Back to Indiana
Dubois County, IN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Dubois County information |
|---|---|
| Court assignment | Probate matters are assigned to the Dubois Circuit Court under LR19-AR1. |
| Filing office | Clerk of the Circuit and Superior Courts |
| Courthouse address | One Courthouse Square, Jasper, IN 47546 |
| Mailing address | Use the courthouse address unless the clerk gives different mailing instructions. |
| Phone | (812) 481-7035 |
| Fax | (812) 481-7044 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Initial court cost | $177 for a petition that opens an estate and seeks letters, under IC 33-37-4-7 and IC 33-37-5, current through the 2026 Legislative Session. Sheriff service adds $28 under IC 33-37-5-15, current through the 2026 Legislative Session, if requested. |
| Local forms | No Dubois County estate packet or local probate checklist is published by the clerk or in LR19. |
| E-filing | Indiana attorneys file through the IEFS. Unrepresented litigants are encouraged, but not required, to use the IEFS under Ind. Trial Rule 87. Dubois County has used mandatory attorney e-filing since August 25, 2017. |
| Case search | Search public estate cases on MyCase at public.courts.in.gov/mycase. Estate case types include EU, ES and EM. |
| Remote appearance | No Dubois probate-specific remote rule is published in LR19. Non-testimonial remote hearings are at the court's discretion, and testimonial hearings are generally in person unless good cause or agreement supports remote participation under Ind. Administrative Rule 14. |
| Local court page | www.in.gov/courts/local/dubois-county/ |
| Clerk page | www.duboiscountyin.org/government/county_offices/clerk_of_the_courts/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Dubois County, make a working list of the decedent's probate assets, nonprobate transfers, debts, tax items and possible heirs or beneficiaries. The correct path depends on what exists, who is entitled to receive it, whether the will names an executor, and whether the estate needs letters testamentary or letters of general administration.
Sunset's estate settlement tools help families identify accounts across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organize liabilities and produce a cleaner probate packet for the Dubois Circuit Court assignment. That preparation is especially useful when the person handling the estate lives outside Jasper or has to decide whether a smaller statutory route will work.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Dubois County probate filings are handled at the Dubois County Courthouse in Jasper through the Clerk of the Circuit and Superior Courts. Dubois County constitutes the fifty-seventh judicial circuit, and the county also has a standard Dubois Superior Court, but LR19-AR1 assigns probate matters to the Dubois Circuit Court.
Venue is based on domicile. If the decedent was domiciled in Dubois County at death, the will probate and estate administration belong in Dubois County; 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
- Confirm that Dubois County is the right venue under IC 29-1-7-1, then gather the will, death certificate information, asset list, debt list, heirs and beneficiaries.
- Choose the filing path. Indiana has no statewide court-approved probate form set, and Dubois County does not publish a local estate packet, so the petition is usually prepared from attorney forms or a custom pleading.
- File through the Clerk of the Circuit and Superior Courts at One Courthouse Square in Jasper or through the IEFS if filing electronically. Attorneys use the IEFS, while unrepresented litigants may use the IEFS but are not required to do so under Ind. Trial Rule 87.
- Pay the opening court cost if the filing asks to open an estate and issue letters. The statewide amount is $177 under IC 33-37-4-7 and IC 33-37-5, current through the 2026 Legislative Session; sheriff service adds $28 under IC 33-37-5-15, current through the 2026 Legislative Session, if requested.
- If a will is filed electronically, file a complete copy and the required affidavit about possession and retention of the original will under Ind. Trial Rule 87(E). Keep the original will unless the court orders otherwise or a statute requires it.
- After letters testamentary or letters of general administration issue, publish notice of administration once each week for two consecutive weeks and file proof with the clerk within 30 days after publication, as required by IC 29-1-7-7.
- Serve required notice on heirs, devisees, legatees and known or reasonably ascertainable creditors. Claims generally run to three months after first publication or nine months after death, whichever is earlier, under IC 29-1-14-1.
