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DeKalb County, IN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | DeKalb County details |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Clerk of Courts, also the Clerk of the Circuit Court, serving DeKalb Circuit Court, DeKalb Superior Court I and DeKalb Superior Court II. |
| Courthouse address | 100 S. Main Street, Auburn, IN 46706. |
| Mailing address | PO Box 230, Auburn, IN 46706. |
| Estate case assignment | Supervised estates, ES, and estate miscellaneous matters, EM, are assigned to DeKalb Superior Court II. Unsupervised estates, EU, rotate between DeKalb Circuit Court and DeKalb Superior Court II (LR17-AR1-1). |
| Phone | Civil Division, (260) 925-0912. Ask for probate or estate filing. |
| Fax | (260) 925-5126. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The clerk's office closes for lunch daily from noon to 1 p.m. |
| Court costs | For 2026 filings, a petition for letters testamentary or letters of general administration is $177 under IC 33-37. If sheriff service is requested, the 2026 sheriff service charge is $28 under IC 33-37-5-15. |
| Local forms | No DeKalb estate packet, probate checklist or estate information sheet is published by the clerk or prescribed in the local rules. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use the Indiana E-Filing System under Ind. Trial Rule 87. Unrepresented litigants are encouraged, but not required, to use it. Estate case types EU, ES and EM are eligible. |
| Case search | Search MyCase at https://public.courts.in.gov/mycase/. Estate cases appear as EU, ES or EM. |
| Remote appearance | No DeKalb probate-specific remote rule is published in the local rules. Indiana courts may allow non-testimonial remote hearings at the court's discretion, and testimonial remote hearings only for good cause or by agreement (Ind. Administrative Rule 14). |
| Websites | Indiana Judicial Branch DeKalb County page: https://www.in.gov/courts/local/dekalb-county/. DeKalb Clerk of Courts page on the county website. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose forms or call the clerk, list the assets, debts, beneficiaries and any real estate. In DeKalb County, that asset picture matters because the local assignment rule treats supervised estate, unsupervised estate and estate miscellaneous case types differently.
Sunset helps families start estate settlement by finding accounts and assets across more than 2,300 institutions, so you can decide whether a DeKalb court case is needed, whether the Indiana small estate affidavit may be enough, or whether you should speak with a probate attorney first.
Which court handles jurisdiction
DeKalb County probate matters are filed through the Clerk of Courts at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Auburn. One clerk's counter serves the Circuit Court and both Superior Courts, so the filing office is the same even though the case assignment may be DeKalb Superior Court II or a rotation between DeKalb Circuit Court and DeKalb Superior Court II.
Indiana venue is based on the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Indiana, venue may be in an Indiana county where the decedent left property or where estate property later came (IC 29-1-7-1).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the case type before filing. In DeKalb County, supervised estates, ES, and estate miscellaneous matters, EM, are assigned to DeKalb Superior Court II, while unsupervised estates, EU, rotate between DeKalb Circuit Court and DeKalb Superior Court II (LR17-AR1-1).
- Prepare the petition and supporting documents. DeKalb County does not publish a local probate packet or estate information sheet, and Indiana does not provide a statewide court-approved probate form set for ordinary administration.
- File through the Clerk of Courts at 100 S. Main Street in Auburn, or through the Indiana E-Filing System if you are filing electronically. Attorneys use the IEFS under Ind. Trial Rule 87; unrepresented litigants may use it but are not required to do so.
- Pay the required court costs for the filing. For 2026 filings, a petition for letters testamentary or letters of general administration is $177 under IC 33-37, plus $28 under IC 33-37-5-15 if sheriff service is requested.
- If a will is being offered, follow Ind. Trial Rule 87(E) when e-filing a copy of the will. The filer must retain the original will until the estate closes and the personal representative is released from liability, or until the time to file a will contest has expired, whichever is later, unless the court orders otherwise.
- After letters issue, publish notice of administration and serve required notices. Indiana requires publication once each week for two consecutive weeks, and proof of publication is filed with the clerk within 30 days after publication (IC 29-1-7-7).
