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Clay County, AR Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Clay County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Clay County Circuit Court, probate division |
| Courthouse locations | Eastern District: 151 South 2nd Avenue, Piggott, AR 72454. Western District: 800 West 2nd Street, Corning, AR 72422. |
| Probate filings go to | Call before filing because Clay County has separate county clerk and circuit clerk offices, and the public clerk pages do not identify which counter serves as probate clerk. Circuit clerk: Piggott, (870) 598-2524; Corning, (870) 857-3271. County clerk: Piggott, (870) 598-2813; Corning, (870) 857-3480. |
| Mailing address | Call for current mailing instructions before sending an original will, payment, or signed probate papers to either Clay County courthouse location. |
| Phone | Start with the clerk offices listed above, then confirm the correct district and filing counter before you go. |
| Fax | Circuit clerk fax: (870) 598-1107. |
| County clerk email: [email protected]. | |
| Hours | 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, weekdays. The Clay County clerk contact pages do not state a midday closure or filing cutoff, so call before a late-day filing. |
| Filing fee | $165.00, current August 2026, to open a decedent's estate. That is the $150.00 uniform filing fee, current August 2026, under A.C.A. § 21-6-403, plus the $15.00 court technology fee, current August 2026, under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. The affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee costs $25.00, current August 2026, plus $5.00, current August 2026, for each certified copy under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. |
| Local forms | Use the Arkansas Judiciary's Official Probate Forms and statewide probate cover sheet. Clay County's clerk contact pages list contact information rather than a Clay-specific probate packet. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. A self-represented filer should ask the clerk whether that court will register them for the case; otherwise, get in-person or mail filing instructions from the clerk. |
| Case search | Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov provides free statewide case information. Document availability varies by court. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the clerk before any hearing. Phone or video practice is set by the circuit judge and the Second Judicial Circuit administrative plan. |
| Website | Clay County clerk page: https://www.claycountyarkansas.org/departments/clay-county-clerk. Clay County circuit clerk page: https://www.claycountyarkansas.org/departments/clay-county-circuit-clerk. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Clay County, make a practical list of the decedent's assets, debts, real estate, vehicles, bank accounts, retirement accounts, and likely creditors. That list affects the filing route, the filing district, the notice work, and whether the family needs letters from the court for estate settlement.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts, policies, and property that may otherwise be missed before a petition or affidavit is prepared. In Clay County, that inventory step also helps you explain the estate clearly when you call the Piggott or Corning clerk to confirm the correct district.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Clay County is filed in the probate division of the Clay County Circuit Court, which sits in Arkansas's Second Judicial Circuit. Clay County is one of the Arkansas counties with Eastern and Western districts, so the filing may belong at the Piggott courthouse or the Corning courthouse depending on the district tied to the decedent and the Arkansas venue rule.
Arkansas venue for probate of a will or administration is generally the county where the decedent resided at death, then the county with the greater value of Arkansas property for a nonresident, then the county where the person died if there was no Arkansas residence or property, and then a county where the personal representative may maintain a cause of action if none of those apply (A.C.A. § 28-40-102). In a county with more than one district, Arkansas law treats the word county as district unless the context requires otherwise (A.C.A. § 28-1-102). If more than one proceeding is started, the first legally commenced proceeding controls until the court determines venue, and a misfiled case can be transferred rather than started over (A.C.A. § 28-40-102).
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, a first list of assets and debts, and the addresses of heirs, devisees, and known creditors.
- Check the Arkansas five-year outside limit. No will is admitted to probate and no administration is granted unless the application is made within five years from death, subject to the statutory exceptions (A.C.A. § 28-40-103).
- Call the Clay County clerk offices before filing. Ask which office serves as probate clerk for decedent estates, and ask whether the case belongs in the Eastern District location in Piggott or the Western District location in Corning.
