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Searcy County, AR Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Searcy County Circuit Court, probate division |
| Probate filings go to | Searcy County Clerk/Circuit Clerk, the probate clerk for Searcy County probate filings |
| Courthouse address | Searcy County Courthouse, 200 S. Highway 27, Marshall, AR 72650 |
| Mailing address | Searcy County Clerk, PO Box 998, Marshall, AR 72650 |
| Phone | (870) 448-3807 |
| Fax | (870) 448-5005 |
| Hours | Call the clerk before traveling to Marshall to confirm current public counter hours and filing timing. |
| Filing fee | $165.00 to open a decedent's estate, current as of August 2026. That is the $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 is $25.00, plus $5.00 per certified copy, current as of August 2026, under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. |
| Local forms | Use the Arkansas Judiciary's official probate forms and statewide probate cover sheet. Ask the Searcy County Clerk/Circuit Clerk whether the Marshall counter requires any local instruction sheet. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. A self-represented filer should ask the Searcy County Clerk/Circuit Clerk whether this court will register them for electronic filing, and should use in-person or mail filing if directed. |
| Case search | Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad provides free statewide case information. Document access varies by court. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the clerk before any hearing whether the circuit judge has allowed phone or video appearance and whether the Twentieth Judicial Circuit administrative plan says anything about the setting. |
| Website | Searcy County Clerk/Circuit Clerk |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Marshall, list the assets, debts, beneficiaries, possible creditors, and any real property connected to the estate. The right estate settlement path depends on what must actually pass through the probate division, not just on whether there is a will.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help identify accounts, insurance, and other assets before you choose forms or ask the Searcy County Clerk/Circuit Clerk about filing logistics.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Searcy County is filed at the Searcy County Courthouse in Marshall with the Searcy County Clerk/Circuit Clerk, the probate clerk for the Searcy County Circuit Court. Searcy County is in Arkansas's Twentieth Judicial Circuit with Faulkner and Van Buren counties, but a Searcy County estate is filed in Marshall, not in Conway or Clinton.
Arkansas venue is based first on the county where the decedent resided at death. If the decedent was not an Arkansas resident, venue follows the county holding the greater part in value of the decedent's Arkansas property, then the county of death if there was no Arkansas residence or property, and otherwise a county where the personal representative could maintain a cause of action. The first legally commenced proceeding controls, and a case filed in the wrong county is transferred rather than dismissed (A.C.A. § 28-40-102).
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, asset information, debts, heirs, devisees, and contact information for known creditors before starting the estate settlement filing.
- Check the Arkansas five-year rule. No will may be admitted and no administration may be granted unless application is made within five years from death, subject to the statute's exceptions (A.C.A. § 28-40-103).
- Choose the filing path. If 45 days have passed and the estate qualifies, a distributee may file the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee with the probate clerk; the $100,000 calculation is measured less encumbrances and excludes the homestead and statutory allowances (A.C.A. § 28-41-101; A.C.A. § 28-39-101). Otherwise prepare a full administration petition.
- Prepare the Arkansas Judiciary probate forms that match the situation, such as a petition for appointment of an administrator or a petition for probate of will and appointment of personal representative, and include the statewide probate cover sheet.
- File with the Searcy County Clerk/Circuit Clerk at the Searcy County Courthouse, 200 S. Highway 27, Marshall, AR 72650, or by mail to PO Box 998, Marshall, AR 72650 if the clerk accepts the filing that way. The opening fee is $165.00, current as of August 2026, made up of $150.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and $15.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. Ask the court about proceeding in forma pauperis under Rule 72 if payment is not possible.
- Handle notice and any hearing setting. A hearing is required if the petition is opposed or a demand for notice is on file, and otherwise is set at the court's discretion (A.C.A. § 28-40-110). Ask the clerk whether the circuit judge has authorized phone or video appearance for any setting.
- If the court appoints a personal representative, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under the court's seal after the required acceptance and any required bond step are complete (A.C.A. § 28-48-102).
- Publish the notice of appointment, serve copies on heirs, devisees, known creditors, and any required Arkansas Department of Human Services contact within the statutory timing, and track the six months from first publication claims bar (A.C.A. § 28-40-111).
- Administer the estate by collecting assets, addressing valid claims, handling taxes with a tax professional where needed, preparing any required inventory or accounting, distributing property under the court's authority, and seeking final discharge when the estate is ready to close.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Searcy County
For Searcy County estate settlement, start with the Arkansas Judiciary's official probate forms and the statewide probate cover sheet. The statewide set includes forms for appointment of an administrator, probate of a will and appointment of a personal representative, proof of will, bond, acceptance of appointment, designation of process agent, letters of administration, letters testamentary, notices, inventory, accounting, claim forms, and the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee (A.C.A. § 28-41-101; A.C.A. § 28-48-102).
Searcy County does not publish a separate local probate packet in the public materials listed for the clerk. Before mailing a filing or traveling to Marshall, call (870) 448-3807 to ask whether the clerk wants any local cover note, copies, envelopes, or payment format with the statewide forms.