- Ask the clerk or assigned court how any hearing will be scheduled. DeKalb County does not publish probate hearing days in the local rules provided for this page.
- Ask the assigned court about any remote appearance request. Indiana allows non-testimonial remote proceedings at the court's discretion, while testimonial proceedings are in person unless there is good cause or agreement of the parties (Ind. Administrative Rule 14).
- Once appointed, use the letters testamentary or letters of general administration as proof of the personal representative's authority. Letters issued by the clerk under the seal of the court are conclusive evidence of that authority until superseded or revoked (IC 29-1-10-4).
- Administer and close the estate. In an unsupervised administration, the personal representative may close by filing a verified closing statement no earlier than three months after the first published notice to creditors, once the estate is fully administered (IC 29-1-7.5-4). Sunset can help keep the estate settlement asset list organized before closing.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in DeKalb County
DeKalb County does not publish a local estate petition packet, probate checklist, cover sheet or estate information sheet on the clerk's page, and the DeKalb local rules do not prescribe a probate form appendix. The clerk publishes forms for other case types, but not for estate administration.
Indiana also has no statewide court-approved form set for ordinary probate administration. A DeKalb petition for supervised or unsupervised administration is typically drafted for the case.
The statewide small estate affidavit, CCA-EM-0722-5000, is different. For deaths after June 30, 2022, it applies only if the estate fits the $100,000 limit under IC 29-1-8, and it is presented to the bank or other holder of property rather than filed with a DeKalb court.
Local nuance
DeKalb County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in DeKalb County |
|---|---|
| Estate case assignment | Supervised estates, ES, and estate miscellaneous matters, EM, are assigned to DeKalb Superior Court II. Unsupervised estates, EU, rotate between DeKalb Circuit Court and DeKalb Superior Court II (LR17-AR1-1). |
| One filing counter | The Clerk of Courts serves all three DeKalb courts. You file with the same clerk's office at the courthouse in Auburn even though the assigned court may differ. |
| No local probate rule family | The current DeKalb local rules include trial, administrative, family law and jury rules, but they do not add a probate-specific PR rule family. |
| No local remote rule | DeKalb County does not publish a probate-specific remote appearance rule in the local rules. Use the statewide rule and ask the assigned court for its current hearing instructions. |
Recent updates
| Update | What it means |
|---|---|
| DeKalb local rules effective March 3, 2025 | The current local rules include the caseload allocation rule that assigns ES and EM matters to DeKalb Superior Court II and rotates EU matters between DeKalb Circuit Court and DeKalb Superior Court II (LR17-AR1-1). |
| Ind. Trial Rule 87 effective August 1, 2026 | Indiana's current e-filing rule includes probate-specific instructions for e-filing a copy of a will and retaining the original will. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely DeKalb County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by separating non-probate assets from probate assets. If the home passes outside the estate, the DeKalb court case may focus on probate accounts or debts. If a personal representative is needed, file through the Clerk of Courts in Auburn and let the local case assignment rule route the matter. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and title issues before you decide whether DeKalb court administration is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Check whether the statewide small estate affidavit can be used instead of opening a DeKalb estate. If court administration is needed and you live outside Indiana, Indiana allows a nonresident personal representative to serve with the required written acceptance, resident agent appointment and any required bond (IC 29-1-10-1). | Sunset helps collect institution information, generate a probate packet and connect you with local counsel if the DeKalb filing or resident agent step is difficult from out of state. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If a court-appointed personal representative must sell Indiana real estate to pay debts or administration expenses, timing can matter under IC 29-1-7-15.1. File through the DeKalb Clerk of Courts, then follow the assignment for a supervised or unsupervised estate. | Sunset helps organize the asset list, identify liens and account information, and prepare for attorney review before a sale or court request. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Judicial Branch, DeKalb County page | Local rules, judicial district information, court links, case search and e-filing links. | https://www.in.gov/courts/local/dekalb-county/ |
