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Clinton County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Clinton County District Court, probate division. Kentucky gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over probate matters (KRS 24A.120). |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Clinton County |
| Courthouse address | Clinton County Judicial Center, 100 S. Cross St., Suite 212, Albany, KY 42602 |
| Mailing | No separate mailing box is published. Use the courthouse address and call before mailing originals. |
| Phone | 606-387-6424 or 606-387-8181 |
| Fax | 606-387-8154 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday. |
| Filing 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. Clinton 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 under KRS 453.060 where one is in force, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file. |
| Payment | Cash, check or money order. No card payment option is published on the Clinton County court page. |
| Forms | Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms. Clinton County's court page does not publish a separate local probate packet. |
| E-filing status | Attorneys must e-file eligible Kentucky probate filings through the Kentucky Court of Justice system since January 1, 2024. Self-represented filers may register, but may still file on paper at the Albany office. |
| Court-date lookup | The county page links to the statewide court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets. It is a court-date tool, not a full probate case record. For estate status, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Remote options | No Clinton County probate Zoom login is published. Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk whether your District Court matter under KRS 24A.120 will be heard in person or remotely. |
| Accessibility | Designated parking for those with a disability parking permit. Elevator in building. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Clinton.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Albany, make a working list of the person's accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts, funeral expenses and family contacts. Kentucky filings ask the District Court to decide who has authority, what property is in the estate, and whether administration can be dispensed with under KRS 395.455.
Sunset can search more than 2,300 institutions for accounts and benefits, organize what it finds, and help you decide what belongs in the Clinton County probate packet. That asset work often determines whether estate settlement is a simple court petition or a full administration.
Which court handles jurisdiction
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 Clinton County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Clinton County courthouse in Albany.
The filing location is the Clinton County Judicial Center, 100 S. Cross St., Suite 212, Albany, KY 42602. The court serves all of Clinton County. Albany is the county seat and only incorporated city; the rest of the county is unincorporated, including communities such as Seventy Six, Alpha, Highway and Static.
Clinton County is part of Kentucky's 40th Judicial District with Russell and Wayne counties (KRS 24A.030). That shared district does not change the filing place: a Clinton County estate is filed through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Albany.
The jurisdiction process
- List the assets, debts, heirs, devisees, funeral expenses and any will before you choose a filing path. This prevents a mismatch between a full estate opening and a request to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
- Choose the opening form. Use AOC-805 for probate of a will or appointment of an executor or administrator (KRS 394.145). Use AOC-830 if you are asking the judge to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
- Get the statewide AOC forms from kycourts.gov or from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Albany. A full opening commonly includes the petition, the proposed order, the oath, and any required financial disclosure under KRS 395.015.
- File the papers with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Clinton County Judicial Center, 100 S. Cross St., Suite 212, Albany, KY 42602. Attorneys must e-file eligible Kentucky probate papers through the Kentucky Court of Justice system since January 1, 2024; a self-represented filer may file on paper at the Albany 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. Clinton 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 under KRS 453.060 where one is in force, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file. The Clinton County page lists cash, check and money order.
- Ask the clerk for the hearing date or next court step. Clinton County's page does not publish a separate probate docket. The statewide court-date lookup can help with dates, but the Office of Circuit Court Clerk is the contact for your estate file.
- Ask about remote attendance before the date. Kentucky courts have used Zoom, but no Clinton County probate login is published. The Court of Justice instructs people to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for login information when a matter is scheduled remotely.
- If the District Court appoints you, get the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, and any letters of appointment needed under KRS 395.105 and KRS 395.110. Banks and title companies usually ask for proof that the appointment order is still in effect.
- Administer the estate after appointment. File the inventory and appraisement within 90 days, and remember that Kentucky now requires the inventory to be confidential and placed under seal (KRS 395.250). Track creditor claims under KRS 396.011.
- Close the estate when the Kentucky closing requirements are met. Use AOC-850 for an informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 when it fits, or AOC-846 for a formal or periodic settlement under KRS 395.610.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Clinton County
Clinton County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Clinton County form set. You file form AOC-805 to open the estate (KRS 394.145), AOC-830 if you are asking the court to dispense with administration (KRS 395.455), AOC-841 for the inventory (KRS 395.250) and AOC-846 or AOC-850 to close (KRS 395.610 and KRS 395.605). All of them are free at kycourts.gov and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Albany will also hand you paper copies.
Clinton County's court page does not publish a separate local checklist, brochure or local probate packet. If you are filing by mail or sending original documents from outside Kentucky, call 606-387-6424 or 606-387-8181 first.
