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Woodruff County, AR Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Woodruff County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Woodruff County Circuit Court, probate division |
| Probate filings go to | Woodruff County Clerk's office, 500 North 3rd Street, Augusta, AR 72006. Phone: (870) 347-2871. |
| Courthouse address | 500 North 3rd Street, Augusta, AR 72006 |
| Mailing address | No separate probate mailing address is published. Call the Woodruff County Clerk's office before mailing an original will or probate filing. |
| Hours | The county contact page lists Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call the Woodruff County Clerk's office to confirm probate counter hours and any filing cutoff. |
| Filing fee | As of August 2026, $165.00 to open a decedent's estate, 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. As of August 2026, a small-estate affidavit costs $25.00 under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, plus $5.00 per certified copy under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. |
| Local forms | The Arkansas Judiciary publishes the Official Probate Forms and the statewide probate cover sheet. Woodruff County does not publish a county-only probate form or checklist. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. A self-represented filer should ask the Woodruff County Clerk's office whether this court will register them, and can otherwise file in person or by mail. |
| Case search | Search ARCourts at https://caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad is the statewide public case-information search. Document availability varies by court. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the Woodruff County Clerk's office and check the First Judicial Circuit administrative plan before assuming a phone or video appearance will be allowed. |
| Website | Woodruff County Clerk: https://www.woodruffcountyar.gov/county-clerk |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Woodruff County, list the assets, debts, account locations, real estate, vehicles, and any beneficiary designations you can identify. Estate settlement moves faster when you know whether the family needs full administration or a court-filed small-estate affidavit under A.C.A. § 28-41-101.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help locate accounts before you choose a filing path. That matters in Woodruff County because the probate filing counter is the County Clerk's office in Augusta, and the clerk will not choose the legal route for you.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Woodruff County probate filings are made at the Woodruff County Courthouse in Augusta through the Woodruff County Clerk's office. The case is in the probate division of the Woodruff County Circuit Court, which sits in Arkansas's First Judicial Circuit with Cross, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, and St. Francis counties.
Arkansas venue is set by A.C.A. § 28-40-102. A probate case is filed where the decedent resided in Arkansas at death, or, for a nonresident, where the greater part in value of the Arkansas property is located. If the decedent had no Arkansas residence or property but died in Arkansas, venue is where the death occurred. If there is no Arkansas residence, property, or Arkansas death, venue can be any county where the personal representative may maintain a cause of action. The first properly commenced proceeding controls statewide property, and a case filed in the wrong county may be transferred under A.C.A. § 28-40-102.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, a list of heirs and devisees, and an asset and debt list. Check the five-year outer limit for applying to admit a will or open administration under A.C.A. § 28-40-103.
- Choose the filing route. As of August 2026, the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 may be available after 45 days if the estate is $100,000 or under, less encumbrances, and excluding the homestead and statutory allowances under A.C.A. § 28-39-101. Otherwise, prepare a full administration filing.
- Use the Arkansas Judiciary's official probate form that matches the request, such as a petition for appointment of an administrator or a petition for probate of will and appointment of personal representative. Add the statewide probate cover sheet.
- File with the Woodruff County Clerk's office at 500 North 3rd Street in Augusta. As of August 2026, opening a decedent's estate costs $165.00, made up of $150.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and $15.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. If you cannot afford the fee, ask the court about proceeding in forma pauperis under Rule 72.
- The circuit judge reviews the petition. A hearing is required if the petition is opposed or a demand for notice is on file, and otherwise the court may decide whether to set one under A.C.A. § 28-40-110.
- If the court appoints a personal representative, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under the seal of the court after the required acceptance and any required bond step under A.C.A. § 28-48-102.
- After letters issue, publish notice of appointment and serve required copies on heirs, devisees, known creditors, and the Department of Human Services when required. Claims are barred six months after first publication under A.C.A. § 28-40-111.
- Administer the estate by collecting assets, safeguarding property, addressing valid claims, handling tax and title issues, filing any required inventory or accounting, distributing property under the will or Arkansas law, and seeking final distribution and discharge.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Woodruff County
Use the Arkansas Judiciary's Official Probate Forms for Woodruff County filings, along with the statewide probate cover sheet. Woodruff County does not publish a county-only probate form, checklist, or cover-sheet instruction for decedent estates.
