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Bourbon County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Bourbon County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Bourbon County District Court, probate division. KRS 24A.120 gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over Kentucky probate matters. |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Bourbon County |
| Courthouse | Bourbon County Judicial Center, 310 Main St., Paris, KY 40361 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is listed by the court. Use the Judicial Center address unless the Office of Circuit Court Clerk gives different instructions. |
| Phone | (859) 987-2624 |
| Fax | The court page does not list a fax number. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Saturday and Sunday. |
| Opening cost | $80 to open a probate case: a $50 filing fee set by Supreme Court rule effective July 1, 2026 (CR 3.03(1)(c)), plus a $10 Access to Justice Fee (KRS 27A.630) and a $20 court technology fee. Bourbon County may add a $10 court facilities fee if its fiscal court has adopted the ordinance (KRS 24A.185), and a county law library fee where one is in force under KRS 453.060, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file. |
| Payment | Cash, money order, certified check, and local personal check. No out-of-state or third-party checks are accepted. The court page also links to Pay online with ePay. |
| Probate forms | Kentucky statewide AOC forms are used. No separate Bourbon County probate form set appears on the county court page. |
| Electronic filing | Since January 1, 2024, attorneys handling Kentucky probate cases file electronically. Self-represented filers may register for electronic filing, but can still file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Online lookup | The Kentucky public docket generator is a court-date lookup and is not the full case file. For the status of a Bourbon County estate, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Paris. |
| Remote appearance | Kentucky courts have used Zoom for some proceedings since March 2020, but the Bourbon County page does not post local District Court probate login details. Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming a Bourbon County probate matter will be remote. |
| Accessibility and parking | Elevator and ramps. Free two-hour parking on Main Street and around the courthouse, with designated parking for people with a disability parking permit. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Bourbon.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Bourbon County, list the accounts, real estate, debts, funeral expenses, and people who may inherit. That asset picture determines whether estate settlement needs a personal representative, a petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, or another court order.
Sunset searches more than 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts and assets before they commit to a Bourbon County filing path. Starting with a fuller inventory of the estate settlement reduces the risk of filing the wrong packet or missing an account after the court has acted.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Kentucky probate is a District Court matter. KRS 24A.120(2) gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over matters involving probate, and the papers are filed with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Bourbon County, at the Bourbon County Judicial Center in Paris. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Bourbon Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal (KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240).
Kentucky sends the estate to the District Court of the county where the person lived at death (KRS 394.140), and where there is no will, to the same court (KRS 395.030). If the person lived in Bourbon County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Judicial Center in Paris.
The same Paris courthouse serves estates from across Bourbon County, including Paris, Millersburg, North Middletown, Cane Ridge, Centerville, Clintonville, Little Rock, and Ruddles Mill. Bourbon County shares the 14th Judicial Circuit and 14th Judicial District with Scott and Woodford counties under KRS 24A.030.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the filing path and gather the statewide forms. AOC-805 opens an estate and cites KRS 394.145; AOC-808 is the financial disclosure required by KRS 395.015; AOC-830 asks the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455; AOC-841 is the inventory under KRS 395.250.
- File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Bourbon County Judicial Center, 310 Main St., Paris. Attorneys file electronically because Kentucky probate electronic filing has applied to attorneys since January 1, 2024. If you are self-represented, you may file on paper at the clerk's office.
- Pay the opening cost. $80 to open a probate case: a $50 filing fee set by Supreme Court rule effective July 1, 2026 (CR 3.03(1)(c)), plus a $10 Access to Justice Fee (KRS 27A.630) and a $20 court technology fee. Bourbon County may add a $10 court facilities fee if its fiscal court has adopted the ordinance (KRS 24A.185), and a county law library fee where one is in force under KRS 453.060, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file.
- Follow the court's notice and service instructions after filing. Creditor claims are governed by KRS 396.011, so keep a dated file of what the court sends, what you send, and what claims arrive.
- Ask when the matter will be called. Bourbon County's court page lists Small Claims, District Civil, and Probate matters on the second Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., but you should call (859) 987-2624 to confirm the date for your estate.
- Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk whether the hearing is in person or remote. Kentucky has statewide remote-court instructions and uses Zoom in some settings, but Bourbon County does not post local District Court probate login details.
- If the District Court appoints you, get the Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807. KRS 395.105 calls the fiduciary's authority letters of appointment, and banks and title companies usually ask for the certificate together with a certified copy of the appointment order.
- Administer and close the estate settlement. If appointed, file the inventory under KRS 395.250, handle creditor claims under KRS 396.011, and close with AOC-850 for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 or AOC-846 for settlement under KRS 395.610.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Bourbon County
Bourbon County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Bourbon County form set. Use AOC-805 to open the estate under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 if you are asking the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 for the inventory under KRS 395.250, and AOC-846 or AOC-850 to close under KRS 395.610 or KRS 395.605.
The Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Paris can provide paper copies of the court forms, but the clerk cannot give legal advice or tell you which legal strategy to choose.
Timeline
- Bourbon County District Court sits in Paris as part of the 14th Judicial District with Scott and Woodford counties under KRS 24A.030.
- The Bourbon County court schedule lists Small Claims, District Civil, and Probate matters on the second Tuesday of the month at 1:30 p.m.
- The same schedule lists name change, minor guardianship, and forcible detainer matters on the second and fourth Tuesday at 9 a.m., and juvenile criminal matters on the second and fourth Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.
- The schedule does not give a separate estate-hearing wait time or department number. Call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (859) 987-2624 to confirm when your Bourbon County estate matter will be called.
Local nuance
Bourbon County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Two different elected clerks on Main Street in Paris | Probate papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Bourbon County Judicial Center, 310 Main St. A separate elected Bourbon County Clerk has a nearby Main Street office and handles land matters, motor vehicles, elections, and later county books after probate. Make sure you are dealing with the Circuit Court Clerk before filing or paying the probate filing fee under CR 3.03, effective July 1, 2026. |
| A named probate docket day | Bourbon County's court page names a District Court probate sitting under KRS 24A.120 on the second Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. Many Kentucky county pages do not list probate so specifically. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Bourbon County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Confirm whether any asset actually needs Bourbon County District Court under KRS 24A.120. If only nonprobate transfers are involved, the court filing may be limited. If court authority is needed, file at the Judicial Center in Paris. | Sunset helps identify accounts, ownership labels, and beneficiary designations before the spouse starts estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | If no spouse is living and the facts fit Kentucky's court process, the child may ask Bourbon County District Court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 using AOC-830. Call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk about the second Tuesday probate docket and whether any appearance can be remote. | Sunset helps organize assets and generate the packet so the adult child can reduce unnecessary travel to Paris. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If a house must be sold, the family usually needs a personal representative appointed by Bourbon County District Court under KRS 24A.120, followed by a Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, and letters of appointment under KRS 395.105. | Sunset helps find financial accounts, prepare estate settlement materials, and connect the parent with a Kentucky probate attorney when real estate is involved. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Bourbon County | Filing office for Bourbon County probate matters under KRS 24A.120. | Bourbon County Judicial Center, 310 Main St., Paris, KY 40361; (859) 987-2624 |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | Statewide AOC probate forms, including AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 under KRS 395.250, AOC-846 under KRS 395.610, and AOC-850 under KRS 395.605. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Forms/Pages/default.aspx |
| Kentucky Court of Justice Self-Help Portal | Free guided interviews for Dispense with Administration under KRS 395.455 and Probate Estate topics. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Pages/Self-Help-Portal.aspx and https://a2j.org/#Kentucky |
| Legal Aid of the Bluegrass | Civil legal aid program listed for Bourbon County. Ask about eligibility and whether your estate question fits its services. | 859-431-8200; https://lablaw.org/ |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | Free online civil legal question service. | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral services | Statewide attorney referral resource. | https://www.kybar.org/page/lawreferserv |
| Guide to Basic Kentucky Probate Procedures | Plain-language AOC introduction to Kentucky probate. Use the current statutes for the 2026 inventory, financial disclosure, and bond rules under KRS 395.130. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Documents/probateguide.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
Consider hiring a Kentucky probate attorney if the estate owns real estate, the heirs disagree, a will contest could be filed under KRS 394.240, creditor claims under KRS 396.011 are disputed, or you live outside Kentucky and cannot manage the Paris filing and hearing schedule easily. Sunset connects you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify accounts, insurance, real estate clues, and other assets before they choose a Bourbon County estate settlement path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family and asset information into an organized Kentucky probate packet, including the forms commonly used in Bourbon County District Court under KRS 24A.120.
Find a local probate attorney. When an estate settlement involves real estate, conflict, creditor claims under KRS 396.011, or a court hearing that is hard to attend, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Kentucky probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the next steps, organize the documents, and move through estate settlement without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Bourbon County?
File at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Bourbon County Judicial Center, 310 Main St., Paris, KY 40361. Kentucky probate is handled in District Court under KRS 24A.120.
What does it cost to open a Bourbon County probate case?
$80 to open a probate case: a $50 filing fee set by Supreme Court rule effective July 1, 2026 (CR 3.03(1)(c)), plus a $10 Access to Justice Fee (KRS 27A.630) and a $20 court technology fee. Bourbon County may add a $10 court facilities fee if its fiscal court has adopted the ordinance (KRS 24A.185), and a county law library fee where one is in force under KRS 453.060, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file.
How can I pay the Bourbon County probate filing fee?
The Bourbon County court page lists cash, money order, certified check, and local personal check. It says no out-of-state or third-party checks are accepted. The probate filing fee is governed by CR 3.03, effective July 1, 2026, with possible county add-ons.
Does Bourbon County have its own probate forms?
Bourbon County uses the statewide Kentucky AOC forms. AOC-805 opens an estate under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 is used to ask the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 is the inventory under KRS 395.250, and AOC-846 or AOC-850 is used for closing under KRS 395.610 or KRS 395.605.
When are Bourbon County probate matters heard?
The Bourbon County court schedule lists Small Claims, District Civil, and Probate matters on the second Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. Call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (859) 987-2624 to confirm the date for your estate.
Can I handle Bourbon County probate electronically?
Since January 1, 2024, attorneys handling Kentucky probate cases file electronically. A self-represented filer may register for electronic filing, but can still file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Paris.
Can I appear remotely for a Bourbon County probate hearing?
Kentucky courts have used Zoom in some proceedings since March 2020, but Bourbon County does not post local District Court probate login details. Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (859) 987-2624 whether your matter is in person or remote before making travel plans.
Can I look up a Bourbon County probate case online?
Kentucky's public docket generator is a court-date lookup, not the full case file. To find out where a Bourbon County estate stands, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Paris at (859) 987-2624.
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.