.A. § 28-40-103).
- Choose the filing path. If the estate qualifies for an affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee, the statewide amount is $100,000 or under, current as of August 2026, measured less encumbrances and excluding the homestead and statutory allowances, and 45 days must have passed since death (A.C.A. § 28-41-101). Otherwise prepare for full administration.
- Prepare the Arkansas Judiciary probate form that fits the case, such as a petition for probate of will and appointment of personal representative or a petition for appointment of administrator, and add the statewide probate cover sheet.
- Call the Chicot clerk counters before going to 108 Main Street in Lake Village. Ask whether the circuit clerk or county clerk is accepting decedent estate filings and whether the filing should be delivered in person, by mail, or through eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov if you are represented by an attorney.
- File the petition and cover sheet with the probate clerk of the circuit court and pay $165.00, current as of August 2026, 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, unless the court allows a Rule 72 in forma pauperis filing.
- If using the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee, file the affidavit with the probate clerk and request certified copies for banks or other holders. The filing is $25.00, current as of August 2026, and certified copies are $5.00 each, current as of August 2026 (A.C.A. § 28-41-101).
- Ask how the circuit judge handles the petition. A hearing is required if the petition is opposed or if a demand for notice is on file; otherwise the court may set a hearing or may act on the papers (A.C.A. § 28-40-110).
- After appointment, the court appoints the personal representative and the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under the court's seal (A.C.A. § 28-48-102).
- Publish notice of appointment and serve required copies on heirs, devisees, known creditors, and the Department of Human Services when required. Creditor claims are barred six months from the first publication if not properly presented (A.C.A. § 28-40-111).
- Administer the estate by inventorying assets, handling claims, paying allowed debts and taxes, selling property only with proper authority, distributing what remains, filing any required accounting, and seeking discharge when the estate is ready to close.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Chicot County
The main form set for Chicot County comes from the Arkansas Judiciary, not from a Chicot County packet. The statewide set includes 33 Official Probate Forms, including petitions, proof of will, bond, acceptance, designation of process agent, letters testamentary, letters of administration, notices, inventory, accounting, and Form 23, Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by Distributee (A.C.A. § 28-41-101).
Use the statewide probate cover sheet with a new or closing probate filing. Because Chicot County does not publish a local probate instruction page online, call the Lake Village clerk counters before filing to ask whether they want any local cover note, copies, proposed orders, or return envelopes.
Local nuance
Chicot County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Chicot County filing |
|---|---|
| Two clerk counters are listed | Chicot County lists a circuit clerk and a county clerk at the same 108 Main Street address, with different phone numbers. Call before filing to confirm which counter is acting as the probate clerk for decedent estate matters. |
| No Chicot probate web page is published | Use statewide Arkansas Judiciary probate forms and call the Lake Village clerk counters for local delivery instructions. Do not assume a local packet exists. |
| Hours are not published | Call before traveling to Lake Village, especially if you need to file originals, pay a fee, or request certified copies. |
| Fax numbers differ by counter | Circuit clerk fax: (870) 265-8012. County clerk fax: (870) 265-8006. Ask which number to use before sending filing-related material. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Statewide legal aid coverage changed on January 1, 2026 | Legal Aid of Arkansas became the statewide civil legal-aid provider for all 75 Arkansas counties. Families should use Legal Aid of Arkansas, 1-800-952-9243, to ask about eligibility, while understanding that estate-administration representation is not promised. |
| eFlex filing policy update | The Arkansas Judiciary announced an eFlex Electronic Filing Rejection Policy effective December 9, 2025. Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov, and self-represented filers should ask the Chicot clerk about registration in that court. |
| eFlex billing update | The Arkansas Judiciary announced that eFlex subscription-based payment support ends June 5, 2026, while other payment methods remain available. |
| Statewide case search | Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad is the statewide public case-information portal for Arkansas circuit courts. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Chicot County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by identifying how the home is titled and whether it passes outside probate. If probate is still needed in Chicot County, file in Lake Village after calling the clerk counters. Homestead treatment and statutory allowances may affect the smaller affidavit calculation under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 and A.C.A. § 28-39-101. