Back to Arkansas
Nevada County, AR Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Nevada County Circuit Court, probate division |
| Courthouse address | 215 East 2nd Street South, Prescott, AR 71857 |
| Probate filings go to | Call before filing. Nevada County lists a Circuit Clerk at 215 East 2nd Street South, phone (870) 887-2511, and a County Clerk at 215 East 2nd Street South, Suite 102, phone (870) 887-2710. The public contact listings do not identify which counter serves as probate clerk. |
| Mailing address | Call before mailing pleadings. The public contact listings show the Prescott courthouse address. |
| Phone | Circuit Clerk: (870) 887-2511. County Clerk: (870) 887-2710. |
| Fax | Circuit Clerk: (870) 887-1911. County Clerk: (870) 887-5795. |
| Hours | Call ahead before going to the courthouse. Nevada County public contact listings do not provide probate counter hours. |
| Filing fee | $165.00, current as of August 2026, to open a decedent's estate. That is the $150.00 uniform filing fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-403, last reprinted with the same amount by 2013 Act 282 effective March 6, 2013, plus the $15.00 court technology fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-416, created by 2009 Act 328 approved March 9, 2009. The affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee costs $25.00, current as of August 2026, under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, plus $5.00 per certified copy, current as of August 2026. |
| Local forms | Use the Arkansas Judiciary's official probate forms and statewide probate cover sheet. No Nevada County local probate form is listed in the public contact listings available for the county. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. A self-represented filer should ask the clerk whether that court will register them and should be ready to file in person or by mail. |
| Case search | Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad is the statewide public case information portal. Case information is available statewide, and document availability varies by court. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the clerk whether the circuit judge will allow a phone or video appearance, and check the Eighth North Judicial Circuit administrative plan. |
| Website | Nevada County contact listings are available through the Arkansas Judiciary directories and the Association of Arkansas Counties Nevada County page. State probate forms are on arcourts.gov. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Nevada County, list the assets, debts, accounts, real property, heirs and any original will. Estate settlement moves faster when you know whether the family needs a court appointment, a certified copy of an affidavit, or a full petition for a personal representative.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families look for accounts and property before choosing a probate path. For Nevada County, also call the courthouse in Prescott before filing because the public contact listings do not say whether the circuit clerk or county clerk serves as probate clerk.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Nevada County is handled at the courthouse in Prescott, in the probate division of the Nevada County Circuit Court, which sits in Arkansas's Eighth North Judicial Circuit with Hempstead County. The case is filed at the Nevada County courthouse, not across the circuit in another county.
Arkansas venue for probate is in the county where the decedent lived at death; if the decedent did not live in Arkansas, venue follows the Arkansas property, the place of death in Arkansas, or another county where a cause of action may be maintained by the personal representative, as set out in A.C.A. § 28-40-102. The first properly commenced proceeding controls, and a case filed in the wrong county can be transferred by the circuit court rather than started over.
Because Nevada County's public contact listings do not identify the probate clerk, call either the Circuit Clerk at (870) 887-2511 or the County Clerk at (870) 887-2710 before you bring or mail pleadings.
The jurisdiction process
- Find the original will, death certificate, asset list, debt list, names and addresses of heirs, and any real property information before choosing an estate settlement path.
- Check the Arkansas five-year limit. No will may be admitted to probate and no administration may be granted unless the application is made within five years from the decedent's death, subject to the statutory exceptions in A.C.A. § 28-40-103.
- Decide whether the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee may fit. Current as of August 2026, A.C.A. § 28-41-101 allows that filing after 45 days if the estate is $100,000 or under after encumbrances and excluding the homestead and statutory allowances. Otherwise, prepare for full administration.
- Prepare the Arkansas Judiciary probate form that matches the request, such as a petition for appointment or a petition for probate of will and appointment of personal representative, and include the statewide probate cover sheet.
- Call the Nevada County courthouse before filing to ask which counter serves as probate clerk. The public contact listings give separate lines for the Circuit Clerk, (870) 887-2511, and the County Clerk, (870) 887-2710.
- File at the Prescott courthouse and pay the $165.00 opening fee, current as of August 2026, made up of the $150.00 fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and the $15.00 technology fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. If the filing fee cannot be paid, ask the court about proceeding in forma pauperis under Rule 72.
- Watch for notice and hearing instructions. Under A.C.A. § 28-40-110, a hearing is required if the petition is opposed or a demand for notice has been filed, and otherwise the circuit court may decide whether to set one.
- If the court appoints a personal representative, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under the court's seal under A.C.A. § 28-48-102.
- After letters issue, publish the notice of appointment and serve copies on heirs, devisees, known creditors and the Department of Human Services when required. Claims are barred six months from first publication under A.C.A. § 28-40-111.
- Administer the estate, gather and protect assets, address claims, pay proper expenses and taxes, prepare any required inventory or accounting, distribute property under the court's order, and seek discharge when administration is complete.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Nevada County
The Arkansas Judiciary publishes 33 official probate forms, including petition forms, proof of will, bond, acceptance, letters testamentary, letters of administration, notice forms, inventory, accounting, and the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. Arkansas also uses a statewide probate cover sheet.
For Nevada County, start with the statewide forms and cover sheet, then call the Prescott courthouse before filing to ask which clerk counter takes probate filings and whether the clerk wants copies arranged in a particular order.
Local nuance
Nevada County-specific considerations
Nevada County, Arkansas can be easy to confuse with the U.S. state of Nevada, and Prescott here means Prescott, Arkansas. Use Arkansas probate law, Arkansas forms, and the Nevada County courthouse in Prescott.
