Back to Iowa
Adair County, IA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Adair County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Iowa District Court for Adair County |
| Filing office | Clerk of the district court, Adair County Courthouse, 400 Public Square, Suite 7, Greenfield, IA 50849 |
| Mailing address | No separate post office box is published for the clerk. Use the courthouse address unless the clerk gives a different mailing instruction. |
| Phone | 641-743-2445 |
| Fax | 641-743-2974. Fax is not an EDMS filing channel. |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed holidays. Lunch closures and same-day filing cutoffs are not published, so call before traveling. |
| Judicial district | Iowa's Fifth Judicial District. The district is an administrative grouping, and Adair County filings are made in Greenfield. |
| Filing fee | For a decedent's estate, Iowa uses the statewide court-cost formula of 0.2% of the probate assets listed in the report and inventory, plus statutory flat items, under Iowa Code 633.31. Call the clerk for the amount due for a specific filing. |
| Local forms | No Adair County probate form, cover sheet or checklist is published. |
| E-filing | EDMS registration and e-filing are required for attorneys and self-represented filers, with exceptions available under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302. |
| Case search | Iowa Courts Online provides free public docket search with no registration. The docket is an index of filings and proceedings. Public case documents are viewed on a courthouse terminal in the county where the case was filed. |
| Remote appearance | Iowa proceedings are presumed in person. A party asks for a remote appearance by motion under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302, and the judge decides case by case. |
| Website | adaircounty.iowa.gov/courts/ and iowacourts.gov |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Adair County, make a list of the decedent's real property, bank accounts, vehicles, debts, beneficiary designations and co-owned property. That asset picture determines whether the estate settlement needs a court case in Greenfield, a no-court affidavit route, or a lawyer's review before anything is filed.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help identify accounts and assets that families may miss. That matters in Iowa because the court-cost calculation, the report and inventory, and the available estate settlement route all depend on what is actually in the estate.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Adair County is filed with the clerk of the district court at the Adair County Courthouse in Greenfield. The clerk's office is in Suite 7 at 400 Public Square.
Under Iowa's venue rule, the court of the county where the decedent resided at death administers the estate. For a nonresident who left Iowa property, venue is in the county where the property is located or later brought (Iowa Code 633.12).
Adair County is part of Iowa's Fifth Judicial District, along with other counties including Polk County. That district assignment does not move an Adair County probate filing to Des Moines. File Adair County matters in Greenfield.
The jurisdiction process
- Collect the death certificate, the original will if there is one, the asset list, creditor information and contact information for the surviving spouse, heirs and devisees. A person holding the will must deliver it to the court with jurisdiction over the estate (Iowa Code 633.285).
- Choose the Iowa route before filing. The affidavit for distribution of property under Iowa Code 633.356 is a no-court route for qualifying personal property only, with a $100,000 ceiling effective July 1, 2026, and forty days must have passed since death. Small estate administration under Iowa Code 635.1 is a court case for qualifying estates at the $200,000 ceiling effective July 1, 2020. Other estates use chapter 633 administration, and a will may sometimes be admitted without administration under Iowa Code 633.31 and 633.305.
- Register for EDMS before filing, or ask the Adair County clerk at 641-743-2445 how to request an exception if electronic filing is not reasonably available to you. Iowa Ct. R. 16.302 applies to self-represented filers as well as attorneys.
- E-file the petition in the Iowa District Court for Adair County through EDMS. If there is an original will, scan and e-file it, keep the original as required, and ask the clerk whether to submit the paper will for preservation after e-filing (Iowa Ct. R. 16.411).
- After the court has appointed a personal representative in a chapter 633 estate, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under Iowa Code 633. In a chapter 635 small estate, the clerk issues letters of appointment under Iowa Code 635.1. The clerk may require the oath and any bond that applies before issuing letters (Iowa Code 633.178).
- Give notice after letters issue. The personal representative publishes notice once each week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the estate is pending and mails required notices to known creditors and interested persons under Iowa Code 633.230 or 633.304.
- File the report and inventory within 120 days after qualification unless the court allows more time (Iowa Code 633.361). Iowa court costs for decedent estates are then calculated under Iowa Code 633.31 as 0.2% of the probate assets listed in the report and inventory, plus statutory flat items.
- Handle claims filed with the clerk. Under Iowa Code 633.410, claims are barred unless filed by the later of four months after the second publication of notice or one month after notice was mailed to a reasonably ascertainable creditor. Medicaid-recovery claims have the separate time rule stated in Iowa Code 633.410.
- Distribute property only after authority, notice, claims and tax requirements are handled. A small estate closes with a closing statement and clerk discharge under Iowa Code 635.8. A chapter 633 estate closes with the final report and the court's order approving it and discharging the personal representative.
- If a hearing is set in Adair County, ask the clerk how that judge handles scheduling. Most Iowa probate administration is handled on papers filed with the clerk, but objections, disputes or court orders can create a hearing. A request to appear by remote means is made by motion under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Adair County
Adair County does not publish a local probate form, cover sheet or checklist. Iowa also does not provide a statewide probate packet through its free interactive court forms program, so a self-represented filer should expect to prepare the petition, notices, report and inventory and closing papers from Iowa's statutory requirements or with legal help.
Before you submit a filing in Greenfield, call the clerk of the district court at 641-743-2445 to ask what the office wants with the filing, whether any local cover information is requested, and how the original will should be handled after EDMS filing under Iowa Ct. R. 16.411.
