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Henry County, IA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Henry County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Iowa District Court for Henry County |
| Filing office | Clerk of the district court, Henry County Courthouse, 100 East Washington Street, Suite 300, Mount Pleasant, IA 52641 |
| Mailing | Use the courthouse street address and Suite 300 unless the clerk gives different mailing instructions for a specific filing. |
| Phone | (319) 385-2632 or (319) 385-3150 |
| Fax | 319-385-4144 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A lunch closure, holiday closure, or same-day filing cutoff is not posted, so call before relying on counter access. |
| Filing fee | Iowa decedent-estate court costs are set by statute, not by Henry County. 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. |
| Local forms | No Henry County probate form, cover sheet, or checklist is posted. Ask the Mount Pleasant clerk before filing. |
| E-filing | EDMS e-filing is required for attorneys and self-represented filers, with good-cause exceptions available through the clerk or by court order (Iowa Ct. R. 16.302). |
| Case search | Iowa Courts Online, https://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/DefaultFrame. Public docket search is free and does not require 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. If a hearing is set, a party asks for a remote or hybrid appearance by motion and the judge decides under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302. |
| Website | Henry County clerk information: https://henrycounty.iowa.gov/clerk-of-court/. Iowa Judicial Branch: https://www.iowacourts.gov. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Henry County probate path, list the assets, debts, beneficiary designations, title to real estate, and whether the decedent left an original will. That asset picture determines whether estate settlement can happen outside a full court administration, whether a court case is needed in Mount Pleasant, and what questions to ask the clerk or a lawyer.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help identify accounts and policies before you file. That is especially useful in Henry County because Iowa does not offer a statewide probate form packet, and the local clerk's page does not post a Henry County probate checklist.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Henry County is filed with the clerk of the district court at the Henry County Courthouse in Mount Pleasant. The courthouse filing office is at 100 East Washington Street, Suite 300, Mount Pleasant, IA 52641.
Iowa venue follows the county of residence at death. The district court of the county where the decedent resided at death administers that estate, and for a nonresident the proper county is where Iowa property is located or later brought (Iowa Code 633.12). Henry County is in Iowa's Eighth Judicial District, but the district is an administrative grouping. A Henry County estate is filed in Mount Pleasant, not in Burlington, Fairfield, Ottumwa, or another county seat.
Mount Pleasant is the courthouse city. Other Henry County communities include New London, Wayland, Winfield, Salem, Olds, and Mount Union.
The jurisdiction process
- Collect the death certificate, the original will if one exists, an asset and debt list, beneficiary information, and title information for any real estate. A person holding the will after learning of the death must deliver it to the court with jurisdiction over the estate (Iowa Code 633.285).
- Choose the Iowa route before filing. Some personal-property estates use the affidavit process under Iowa Code 633.356 without a court case. A chapter 635 small estate is still a court case. A will may sometimes be admitted without administration under Iowa Code 633.31 and Iowa Code 633.305. A full chapter 633 administration is used when the estate needs a personal representative with letters testamentary or letters of administration under Iowa Code 633.
- Prepare the petition and supporting documents for Henry County. No Henry County probate packet is posted, and Iowa does not publish a statewide decedent-estate form set. If you cannot identify the correct petition, get legal help before filing.
- Register for EDMS and e-file with the clerk of the district court for Henry County, or ask the Mount Pleasant clerk about a good-cause paper-filing exception. EDMS applies to self-represented filers as well as attorneys (Iowa Ct. R. 16.302).
- If there is a will, scan and e-file it. The filer keeps the paper original and may submit it to the clerk for non-electronic preservation after e-filing (Iowa Ct. R. 16.411).
- After the court appoints a personal representative in a chapter 633 estate, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under Iowa Code 633 after the required oath and any required bond. In a chapter 635 small estate, the clerk issues letters of appointment under Iowa Code 635.1.
- Give notice. 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 the required family or devisee recipients, depending on whether there is a will (Iowa Code 633.230, 633.304).
