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Crittenden County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| item | details |
|---|---|
| Court | Crittenden County District Court, with probate jurisdiction under KRS 24A.120. |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Crittenden County. |
| Current filing address | Temporary Circuit Court Clerk location, 208 S. Main St., Marion, KY 42064. |
| Current courtroom location | Marion City Hall Council Chamber, 217 S. Main St., Marion, KY 42064. |
| Mailing | No separate mailing address is posted. Use the temporary Circuit Court Clerk location and call before sending papers because the new judicial center is under construction. |
| Phone | (270) 965-4200 and (270) 965-4046. |
| Fax | (270) 965-4572. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 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. Crittenden 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 (KRS 453.060), so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file. |
| Forms | Crittenden County uses Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms. No separate Crittenden County probate form set is posted. |
| Payment options | Cash, check and money order. Pay online with ePay. No card payment option is posted on the Crittenden County court page. |
| E-filing | Kentucky probate e-filing through the Kentucky Court of Justice system has been required for attorneys since January 1, 2024. Self-represented filers may register, but paper filing remains available at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Case information | The Kentucky Court of Justice account portal requires an account. Crittenden County links a no-login court-date lookup, but it is a court-date tool, not a full probate case search. For estate status, call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Remote appearance | Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020, but Crittenden County does not post probate login details. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming an appearance will be remote. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Crittenden.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in Crittenden County, identify the assets, debts and family facts that drive the estate settlement path. You need to know whether there is a will, whether assets are titled only in the decedent's name, whether real estate must be sold and whether anyone is likely to object.
Sunset helps families start with asset discovery across 2,300 institutions, then organize the estate settlement information needed for the Kentucky AOC forms. In Crittenden County, also confirm the current clerk location before you travel or send papers because the court is operating during a courthouse construction period.
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 for an intestate estate (KRS 395.030). If the person lived in Crittenden County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the current temporary clerk location in Marion.
Crittenden County includes Marion and county communities such as Frances, Mattoon, Midway, Tribune and View. Crittenden County is in Kentucky's 5th Judicial District with Union and Webster counties (KRS 24A.030), so scheduling is handled through a shared rural judicial district rather than a stand-alone county probate calendar.
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 Crittenden County, at the temporary Circuit Court Clerk location in Marion while the new judicial center is under construction. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Crittenden Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal (KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Kentucky filing path. Use AOC-805 to open a will or appointment case (KRS 394.145), or AOC-830 if you are asking the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
- Prepare the starting papers. A full administration petition usually includes the petition, the will if one exists, the proposed order, the oath, any required waivers and the financial disclosure required by KRS 395.015.
- File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Crittenden County. As of the last review, the current clerk location is 208 S. Main St., Marion, KY 42064, and courtroom proceedings are at the Marion City Hall Council Chamber, 217 S. Main St.
- 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. Crittenden 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 (KRS 453.060), so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file.
- Ask the clerk how the hearing or review will be handled. Crittenden County does not post probate hearing days. If a remote appearance is offered, login details come through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk, not a countywide probate link.
- After appointment, get proof of authority. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807, and Kentucky also recognizes letters of appointment under KRS 395.105.
- Administer the estate. A personal representative files the inventory required by KRS 395.250, gives notice where required, handles creditor claims under KRS 396.011 and follows any court orders.
- Close the estate. Use AOC-850 for an informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 when the requirements fit, or AOC-846 for a settlement under KRS 395.610.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Crittenden County
Crittenden County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Crittenden County form set. AOC-805 opens the estate and cites KRS 394.145, AOC-830 asks the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 is the inventory required by KRS 395.250, and AOC-846 or AOC-850 closes the estate under KRS 395.610 or KRS 395.605.
The forms are free through the Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms page, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk can provide paper copies. Because the Crittenden County clerk is operating from a temporary Marion location during construction, call before traveling to pick up forms or file them.
Local nuance
Crittenden County-specific considerations
| local point | what it means |
|---|---|
| Temporary clerk location | The Office of Circuit Court Clerk is operating at 208 S. Main St., Marion, KY 42064. Use this address for filing unless the office tells you the new judicial center has opened. |
| Separate courtroom location | Courtroom proceedings are taking place at the Marion City Hall Council Chamber, 217 S. Main St., Marion, KY 42064. |
| New judicial center | A new Crittenden County Judicial Center is under construction at 107 S. Main St. in Marion, with a Fall 2026 target completion. Confirm the current location before any in-person estate settlement step. |
| No posted probate schedule | Crittenden County does not post probate motion days or hearing days on its court page. Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk how your date will be set. |
Recent updates
| date | local update |
|---|---|
| October 29, 2024 | The Kentucky Court of Justice held a groundbreaking for a new Crittenden County Judicial Center at 107 S. