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White County, IN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | White County information |
|---|---|
| Court for estate cases | White Circuit Court. White County Local Rule LR91-AR01-02 assigns estate case types ES, EU and EM to the Circuit Court. |
| Filing office | Clerk of the Circuit Court |
| Courthouse address | 110 North Main Street, 2nd Floor, Monticello, IN 47960 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 350, Monticello, IN 47960 |
| Clerk phone | (574) 583-7032 |
| Fax | (574) 583-1532 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed on holidays. White County is on Eastern time. |
| Court costs | A petition for letters testamentary or letters of general administration carries $177 in probate court costs, current through the 2026 Legislative Session, under IC 33-37. Sheriff service adds $28, current through the 2026 Legislative Session, under IC 33-37-5-15, when collected. |
| Local forms | The Clerk's online forms page does not publish a White County estate packet or probate checklist. Local Rule LR91-PR00-17 still requires the opening petition to state asset values needed for bond review. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through the Indiana E-Filing System. Unrepresented litigants are encouraged, but not required, to use it under Ind. Trial Rule 87. |
| Case search | Search White County estate cases by decedent name on MyCase at https://public.courts.in.gov/mycase/. Estate case types appear as EU, ES or EM. |
| Remote appearance | Indiana courts may conduct non-testimonial hearings remotely at the court's discretion. Testimonial hearings are in person unless good cause or party agreement supports a remote proceeding under Ind. Administrative Rule 14. White County's LR91 probate rules do not add a probate-specific remote procedure. |
| County court page | https://www.in.gov/courts/local/white-county/ |
| Clerk page | https://www.in.gov/counties/white/departments/clerks-office/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in White County, identify the probate assets, debts, real estate issues, likely heirs or beneficiaries and whether the estate can proceed without court supervision. Local Rule LR91-PR00-17 makes the asset picture especially important because the opening petition for an estate or guardianship must state the probable assets and their values, including personal property and estimated annual rents and profits.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts and liabilities before choosing the right estate settlement path. That preparation makes it easier to draft the White County petition, decide whether bond will be requested or waived, and avoid filing a packet that leaves the court without the local information it asks for.
Which court handles jurisdiction
White County estate cases are filed at the White County Courthouse in Monticello through the Clerk of the Circuit Court. White County Local Rule LR91-AR01-02 assigns estate case types ES, EU and EM to the White Circuit Court, even though White County also has a standard Superior Court.
Indiana venue is based on the decedent's domicile. If the decedent was domiciled in White County at death, venue for the probate of a will and administration of the estate is in White County (IC 29-1-7-1). If the decedent was not domiciled in Indiana, venue can be in an Indiana county where the decedent left property or where estate property later comes into the county (IC 29-1-7-1).
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that White County is the right venue. Use the decedent's domicile at death, or Indiana property if the decedent was not domiciled in Indiana, under IC 29-1-7-1.
- Identify the estate path before drafting. Decide whether the estate needs letters testamentary, letters of general administration, supervised administration, unsupervised administration or a non-court small estate affidavit under IC 29-1-8 for deaths after June 30, 2022.
- Prepare the opening petition and supporting documents. In White County, LR91-PR00-17 requires the petition to state the probable assets of the estate and the value of those assets, including personal property plus estimated annual rents and profits, so the court can determine bond.
- File with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 110 North Main Street, 2nd Floor, Monticello. White County estate case types ES, EU and EM are assigned to the White Circuit Court under LR91-AR01-02.
- Use the proper filing method. Attorneys file through the Indiana E-Filing System under Ind. Trial Rule 87. Unrepresented litigants may use the system, but are not required to do so. A filer submitting a will electronically must follow the original-will affidavit and retention rule in Ind. Trial Rule 87(E).
- Pay the court costs that apply to the filing. A petition for letters carries $177 in probate court costs, current through the 2026 Legislative Session, under IC 33-37. Sheriff service adds $28, current through the 2026 Legislative Session, under IC 33-37-5-15, when collected.
- Handle notice. Indiana requires notice of administration to be published and served as required by IC 29-1-7-7. White County LR91-PR00-16 makes the attorney responsible for preparing the notice, arranging publication or mailing, and providing adequate proof before bringing the matter to the court.
