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Madison County, IN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Madison County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Madison Circuit Court. Probate dockets are assigned to Madison Circuit Court No. 1, No. 3 and No. 6 (IC 33-33-48-12, LR48-AR00-01). |
| Filing office | Clerk of the Madison Circuit Court, Madison County Government Center, 16 East 9th Street, Room 213, Anderson, IN 46016. |
| Mailing address | PO Box 1277, Anderson, IN 46015. |
| Phone | (765) 641-9443. For hearing questions after assignment, call Madison Circuit Court No. 1 at (765) 641-9436, No. 3 at (765) 641-9632, or No. 6 at (765) 641-9622. |
| Fax | (765) 640-4203. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The court weather closing line is (765) 641-7089. |
| Court costs | A petition for probate of will and issuance of letters, or for letters of general administration, is $177 under the statewide probate costs fee and statutory add-ons current through the 2026 legislative session (IC 33-37-4-7, IC 33-37-5). The total is $205 when the sheriff's $28 service of process fee is collected (IC 33-37-5-15). Offering a will for probate with no further proceeding carries no court costs fee (IC 33-37-4-7(c)(3)). |
| Local probate rules | Yes. Madison County Local Probate Rules are LR48-PR00-33 through LR48-PR00-46. |
| Local probate forms | No downloadable local probate form set. The court does require the signed signature page from the Court's Instructions to the Personal Representative within ten days after letters issue (LR48-PR00-34). |
| E-filing | Attorneys are required to e-file through the Indiana E-Filing System and must be registered users in Madison County (Ind. Trial Rule 87, LR48-TR86-32). Unrepresented litigants are encouraged but not required to e-file, and the Clerk also accepts in-person and mailed filings. |
| Case search | MyCase at mycase.in.gov. Madison County estate cases appear as EU, ES, or EM and usually begin with 48C01, 48C03, or 48C06. |
| Remote appearance | Indiana Administrative Rule 14 controls. Ask the assigned division whether a non-testimonial probate setting may be handled remotely. |
| Website | Madison Circuit Court: https://www.in.gov/counties/madison-courts/. Clerk: https://www.madisoncounty.in.gov/departments/clerk-of-the-circuit-court. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before choosing a filing path in Madison County, identify the assets, debts, account values, real estate, beneficiary designations and joint ownership. If the gross probate estate, less liens, encumbrances and reasonable funeral expenses, is $100,000 or less for a death after June 30, 2022, the small estate affidavit route may avoid opening a court case entirely (IC 29-1-8-1). Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 financial institutions, which helps families decide whether court administration is needed before they start estate settlement.
Know the liabilities before notice goes out. Indiana creditor claims are forever barred unless filed within three months after the first published notice, and in no event later than nine months after death, whichever is earlier (IC 29-1-14-1, IC 29-1-7-7). Madison County adds local pressure at the end of estate settlement: all court costs must be paid and all claims satisfied and released before a supervised final account hearing, or on or before an unsupervised closing statement is filed (LR48-PR00-41, LR48-PR00-43).
Which court handles jurisdiction
File a Madison County estate when the decedent was domiciled in Madison County at death. Indiana venue for probate of a will and administration of an estate is the county of domicile, or for a non-Indiana domiciliary, a county where the decedent left property or where estate property later came (IC 29-1-7-1).
Madison County is served by one court of record, the Madison Circuit Court, and one filing office, the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Room 213 of the Madison County Government Center in Anderson. The probate docket is assigned to Madison Circuit Court No. 1, No. 3 and No. 6, all on the fourth floor of the same building (LR48-AR00-01).
Anderson is the county seat. Madison County communities include Alexandria, Anderson, Chesterfield, Edgewood, Elwood, Frankton, Ingalls, Lapel, Markleville, Orestes, Pendleton and Summitville. Do not confuse Madison County with the City of Madison, Indiana, which is in Jefferson County. Anderson City Court and Elwood City Court sit in Madison County, but city and town courts do not handle decedents' estates.
The jurisdiction process
- Decide whether a court estate is needed. If the gross probate estate, less liens, encumbrances and reasonable funeral expenses, is $100,000 or less for a death after June 30, 2022, a distributee may use a small estate affidavit forty-five days after death without filing it with the court (IC 29-1-8-1). The statewide form is CCA-EM-0722-5000 from Indiana Legal Help and goes to the bank or other holder.