The county's public contact listings give separate circuit clerk and county clerk phone numbers at the same courthouse address, but they do not identify which counter serves as probate clerk. Call before filing or mailing probate papers so the estate settlement packet reaches the right counter.
The contact listings also show different suite information for the two clerk offices. If you are going to the courthouse, use the 215 East 2nd Street South address and ask inside for the probate filing counter.
Recent updates
| Change | What it means for Nevada County families |
|---|---|
| Legal Aid of Arkansas became the single statewide Legal Services Corporation funded provider in Arkansas on January 1, 2026. | Use Legal Aid of Arkansas's statewide intake, but do not assume it will take an estate matter. |
| The eFlex Electronic Filing Rejection Policy took effect December 9, 2025. | Attorneys and any approved electronic filer should follow eFlex requirements at efile.arcourts.gov. |
| eFlex subscription billing ends June 5, 2026. | Other payment methods remain available through the eFlex system at efile.arcourts.gov. |
| Arkansas public case lookup is through Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad. | Nevada County probate case information can be searched there, while document access varies by court. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by identifying how the home is titled and whether any asset still needs court authority. If an estate filing is needed in Nevada County, call the Prescott courthouse before filing because the public contact listings do not identify the probate clerk. The homestead and statutory allowances matter to the Arkansas affidavit calculation under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 and A.C.A. § 28-39-101. | Sunset helps organize the asset list, title questions and creditor information so the spouse can decide what documents to ask the clerk or attorney about. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If 45 days have passed and the estate is $100,000 or under after encumbrances and exclusions, current as of August 2026, the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee may be filed with the probate clerk under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. Call Nevada County first to learn whether the Circuit Clerk or County Clerk takes that filing. If appointment is needed, ask about the designation of process agent form for a nonresident personal representative. | Sunset can prepare an organized estate settlement packet and help the child ask the right questions before traveling or mailing papers to Prescott. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Arkansas's affidavit route can include real property, but a sale often requires court appointment and letters. File in Nevada County if venue belongs there under A.C.A. § 28-40-102, and call the courthouse before filing to confirm the correct counter. | Sunset helps locate accounts, build the probate packet, and connect the parent with Arkansas counsel when a sale, title company, or buyer needs formal court authority. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Arkansas Judiciary probate forms | Provides the official statewide probate forms and the probate cover sheet used to start or manage probate filings in Arkansas circuit courts. |
| Arkansas Law Help | Provides public legal information, including a small estate packet tied to A.C.A. § 28-41-101. |
| Search ARCourts | Search case information at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad. Document availability varies by court. |
| Legal Aid of Arkansas | Statewide intake is 1-800-952-9243. It is income-restricted and may not take estate matters. |
| Nevada County clerk contacts | Call the Circuit Clerk at (870) 887-2511 or the County Clerk at (870) 887-2710 to ask which counter receives probate filings and what hours apply that day. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider Arkansas probate counsel if the will is contested, a home must be sold, heirs disagree, creditors are active, a nonresident personal representative is involved, or the family is not sure whether Nevada County is the proper venue under A.C.A. § 28-40-102. Sunset connects families to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets
Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families identify accounts, policies and property before they choose an estate settlement path.
Generate the probate packet
Sunset turns the family interview into an organized packet so you can bring cleaner information to the Nevada County courthouse or to an Arkansas probate attorney.
Find a local probate attorney
When a sale, dispute, creditor issue or court appointment makes legal help important, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Arkansas probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families
Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, track documents and understand next steps without paying Sunset for the service.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Nevada County, Arkansas?
File at the Nevada County courthouse in Prescott for the probate division of the Nevada County Circuit Court. Because the public contact listings do not identify which clerk serves as probate clerk, call the Circuit Clerk at (870) 887-2511 or the County Clerk at (870) 887-2710 before filing.
Is this page about the state of Nevada or Prescott, Arizona?
No. This page is for Nevada County, Arkansas, and the courthouse city is Prescott, Arkansas.
Can I e-file a Nevada County probate case?
Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. A self-represented filer should ask the Nevada County clerk whether that court will register them and should be ready to file in person or by mail.
How much does it cost to open a probate estate in Nevada County?
The opening fee is $165.00, current as of August 2026. It combines the $150.00 uniform filing fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-403, last reprinted with the same amount by 2013 Act 282 effective March 6, 2013, and the $15.00 court technology fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-416, created by 2009 Act 328 approved March 9, 2009.
Does Nevada County have its own probate forms?
No Nevada County local probate form is listed in the public contact listings available for the county. Use the Arkansas Judiciary's official probate forms and statewide probate cover sheet, including the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 when that route fits.
Can I look up a Nevada County probate case online?
Yes. Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad provides statewide case information. Whether a document image is available online varies by court.
When will a Nevada County probate hearing be scheduled?
Nevada County public contact listings do not include probate hearing days. Under A.C.A. § 28-40-110, a hearing is required if the petition is opposed or a demand for notice has been filed, and otherwise the circuit court may decide whether to set one.
Do I have to travel to Prescott for probate?
Plan as if a trip may be needed until the clerk or your attorney tells you otherwise. Ask the clerk whether papers may be mailed, whether a phone or video appearance will be allowed by the circuit judge, and whether the Eighth North Judicial Circuit administrative plan adds instructions.
What deadline matters most for opening probate in Arkansas?
Arkansas has a five-year limit for admitting a will to probate or granting administration, subject to statutory exceptions, under A.C.A. § 28-40-103. After letters issue, creditor claims are barred six months from first publication under 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.