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Crawford County, IN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Crawford County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Crawford Circuit Court |
| Filing counter | Crawford County Clerk, 715 Judicial Plaza Drive, English, IN 47118 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 375, English, IN 47118 |
| Clerk phone | (812) 338-2565 |
| Clerk fax | (812) 338-2507 |
| Court phone for hearing questions | (812) 338-3113 |
| Court fax | (812) 338-2341 |
| Hours | The clerk's county page does not post public counter hours. Call before you go to English. |
| Time zone | Eastern time |
| Cost to open an estate | For 2026, a petition for letters testamentary or letters of general administration carries $177 in state court costs under IC 33-37. Sheriff service can add $28 in 2026 under IC 33-37-5-15. |
| Local forms | No Crawford County probate packet, checklist or cover sheet is published in the county local probate rules or on the clerk's county page. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through the Indiana E-Filing System. Unrepresented litigants are encouraged, but not required, to e-file under Ind. Trial Rule 87. |
| Case search | Search estate cases on MyCase at mycase.in.gov. Estate case types include EU, ES and EM. |
| Remote appearance | Crawford's local probate rules do not set a separate probate remote policy. Remote requests follow Ind. Administrative Rule 14. |
| Website | Indiana Judicial Branch Crawford County page and the Crawford County Clerk page |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Crawford County, make a working list of the decedent's probate assets, debts, real estate, beneficiaries and possible creditors. This matters because Indiana has different paths for unsupervised administration, supervised administration, summary procedures and non-court small estate transfers, and Crawford County adds a local one-year closing rule.
Sunset's estate settlement tools help families look for accounts and assets across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organize liabilities and generate a probate packet before a trip to the clerk's counter in English.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Crawford County is served by one courthouse in English and one trial court, the Crawford Circuit Court. Crawford County constitutes the seventy-seventh judicial circuit (IC 33-33-13-1). Because Crawford County has no superior court, every estate matter is a Crawford Circuit Court matter.
Venue for probating a will and administering an estate is the Indiana county where the decedent was domiciled at death (IC 29-1-7-1). If the decedent was domiciled in Crawford County, file through the Crawford County Clerk in English.
The jurisdiction process
- Collect the will, death certificate, family information, asset list and creditor information before choosing the estate path. If a will is being e-filed, Ind. Trial Rule 87(E) requires an accurate copy and an affidavit about possession or deposit of the original will.
- 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. Crawford County does not publish a local probate packet or cover sheet.
- File with the Crawford County Clerk at 715 Judicial Plaza Drive in English, by mail to PO Box 375, English, IN 47118, or through the Indiana E-Filing System if you use e-filing. Attorneys must use the Indiana E-Filing System unless exempted, while unrepresented litigants are encouraged but not required to e-file (Ind. Trial Rule 87).
- Pay the 2026 state court costs that apply to the filing. A petition for letters carries $177 under IC 33-37, and sheriff service can add $28 under IC 33-37-5-15 when sheriff service is requested.
- After letters issue, publish the notice of 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 Indiana E-Filing System or by first class mail as the statute requires.
- Ask the Crawford Circuit Court about any hearing setting and any request to appear remotely. Non-testimonial hearings may be remote at the court's discretion, while testimonial hearings are in person unless good cause or party agreement supports a remote proceeding (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 Indiana proof of authority for the personal representative (IC 29-1-10-1, IC 29-1-10-4).
- Administer the estate, including assets, claims, notices, sale authority and distributions. In Crawford County, all estates must be closed within one year unless good cause is shown, and an unsupervised estate becomes supervised if it is not closed within one year unless good cause is shown (LR13-PR00-1).
- Close the estate by the appropriate Indiana closing procedure. For an unsupervised administration, the closing statement cannot be filed earlier than three months after the first published notice to creditors (IC 29-1-7.5-4), and Crawford County's one-year estate settlement rule still matters.
Executor duties
Crawford County adds local duties that affect how a personal representative manages timing and real estate. Under LR13-PR00-1, all estates must be closed within one year unless good cause is shown in a verified statement explaining why the estate cannot be closed and estimating the time needed to close.
If good cause is not shown near the one-year mark, the court may order an intermediate accounting within thirty days. Failure to comply can support removal of the personal representative under IC 29-1-10-6 and can reduce or forfeit personal representative and attorney fees.
For deeds, leases, bills of sale and other conveyance documents, LR13-PR00-2 says a judge's signature is not necessary in either supervised or unsupervised administration. Court approval for a sale, mortgage or lease of estate property still remains necessary unless an Indiana statute such as IC 29-1-15-2 or IC 29-1-7.5-3 creates an exception.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Crawford County
Crawford County does not publish a local probate packet, cover sheet or checklist in its local probate rules or on the county clerk page. Use Indiana forms and pleadings that fit the estate, and ask the clerk what local presentation requirements apply before submitting a self-prepared filing.