- Address counsel at the start. Madison County's rule says that no personal representative or guardian of an estate may proceed without counsel unless the court approves it (LR48-PR00-36). An unrepresented Indiana-resident proposed personal representative must appear before the court in person to be appointed (LR48-PR00-35).
- Assemble the petition. Use the petition for probate of will and issuance of letters testamentary if there is a will, or the petition for letters of general administration if there is no will. Include the original will if one exists, a certified death certificate, names and addresses of heirs or devisees and legatees, known creditor information and the probable value of personal property plus estimated annual rents and profits from estate property (LR48-PR00-37).
- Prepare proposed orders and letters. Madison County requires parties to prepare orders for proceedings unless the court directs otherwise (LR48-PR00-34). A pleading from an unrepresented party must include the filer's current address and phone number (LR48-TR10-24), and two-sided pleadings, motions, orders and decrees are not accepted except for small claims court-approved forms (LR48-AR10-05).
- File with the Clerk of the Madison Circuit Court. Attorneys e-file through the Indiana E-Filing System and must be registered users in Madison County (Ind. Trial Rule 87, LR48-TR86-32). An unrepresented filer may create an INcourts e-filing account, bring the filing to Room 213 at 16 East 9th Street, or mail it to PO Box 1277, Anderson, IN 46015.
- Pay the court costs for the filing you are making. A petition for probate of will and issuance of letters, or for letters of general administration, is $177 under the statewide probate costs fee and statutory add-ons current through the 2026 legislative session (IC 33-37-4-7, IC 33-37-5). The total is $205 when the sheriff's $28 service of process fee is collected (IC 33-37-5-15). Offering a will for probate alone carries no court costs fee (IC 33-37-4-7(c)(3)).
- Receive the division assignment. Madison County estates go on the probate docket assigned to Madison Circuit Court No. 1, No. 3 or No. 6 (IC 33-33-48-12, LR48-AR00-01). The cause number will usually begin 48C01, 48C03 or 48C06, which is the number to use on MyCase and on notices.
- Obtain authority. When the court appoints the personal representative, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of general administration under seal. Those letters are conclusive evidence of the personal representative's authority until superseded or revoked (IC 29-1-10-4). If the court requires bond, a corporate surety bond must be filed before letters issue, unless the court approves a restricted account arrangement under the local rule (LR48-PR00-37).
- File the local instruction signature page. Within ten days after letters issue, the fiduciary must file the signed signature page from the Court's Instructions to the Personal Representative or Guardian (LR48-PR00-34). Counsel gives the Instructions to the fiduciary when the estate opens.
- Give notice and start the claims clock. Indiana requires notice of administration to be published after letters issue (IC 29-1-7-7). In Madison County, the attorney prepares the required notice, handles publication or service and must be ready to prove service before bringing the matter to the court (LR48-PR00-33). Notice of the opening of the estate goes by first class mail to all reasonably ascertainable creditors, with certified mail return receipt requested recommended, and the affidavit of compliance with creditor notice is filed with the Clerk (LR48-PR00-33, LR48-PR00-34).
- Prepare and, when required locally, file the inventory. Statewide, the personal representative prepares a verified inventory within two months after appointment (IC 29-1-12-1, IC 29-1-7.5-3.2). In a Madison County supervised estate, the fiduciary files the inventory with the court within sixty days after appointment (LR48-PR00-38).
- Administer the estate. In an unsupervised estate, the personal representative acts without returning to court for ordinary approvals (IC 29-1-7.5-3). In a supervised Madison County estate, local rules add court-facing steps for appraisals, sales of real estate, sales of personal property, accountings and payment of attorney or fiduciary fees (LR48-PR00-39, LR48-PR00-40, LR48-PR00-41, LR48-PR00-42).
- Handle hearings with the assigned division. Hearing days and ordinary wait times are set by the division. Indiana Administrative Rule 14 allows a non-testimonial hearing or conference to be remote at the court's discretion, while testimony is in person unless there is good cause or agreement. Ask Madison Circuit Court No. 1, No. 3 or No. 6 after assignment.