Local nuance
Searcy County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Marshall, not the city of Searcy | Searcy County's courthouse is in Marshall. The city of Searcy is in White County, so confirm that every address, phone number, and court reference says Searcy County or Marshall before relying on it. |
| One combined clerk counter | Searcy County uses a combined Clerk/Circuit Clerk structure for local filings, so probate filings go to that single clerk counter for the probate division of the Searcy County Circuit Court. |
| Twentieth Judicial Circuit | The Twentieth Judicial Circuit also includes Faulkner and Van Buren counties, but the circuit does not create a shared filing counter. File a Searcy County estate in Marshall. |
| Hours should be confirmed before travel | No public filing-hours detail is listed in the local contact information. Call (870) 448-3807 before driving to the courthouse. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Legal Aid of Arkansas became the statewide Legal Services Corporation funded provider for all 75 Arkansas counties, including Searcy County. Families should use the statewide intake number, 1-800-952-9243. |
| December 9, 2025 | The Arkansas Judiciary's eFlex filing portal at efile.arcourts.gov lists the Electronic Filing Rejection Policy effective on this date. |
| June 5, 2026 | The Arkansas Judiciary's eFlex portal states that subscription-based payments ended on this date while other payment methods remained available. |
| August 2026 | Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad is the statewide public case-information search for Arkansas circuit court matters. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Searcy County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by confirming how the Marshall-area home is titled and whether any asset still needs probate. If probate is needed, file in Marshall. The affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee may be relevant only if the requirements in A.C.A. § 28-41-101 are met, including the $100,000 calculation, current as of August 2026. | Sunset helps find accounts, organize title questions for counsel, and build an estate settlement checklist before forms are filed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If 45 days have passed, no personal representative has been appointed, and the estate qualifies under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, the affidavit is filed with the Searcy County Clerk/Circuit Clerk in Marshall, and certified copies can then be used with institutions. If letters are needed, ask the clerk about filing by mail, eFlex registration for that court, and any hearing logistics. | Sunset helps identify institutions, generate a filing packet, and connect the family with Arkansas counsel if full administration is safer. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale often requires full authority through the probate division, even though the affidavit route can include real property when A.C.A. § 28-41-101 is satisfied. File in Marshall and ask counsel about publication, title, creditor issues, and the best way to obtain letters if a buyer or title company requires them. | Sunset helps assemble asset information, prepare the probate packet, and find a local probate attorney for sale and title issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link or contact |
|---|---|---|
| Searcy County Clerk/Circuit Clerk | Local filing counter for Searcy County probate filings in Marshall. Call to confirm hours, copies, payment method, mailing instructions, eFlex questions, and hearing logistics. | (870) 448-3807; Searcy County Courthouse, 200 S. Highway 27, Marshall, AR 72650; mail to PO Box 998, Marshall, AR 72650 |
| Arkansas Judiciary official probate forms | Statewide probate forms and cover sheet used for Arkansas probate filings, including petitions, letters, notices, inventory, accounting, and the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee (A.C.A. § 28-41-101; A.C.A. § 28-48-102). | Arkansas Judiciary probate forms |
| Arkansas Law Help | Public legal-information site with a small-estate packet that tracks the affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. | arlawhelp.org |
| Search ARCourts | Free statewide case-information search for Arkansas circuit court matters. Search at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad; document access varies by court. | Search ARCourts |
| Legal Aid of Arkansas | Statewide, income-restricted civil legal aid intake. Its published priorities include matters such as guardianship, powers of attorney, and wills, but estate administration is not listed as a published priority, so call to check eligibility and scope. | 1-800-952-9243; arlegalaid.org |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a probate attorney if the estate includes real property to sell, creditor disputes, missing heirs, a contest, questions about who should serve, tax issues, or uncertainty about whether the affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 is enough. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney when local legal help is the next step.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps families build a clearer asset list before they file in Marshall or speak with an attorney.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the estate information you provide into an organized estate settlement packet using the Arkansas Judiciary forms and the details needed for Searcy County filing.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, such as a home sale, creditor issue, contested appointment, or full administration, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Arkansas probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, identify assets, and understand the next filing step without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for Searcy County, Arkansas?
File with the Searcy County Clerk/Circuit Clerk at the Searcy County Courthouse, 200 S. Highway 27, Marshall, AR 72650. Mail goes to Searcy County Clerk, PO Box 998, Marshall, AR 72650.
Is Searcy County the same as the city of Searcy?
No. Searcy County's courthouse is in Marshall. The city of Searcy is in White County. For this page, use only Searcy County or Marshall contact details.
What does it cost to open a Searcy County estate?
The opening fee is $165.00, current as of August 2026. That is $150.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 plus $15.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. The affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee costs $25.00, plus $5.00 per certified copy, current as of August 2026, under A.C.A. § 28-41-101.
Can I use eFlex for a Searcy County probate filing?
Attorneys file through eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. A self-represented filer should ask the Searcy County Clerk/Circuit Clerk at (870) 448-3807 whether this court will register them for electronic filing, and should follow the clerk's direction for in-person or mail filing if not.
Will there be a probate hearing in Searcy County?
A hearing is required if the petition is opposed or a demand for notice is on file, and otherwise is set at the court's discretion (A.C.A. § 28-40-110). Call the clerk after filing to ask how the circuit judge will handle the setting.
Can I attend a Searcy County probate hearing by phone or video?
Ask the clerk before the hearing. Remote appearance practice depends on the circuit judge and any Twentieth Judicial Circuit administrative plan, so do not assume the format before the court gives instructions.
How do I look up a Searcy County probate case?
Use Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad. It is the free statewide case-information search for Arkansas circuit court cases. Online document access varies by court.
Are there local Searcy County probate forms?
Use the Arkansas Judiciary's official probate forms and the statewide probate cover sheet. Call the Searcy County Clerk/Circuit Clerk before filing to ask whether the Marshall counter wants any additional local instruction sheet, copies, envelopes, or payment format.
Do I have to travel to Marshall to start estate settlement?
Not always. Call (870) 448-3807 before traveling to ask whether the clerk will accept your filing by mail, what payment method to include, and whether any hearing or signature requirement will require a personal appearance.
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.