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Brown County, IN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Brown County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Brown Circuit Court. Brown County has no superior court, and Brown County constitutes the eighty-eighth judicial circuit (IC 33-33-7-1). |
| Courthouse address | 20 E. Main Street, Nashville, IN 47448. Brown Circuit Court is on the second floor. |
| Mailing address | Clerk's Office, P.O. Box 85, Nashville, IN 47448. |
| Clerk phone | (812) 988-5510. |
| Court phone | (812) 988-7557. |
| Fax | Clerk fax: (812) 988-5562. Court fax: (812) 988-5515. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern time, closed weekends and holidays. |
| Cost to open an estate case | $177 for a petition for letters testamentary or letters of general administration, current through 2026 under IC 33-37 and the Indiana Trial Court Fee Manual. Offering a will for probate alone is treated differently under IC 33-37-4-7(c)(3). |
| Local probate forms | No Brown County decedent-estate packet or checklist is published on the court or clerk pages. Brown County local probate rules do set requirements for some petitions, including fee petitions in supervised estates. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through the Indiana E-Filing System. Unrepresented litigants are encouraged, but not required, to use e-filing (Ind. Trial Rule 87). |
| Case search | Search Brown County estate cases by the decedent's name on MyCase at mycase.in.gov. Estate case types appear as EU, ES or EM. |
| Remote appearance | No Brown County probate-specific remote rule is published. Ask the Brown Circuit Court whether a particular non-testimonial hearing can be handled remotely under Ind. Administrative Rule 14. |
| Websites | Indiana Judicial Branch Brown County page: in.gov/courts/local/brown-county/. Brown County site: browncounty-in.gov. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Brown County, collect the will, death certificate, deed information, account statements, vehicle titles, debts and funeral-expense information. The right estate settlement path depends on what is probate property, what passes outside probate and whether a court-appointed personal representative is needed.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 financial institutions so families can find accounts before choosing between a small estate affidavit, unsupervised administration or supervised administration. That matters in Brown County because the local rules treat supervised estate sales, accountings and fee petitions differently from unsupervised administration.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File a Brown County estate in the Clerk's Office for the Brown Circuit Court in Nashville. Brown County has no superior court, so there is no local court-assignment question for decedent estates.
Indiana venue is based on domicile: the probate of a will and the administration of an estate belong in the Indiana county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, for a non-Indiana domiciliary, in an Indiana county where the decedent left property or where estate property later came (IC 29-1-7-1). Brown County's Indiana Judicial Branch page places the county in Judicial District 21 with Bartholomew, Decatur, Jackson and Jennings Counties, but that district is an administrative grouping and not the probate venue rule.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the probate assets, debts and interested people before choosing a filing path. If the estate may qualify for Indiana's small estate affidavit for deaths after June 30, 2022, check the $100,000 gross probate estate test under IC 29-1-8 before opening a court estate.
- Prepare the petition for probate of will and issuance of letters testamentary, or the petition for letters of general administration if there is no will. Brown County does not publish a decedent-estate packet, so the petition is drafted for the facts of the case.
- File with the Clerk's Office for the Brown Circuit Court at 20 E. Main Street in Nashville, or use the Indiana E-Filing System if filing electronically. Attorneys file electronically under Ind. Trial Rule 87; unrepresented litigants may use e-filing but are not required to do so.
- Pay the applicable court cost when opening an estate case. A petition for letters testamentary or letters of general administration carries $177, current through 2026 under IC 33-37 and the Indiana Trial Court Fee Manual. If the filing is only to offer a will for probate, ask the clerk how IC 33-37-4-7(c)(3) is being applied to that filing.
- After letters issue, publish notice of the estate administration once each week for two consecutive weeks and file proof of publication with the clerk within thirty days after publication (IC 29-1-7-7). Serve required notices through the e-filing system or by first-class mail as Indiana law requires.
- Attend any hearing the Brown Circuit Court sets. For remote appearance, ask the court in advance. Indiana courts may handle non-testimonial proceedings remotely at the court's discretion, while testimonial proceedings are generally in person unless good cause or agreement supports a remote appearance (Ind. Administrative Rule 14).
- Once the court appoints the personal representative, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of general administration. Those letters are the proof of authority to collect assets, deal with banks, manage property and carry out estate settlement tasks (IC 29-1-10-1, IC 29-1-10-4).