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title clues, debts, and documents so the spouse can decide whether a court filing is needed for estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If 45 days have passed and the Arkansas affidavit requirements are met, the adult child may use the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee for an estate of $100,000 or under, current as of August 2026, as measured by A.C.A. § 28-41-101. The affidavit is filed with the probate clerk in Lake Village, and certified copies go to banks or other holders. If full administration is needed, ask the clerk about Form 9, Designation of Process Agent, and about whether phone or video attendance can be approved. | Sunset helps the out-of-state child locate accounts, create an asset list, and prepare a packet for the Chicot filing call. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A real-property sale often requires full authority through a personal representative. The Arkansas affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee can include real property if A.C.A. § 28-41-101 is satisfied, but real property adds publication and a creditor window. Call the Lake Village clerk counters before choosing the filing path. | Sunset helps organize real estate, mortgage, account, and debt information, then connects the parent with a local probate attorney if a sale or court authority is needed. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps Chicot County families |
|---|---|
| Arkansas Judiciary Official Probate Forms | Use the statewide probate form set and the probate cover sheet for filings in the probate division of the Chicot County Circuit Court. |
| 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. |
| Search ARCourts | Use caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad to search free statewide case information for Arkansas circuit courts. Public document access depends on the court and the case. |
| Legal Aid of Arkansas | Call 1-800-952-9243 to ask about eligibility for civil legal help. Estate-administration representation is not promised. |
| Chicot clerk counters | Call the circuit clerk at (870) 265-8010 and the county clerk at (870) 265-8000 before filing to confirm the correct probate counter, hours, delivery method, and copy needs. |
When to hire an attorney
A probate attorney is especially useful in Chicot County when the filing counter is unclear, the estate includes land, a sale is needed, family members disagree, creditor claims are expected, a nonresident wants to serve, or the family is unsure whether the affidavit path under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 is enough. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps families build the asset list needed for estate settlement, probate forms, and a productive call with the Chicot clerk counters.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you enter into an organized probate packet, including the documents and details commonly needed for Arkansas forms and the statewide probate cover sheet.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate includes real property, a sale, creditor issues, or a dispute, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Arkansas probate attorney familiar with estate settlement.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate, identify next steps, and decide whether they need court filing support without paying Sunset for the core service.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Chicot County?
File in Lake Village with the probate division of the Chicot County Circuit Court. Call before filing because Chicot County lists both a circuit clerk at (870) 265-8010 and a county clerk at (870) 265-8000 at 108 Main Street, and the public contact listings do not identify one filing counter for decedent estates.
Which clerk takes Chicot County probate filings?
Call both clerk counters before you go. Chicot County lists a circuit clerk and a county clerk at 108 Main Street, Lake Village, AR 71653. Ask which counter is accepting petitions, the statewide probate cover sheet, and affidavit filings under A.C.A. § 28-41-101.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Chicot County?
The opening fee is $165.00, current as of August 2026. That is $150.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 plus the $15.00 court technology fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. The affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee is $25.00, current as of August 2026, plus $5.00 per certified copy, current as of August 2026 (A.C.A. § 28-41-101).
Can I e-file a Chicot County probate case?
Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. A self-represented filer should ask the Chicot clerk whether that court will register them for electronic filing and, if not, ask how to file in person or by mail.
Are there Chicot County probate forms online?
No Chicot County probate packet is published online. Use the Arkansas Judiciary's statewide Official Probate Forms and the statewide probate cover sheet, then call the Chicot clerk counters for local filing instructions.
Will there be a hearing in my Chicot County probate case?
Arkansas requires a hearing if the petition is opposed or if a demand for notice is on file; otherwise the court may set a hearing or may act on the papers (A.C.A. § 28-40-110). Ask the Chicot clerk how the circuit judge handles your type of petition.
Can I attend a Chicot County probate hearing by phone or video?
Ask the Chicot clerk before the hearing. Phone or video attendance depends on the circuit judge and any instructions in the Tenth Judicial Circuit administrative plan.
How do I look up a Chicot County probate case?
Use Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad. It provides free statewide case information for Arkansas circuit courts, but public access to documents depends on the court and the case.
Do I have to travel to Lake Village to start estate settlement?
Call the Chicot clerk counters first. The clerk can tell you whether your filing can be mailed, whether an attorney will use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov, and whether any hearing attendance can be handled by phone or video with the judge's approval.
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.