- Choose the filing route. If 45 days have passed and the estate fits the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee, including the $100,000, current August 2026, amount measured less encumbrances and excluding the homestead and statutory allowances, use the affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 and A.C.A. § 28-39-101. Otherwise, prepare a petition for probate of will and appointment of personal representative or a petition for appointment of an administrator using the Arkansas Judiciary forms.
- Add the statewide probate cover sheet and any Clay County filing instructions the clerk gives you.
- File with the probate clerk of the Clay County Circuit Court at the courthouse location the clerk identifies. The opening fee is $165.00, current August 2026, consisting 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. If the filing party cannot afford the fee, ask about proceeding in forma pauperis under Rule 72.
- Handle notice and any hearing. If the petition is opposed or a demand for notice is on file, 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 how the assigned circuit judge handles any request for phone or video participation.
- After appointment, the court appoints the personal representative and the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under the court seal (A.C.A. § 28-48-102).
- Publish the notice of appointment after letters are granted. Serve copies on heirs, devisees, and known or reasonably ascertainable unpaid creditors within one month after first publication, including the Arkansas Department of Human Services when required (A.C.A. § 28-40-111).
- Administer and close the estate. Collect assets, prepare any required inventory and accounting, address claims, pay valid debts and taxes, distribute remaining property, and seek final discharge. Creditor claims are barred six months from the date of first publication when the statutory notice process applies (A.C.A. § 28-40-111).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Clay County
The Arkansas Judiciary publishes Official Probate Forms for decedent estates, including petition forms, proof of will, bond, acceptance of appointment, letters testamentary, letters of administration, notices, inventory, accounting, claim, and the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee. Clay County also uses the statewide probate cover sheet.
Clay County's clerk contact pages do not list a Clay-specific probate packet. Before filing, call the clerk to ask which courthouse location should receive the papers, whether the circuit clerk or county clerk is acting as probate clerk for the case, and whether the clerk wants any additional local cover material with the statewide forms.
Local nuance
Clay County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Two courthouse locations | Clay County has an Eastern District location in Piggott at 151 South 2nd Avenue and a Western District location in Corning at 800 West 2nd Street. Call before filing to confirm which district is tied to the decedent's Arkansas venue facts under A.C.A. § 28-40-102 and A.C.A. § 28-1-102. |
| Two clerk offices | Clay County has separate circuit clerk and county clerk offices. The public clerk pages do not identify which office acts as probate clerk for decedent estates, so call both offices before taking an original will, petition, or payment to the courthouse. |
| Corning filing trip | If the clerk directs you to the Western District location, confirm the current Corning filing counter and phone instructions before traveling, because the available public contact pages give phone contact information but do not publish probate filing steps. |
Recent updates
| Update | What it means in Clay County |
|---|---|
| Legal Aid of Arkansas expanded statewide on January 1, 2026 | Families in Clay County now use Legal Aid of Arkansas's statewide intake number, 1-800-952-9243, to check eligibility. Estate administration may fall outside its case priorities. |
| eFlex filing updates | The Arkansas Judiciary announced an eFlex Electronic Filing Rejection Policy effective December 9, 2025, and the end of subscription-based billing effective June 5, 2026, at efile.arcourts.gov. |
| Search ARCourts is the statewide case search | Use Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov for free statewide case information. Document availability varies by court. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Clay County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by checking how the home is titled and whether anything needs court authority. If probate is needed, call the Clay County clerk offices to confirm the correct courthouse location. The homestead and statutory allowances matter when evaluating the affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 and A.C.A. § 28-39-101. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, real estate, and beneficiary assets so the spouse can decide whether court filings are needed for estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If 45 days have passed and the estate qualifies for the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee, including the $100,000, current August 2026, amount under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, the affidavit is filed with the probate clerk of the circuit court, and certified copies are then used with asset holders. Call the clerk about the proper Clay County district and any request for phone or video participation if the court sets a hearing. | Sunset helps gather account information, generate a filing packet, and connect the child with a Clay County area probate attorney if letters are needed. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a home must be sold | The affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 can include real property, but real property adds publication and creditor steps. A sale often requires letters from the court, so the parent should call the clerk before filing and ask which courthouse location receives the petition. | Sunset helps organize assets and debts, prepare the probate packet, and find local counsel for the real estate and estate settlement steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Arkansas Judiciary Official Probate Forms | Provides the statewide decedent-estate forms and probate cover sheet used to start and manage probate filings in the circuit court's probate division. |
