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Sullivan County, IN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Local information |
|---|---|
| Court for estates | Sullivan Circuit Court, Room 306, 100 Courthouse Square, Sullivan, IN 47882. Sullivan County's caseload allocation plan assigns probate cases, including estates, guardianships and adoptions, to the Circuit Court (LR77-AR1-1). |
| Filing office | Clerk of the Circuit Court, 100 Courthouse Square, Sullivan, IN 47882. One elected clerk serves the Circuit Court and Superior Court (IC 33-32-2-1). |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 370, Sullivan, IN 47882 |
| Phone | (812) 268-4657 for the clerk. The Sullivan Circuit Court line is (812) 268-4411. |
| Fax | (812) 268-4870 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call the clerk about current counter availability, lunch closures and filing cutoffs. |
| Estate-opening cost | $177 in 2026 for a petition that carries the statewide Indiana probate costs and add-on fees (IC 33-37-4-7, IC 33-37-5). Different treatment may apply when a will is offered without other relief under IC 33-37-4-7(c)(3). |
| Local probate forms | Sullivan County does not publish a local probate packet, cover sheet, checklist or estate-specific form. |
| E-filing | Indiana uses the Indiana E-Filing System, or IEFS. Attorneys file electronically. Unrepresented litigants are not required to use IEFS, but are encouraged to do so (Ind. Trial Rule 87). |
| Case search | Search MyCase at mycase.in.gov. Estate cases appear as EU, ES or EM. |
| Remote appearance | Sullivan County does not publish a county-specific probate remote-appearance rule. Indiana courts may allow remote non-testimonial hearings at the court's discretion, and testimonial hearings only for good cause or by agreement (Ind. Administrative Rule 14). |
| Website | Indiana Judicial Branch Sullivan County page: https://www.in.gov/courts/local/sullivan-county/. Sullivan County government: https://www.sullivancounty.in.gov/. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Sullivan County, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, likely heirs or beneficiaries, and any will. The county filing question is local, but the asset question is practical: the court cannot issue useful letters testamentary or letters of general administration until the petition identifies what needs administration.
Sunset helps families start estate settlement by searching across more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and assets, then turning the results into a probate-ready plan for the Sullivan Circuit Court filing.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File in Sullivan County when the decedent was domiciled in Sullivan County at death. Indiana venue for probate of a will and administration of an estate is the county of the decedent's domicile, or, for a non-Indiana domiciliary, an Indiana county where the decedent left property (IC 29-1-7-1).
One courthouse serves Sullivan County: 100 Courthouse Square in Sullivan. The Sullivan Circuit Court and Sullivan Superior Court both sit there, but the local caseload allocation plan directs estate matters to the Sullivan Circuit Court (LR77-AR1-1). The Clerk of the Circuit Court is the filing office for both courts (IC 33-32-2-1).
Sullivan is the county seat. Sullivan County communities include Carlisle, Dugger, Shelburn, Farmersburg and Merom.
The jurisdiction process
- Decide whether a court estate is needed. If the assets can be handled outside administration, the statewide small estate affidavit may apply for qualifying estates of $100,000 or less for deaths after June 30, 2022, under IC 29-1-8. If letters are needed, prepare a petition for the Sullivan Circuit Court.
- Gather the will, death certificate, names and addresses of heirs or beneficiaries, a first asset list, and the proposed personal representative's information. Indiana uses the terms personal representative, executor, administrator, letters testamentary and letters of general administration (IC 29-1-10-1).
- File with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 100 Courthouse Square in Sullivan, or through IEFS if filing electronically. Attorneys file through IEFS. Unrepresented litigants may use IEFS but are not required to do so (Ind. Trial Rule 87).
- Pay the statewide estate-opening cost when the filing requires it. A petition for letters carries $177 in 2026 under the Indiana probate costs and fee statutes (IC 33-37-4-7, IC 33-37-5).