- Attend any hearing the court sets. For remote appearances, use the statewide rule: non-testimonial hearings may be remote at the court's discretion, while testimony is in person unless good cause or party agreement supports remote participation under Ind. Administrative Rule 14.
- Obtain letters after the court appoints the personal representative. Letters testamentary or letters of general administration, attested by the clerk and under court seal, are evidence of the personal representative's authority under IC 29-1-10-4.
- Administer and close the estate. If the estate cannot be closed within one year, White County LR91-PR00-18 requires an intermediate account within 30 days after the one-year mark and every six months after that until closing. Follow the applicable Indiana closing procedure so the estate settlement is complete.
Executor duties
White County's local probate rules add several practical duties for the personal representative and counsel. The opening petition must give the court enough asset and value information to evaluate bond under LR91-PR00-17. Notice preparation and proof are assigned to the attorney under LR91-PR00-16.
If the estate remains open past one year, LR91-PR00-18 requires an intermediate account within 30 days after the one-year mark and every six months after that. For supervised estates, LR91-PR00-19 requires a prior written court order before fiduciary or attorney fees are paid from the estate.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in White County
The White County Clerk's online forms page does not publish a local estate packet, probate checklist or estate information sheet. That means a White County estate petition is drafted for the specific estate, not pulled from a published county packet.
White County does have a local pleading requirement. LR91-PR00-17 requires every petition to open an estate or guardianship to state the probable assets and their values, including personal property and estimated annual rents and profits, so the court can determine bond.
Indiana's statewide small estate affidavit, CCA-EM-0722-5000, is not filed with the White Circuit Court. For qualifying deaths after June 30, 2022, the affidavit route under IC 29-1-8 is presented to the bank or other holder of the asset, not to the Clerk.
Local nuance
White County-specific considerations
| Local rule | What it changes in practice |
|---|---|
| LR91-AR01-02 | Estate case types ES, EU and EM are filed in the White Circuit Court. |
| LR91-PR00-16 | The attorney prepares required notices, arranges publication or service, and provides adequate proof of notice before the matter is brought to the court. |
| LR91-PR00-17 | The opening petition must state probable assets and values, including personal property and estimated annual rents and profits, for bond review. |
| LR91-PR00-18 | An estate that cannot close within one year must file an intermediate account within 30 days after the one-year mark and every six months after that. |
| LR91-PR00-19 | No fiduciary or attorney fee may be paid from a supervised estate without a prior written court order. In an unsupervised estate, the court normally does not determine and authorize those fees absent exceptional circumstances. |
Recent updates
| Update | What it means in White County |
|---|---|
| White County local rules effective January 1, 2026 | The current LR91 rules include probate-specific rules for notice, bond information, accountings and fees. |
| Ind. Trial Rule 87 effective August 1, 2026 | Attorneys file through the Indiana E-Filing System, unrepresented litigants are encouraged but not required to use it, and probate filings involving a will must follow the original-will affidavit and retention procedure in Ind. Trial Rule 87(E). |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Archetype | Likely White County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by separating jointly owned or beneficiary-designated assets from probate assets. If a White County estate is opened, file through the Clerk and expect the case to be assigned to the White Circuit Court under LR91-AR01-02. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and title issues before the spouse decides whether a court estate is needed for estate settlement. |
| out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | If the estate fits the $100,000 limit for deaths after June 30, 2022 under IC 29-1-8 and no personal representative has been appointed, the statewide small estate affidavit may be used with the asset holder instead of filing a White County court estate. If a court estate is needed, a nonresident personal representative must address the Indiana resident-agent and bond rules under IC 29-1-10-1(d). | Sunset helps gather balances and documents remotely, then helps generate the right packet or connect the child with local counsel. |
| parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Confirm venue in White County and file in the White Circuit Court if a court estate is needed. If estate real property must be sold to pay debts or administration costs, Indiana's five-month and seven-month timing rule can matter under IC 29-1-7-15.1(b). | Sunset helps organize the real estate, mortgage, lien and creditor picture so the family can move estate settlement forward with a complete plan. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Judicial Branch, White County page | Local rules, court contact links, case search and e-filing links for White County. | https://www.in.gov/courts/local/white-county/ |
| White County Clerk's Office | Clerk location, mailing address, phone, fax, hours and online forms page. | https://www.in.gov/counties/white/departments/clerks-office/ |