| Arkansas Law Help | Offers public legal information and a small-estate packet that tracks the affidavit process under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. |
| Search ARCourts | Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov provides free statewide case information for Arkansas circuit courts, with document availability depending on the court. |
| Legal Aid of Arkansas | Use statewide intake at 1-800-952-9243 to check eligibility for civil legal help. Its published priorities may not include estate administration. |
| Clay County clerk pages | Use the Clay County clerk and circuit clerk pages for current phone numbers, hours, and courthouse contact points before filing in Piggott or Corning. |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel makes sense in Clay County when the family is unsure which courthouse location has venue, the estate includes real property, heirs disagree, creditors are active, a nonresident personal representative needs local filing support, or a sale cannot move forward without letters. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts, and other assets that shape the Clay County estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into a probate packet using Arkansas forms, with the statewide probate cover sheet and Clay County filing guidance built around the correct courthouse question.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs court strategy, real estate work, contested-heir guidance, or help communicating with the clerk, Sunset can connect the family with an Arkansas probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a practical estate settlement workspace at no cost, so you can organize assets, documents, tasks, and next steps before paying anyone for help.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Clay County, Arkansas?
File in the probate division of the Clay County Circuit Court, but call before going because Clay County has Eastern and Western districts. The filing may belong at the Piggott courthouse or the Corning courthouse depending on the Arkansas venue facts (A.C.A. § 28-40-102) and the district rule for multi-district counties (A.C.A. § 28-1-102).
Which Clay County clerk should I call about probate?
Call both clerk offices before filing. Circuit clerk phones are (870) 598-2524 in Piggott and (870) 857-3271 in Corning. County clerk phones are (870) 598-2813 in Piggott and (870) 857-3480 in Corning. Ask which office is acting as probate clerk for the estate and which courthouse location should receive the filing.
Can I e-file a Clay County probate case?
Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. A self-represented filer should ask the clerk whether that court will register them for the case; if not, get the clerk's in-person or mail filing instructions before sending original documents.
What does it cost to open probate in Clay County?
The fee to open a decedent's estate is $165.00, current August 2026. That includes 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. The affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee costs $25.00, current August 2026, plus $5.00, current August 2026, for each certified copy under A.C.A. § 28-41-101.
Does Clay County have its own probate forms?
Clay County's clerk contact pages do not list a Clay-specific probate packet. Start with the Arkansas Judiciary Official Probate Forms and the statewide probate cover sheet, then ask the clerk whether the Clay County filing counter wants any additional local cover material.
Will there be a hearing in a Clay County probate case?
Arkansas law requires a hearing if the petition is opposed or a demand for notice has been filed; otherwise the court may decide whether to set one (A.C.A. § 28-40-110). If a hearing is set, ask the clerk how the assigned circuit judge handles phone or video requests under the Second Judicial Circuit administrative plan.
How do I look up a Clay County probate case online?
Use Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. It provides free statewide case information for circuit courts, but document availability varies by court.
Do I have to travel to Piggott or Corning for probate?
Do not assume the answer before calling. First confirm which Clay County courthouse location is tied to the estate, then ask whether the clerk will accept the filing by mail and how the judge handles any request to participate in a hearing by phone or video.
What deadlines should I know before filing in Clay County?
Arkansas has a five-year outside limit to apply for admission of a will to probate or for administration, subject to statutory exceptions (A.C.A. § 28-40-103). After letters are granted and notice is published, creditor claims are barred six months from the first publication when the statutory notice process applies (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.