- Administer the estate under the Brown County local probate rules. In a supervised estate, a petition to sell real estate needs a written appraisal or market analysis by a qualified real estate professional unless one has already been filed with the inventory, and Brown County's local rules state that the court will not authorize or approve a real-estate sale in an unsupervised estate.
- Close the estate by the correct Indiana closing procedure. In an unsupervised estate, the personal representative uses the statutory closing statement process when eligible (IC 29-1-7.5-4). In a supervised estate, follow the court's final-accounting and final-settlement requirements, including Brown County's local accounting rule if the estate stays open beyond one year.
Executor duties
Brown County adds local administration duties on top of Indiana's statewide personal-representative duties. If an estate is not closed within one year after appointment, Brown County's local probate rules require an intermediate account within thirty days after the one-year mark and every six months after that while the estate remains open.
For supervised estates, Brown County's local rules also require court-facing support for certain requests. A supervised-estate real-estate sale petition must include a written appraisal or market analysis by a qualified real estate professional, made within one year of the sale petition, unless the appraisal or analysis has already been filed with the inventory. Fee petitions in supervised estates must be signed, approved and detailed enough for the court to determine reasonable fiduciary and attorney fees.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Brown County
Brown County does not publish a local decedent-estate packet or checklist on the court or clerk pages. Indiana also does not have a statewide court-approved probate form set for ordinary estate administration, so petitions for letters testamentary, letters of general administration, supervised administration or unsupervised administration are drafted for the case.
The statewide small estate affidavit, CCA-EM-0722-5000, is not a Brown County court form and is not filed at the Brown County courthouse. For deaths after June 30, 2022, it is used under IC 29-1-8 when the estate meets the $100,000 gross probate estate test and the affidavit is given to the bank or other holder of the asset.
Brown County's local probate rules still matter when drafting. For example, LR07-PR00-34 governs fee petitions in supervised estates, and the local real-estate sale rule requires appraisal or market-analysis support for a supervised-estate sale petition.
Local nuance
Brown County-specific considerations
| Local issue | Brown County rule | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Single trial court | Brown Circuit Court is the only trial court in Brown County (IC 33-33-7-1). | File through the Brown County Clerk's Office in Nashville. Estate assignment is simpler here than in Indiana counties with both circuit and superior courts. |
| Unsupervised-estate fees | LR07-PR00-34 says the court determines reasonable fiduciary and attorney fees only in supervised estates and will not determine, authorize or approve those fees in an unsupervised estate. | If the estate is unsupervised, the fee process is part of the personal representative's administration and accounting to interested people, not a routine judge-approved request. |
| Supervised real-estate sale | Brown County's local probate rules require a written appraisal or market analysis by a qualified real estate professional with a supervised-estate petition to sell real estate, unless already filed with the inventory. | A family planning to sell a Brown County home through supervised administration should gather valuation support before asking for sale authority. |
| Long-running estates | If an estate is not closed within one year after appointment, Brown County requires an intermediate account within thirty days and then every six months while the estate remains open. | Calendar the accounting dates early, especially when real estate, creditor issues or family disputes may delay closing. |
Recent updates
Brown County's current local probate rules are dated effective 05-01-23.
