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Mississippi County, AR Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Mississippi County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Mississippi County Circuit Court, probate division, Arkansas's Second Judicial Circuit. |
| Probate filings go to | Mississippi County Clerk. The county clerk lists filing of probate matters as one of its duties. |
| Blytheville courthouse | Chickasawba District, 200 West Walnut Street, Room 107, Blytheville, AR 72315. Phone: (870) 762-2411. Fax: (870) 838-7784. |
| Osceola courthouse | Osceola District, 200 West Hale Avenue, Room 205, Osceola, AR 72370. Phone: (870) 563-2242. Fax: (870) 563-1313. |
| Mailing address | Call the correct county clerk counter before mailing a filing. The county clerk page lists the courthouse locations above, but it does not list a separate mailing address for probate filings. |
| Hours | Call ahead before a filing trip. The county clerk page does not list public filing hours for either courthouse. |
| Filing fee | As of August 2026, $165.00 to open a decedent's estate, made up of the $150.00 uniform filing fee last reprinted by 2013 Act 282, effective March 6, 2013, under A.C.A. § 21-6-403, plus the $15.00 court technology fee created by 2009 Act 328, effective March 9, 2009, under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. As of August 2026, the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee costs $25.00 to file, plus $5.00 for each certified copy, under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. |
| Local forms | Use the Arkansas Judiciary Official Probate Forms and statewide probate cover sheet. The Mississippi County Clerk page does not list an added county probate form. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. A self-represented filer should ask the county clerk whether that court will register them, and should also ask how to file in person or by mail. |
| Case search | Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov provides free statewide circuit court case information. Document access differs by court. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the county clerk and check the Second Judicial Circuit administrative plan before requesting phone or video participation. |
| Website | Mississippi County Clerk: https://www.mississippicountyar.org/county-clerk |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Mississippi County filing path, identify the assets, debts, title documents, beneficiary designations and any original will. That first asset map helps determine whether the estate settlement belongs at the Blytheville or Osceola county clerk counter and whether a court appointment is needed.
Sunset's estate settlement workflow includes asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then helps organize the information into a local probate plan you can review before contacting the Mississippi County Clerk.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Mississippi County is filed with the Mississippi County Clerk in the probate division of the Mississippi County Circuit Court. The court sits in Arkansas's Second Judicial Circuit, which also includes Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Greene and Poinsett counties, but a Mississippi County estate is filed at one of Mississippi County's own two courthouses.
Arkansas venue for probate and administration is set by A.C.A. § 28-40-102. In a county with more than one district, A.C.A. § 28-1-102(a)(3) says that county means district unless the law indicates otherwise. For Mississippi County, that means the filing location depends on the decedent's district within the county. Call the Blytheville or Osceola county clerk counter to confirm the correct courthouse before filing. If more than one proceeding is started, the first legally commenced proceeding controls while venue is sorted out, and a misfiled case can be transferred under A.C.A. § 28-40-102.
The jurisdiction process
- Find the original will, death certificate, asset list, debts, real estate information and beneficiary information before starting the Mississippi County estate settlement.
- Check the Arkansas five-year filing limit. No will may be admitted and no administration granted unless the application is made within five years from death, subject to the statutory exceptions in A.C.A. § 28-40-103.
- Choose the filing route. If 45 days have passed, no personal representative has been appointed, and the estate meets the $100,000 calculation in A.C.A. § 28-41-101, measured less encumbrances and excluding the homestead and statutory allowances under A.C.A. § 28-39-101, the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee may fit. Otherwise, prepare a full administration petition.
- Use the Arkansas Judiciary Official Probate Forms, including the petition for probate of will and appointment of personal representative or the petition for appointment of administrator, and add the statewide probate cover sheet.
- Call the Mississippi County Clerk to confirm whether the filing belongs in the Chickasawba District at Blytheville or the Osceola District at Osceola. File with the county clerk at the correct courthouse, not with the circuit clerk counter.
- Pay the opening fee. As of August 2026, opening a decedent's estate costs $165.00, made up of $150.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-403, last reprinted by 2013 Act 282 effective March 6, 2013, plus $15.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-416, created by 2009 Act 328 effective March 9, 2009. Ask the court about a Rule 72 fee waiver if the filer cannot afford the fee.
- Handle notice and hearing issues. Under A.C.A. § 28-40-110, the court must set a hearing if the petition is opposed or a demand for notice has been filed, and may set one in other cases. Ask the county clerk how the assigned circuit judge handles phone or video requests.
- After appointment, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under the court's seal as provided in A.C.A. § 28-48-102.
- Publish the notice of appointment and serve required copies. Claims are barred six months from the first publication under A.C.A. § 28-40-111, and copies must be served on heirs, devisees and known creditors within one month after first publication.
- Administer the estate, inventory assets, address claims, pay proper debts and taxes, account as required, distribute remaining property and seek discharge when the court process is complete.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Mississippi County
Mississippi County uses the Arkansas Judiciary's Official Probate Forms and the statewide probate cover sheet. The state form set includes petitions, proof of will, bond and acceptance forms, letters testamentary, letters of administration and the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee.
The Mississippi County Clerk page does not list an added county probate form or checklist. Before you file, call the Blytheville or Osceola county clerk counter to confirm the correct district, the number of copies and whether that counter has any current cover-sheet instruction.