- If a will is filed electronically, follow Indiana's probate e-filing rule for the original will. Trial Rule 87 requires an accurate copy and affidavit, and the filer keeps the original will until the estate is closed and the personal representative is released, or the time to contest the will has expired, unless the court or statute directs otherwise (Ind. Trial Rule 87).
- After letters issue, publish notice of administration and serve required notices. Indiana requires publication once each week for two consecutive weeks and filing proof with the clerk within 30 days after publication (IC 29-1-7-7).
- Ask the Sullivan Circuit Court how any hearing will be scheduled and whether remote appearance is available. Sullivan County does not publish a separate probate remote-appearance rule, so the statewide remote-proceeding rule controls (Ind. Administrative Rule 14).
- Use the letters issued by the court to collect assets, manage claims, pay approved expenses and distribute property. Creditor claims are generally due within three months after first publication or within nine months after death, whichever is earlier, or they are forever barred (IC 29-1-14-1).
- Close the estate through the correct Indiana closing procedure. In an unsupervised administration, the personal representative files a closing statement no earlier than three months after first published notice to creditors, which is often the final estate settlement step (IC 29-1-7.5-4).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Sullivan County
Sullivan County does not publish a local probate packet, cover sheet, checklist or estate-specific form through the county's forms page. For a court estate, expect to prepare the Indiana petition and supporting documents for the Sullivan Circuit Court rather than selecting from a county packet.
Indiana Legal Help publishes the statewide small estate affidavit, CCA-EM-0722-5000. That form is for qualifying estates of $100,000 or less for deaths after June 30, 2022, under IC 29-1-8, and it is given to the bank or other property holder rather than filed with the court.
Local nuance
Sullivan County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Sullivan County filing |
|---|---|
| Estate docket assignment | Sullivan County has both a Circuit Court and a Superior Court, but the county's caseload allocation plan directs probate cases, including estates, guardianships and adoptions, to the Sullivan Circuit Court (LR77-AR1-1). |
| Same filing office | The Clerk of the Circuit Court is still the filing office. Indiana law makes the clerk serve the county's superior court as well as the circuit court (IC 33-32-2-1). |
| No local PR00 rule family | Sullivan County's local rules do not include a local probate rule family with a county-specific inventory deadline, bond default or required estate form. |
| No county probate packet | Sullivan County's published forms page does not include a probate packet, estate cover sheet, estate checklist or decedent-estate form. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed locally |
|---|---|
| Local rules effective February 18, 2025 | Sullivan County's current local rules include the county's caseload allocation plan. That plan directs probate cases, including estates, guardianships and adoptions, to the Sullivan Circuit Court (LR77-AR1-1). |
| Caseload allocation effective February 28, 2025 | Probate is not listed among the dockets split by random assignment between the Circuit Court and Superior Court. Estate filings should be prepared for the Sullivan Circuit Court. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Persona | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by separating property that passes outside probate from assets titled only in the decedent's name. If a court estate is needed, file through the Clerk of the Circuit Court for the Sullivan Circuit Court. | Sunset identifies accounts, flags assets that may not need court administration, and prepares the estate settlement packet for local filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the gross probate estate qualifies at $100,000 or less for a death after June 30, 2022, the Indiana small estate affidavit route under IC 29-1-8 may avoid a Sullivan Circuit Court estate. If letters are needed, an out-of-state personal representative may need a written acceptance, resident agent and bond unless the court waives bond in an unsupervised administration (IC 29-1-10-1). | Sunset helps determine whether a court estate is needed, organizes the asset list, and connects the family with Indiana counsel when a resident-agent or bond issue needs legal advice. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home is part of the probate estate, prepare for a Sullivan Circuit Court administration before sale authority is needed. Indiana has timing rules for using estate real property to pay debts or administration costs, including the five-month and seven-month rule in IC 29-1-7-15.1. | Sunset helps locate liens, mortgages and accounts, then builds the filing checklist so the personal representative can move from opening the estate to sale and closing. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Indiana Judicial Branch, Sullivan County https://www.in.gov/courts/local/sullivan-county/ | Judicial District 19 information, current local rules, case search and e-filing links, and court statistics. |