| DeKalb County Clerk of Courts | Local filing office, address, phone numbers, hours and forms for published case types. | 100 S. Main Street, PO Box 230, Auburn, IN 46706. Civil Division, (260) 925-0912. |
| Indiana Legal Help, Estate | Plain-language estate resources, the small estate affidavit CCA-EM-0722-5000 and probate FAQ materials. | https://indianalegalhelp.org/legal-topic-category/estate-2/ |
| MyCase | Public Indiana case search. Search the decedent's name and look for EU, ES or EM estate case types. | https://public.courts.in.gov/mycase/ |
| Indiana E-Filing System | Statewide e-filing information and certified provider list. | https://www.in.gov/courts/efiling/ |
| Indiana Legal Services, Fort Wayne office | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Hoosiers in DeKalb County. Do not assume it handles every estate administration matter; contact intake. | 110 West Berry Street, Suite 2007, Fort Wayne, IN 46802. Phone (260) 424-9155. Monday 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Tuesday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eastern. |
| Indiana Free Legal Answers | Free online answers from volunteer Indiana attorneys for eligible users. | https://indiana.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Indiana court rules | Official Indiana Trial Rules and Administrative Rules, including Ind. Trial Rule 87 and Ind. Administrative Rule 14. | https://rules.incourts.gov/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a probate attorney if the DeKalb estate includes real estate to sell, creditor disputes, a will contest risk, a nonresident personal representative, a supervised administration, or uncertainty over whether the case should be ES, EU or EM under LR17-AR1-1. When counsel makes sense, Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families identify accounts, insurance, debts and other assets before choosing a DeKalb County estate settlement path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset gathers the family, asset and court information needed to prepare a probate packet for attorney review or filing with the DeKalb Clerk of Courts.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal help, Sunset connects families with a vetted Indiana probate attorney who can handle DeKalb County practice and the local case assignment rule.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, understand next steps and decide when attorney help is needed without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in DeKalb County, Indiana?
File through the DeKalb County Clerk of Courts at the DeKalb County Courthouse, 100 S. Main Street, Auburn, IN 46706. The same clerk serves DeKalb Circuit Court, DeKalb Superior Court I and DeKalb Superior Court II.
Which DeKalb court gets an estate case?
DeKalb County's caseload allocation rule assigns supervised estates, ES, and estate miscellaneous matters, EM, to DeKalb Superior Court II. Unsupervised estates, EU, rotate between DeKalb Circuit Court and DeKalb Superior Court II (LR17-AR1-1).
Does DeKalb County have local probate forms?
No DeKalb estate packet, probate checklist or estate information sheet is published by the clerk or prescribed in the local rules. Indiana's statewide small estate affidavit, CCA-EM-0722-5000, is not filed with the court.
Can I e-file a DeKalb County estate case?
Yes. Indiana estate case types EU, ES and EM are available in the Indiana E-Filing System. Attorneys use the IEFS under Ind. Trial Rule 87. Unrepresented litigants may use e-filing, but they are not required to use it.
What happens to the original will if I e-file in DeKalb County?
Under Ind. Trial Rule 87(E), a filer submitting a will for probate files a copy and an affidavit. Unless the will has already been deposited with the clerk, the filer retains the original will until the estate closes and the personal representative is released from liability, or until the time to file a will contest has expired, whichever is later, unless the court directs otherwise.
What are the DeKalb County clerk hours for probate filings?
The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closes for lunch daily from noon to 1 p.m. Call the Civil Division at (260) 925-0912 before making a special trip.
How much are court costs to open a DeKalb estate?
For 2026 filings, a petition for letters testamentary or letters of general administration is $177 under IC 33-37. If sheriff service is requested, the 2026 sheriff service charge is $28 under IC 33-37-5-15.
Can I look up a DeKalb County estate online?
Yes. Search MyCase at https://public.courts.in.gov/mycase/ using the decedent's name. Estate case types appear as EU, ES or EM.
Do I have to travel to Auburn for a DeKalb probate hearing?
Not always, but the assigned court decides. DeKalb County does not publish a probate-specific remote appearance rule. Indiana courts may hold non-testimonial hearings remotely at the court's discretion, and may hold testimonial hearings remotely only for good cause or by agreement (Ind. Administrative Rule 14).
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.