- File the report and inventory with the Henry County clerk. Iowa requires it within 120 days after qualification unless the court allows more time (Iowa Code 633.361). Court costs are then based on 0.2% of the probate assets listed in the report and inventory under Iowa Code 633.31.
- Watch the claims period. Claims are filed with the clerk and are barred unless filed by the later of four months after the second publication or one month after notice was mailed to that creditor (Iowa Code 633.410).
- Handle any hearing only if one is set. Many Iowa probate matters proceed on papers filed with the clerk. If a contested issue, objection, or court order creates a hearing, a request to appear by remote means is made by motion and decided by the judge under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302.
- Distribute and close. A chapter 635 estate closes by closing statement and clerk discharge under Iowa Code 635.8. A chapter 633 estate closes by final report and a court order approving the report and discharging the personal representative.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Henry County
Henry County does not post a local probate form, cover sheet, checklist, or fee sheet for decedent-estate filings. The clerk's office in Mount Pleasant can answer procedural questions about where to file and how EDMS works, but it cannot choose a probate route or draft a petition for you.
Iowa also does not provide a statewide probate packet for administering a decedent's estate. A self-represented filer usually drafts the petition, notices, report and inventory, and closing papers from Iowa law or works with an attorney.
Before filing, call the Henry County clerk of the district court at (319) 385-2632 or (319) 385-3150 to ask whether the office wants any local cover information with your EDMS filing (Iowa Ct. R. 16.302).
Local nuance
Henry County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Henry County filing |
|---|---|
| One filing counter | Probate filings go to the clerk of the district court at the Henry County Courthouse in Mount Pleasant, Suite 300. Henry County's place in the Eighth Judicial District does not move the filing to another county. |
| Two clerk phone numbers | The clerk's office publishes both (319) 385-2632 and (319) 385-3150. Use either number to ask about EDMS access, paper-filing exceptions under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302, hours, and current counter procedures. |
| Fax and office email | The office lists fax 319-385-4144 and [email protected]. These are contact channels, not substitutes for EDMS filing unless the clerk or court authorizes a specific exception. |
| No posted local probate packet | Henry County does not post a probate checklist or local form packet. If you are unsure which route fits the estate settlement, ask a probate attorney before filing. |
Recent updates
| Change | What changed |
|---|---|
| Affidavit for distribution of property | The Iowa Code 633.356 affidavit ceiling is $100,000 for qualifying personal-property estates with no interest in real estate, effective July 1, 2026 (Iowa Code 633.356). |
| Report and inventory timing | The report and inventory deadline moved to 120 days after qualification, effective July 1, 2026 (Iowa Code 633.361). |
| Iowa inheritance tax | For deaths on or after January 1, 2025, Iowa imposes no inheritance tax under Iowa Code 450.98. Iowa also does not have a state estate tax. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Henry County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with the deed and account titles. Joint tenancy property is usually outside the Iowa Code 633.31 probate-asset cost base. If an estate must be opened, file through EDMS with the Henry County clerk in Mount Pleasant (Iowa Ct. R. 16.302). | Sunset helps identify accounts, title issues, and missing assets so the spouse understands the estate settlement picture before choosing a filing path. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the estate fits Iowa Code 633.356, the affidavit is presented directly to the holder of the property and no letters are issued. If real estate or court authority is needed, file in Mount Pleasant. A nonresident personal representative may need a court order under Iowa Code 633.64. | Sunset helps the child work from outside Iowa, organize account information, and prepare questions for the Henry County clerk or a local attorney. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A house means the Iowa Code 633.356 affidavit route will not transfer the home. The parent should expect a Henry County court case, letters from the clerk under Iowa Code 633 or Iowa Code 635.1, and court costs based on 0.2% of the probate assets in the report and inventory under Iowa Code 633.31. | Sunset organizes the asset list, builds the probate packet around the Mount Pleasant filing office, and connects the parent with a probate attorney for the sale and closing. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Clerk of the district court, Henry County | Henry County Courthouse, 100 East Washington Street, Suite 300, Mount Pleasant, IA 52641. Phone (319) 385-2632 or (319) 385-3150. Fax 319-385-4144. Email [email protected]. The clerk receives filings, issues letters, and collects court costs, but the office cannot give legal advice. |