| Form resource | How it is used in Woodruff County |
|---|---|
| Arkansas Judiciary Official Probate Forms | Use the statewide form set for petitions, notices, bonds, acceptance of appointment, letters testamentary, letters of administration, inventory, accounting, and the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. |
| Statewide probate cover sheet | Attach the probate cover sheet when opening or filing in a probate matter. |
| Arkansas Law Help small-estate packet | Use as a public information resource for the small-estate affidavit process under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. As of August 2026, the statutory filing charge is $25.00, plus $5.00 per certified copy under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. |
| Woodruff County local probate forms | No county-only decedent-estate form or checklist is published. Call the Woodruff County Clerk's office before filing if you want to confirm the current cover-sheet practice. |
Local nuance
Woodruff County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Probate counter | Use the Woodruff County Clerk's office for probate filings. The circuit clerk has a different phone number at the same street address, but the County Clerk's office is the probate filing contact. |
| Phone number | Call (870) 347-2871 for the Woodruff County Clerk's office. Do not rely on the circuit clerk's phone number for probate filing questions. |
| Mailing and room details | No separate probate mailing address, room, or suite is published for the County Clerk's office. Call before mailing original documents. |
| Hours caveat | The county contact page lists Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Confirm current probate counter hours with the County Clerk's office before traveling to Augusta. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Legal aid coverage | Legal Aid of Arkansas became the statewide civil legal-aid provider for all 75 Arkansas counties on January 1, 2026. It is income-restricted and may not take estate matters. |
| eFlex filing policy | The Arkansas Judiciary announced an Electronic Filing Rejection Policy for eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov effective December 9, 2025. |
| eFlex billing | The Arkansas Judiciary announced that subscription-based payments in eFlex end June 5, 2026, while other payment methods remain available. |
| Case search | Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov is the current statewide case-information portal for Arkansas circuit courts. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Woodruff County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by checking the deed and beneficiary designations. If probate is needed, file through the Woodruff County Clerk's office in Augusta. The homestead and statutory allowances are part of the Arkansas analysis under A.C.A. § 28-39-101, and the small-estate affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 may still need review if other assets remain. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize title questions, and prepare the estate settlement information before you contact the clerk or an attorney. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If 45 days have passed and the estate qualifies under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, file the affidavit with the Woodruff County Clerk's office, then use certified copies with banks or other holders. As of August 2026, the affidavit filing charge is $25.00 and certified copies are $5.00 each under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. If letters are needed, ask the clerk about hearing logistics before traveling. | Sunset can assemble asset information, generate the probate packet, and help you decide what to ask the Woodruff County Clerk's office. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | The small-estate affidavit under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 can include real property, but real property adds publication and creditor timing issues. A sale often requires letters testamentary or letters of administration under A.C.A. § 28-48-102, so a full administration may be the cleaner route. | Sunset helps gather asset details, organize sale-related documents, and connect the family with a local probate attorney when real estate needs to be sold. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link or phone |
|---|---|---|
| Woodruff County Clerk's office | Local filing counter for Woodruff County probate filings, hours questions, mailing questions, and certified copies. | https://www.woodruffcountyar.gov/county-clerk, (870) 347-2871 |
| Arkansas Judiciary Official Probate Forms | Statewide forms for probate petitions, notices, letters testamentary, letters of administration, inventories, accountings, and affidavits under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. | https://arcourts.gov/forms-and-publications/court-forms/probate-division/forms |
| Statewide probate cover sheet | Cover sheet to include with probate filings. | https://arcourts.gov/sites/default/files/formatted-files/PR_cover_Nov_2023.pdf |
| Arkansas Law Help | Public legal information, including a small-estate packet tied to A.C.A. § 28-41-101. | https://arlawhelp.org |
| Search ARCourts | Free statewide public case-information search for Arkansas circuit courts. Use caseinfo.arcourts.gov and remember that document availability varies by court. | https://caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad |
| Legal Aid of Arkansas | Statewide income-restricted civil legal-aid intake. It may not accept estate administration matters, but eligible families can ask about available help. | https://arlegalaid.org, 1-800-952-9243 |
When to hire an attorney
A probate lawyer makes sense in Woodruff County when there is real estate to sell, a possible will contest, creditor pressure, an insolvent estate, an out-of-state personal representative, or confusion about whether the filing belongs with the County Clerk's office. Counsel can also help decide whether the affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 is enough or whether letters are needed under A.C.A. § 28-48-102. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across 2,300 institutions to help families locate accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property that may affect the Woodruff County filing path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's information into an organized estate settlement packet using the Arkansas probate forms and the Woodruff County filing details families need before calling the County Clerk's office.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate has real property, creditor issues, a dispute, or a need for letters, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Arkansas probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset helps families organize estate settlement, find assets, prepare next steps, and understand the Woodruff County process without charging families for the platform.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Woodruff County?
File with the Woodruff County Clerk's office at 500 North 3rd Street in Augusta. Woodruff County probate matters are in the probate division of the Woodruff County Circuit Court.
Which phone number should I use for Woodruff County probate?
Use the Woodruff County Clerk's office phone number, (870) 347-2871. The circuit clerk has a different line at the same street address, but probate filings go to the County Clerk's office.
How much does it cost to open probate in Woodruff County?
As of August 2026, opening a decedent's estate costs $165.00, 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. As of August 2026, a small-estate affidavit costs $25.00 under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, plus $5.00 per certified copy under A.C.A. § 28-41-101.
Can I e-file a Woodruff County probate case?
Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. If you are filing for yourself, ask the Woodruff County Clerk's office whether this court will register you for electronic filing, or whether you should file in person or by mail.
Can I look up a Woodruff County probate case online?
Use Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov for statewide public case information. Document availability varies by court, so call the Woodruff County Clerk's office if you need a copy that is not available through the portal.
Does Woodruff County have its own probate forms?
Woodruff County does not publish a county-only decedent-estate form or checklist. Use the Arkansas Judiciary's Official Probate Forms and the statewide probate cover sheet, including the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 when that route applies.
Will there be a hearing in a Woodruff County probate case?
A hearing is required if the petition is opposed or a demand for notice has been filed, and otherwise the court may decide whether to set one under A.C.A. § 28-40-110. Ask the Woodruff County Clerk's office how the judge is handling your filing.
Do I have to travel to Augusta for a Woodruff County probate matter?
Do not assume a phone or video appearance will be allowed. Ask the Woodruff County Clerk's office and check the First Judicial Circuit administrative plan before making travel plans.
What deadline applies if a will needs to be probated in Woodruff County?
Arkansas sets a five-year outer limit for applying to admit a will or open administration, subject to the statute's exceptions, under A.C.A. § 28-40-103. Creditor claims follow a different clock: 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.