| Indiana Legal Help, Estate | Coalition for Court Access estate resources, including the small estate affidavit CCA-EM-0722-5000 and estate FAQs. | https://indianalegalhelp.org/legal-topic-category/estate-2/ |
| Indiana Judicial Branch Self-Service Legal Center | General self-representation guidance and links to legal-help resources. The site does not publish a probate form set. | https://www.in.gov/courts/selfservice/ |
| MyCase | Statewide public case search for estate cases, including EU, ES and EM case types. | https://public.courts.in.gov/mycase/ |
| Indiana e-filing | Information about the Indiana E-Filing System, certified providers and user guides. | https://www.in.gov/courts/efiling/ |
| Indiana Free Legal Answers | Free confidential answers from volunteer Indiana attorneys for eligible users. | https://indiana.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Indiana Legal Services, Lafayette office | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Hoosiers in White County. Call intake to ask what help may be available. | 8 N 3rd Street, Suite 102, Lafayette, IN 47901. Phone: (765) 423-5327. https://www.indianalegalservices.org/locations/ |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel makes sense in White County when the estate needs a court appointment, has real estate, involves a nonresident personal representative, may require bond, cannot close within one year, or needs court approval for fees in a supervised estate. Local Rules LR91-PR00-16 through LR91-PR00-19 place real procedural weight on notice, bond information, accountings and fee orders, so a lawyer can prevent delays at the start and end of estate settlement. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps you identify bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance, debts and other property before you choose a White County probate path. A complete asset picture supports the bond information required by LR91-PR00-17.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the estate information, family details and asset inventory into an organized packet for the White Circuit Court filing or for review by counsel.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs court appointment, real estate work, creditor handling, accounting or supervised-estate fee approval, Sunset can connect the family with a probate attorney familiar with Indiana practice.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a structured way to move from asset discovery to documents to attorney support without adding another bill during estate settlement.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in White County?
File estate papers with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 110 North Main Street, 2nd Floor, Monticello, IN 47960. White County Local Rule LR91-AR01-02 assigns estate case types ES, EU and EM to the White Circuit Court.
Does White County use the Circuit Court or the Superior Court for estate cases?
Estate cases are filed in the White Circuit Court under LR91-AR01-02. White County has a standard Superior Court, but the local case allocation rule assigns ES, EU and EM estate filings to the Circuit Court.
Can I e-file a White County estate case?
Yes. Attorneys file through the Indiana E-Filing System under Ind. Trial Rule 87. Unrepresented litigants are encouraged, but not required, to use the system. If a will is filed electronically, Ind. Trial Rule 87(E) requires a copy of the will and an affidavit about possession and retention of the original will.
Can I look up a White County estate online?
Yes. Search the decedent's name on MyCase at https://public.courts.in.gov/mycase/. Estate cases appear as EU for unsupervised estate, ES for supervised estate or EM for miscellaneous estate.
Does White County publish local probate forms?
The Clerk's online forms page does not publish a White County estate packet, probate checklist or estate information sheet. A petition still must meet White County's local pleading rule in LR91-PR00-17 by stating the probable assets and values needed for bond review.
What does it cost to open an estate in White County?
A petition for letters testamentary or letters of general administration carries $177 in probate court costs, current through the 2026 Legislative Session, under IC 33-37. Sheriff service adds $28, current through the 2026 Legislative Session, under IC 33-37-5-15, when collected. Offering a will for probate alone is treated differently under IC 33-37-4-7(c)(3).
Can a White County probate hearing be remote?
Use the statewide rule. A non-testimonial hearing may be remote at the court's discretion, and a testimonial hearing is in person unless good cause or party agreement supports remote participation under Ind. Administrative Rule 14. White County's LR91 probate rules do not add a probate-specific remote procedure.
Do I have to travel to Monticello if I live out of state?
Not always. Attorneys can file through the Indiana E-Filing System, and unrepresented litigants can ask the Clerk how conventional filing is handled. If a hearing is set, ask the court whether Ind. Administrative Rule 14 allows remote participation for that particular hearing.
What local White County rule matters if the estate stays open longer than one year?
LR91-PR00-18 requires an intermediate account within 30 days after the one-year mark if the estate cannot be closed, then every six months after that. The accounting must explain why the estate cannot close, estimate a closing date and propose partial distribution when it can be made without prejudice to distributees and claimants.
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.