- Close the estate. An unsupervised Indiana estate may close no earlier than three months after the first published notice to creditors (IC 29-1-7.5-4). Madison County requires all court costs paid and all claims satisfied and released on or before the closing statement is filed, and requires an order approving the closing statement (LR48-PR00-43). In a supervised estate, all court costs and claims must be cleared before the final account hearing (LR48-PR00-41).
Executor duties
- Keep counsel unless the court approves proceeding without counsel (LR48-PR00-36).
- File the signed signature page from the Court's Instructions to the Personal Representative within ten days after letters issue (LR48-PR00-34).
- Tell the court and attorney of record in writing about any change in name, address or telephone number (LR48-PR00-35, LR48-TR3.1-29).
- Send notice of the opening of the estate by first class mail to every reasonably ascertainable creditor, consider certified mail return receipt requested as the court recommends, and file the affidavit of compliance with creditor notice (LR48-PR00-33, LR48-PR00-34).
- In a supervised estate, file the inventory with the court within sixty days after appointment, and recapitulate earlier partial inventories in later ones (LR48-PR00-38).
- When any account is set for hearing, including a final account in a supervised estate, serve a copy of the account with the notice of hearing (LR48-PR00-33).
- In a supervised estate, note the reason for or nature of each expenditure in every accounting unless the payee name already shows it, and do not pay attorney or fiduciary fees from the estate without a prior written court order (LR48-PR00-41, LR48-PR00-42).
- Before closing, make sure all court costs are paid and all claims are satisfied and released. In a supervised estate this must happen before the final account hearing, and in an unsupervised estate it must happen on or before the closing statement is filed (LR48-PR00-41, LR48-PR00-43).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Madison County
Madison County has local probate rules, but it does not have a downloadable local probate form set. Indiana also has no statewide court-approved probate packet for opening a decedent's estate.
| Document or rule | How it works in Madison County |
|---|---|
| Opening petitions | Use the petition appropriate to the case, such as a petition for probate of will and issuance of letters testamentary or a petition for letters of general administration. Madison County requires the petition to state the probable value of personal property plus estimated annual rents and profits from estate property so the court can address bond if needed (LR48-PR00-37). |
| Proposed orders | Parties prepare orders for proceedings unless the court directs otherwise (LR48-PR00-34). |
| Court's Instructions to the Personal Representative | Counsel gives these Instructions to the fiduciary when the estate opens. The signed signature page must be filed with the court within ten days after letters issue (LR48-PR00-34). |
| Restricted account language | If the court allows a restricted account instead of bond, the account carries the court's required no-withdrawal legend and the bank officer's certification is filed within ten days after the order (LR48-PR00-37). |
| Small estate affidavit | The statewide CCA-EM-0722-5000 affidavit is available through Indiana Legal Help. It is used under IC 29-1-8 for qualifying small estates and is given to the bank or other holder, not filed with the court. |
Fees
Copy, certification and postage charges are set locally, and the Clerk keeps the current table of fees (IC 33-32-2-7). Ask the Clerk at (765) 641-9443 for the current charge before ordering copies or certified letters.
| Local cost item | Madison County rule |
|---|---|
| Supervised estate attorney and fiduciary fees | Madison County has maximum fee guidelines for supervised estates. The guidelines say they do not guarantee any specific fee and direct the court to weigh time, labor, complexity, responsibility, results, available assets and timeliness (LR48-PR00-42). |
| Non-professional personal representative compensation | In a supervised estate, a non-professional personal representative is guided to an amount not more than one-half of the attorney's fees. If the attorney also serves as personal representative, an additional amount not more than one-half of the attorney fee may be allowed (LR48-PR00-42). |
| Fee approval in supervised estates | No fiduciary or attorney fees may be paid from a supervised estate or guardianship without a prior written order of the court, and fee orders generally pay fees only after approval of the final accounting unless the court orders otherwise (LR48-PR00-42). |
| Fees in unsupervised estates | The court does not determine or authorize attorney or fiduciary fees in an unsupervised decedent's estate (LR48-PR00-42). |
| Transcript charges | Effective January 1, 2026, a non-expedited transcript may cost up to $5.30 per page, expedited transcript rates are $6.30 per page within 14 days, $7.00 per page within 7 days, $8.00 per page within 3 days and $9.00 per page within 1 day, copies may cost $1.00 per page, and a minimum charge up to $35.00 per transcript is allowed (LR48-AR15-04). |
Timeline
- Forty-five days after death, a distributee may present a small estate affidavit to a bank or other holder if the gross probate estate, less liens, encumbrances and reasonable funeral expenses, is $100,000 or less for a death after June 30, 2022 (IC 29-1-8-1). A vehicle or watercraft title may move after five days under the same chapter (IC 29-1-8-1(c)).