| Sullivan County government https://www.sullivancounty.in.gov/ | County directory, courthouse address and posted courthouse hours. The Clerk's Office phone is (812) 268-4657. |
| Indiana Legal Help, Estate https://indianalegalhelp.org/legal-topic-category/estate-2/ | Statewide small estate affidavit CCA-EM-0722-5000, a Probate FAQ and a Small Estate FAQ. |
| MyCase https://public.courts.in.gov/mycase/ | Statewide public case search. Search the decedent's name and look for EU, ES or EM case types. |
| Indiana Free Legal Answers https://indiana.freelegalanswers.org/ | Free, confidential answers to civil legal questions from volunteer Indiana attorneys. |
| Indiana Legal Services, Bloomington office https://www.indianalegalservices.org/locations/ | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Hoosiers. The Bloomington office serves Sullivan County and can be reached at (812) 339-7668. |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is especially useful in Sullivan County when the estate includes real estate, creditor claims, family disagreement, a nonresident personal representative, missing heirs, a bond question or a supervised administration. Sullivan County does not publish a local rule requiring every personal representative to have counsel, but the court will still expect Indiana procedure, notice and closing requirements to be followed. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, balances and property before the family decides whether Sullivan County probate is needed.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset list, family information and will details into an organized estate settlement packet for the Sullivan Circuit Court filing.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal advice, Sunset can connect the family with an Indiana probate attorney who understands Sullivan County filing practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate, understand the next step and move from opening the case to final estate settlement without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Sullivan County?
File through the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 100 Courthouse Square in Sullivan. Sullivan County's caseload allocation plan directs probate cases, including estates, guardianships and adoptions, to the Sullivan Circuit Court (LR77-AR1-1).
Does Sullivan County have a separate probate court?
No. Sullivan County has a Circuit Court and a Superior Court at the same courthouse. The local plan assigns estate cases to the Sullivan Circuit Court, while the clerk serves both courts (IC 33-32-2-1).
Can I e-file a Sullivan County estate?
Yes. Indiana uses IEFS statewide. Attorneys file electronically, and unrepresented litigants are encouraged but not required to use IEFS (Ind. Trial Rule 87).
What happens to the original will if I e-file?
Indiana Trial Rule 87 requires an accurate copy of the will and an affidavit. Unless the will has been deposited with the clerk, the filer keeps the original until the estate is closed and the personal representative is released from liability, or the time to file a will contest has expired, whichever is later (Ind. Trial Rule 87).
How much does it cost to open an estate in Sullivan County?
A petition for letters carries the statewide $177 cost in 2026 under Indiana's probate cost and fee statutes (IC 33-37-4-7, IC 33-37-5). Offering a will without other relief may be treated differently under IC 33-37-4-7(c)(3), so ask the clerk which cost applies to the filing you plan to make.
Are there Sullivan County probate forms online?
Sullivan County does not publish a local probate packet, cover sheet, checklist or estate-specific form. Indiana Legal Help publishes the statewide small estate affidavit for qualifying estates of $100,000 or less for deaths after June 30, 2022, under IC 29-1-8, but that form is given to the property holder rather than filed with the court.
Can I look up a Sullivan County estate case online?
Yes. Search MyCase at mycase.in.gov by the decedent's name. Estate cases generally appear with EU, ES or EM case type labels.
Will the Sullivan Circuit Court let me appear remotely?
Sullivan County does not publish a county-specific probate remote-appearance rule. Under Indiana Administrative Rule 14, a court may hold non-testimonial hearings remotely at its discretion, while testimonial hearings are in person unless there is good cause or the parties agree.
Do I have to travel to Sullivan County to start probate?
Not always. Attorneys file through IEFS, and unrepresented litigants may use IEFS. If you are not e-filing, call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at (812) 268-4657 to ask how the office handles counter or mailed filings for your situation.
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.