Local nuance
Clinton County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| County name trap | File in Albany for Clinton County. Do not confuse this county with the town of Clinton, Kentucky, which is the seat of Hickman County. |
| Two published phone numbers | The Clinton County page lists 606-387-6424 and 606-387-8181 without separate Circuit or District labels. Use either number to reach the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Payment methods | The published payment methods are cash, check and money order. No card option is published, so call before you rely on a card. |
| Accessibility | The courthouse page lists designated parking for people with a disability parking permit and an elevator in the building. |
| No posted probate schedule | Clinton County's page does not publish a separate probate docket. Ask the clerk for the date assigned to your matter. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Persona | Likely path in Clinton County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by confirming what is in the estate and how the home is titled. If a court filing is needed, the Albany office uses AOC-805 for a full opening (KRS 394.145). A request to dispense with administration may fit a personal-property-only estate under KRS 395.455. | Sunset helps identify accounts, benefits and title issues before you choose the Clinton County filing path. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Kentucky's small-estate path is a District Court petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, not an affidavit handed to a bank. No separate mailing box is published, so call 606-387-6424 to 606-387-8181 before sending papers, and plan around check or money order payment if you are not appearing in person. | Sunset organizes the asset list and can help generate the AOC-830 packet with the facts you provide (KRS 395.455). |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually points to a full estate opening with AOC-805 in Clinton County District Court (KRS 394.145 and KRS 24A.120). After appointment, the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, and letters of appointment under KRS 395.105 help banks and title companies recognize the personal representative's authority. | Sunset helps gather account information, prepare a probate packet, and connect the family with a Kentucky probate attorney when a home sale is involved. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Clinton County | Filing office for Clinton County estates. The office can provide forms, accept filings, give the current amount due under CR 3.03 effective July 1, 2026, and give court-date information. The clerk cannot give legal advice. | Clinton County Judicial Center, 100 S. Cross St., Suite 212, Albany, KY 42602; 606-387-6424 or 606-387-8181; fax 606-387-8154 |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | Free statewide probate forms, including AOC-805 (KRS 394.145), AOC-807, AOC-830 (KRS 395.455), AOC-841 (KRS 395.250), AOC-846 (KRS 395.610), AOC-850 (KRS 395.605) and AOC-860. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Forms/Pages/default.aspx |
| Kentucky Court of Justice Self-Help Portal | Free guided interviews for self-represented people, including Dispense with Administration under KRS 395.455 and Probate Estate. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Pages/Self-Help-Portal.aspx and https://a2j.org/#Kentucky |
| AppalReD Legal Aid | Civil legal aid program listed for Clinton County. Ask directly what help is available for your situation. | 866-277-5733; https://www.ardfky.org/ |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | Income-eligible Kentuckians can post a civil legal question online for a volunteer attorney to answer. | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral services | Statewide place to look for a Kentucky attorney. | https://www.kybar.org/page/lawreferserv |
| Guide to Basic Kentucky Probate Procedures | Plain-language AOC introduction to Kentucky probate. Use current statutes and current forms for the post-July 15, 2026 rules on inventory under KRS 395.250 and bond under KRS 395.130. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Documents/probateguide.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is especially useful if family members disagree, if a will contest may be filed in Clinton Circuit Court under KRS 394.240, if the estate becomes a contested adversary proceeding under KRS 24A.120, if real estate must be sold, or if the personal representative is unsure about creditor claims under KRS 396.011. Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for accounts, policies and benefits so the family can see what may belong in the Clinton County estate settlement before filing.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into organized Kentucky probate forms, including the opening papers, the dispense-with-administration petition under KRS 395.455 when it fits, and the inventory form required by KRS 395.250.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Clinton County estate needs legal help, Sunset can connect the family with a Kentucky probate attorney who understands District Court probate practice under KRS 24A.120.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, find assets and prepare next steps without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Clinton County, Kentucky?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Clinton County Judicial Center, 100 S. Cross St., Suite 212, Albany, KY 42602. Kentucky probate is handled in District Court, which has exclusive jurisdiction over probate matters under KRS 24A.120.
Is Clinton County probate filed in Albany or in the town of Clinton?
File in Albany. Clinton County's courthouse is in Albany, and the town of Clinton, Kentucky is in Hickman County.
How much does it cost to open a Clinton 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. Clinton 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 under KRS 453.060 where one is in force, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file.
What payment methods does the Clinton County clerk publish?
The Clinton County page lists cash, check and money order. It does not publish a card payment option, so call 606-387-6424 or 606-387-8181 before relying on any other method.
Can I e-file a Clinton County probate case?
Attorneys handling eligible Kentucky probate filings must e-file through the Kentucky Court of Justice system since January 1, 2024. A self-represented filer may register for the system, but may still file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Albany.
Does Clinton County publish its own probate forms?
Clinton County uses the statewide Kentucky AOC probate forms. The local court page does not publish a separate Clinton County probate packet. Common forms include AOC-805 to open an estate (KRS 394.145), AOC-830 to dispense with administration (KRS 395.455), AOC-841 for the inventory (KRS 395.250), AOC-846 for formal or periodic settlement (KRS 395.610) and AOC-850 for informal final settlement (KRS 395.605).
How do I find a Clinton County probate hearing date?
Clinton County's page does not publish a separate probate docket. The statewide court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets can help locate scheduled court dates, but it is not a full probate case record. For an estate's status, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
Can I handle a Clinton County probate hearing remotely?
No Clinton County probate Zoom login is published. Kentucky courts have held proceedings remotely since March 2020, but the Court of Justice tells people to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in the county where the matter is scheduled. Call 606-387-6424 or 606-387-8181 before assuming the hearing format.
Is there a public online search for Clinton County probate records?
Kentucky does not publish a free public docket search for District Court probate cases. CourtNet runs behind the statewide account portal, and trial-court case records are handled through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. Use the court-date lookup only for dates, and call the Albany office for estate status.
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.