| Iowa Legal Aid | Free civil legal help for income-eligible Iowans, subject to eligibility and case priorities. Statewide application line: 1-800-532-1275. Iowans age 60 and older may call 1-800-992-8161. |
| Iowa Free Legal Answers | https://iowa.freelegalanswers.org. Income-eligible Iowans can post a civil legal question for an Iowa attorney volunteer to answer. |
| Iowa Find-A-Lawyer | https://www.iowabar.org. The Iowa State Bar Association directory can be searched by practice area, county, and city. Participating lawyers offer a reduced-fee initial consultation of up to thirty minutes. |
| Application to Defer Costs | If you cannot afford court costs, file an Application to Defer Costs with the Henry County clerk in Mount Pleasant. A judge decides whether costs can be postponed. Iowa offers a free guided interview for this fee-waiver request. |
| Iowa Courts Online | https://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/DefaultFrame. Search the public docket for free. Registration is not required. For technical access help, call 1-800-831-1396. |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is especially helpful in Henry County when the estate includes real estate, a contested will, a disputed creditor claim, an insolvent estate, a nonresident personal representative, or uncertainty about whether Iowa Code 633.356, chapter 635, probate of a will without administration, or full chapter 633 administration is the right route. Henry County does not post a local probate packet, and EDMS applies even to self-represented filers (Iowa Ct. R. 16.302). Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families find bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance, and other assets before the Henry County estate settlement plan is chosen.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for the Henry County filing office, including the courthouse address, clerk contact details, asset list, heirs, creditors, and questions to resolve before EDMS filing under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302.
Find a local probate attorney. When a house must be sold, a nonresident needs appointment, or the family is unsure which Iowa route applies, Sunset can connect the family with a local probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset helps families move through estate settlement without adding another bill at the beginning of the process.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Henry County, Iowa?
File with the clerk of the district court for Henry County at the Henry County Courthouse, 100 East Washington Street, Suite 300, Mount Pleasant, IA 52641. Henry County is in Iowa's Eighth Judicial District, but the filing stays in Mount Pleasant (Iowa Code 633.12).
Does Henry County have its own probate forms?
No Henry County probate form, cover sheet, or checklist is posted. Iowa also does not provide a statewide decedent-estate packet. Call the Henry County clerk at (319) 385-2632 or (319) 385-3150 before filing to ask about current local cover information.
Can I e-file a Henry County probate case?
Yes. EDMS is the required filing system for Iowa probate filings, including filings by self-represented people. A person who cannot reasonably e-file can ask about a good-cause exception through the clerk or by court order (Iowa Ct. R. 16.302).
What is the filing fee for probate in Henry County?
Henry County does not set a separate probate filing fee. Iowa decedent-estate court costs are set by Iowa Code 633.31. The main cost is 0.2% of the probate assets listed in the report and inventory, plus statutory flat items (Iowa Code 633.31).
Will there be a probate hearing in Henry County?
Many Iowa probate matters are handled on the papers filed with the clerk. A hearing may be set if someone objects, the court orders one, or a contested issue arises. If a hearing is set and you want to appear by remote means, file a motion under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302.
Can I look up a Henry County probate case online?
Use Iowa Courts Online at https://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/DefaultFrame. Public docket search is free and does not require registration. The docket is an index. Public case documents are viewed on a courthouse terminal in the county where the case was filed.
Do I have to travel to Mount Pleasant for a Henry County probate case?
Filing is through EDMS, so many filings do not require travel to the courthouse (Iowa Ct. R. 16.302). If a hearing is set, Iowa proceedings are presumed in person, and any request for a remote appearance is decided by the judge under Iowa Ct. R. 15.302.
What phone number should I use for the Henry County clerk?
The clerk's office publishes two numbers: (319) 385-2632 and (319) 385-3150. Use either to ask about counter hours, EDMS questions under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302, or whether the office needs local cover information with a filing.
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.