- As soon as letters issue, notice of administration is published once each week for two consecutive weeks, and proof of publication is filed with the Clerk within thirty days after publication (IC 29-1-7-7).
- Within ten days after letters issue, the fiduciary files the signed signature page from the Court's Instructions to the Personal Representative (LR48-PR00-34). If a restricted account is used instead of bond, the bank officer's certification is filed within ten days after the order authorizing it (LR48-PR00-37).
- Within sixty days after appointment, the inventory is filed with the court in a Madison County supervised estate (LR48-PR00-38). Statewide, the inventory is prepared within two months after appointment in every estate (IC 29-1-12-1, IC 29-1-7.5-3.2).
- Creditor claims are forever barred unless filed within three months after the first published notice, and in no event later than nine months after death, whichever is earlier (IC 29-1-14-1, IC 29-1-7-7).
- A subpoena or notice of hearing ordinarily must be filed at least four working days before the hearing for bailiff service, and a filing made within five days before a hearing must be served personally on the presiding judge (LR48-TR45-28, LR48-AR10-05).
- An unsupervised estate may close no earlier than three months after the first published notice to creditors (IC 29-1-7.5-4). In Madison County, all court costs must be paid, all claims satisfied and released, and an order approving the closing statement entered (LR48-PR00-43).
Local nuance
Madison County-specific considerations
- Madison County has one court of record. Its superior courts were abolished in 2011, and the current court is the Madison Circuit Court, a court of general jurisdiction with six divisions (IC 33-33-48-12).
- The court's probate docket is assigned to Madison Circuit Court No. 1, No. 3 and No. 6. All three probate-docket divisions sit on the fourth floor of the Madison County Government Center (LR48-AR00-01).
- The Clerk's counter is in Room 213 on the second floor and is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- A personal representative may not proceed without counsel unless the court approves it (LR48-PR00-36).
- A Madison County unsupervised estate needs an order approving the closing statement, and all court costs and claims must be cleared on or before that statement is filed (LR48-PR00-43).
- In a supervised estate, the inventory is filed with the court within sixty days after appointment (LR48-PR00-38).
- The signed signature page from the Court's Instructions to the Personal Representative is due within ten days after letters issue (LR48-PR00-34).
- The Clerk directs estate case-status questions to MyCase rather than handling estate verifications by phone. Use the decedent's name or a cause number beginning 48C01, 48C03 or 48C06.
- The Recorder is in Suite 205 of the same building. That matters when a summary-procedures real-property affidavit is recorded under IC 29-1-8-3(c).