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Brown County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by checking the deed and beneficiary designations. If the home passes outside probate and the remaining probate property is limited, a court estate may not be needed. If a personal representative is needed, file in the Clerk's Office for the Brown Circuit Court in Nashville. | Sunset helps identify accounts, confirm what appears to be probate property and organize the documents needed for the estate settlement plan. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the decedent died after June 30, 2022 and the estate meets the $100,000 gross probate estate test under IC 29-1-8, the Indiana small estate affidavit may be used with the bank or holder instead of filing a Brown County court estate. If court authority is needed, a nonresident personal representative can serve by satisfying Indiana's acceptance, resident-agent and bond rules. | Sunset helps locate institutions, collect date-of-death balances and prepare a packet for a local attorney or for a small-estate affidavit review. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | File promptly in Brown County if a personal representative must sell Indiana real estate to pay debts or administration costs. Indiana has a five-month petition and seven-month letters rule for certain real-estate sales (IC 29-1-7-15.1(b)). In a supervised Brown County estate, the sale petition needs a written appraisal or market analysis by a qualified real estate professional. | Sunset helps build the asset and debt picture, surface lien and account information and connect the family with a Brown County probate attorney for the sale and court filings. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Judicial Branch, Brown County page | Links to Brown County local rules, court contacts, case search and e-filing. | in.gov/courts/local/brown-county/ |
| Brown County Clerk's Office | Filing counter for Brown Circuit Court estate cases. | 20 E. Main Street, Nashville, IN 47448. Mailing: P.O. Box 85. Phone: (812) 988-5510. |
| Brown Circuit Court | Handles estate hearings and local probate-rule questions. | 20 E. Main Street, second floor, Nashville, IN 47448. Phone: (812) 988-7557. |
| Indiana Legal Help, Estate | Offers estate self-help information, the statewide small estate affidavit CCA-EM-0722-5000 and probate and small-estate FAQs. | indianalegalhelp.org/legal-topic-category/estate-2/ |
| Indiana Judicial Branch Self-Service Legal Center | General self-representation guidance. It does not publish a probate section. | in.gov/courts/selfservice/ |
| MyCase | Public case search for Brown County estate case information. | mycase.in.gov |
| Indiana e-filing | Information about the Indiana E-Filing System and certified providers. | in.gov/courts/efiling/ |
| Indiana Free Legal Answers | Free confidential answers from volunteer Indiana attorneys for qualifying users. | indiana.freelegalanswers.org |
| Indiana Legal Services, Bloomington office | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Hoosiers. Brown County is served by the Bloomington office, which is closed for walk-ins Monday and Friday. | 100 S. College Avenue, Suite 232, Bloomington, IN 47404. Phone: (812) 339-7668. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider hiring an Indiana probate attorney if the estate includes Brown County real estate, creditor issues, family disagreement, a nonresident personal representative, a supervised administration or any request that needs a court order. Brown County's local rules make counsel especially useful for supervised-estate real-estate sales, accountings and fee petitions. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families search for bank, brokerage, retirement and insurance relationships, then organize what was found so the personal representative and attorney can choose the right estate settlement path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's information into an organized probate packet for Brown County, including the people, assets, debts and documents a lawyer or filer needs to prepare the petition.
Find a local probate attorney. When Brown County court filings, real estate or supervised administration are involved, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Indiana probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset does not charge families to start estate settlement, gather information and understand next steps in Brown County.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Brown County?
File with the Clerk's Office for the Brown Circuit Court at 20 E. Main Street in Nashville. The mailing address is Clerk's Office, P.O. Box 85, Nashville, IN 47448.
Does Brown County have a separate probate court?
No. Brown County has no superior court and no separate probate court. Brown Circuit Court is the county's only trial court, and Brown County constitutes the eighty-eighth judicial circuit (IC 33-33-7-1).
Can I e-file a Brown County estate case?
Yes. Indiana estate case types can be filed through the Indiana E-Filing System. Attorneys file electronically, while unrepresented litigants are encouraged but not required to use e-filing (Ind. Trial Rule 87).
How much does it cost to open an estate case in Brown County?
A petition for letters testamentary or letters of general administration carries $177, current through 2026 under IC 33-37 and the Indiana Trial Court Fee Manual. Offering a will for probate alone is treated differently under IC 33-37-4-7(c)(3).
Can I look up a Brown County estate case online?
Yes. Search the decedent's name on MyCase at mycase.in.gov. Estate cases appear as EU, ES or EM.
Does Brown County publish local probate forms?
Brown County does not publish a decedent-estate packet or checklist on the court or clerk pages. The county's local probate rules do provide requirements for specific requests, including fee petitions in supervised estates and supervised-estate real-estate sale petitions.
Can I attend a Brown County probate hearing remotely?
Ask the Brown Circuit Court before the hearing. No Brown County probate-specific remote rule is published, so the statewide rule applies: non-testimonial hearings may be remote at the court's discretion, and testimonial hearings are generally in person unless good cause or agreement supports a remote appearance (Ind. Administrative Rule 14).
Do I have to travel to Nashville to handle a Brown County estate?
Not always. Attorneys use e-filing, and unrepresented litigants may use the Indiana E-Filing System. If a hearing is set, ask the Brown Circuit Court whether remote appearance is available for that hearing.
What if the estate includes Brown County real estate?
Real estate can change the plan. Indiana has a five-month petition and seven-month letters rule for certain sales to pay debts or administration costs (IC 29-1-7-15.1(b)). In a supervised Brown County estate, the local rules require a written appraisal or market analysis by a qualified real estate professional with a petition to sell real estate, unless it has already been filed with the inventory.
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.