| Form or paper | Where it comes from | Crawford County note |
|---|---|---|
| Petition for probate of will and letters testamentary | Attorney-prepared or self-prepared pleading | Filed with the Crawford County Clerk for the Crawford Circuit Court. |
| Petition for letters of general administration | Attorney-prepared or self-prepared pleading | Used when no will is being admitted and a personal representative needs appointment. |
| Original will handling affidavit for e-filing | Required by Ind. Trial Rule 87(E) when a will is e-filed | The filer keeps the original will unless it has been deposited with the clerk or the court orders otherwise. |
| Small estate affidavit CCA-EM-0722-5000 | Indiana Legal Help | This statewide estate form is given to the bank or holder. It is not filed with the court. |
Local nuance
Crawford County-specific considerations
| Local rule | What it means in Crawford County |
|---|---|
| LR13-PR00-1(A) | All estates must be closed within one year unless good cause is shown in a verified statement. |
| LR13-PR00-1(B) | If good cause is not shown, the court may order an intermediate accounting within thirty days of the one-year mark. |
| LR13-PR00-1(C) | Noncompliance can support removal of the personal representative and reduction or forfeiture of personal representative and attorney fees. |
| LR13-PR00-1(D) | An unsupervised estate becomes supervised if it is not closed within one year unless good cause is shown. |
| LR13-PR00-2(A) | A judge's signature is not needed on a deed, lease, bill of sale or other conveyance by a personal representative. |
| LR13-PR00-2(B) | Court approval for sale, mortgage or lease of estate property still applies unless an Indiana statute creates an exception. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Crawford County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | File through the Crawford County Clerk in English if court appointment is needed. The Crawford Circuit Court handles the estate, and the spouse should plan around the local one-year closing rule if the estate is opened. | Sunset helps identify which accounts, debts and home-related documents belong in the probate packet and flags items that may pass outside administration. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | First check whether the statewide non-court small estate affidavit route fits. If a personal representative is needed, a nonresident may serve by filing a written acceptance, appointing an Indiana resident agent and posting bond, with possible waiver in unsupervised administration (IC 29-1-10-1(d)). Crawford's one-year closing rule still applies. | Sunset helps organize asset information remotely, prepare the filing package and connect the child with a Crawford County probate attorney when local help is needed. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Open the estate in Crawford Circuit Court if authority is needed to sell the home. LR13-PR00-2 says the deed itself does not need a judge's signature, but court approval for the sale may still be required unless an Indiana statutory exception applies. If the sale is to pay debts or costs, the statewide five-month and seven-month rule in IC 29-1-7-15.1(b) matters. | Sunset helps build the asset and debt picture, prepare a local attorney for the sale-authority questions and keep the estate settlement timeline visible. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps Crawford County families | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Judicial Branch Crawford County page | Current local rules, county court links, case search and e-filing links. | https://www.in.gov/courts/local/crawford-county/ |
| Indiana Legal Help, Estate topic | Small estate affidavit CCA-EM-0722-5000, Probate FAQ and Small Estate FAQ. | https://indianalegalhelp.org/legal-topic-category/estate-2/ |
| MyCase | Search Crawford County estate cases by name or case number. | https://mycase.in.gov/ |
| Indiana Legal Services, New Albany office | Free civil legal aid intake for eligible low-income Hoosiers. The New Albany office serves Crawford County. | https://www.indianalegalservices.org/locations/ |
| Indiana Free Legal Answers | Online questions answered by volunteer Indiana attorneys for eligible users. | https://indiana.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Indiana e-filing | Indiana E-Filing System information and provider choices. | https://www.in.gov/courts/efiling/ |
When to hire an attorney
A Crawford County probate attorney is especially useful when real estate must be sold, creditors are active, family members disagree, a nonresident personal representative needs a resident agent and bond planning, or the estate may run close to Crawford County's one-year closing deadline. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families search for bank, brokerage, retirement and insurance accounts, then organize what belongs in the estate and what may pass outside probate.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset list, family information and will status into an organized packet for Crawford County, including the questions to raise with the clerk or a local attorney before filing.
Find a local probate attorney. When a filing needs legal judgment, court approval or real estate work, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Indiana probate attorney familiar with estate settlement.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools at no cost while deciding whether they need full probate, a simpler transfer path or attorney help.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in Crawford County?
File through the Crawford County Clerk at 715 Judicial Plaza Drive in English, or by mail to PO Box 375, English, IN 47118. Crawford County has no superior court, so the Crawford Circuit Court handles estate matters.
Does Crawford County have a probate division?
No separate probate division is identified in Crawford County's local rules. The local rules include probate rules under LR13-PR00, but the operating court is the Crawford Circuit Court.
How long does an estate have to stay open in Crawford County?
Crawford County's local rule focuses on the outside deadline: all estates must be closed within one year unless good cause is shown (LR13-PR00-1). Indiana's unsupervised closing statement cannot be filed earlier than three months after the first published notice to creditors (IC 29-1-7.5-4).
Does an unsupervised estate in Crawford County ever become supervised?
Yes. Under LR13-PR00-1(D), an unsupervised estate becomes supervised if it is not closed within one year unless good cause is shown.
Can I look up a Crawford County estate case online?
Yes. Search MyCase at mycase.in.gov. Indiana estate cases appear under case type identifiers such as EU, ES and EM.
Can I e-file probate papers in Crawford County?
Yes. Indiana e-filing is statewide. Attorneys must file through the Indiana E-Filing System unless exempted, and unrepresented litigants are encouraged, but not required, to e-file (Ind. Trial Rule 87).
Will I have to appear in person at the Crawford County courthouse?
Ask the Crawford Circuit Court about the particular hearing. Crawford's local probate rules do not set a separate probate remote policy. Under Ind. Administrative Rule 14, non-testimonial hearings may be remote at the court's discretion, while testimonial hearings are in person unless good cause or party agreement supports a remote proceeding.
What does it cost to open an estate in Crawford County?
For 2026, a petition for letters testamentary or letters of general administration carries $177 in state court costs under IC 33-37. Sheriff service can add $28 in 2026 under IC 33-37-5-15. Offering a will for probate alone is treated differently under IC 33-37-4-7(c)(3), so name the exact filing when you ask the clerk about cost.
Does Crawford County have its own probate forms?
Crawford County does not publish a local probate packet, checklist or cover sheet in its local probate rules or on the clerk's county page. Indiana Legal Help publishes the small estate affidavit CCA-EM-0722-5000, but that form is given to the asset holder and is not filed with the court.
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.