Recent updates
| Change | What it means |
|---|---|
| Local rules effective January 1, 2026 | Madison County's current rule set includes the Madison County Local Probate Rules, LR48-PR00-33 through LR48-PR00-46. The probate-docket assignment to Divisions 1, 3 and 6 remains the operative local rule. |
| Attorney e-filing registration rule | LR48-TR86-32 requires every attorney entering an appearance in a Madison County case to be a registered user under Indiana Trial Rule 86. Unrepresented litigants remain encouraged, not required, to e-file under Ind. Trial Rule 87. |
| Abolished superior courts and older records | Madison Superior Court divisions and Madison County Court divisions are abolished. Older matters may still show older captions on MyCase, but new decedent estates go through the Madison Circuit Court. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Madison County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | A survivorship home usually passes outside the estate, so first identify what remains in the probate estate. If the gross probate estate, less liens, encumbrances and reasonable funeral expenses, is $100,000 or less for a death after June 30, 2022, the small estate affidavit may collect accounts after forty-five days without opening a case (IC 29-1-8-1). If an estate is opened, the surviving spouse is high in the order for appointment (IC 29-1-10-1), may claim the $25,000 allowance by election under IC 29-1-4-1, and should expect counsel unless the court approves otherwise (LR48-PR00-36). | Sunset helps identify jointly owned assets, beneficiary accounts, debts and probate assets so the spouse can choose the right estate settlement route before filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the estate qualifies under IC 29-1-8-1, the affidavit route avoids the Madison County filing office entirely. If an estate must be opened, a non-resident may serve by filing a written acceptance, appointing an Indiana resident agent for service and addressing bond, with possible bond adjustment or waiver in unsupervised administration (IC 29-1-10-1(d), IC 29-1-7.5-2.5(c)). Madison County's Clerk accepts filings by e-filing, in person or mail to PO Box 1277, and the county's probate rule expects counsel unless the court approves otherwise. | Sunset can organize the asset list, generate a probate packet for attorney review and connect the child with a Madison County probate attorney who can e-file. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home must be sold to pay debts or administration costs, Indiana's real-property timing rule matters: the petition for administration must be filed within five months after death and letters must issue within seven months after death for certain debt or cost sales (IC 29-1-7-15.1(b)). In a supervised Madison County estate, a real estate sale may require a professional appraisal with the Petition for Sale, and any deed submitted for approval must be signed by the fiduciary and notarized first (LR48-PR00-39). If the estate qualifies for summary procedures, a real-property affidavit is recorded with the Madison County Recorder in Suite 205, not filed with the Clerk (IC 29-1-8-3(c)). | Sunset helps locate mortgages, liens, accounts and title facts early, then routes the family to counsel for the sale and estate settlement timeline. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Circuit Court of Madison County self-service legal help | Explains what court staff can and cannot do. Staff can explain procedures, provide available forms and check for completeness, but cannot give legal advice, choose words for a filing or communicate with the judge for a party. |
| Circuit Court of Madison County local rules | The key Madison County probate document. Read LR48-PR00-33 through LR48-PR00-46 before opening or closing an estate. |
| Clerk of the Circuit Court, Madison County | Room 213, 16 East 9th Street, Anderson, IN 46016. Mailing address PO Box 1277, Anderson, IN 46015. Phone (765) 641-9443. Handles filing and certified copies. |
| Madison County on the Indiana Judicial Branch site | Judicial District 14 information, local rules, e-filing link, MyCase link and court statistics. |
| Ask-a-Lawyer at Anderson Public Library | Free monthly walk-in clinic linked by the Madison Circuit Court. An Indiana Legal Services attorney gives general civil legal advice from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in study rooms 5 and 6 on the first floor, first come first served. Estate administration is not named in the clinic topic list, so ask whether your probate question fits. |
| Legal Aid of East Central Indiana | Pro bono civil legal help for eligible residents of Madison County and nearby counties. Phone (765) 593-1760. |
| Indiana Legal Services, Indianapolis office | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Hoosiers. The Indianapolis office serves Madison County. Phone (317) 631-9410. |
| Indiana Legal Help, Estate | Coalition for Court Access estate resources, including the small estate affidavit CCA-EM-0722-5000, Probate FAQ and Small Estate FAQ. |
| Indiana Free Legal Answers | Free confidential answers to civil legal questions from volunteer Indiana attorneys. |
| MyCase | Statewide case search at mycase.in.gov. Use it for Madison County estate cases labeled EU, ES or EM. |
When to hire an attorney
In Madison County, counsel is usually part of the case from the beginning because LR48-PR00-36 says no personal representative or guardian of an estate may proceed without counsel unless the court approves it. The attorney also handles notice practice under LR48-PR00-33, e-files as a registered user under LR48-TR86-32, prepares proposed orders, tracks the ten-day Instructions signature-page deadline and navigates supervised-estate rules on inventories, appraisals, accountings and fee orders. Sunset connects families with a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families build the asset and debt picture before they choose a Madison County probate path. That matters because the $100,000 small estate route for deaths after June 30, 2022 depends on the gross probate estate after the deductions allowed by IC 29-1-8-1, while supervised and unsupervised administration create different local duties.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset can organize the information a Madison County lawyer needs for the petition, heirs or devisees, known creditors, asset values and proposed personal representative. The packet helps counsel prepare the filings, proposed orders and letters for the Madison Circuit Court probate docket.