Local nuance
Mississippi County-specific considerations
| Local issue | What it means |
|---|---|
| Two local districts | Mississippi County has the Chickasawba District seat in Blytheville and the Osceola District seat in Osceola. Under A.C.A. § 28-1-102(a)(3) and the venue rule in A.C.A. § 28-40-102, the correct filing location depends on the decedent's district within the county. |
| County clerk handles probate filings | The Mississippi County Clerk page lists filing of probate matters among the county clerk's duties. This fits A.C.A. § 14-14-502, which allows an elected county clerk to serve ex officio as clerk of the probate division of circuit court. |
| Do not guess the district boundary | The local district names are commonly used for the Blytheville and Osceola seats, but the page should not draw a boundary. Call the county clerk before filing when the decedent's district is uncertain. |
| Circuit clerk is a different counter | The circuit clerk page lists court records, dockets, real estate documents, liens, judgments and jury selection. Mississippi County probate filings should be directed to the county clerk counter at the correct courthouse. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Legal aid coverage | Legal Aid of Arkansas became the sole statewide LSC-funded civil legal-aid provider in Arkansas on January 1, 2026. Estate administration is not listed as one of its published priority areas, so families should use it as an eligibility and referral starting point, not as a promise of probate representation. |
| Electronic filing policy | The Arkansas Judiciary announced an eFlex Electronic Filing Rejection Policy effective December 9, 2025, through efile.arcourts.gov. |
| Electronic payment option | The Arkansas Judiciary announced that eFlex subscription-based payments end June 5, 2026, while other payment methods remain available through efile.arcourts.gov. |
| Online case search | Arkansas is moving public case lookup to Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Mississippi County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by checking the deed, beneficiary designations and whether any assets need court authority. If a filing is needed, call the Mississippi County Clerk to determine whether the estate belongs at Blytheville or Osceola. The affidavit route may be available only if the requirements in A.C.A. § 28-41-101 are met, including the $100,000 calculation, measured less encumbrances and excluding the homestead and statutory allowances under A.C.A. § 28-39-101. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title issues and beneficiary assets before a spouse chooses the estate settlement path. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If 45 days have passed and the estate qualifies under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee is filed with the county clerk in the proper Mississippi County district, and certified copies can then be used with banks or asset holders. As of August 2026, the charge to file the affidavit is $25.00 plus $5.00 per certified copy under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. Ask the clerk before assuming any phone or video option. | Sunset helps prepare the asset list, flag missing accounts and organize the packet for the correct county clerk counter. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Real property can make the filing choice more sensitive. The affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 can include real property if the statute fits, but a sale often requires letters testamentary or letters of administration issued under A.C.A. § 28-48-102 after a full administration filing. | Sunset helps gather property information, mortgage details and account data, then connects the family with local legal help when court authority is needed to sell the home. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link or phone |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi County Clerk | Call the Blytheville or Osceola counter to confirm the correct district, filing logistics, current hours and copy needs. | Blytheville: (870) 762-2411. Osceola: (870) 563-2242. https://www.mississippicountyar.org/county-clerk |
| Arkansas Judiciary Official Probate Forms | Provides the statewide probate form set and probate cover sheet used for Arkansas circuit court probate filings. | https://arcourts.gov/forms-and-publications/court-forms/probate-division/forms |
| Arkansas Law Help | Offers 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 | Provides free statewide circuit court case information at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. Document access differs by court. | https://caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad |
| Legal Aid of Arkansas | Statewide income-restricted civil legal-aid intake. Estate administration is not listed as a published priority area, so use it to check eligibility and referrals. | 1-800-952-9243. https://arlegalaid.org |
When to hire an attorney
A probate attorney is especially useful in Mississippi County when the district is uncertain, family members disagree, real estate must be sold, creditors are active, a nonresident needs authority, or the filings need to move quickly through the correct county clerk counter. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions, organizes what is found and helps the family build the asset picture needed for a Mississippi County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset and family information into a practical checklist for the Arkansas Judiciary forms, the probate cover sheet and the correct Mississippi County filing counter.
Find a local probate attorney. When a sale, dispute, creditor issue or district question needs legal judgment, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Arkansas probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate settlement, discover assets and understand next steps before paying for professional help.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Mississippi County, Arkansas?
File with the Mississippi County Clerk in the probate division of the Mississippi County Circuit Court. Mississippi County has two local districts, so call the county clerk to confirm whether the filing belongs at the Blytheville courthouse or the Osceola courthouse under A.C.A. § 28-1-102(a)(3) and A.C.A. § 28-40-102.
Do I use the circuit clerk or the county clerk for Mississippi County probate?
Use the Mississippi County Clerk for probate filings. The county clerk page lists filing of probate matters among its duties, while the circuit clerk page lists other court and land-document functions.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Mississippi County?
As of August 2026, opening a decedent's estate costs $165.00 statewide, made up of $150.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-403, last reprinted by 2013 Act 282 effective March 6, 2013, plus $15.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-416, created by 2009 Act 328 effective March 9, 2009. As of August 2026, the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee costs $25.00 to file and $5.00 per certified copy under A.C.A. § 28-41-101.
Can I e-file a probate case in Mississippi County?
Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. If you are representing yourself, ask the Mississippi County Clerk whether that court will register you for electronic filing and what in-person or mail filing options are accepted.
Can I look up a Mississippi County probate case online?
Use Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov for free statewide circuit court case information. Some public documents may be linked for some courts, but document availability differs by court.
Does Mississippi County have its own probate forms?
The Mississippi County Clerk page does not list an added county probate form. Use the Arkansas Judiciary Official Probate Forms and the statewide probate cover sheet, then call the correct county clerk counter to ask about copies and current filing instructions.
Will there be a hearing in a Mississippi County probate case?
Under A.C.A. § 28-40-110, the court must set a hearing if the petition is opposed or a demand for notice has been filed, and may set one in other cases. Ask the county clerk how the assigned circuit judge handles scheduling and any phone or video request.
Do I have to travel to Blytheville or Osceola to start probate?
Call the Mississippi County Clerk before traveling. The correct courthouse depends on the decedent's district within Mississippi County, and a self-represented filer should ask the clerk what filing methods are accepted for that case.
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.