- Ask the Dubois Circuit Court how it will set any required hearing and whether a non-testimonial issue can be heard remotely under Ind. Administrative Rule 14.
- Use the letters to collect assets, pay proper claims, manage or sell estate property when authorized, keep an inventory and accounting, and distribute to the correct distributees.
- Close the estate by the correct Indiana closing procedure. In an unsupervised administration, the closing statement is part of the final estate settlement process under IC 29-1-7.5-4.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Dubois County
Dubois County does not publish a local estate packet, probate checklist or estate information sheet on the clerk page, and LR19 contains no PR family of local probate forms. Plan to prepare a petition and proposed order that fit the Indiana Code and the Dubois Circuit Court assignment.
Indiana's statewide estate form is the Coalition for Court Access small estate affidavit, CCA-EM-0722-5000. It is not a Dubois County court form and is not filed with the Dubois Circuit Court. It is used outside court by giving it to the bank or other holder when the estate qualifies under IC 29-1-8, including the $100,000 limit for deaths after June 30, 2022.
Fees
| Local charge | Amount | When it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Copy | $1.00 per page, schedule dated 08/31/2022 | For copies from the Dubois County Clerk. |
| Certification | $3.00 per pleading, schedule dated 08/31/2022 | For certified copies of filed pleadings or letters when a bank, title company or other institution asks for them. |
| Certification and exemplification | $6.00 per pleading, schedule dated 08/31/2022 | For the higher form of clerk authentication when requested by an institution or another court. |
Local nuance
Dubois County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Dubois County |
|---|---|
| Probate court assignment | LR19-AR1 assigns probate matters to the Dubois Circuit Court. The filing counter is still the Clerk of the Circuit and Superior Courts. |
| No local PR rule family | LR19 has no PR family and no local probate rule on inventory timing, bond defaults, attorney-fee guidelines or counsel requirements. |
| Wednesday clerk hours | The clerk's contact block lists Wednesday hours until 6 p.m., with other listed weekdays ending at 4 p.m. |
| Local e-filing history | The clerk states that Dubois County has had mandatory attorney e-filing since August 25, 2017. The current statewide rule remains Ind. Trial Rule 87. |
Recent updates
No Dubois-specific probate rule change is listed beyond the current LR19 local rules and the clerk's document fee schedule dated 08/31/2022. Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Dubois County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Confirm whether the home passes outside probate and whether any probate assets still require letters from the Dubois Circuit Court assignment. If only nonprobate assets remain, a full estate may not be needed. | Sunset helps separate probate assets from jointly owned or beneficiary-designated assets and organizes the documents needed for the clerk, banks and title professionals. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the estate qualifies under IC 29-1-8, including the $100,000 limit for deaths after June 30, 2022, the Coalition for Court Access small estate affidavit may be used with the asset holder instead of filing it in Dubois County court. If letters are needed, file with the Dubois County clerk and address any nonresident personal representative requirements under IC 29-1-10-1(d). | Sunset helps locate accounts, estimate the probate estate, prepare the right packet and connect the child with local counsel if letters or a resident agent issue arises. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A house sale can make court authority important. File in Dubois County if venue is proper, ask for the right letters, and get advice early if the sale may be needed to pay debts or administration costs under IC 29-1-7-15.1. | Sunset helps build the asset and debt picture, gather title and account information, and route the family to a local probate attorney when a home sale is part of estate settlement. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Dubois County Clerk of the Circuit and Superior Courts | Local filing office, hours, copy charges, e-filing history and clerk contact information. | One Courthouse Square, Jasper, IN 47546; (812) 481-7035; [email protected] |
| Indiana Judicial Branch, Dubois County local page | Local rules, court contacts, MyCase link, e-filing link and judicial district information. | www.in.gov/courts/local/dubois-county/ |
| Indiana Legal Help, Estate | Plain-language estate information, Probate FAQ, Small Estate FAQ and the CCA-EM-0722-5000 small estate affidavit. | indianalegalhelp.org/legal-topic-category/estate-2/ |
| MyCase | Search public Dubois County estate cases by name. Estate case types include EU, ES and EM. | public.courts.in.gov/mycase |