Local nuance
Adair County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for an Adair County filing |
|---|---|
| Suite 7 clerk location | The clerk of the district court is at the Adair County Courthouse, 400 Public Square, Suite 7, Greenfield, IA 50849. Use that suite when visiting or addressing courthouse mail unless the clerk gives a different instruction. |
| Fax and email | The office publishes fax 641-743-2974 and email [email protected]. These are contact channels, not substitutes for required EDMS filing under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302. |
| Published holiday closures | The courthouse closes on published holidays, including 2026 closures for Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve observed, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day on January 1, 2027. |
| County Courts page | Adair County's Courts page points readers to the Iowa Judicial Branch for complete court information and does not publish a local probate packet, local fee sheet or probate scheduling calendar. |
Recent updates
| Change | What changed |
|---|---|
| Affidavit route | The Iowa Code 633.356 affidavit ceiling is $100,000 for qualifying personal property only, effective July 1, 2026. The route is not used for an estate with an interest in real estate. |
| Report and inventory | The report and inventory deadline is 120 days after qualification under Iowa Code 633.361, effective July 1, 2026. |
| Iowa tax | For deaths on or after January 1, 2025, Iowa Code 450.98 provides that the Iowa inheritance tax does not apply. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Adair County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by confirming how the home is titled. Joint tenancy property is outside the Iowa Code 633.31 court-cost base, but other probate assets may still require an estate filing in Greenfield. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title issues and beneficiary designations before the spouse decides whether a court filing is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the probate assets are personal property only, with no real estate interest, the Iowa Code 633.356 affidavit route may fit at the $100,000 ceiling effective July 1, 2026. If a court case is needed, the Adair County filing is through EDMS, and a nonresident personal representative needs a court order under Iowa Code 633.64. | Sunset organizes the asset list, helps compare routes, and connects the child with Iowa counsel when court authority is needed. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home means the affidavit route is not the path. The parent should expect a court case in Greenfield, letters from the clerk, notice, a report and inventory, and court costs under Iowa Code 633.31 rather than a flat opening charge. | Sunset helps assemble property, debt and family information so the attorney can prepare the filing and move toward sale authority. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Clerk of the district court, Adair County | Adair County Courthouse, 400 Public Square, Suite 7, Greenfield, IA 50849. Phone 641-743-2445, fax 641-743-2974, email [email protected]. The clerk can answer filing and scheduling questions, but cannot give legal advice or choose the estate route for you. |
| Iowa Legal Aid | Free civil legal help for income-eligible Iowans, subject to eligibility and case priorities. Call 1-800-532-1275. |
| Iowa Free Legal Answers | Income-eligible Iowans can post a civil legal question at iowa.freelegalanswers.org for a volunteer Iowa attorney to answer. |
| Iowa Find-A-Lawyer | The Iowa State Bar Association offers a lawyer directory at iowabar.org, including reduced-fee initial consultations through the Find-A-Lawyer program. |
| Application to Defer Costs | If you cannot afford court costs, file an Application to Defer Costs with the clerk of the district court in Greenfield. A judge decides whether costs are postponed. |
| Iowa Courts Online | Use https://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/DefaultFrame to search the public docket for free. For case documents, use a public access terminal at the courthouse in the county where the case was filed. |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is especially useful in Adair County when the estate includes real estate, the family is choosing between the Iowa Code 633.356 affidavit route and a court case, a nonresident wants to serve as personal representative, someone may object, or the filer is unsure how to prepare papers because no local probate packet is published. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across 2,300 institutions to help families find bank accounts, retirement accounts, insurance, debts and other assets that shape the estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for an Iowa filing, including the family tree, asset list, creditor list and court-contact details for the Adair County clerk in Greenfield.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, real estate work, EDMS filing support under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302 or help with objections, Sunset can connect the family with Iowa probate counsel.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement steps, organize documents and decide what to do next without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Adair County?
File with the clerk of the district court at the Adair County Courthouse, 400 Public Square, Suite 7, Greenfield, IA 50849. The court is the Iowa District Court for Adair County.
Is Adair County probate filed in Des Moines because it is in the Fifth Judicial District?
No. The Fifth Judicial District is an administrative grouping. Adair County probate is filed in Greenfield with the Adair County clerk of the district court.
Does Adair County have local probate forms?
Adair County does not publish a local probate form, cover sheet or checklist. Call 641-743-2445 before filing to ask what the Greenfield clerk's office wants with your EDMS filing under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302.
Can I e-file probate myself in Adair County?
Yes. Iowa requires EDMS registration and e-filing for self-represented filers as well as attorneys under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302. If electronic filing is not reasonably available to you, ask the clerk how to request an exception.
How much is the Adair County probate filing fee?
For a decedent's estate, Iowa uses a statewide court-cost formula rather than a single opening price. The main cost is 0.2% of the probate assets listed in the report and inventory, plus statutory flat items, under Iowa Code 633.31.
Can I look up an Adair County probate case online?
Yes. Iowa Courts Online provides free public docket search with no registration. The docket is an index of filings and proceedings. Public case documents are viewed on a courthouse terminal in the county where the case was filed.
Will there be a hearing in Adair County probate?
Many Iowa probate matters are handled on papers filed with the clerk, but a hearing can be set if someone objects, a dispute arises or the court orders one. Call the Adair County clerk for scheduling questions.
Can I attend an Adair County probate hearing by video?
Iowa proceedings are presumed in person. If a hearing is set, a party may ask for a remote appearance by motion under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302, and the judge decides case by case.
Do I have to travel to Greenfield for an Adair County estate settlement?
Not always. EDMS filing under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302 handles most filings electronically, and many matters are handled on the papers. If a hearing is scheduled, ask the clerk about the judge's process and any motion needed for remote appearance under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302.
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.