Find a local probate attorney. Madison County's own rule expects a personal representative to have counsel unless the court approves otherwise (LR48-PR00-36). Sunset connects the family with a vetted probate attorney who can e-file, handle notices and guide the closing statement or final account.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset helps families through estate settlement without charging the family for access to the platform. Attorney fees, court costs, publication charges, copy charges and other third-party costs are separate and should be discussed before filing.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Madison County, Indiana?
File with the Clerk of the Madison Circuit Court in Room 213 on the second floor of the Madison County Government Center, 16 East 9th Street, Anderson, IN 46016, or by mail to PO Box 1277, Anderson, IN 46015. The estate goes on the Madison Circuit Court probate docket assigned to Madison Circuit Court No. 1, No. 3 or No. 6 (IC 33-33-48-12, LR48-AR00-01).
Which court hears probate in Madison County?
The Madison Circuit Court. Madison County has one court of record, no current superior court and no separate local probate court. The court's own rule assigns probate dockets to Divisions 1, 3 and 6 (LR48-AR00-01). Indiana circuit courts have original and concurrent civil jurisdiction (IC 33-28-1-2).
Do I need a lawyer for a Madison County estate?
Usually, yes. Madison County's rule says no personal representative or guardian of an estate may proceed without counsel unless the court approves it (LR48-PR00-36). An unrepresented Indiana-resident proposed personal representative must appear before the court in person to be appointed (LR48-PR00-35).
Can I e-file a Madison County probate case myself?
Attorneys must e-file through the Indiana E-Filing System (Ind. Trial Rule 87, LR48-TR86-32). Unrepresented litigants are encouraged but not required to e-file. The Clerk also accepts filings brought to Room 213 or mailed to PO Box 1277, Anderson, IN 46015.
What does a Madison County probate case cost to open?
A petition for probate of will and issuance of letters, or a petition for letters of general administration, is $177 under the statewide probate costs fee and statutory add-ons current through the 2026 legislative session (IC 33-37-4-7, IC 33-37-5). The total is $205 when the sheriff's $28 service of process fee is collected (IC 33-37-5-15). Offering a will for probate with nothing further needed carries no court costs fee (IC 33-37-4-7(c)(3)). Ask the Clerk at (765) 641-9443 for copy and certification charges.
How do I look up a Madison County estate case?
Search MyCase at mycase.in.gov by the decedent's name or by cause number. Madison County estate case types are EU, ES and EM, and a current probate-docket cause number usually begins 48C01, 48C03 or 48C06. The Clerk directs estate verification questions to MyCase rather than handling them by phone.
Are there Madison County probate forms?
There is no downloadable local probate form set. Madison County does have local probate rules, LR48-PR00-33 through LR48-PR00-46, and the fiduciary must file the signed signature page from the Court's Instructions to the Personal Representative within ten days after letters issue (LR48-PR00-34). The statewide small estate affidavit CCA-EM-0722-5000 is used with the holder of the property and is not filed with the court.
Can I attend a Madison County probate hearing remotely?
Indiana Administrative Rule 14 allows a court to hold a non-testimonial hearing remotely at the court's discretion, while testimonial hearings are in person unless there is good cause or the parties agree. For a Madison County estate, ask the assigned division: No. 1 at (765) 641-9436, No. 3 at (765) 641-9632, or No. 6 at (765) 641-9622.
Do I have to travel to Anderson if I live out of state?
Often a lawyer can e-file and manage routine filings without your travel. A non-resident may serve as personal representative by filing a written acceptance, appointing an Indiana resident agent for service and addressing bond, with possible bond adjustment or waiver if the estate is unsupervised (IC 29-1-10-1(d), IC 29-1-7.5-2.5(c)). If you are trying to proceed without counsel, ask the court first because Madison County requires counsel unless the court approves otherwise.
How long does Madison County probate take?
The main floor is the claims period. An unsupervised Indiana estate cannot close earlier than three months after the first published notice to creditors, and claims are forever barred no later than nine months after death (IC 29-1-7.5-4, IC 29-1-14-1). Madison County adds that all court costs and claims must be cleared and an order approving the closing statement is required (LR48-PR00-43). Hearing dates depend on the assigned division.
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.