| Indiana e-filing | IEFS information, certified provider list and e-filing user guidance. | www.in.gov/courts/efiling/ |
| Indiana Legal Services, Evansville office | Free civil legal aid intake for eligible low-income Hoosiers in Dubois County. The office posts Central time hours. | 915 Main Street, Suite 201, Evansville, IN 47708; (812) 426-1295; Monday, Thursday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central time; closed for walk-ins Tuesday and Wednesday |
| Indiana Free Legal Answers | Online questions answered by volunteer Indiana attorneys for eligible users. | indiana.freelegalanswers.org |
When to hire an attorney
Dubois County's local rules do not add a county-specific counsel requirement for probate, but an attorney is often important when the estate includes real estate, creditor disputes, family disagreement, a nonresident personal representative, supervised administration, or a sale that needs court authority. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps identify financial accounts, insurance, retirement assets, real estate leads and liabilities so the family can decide what belongs in the Dubois County probate estate and what passes outside court.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the estate information into an organized packet for the Dubois County clerk, including the details an attorney or self-represented filer needs to request letters testamentary or letters of general administration.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs court filings, a house sale, creditor handling or advice about a nonresident personal representative, Sunset can help connect the family with Indiana probate counsel familiar with local practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families use Sunset to organize estate settlement, find assets and understand next steps without paying Sunset a platform fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Dubois County?
File through the Clerk of the Circuit and Superior Courts at One Courthouse Square in Jasper. Dubois County's LR19-AR1 assigns probate matters to the Dubois Circuit Court.
Does Dubois County use the Circuit Court or the Superior Court for probate?
Dubois County uses the Circuit Court assignment for probate under LR19-AR1. The Superior Court exists, but the local caseload rule assigns traffic and small claims to that court and sends probate matters to the Circuit Court.
Can I e-file a Dubois County probate case?
Yes. Indiana probate case types can be filed through the IEFS. Attorneys file electronically, while unrepresented litigants are encouraged but not required to e-file under Ind. Trial Rule 87.
What happens to the original will if I e-file in Dubois County?
Ind. Trial Rule 87(E) says a filer who submits a will electronically files a complete copy and an affidavit about the original. The filer keeps the original will until the estate is closed and the personal representative is released from liability, or until the time for a will contest has expired, unless the court orders otherwise or a statute directs a different step.
Are there Dubois County probate forms?
Dubois County does not publish a local estate packet, probate checklist or estate information sheet on the clerk page or in LR19. Indiana Legal Help publishes the CCA-EM-0722-5000 small estate affidavit, but that form is given to the asset holder and is not filed with the Dubois Circuit Court.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Dubois County?
The statewide court cost for a petition that opens an estate and seeks letters is $177 under IC 33-37-4-7 and IC 33-37-5, current through the 2026 Legislative Session. If sheriff service is requested, the additional statewide service fee is $28 under IC 33-37-5-15, current through the 2026 Legislative Session. Local copy charges are separate.
Can I look up a Dubois County estate online?
Yes. Search the decedent's name on MyCase at public.courts.in.gov/mycase. Estate cases appear under EU, ES or EM case type labels.
Will my Dubois County probate hearing be remote?
No Dubois probate-specific remote rule appears in LR19. Under Ind. Administrative Rule 14, a court may hold non-testimonial hearings remotely at its discretion, while testimonial hearings are generally in person unless good cause or agreement supports remote participation. Ask the Dubois Circuit Court how your hearing will be handled.
Do I have to travel to Jasper if I live out of state?
Not always. Many filings can be handled through the IEFS or by an attorney, and Indiana allows a nonresident individual to serve as personal representative if the statutory requirements are met, including a written acceptance, a resident agent and bond unless the court changes that requirement under IC 29-1-10-1(d). If a hearing is set, ask the court whether remote participation is available for that hearing.
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.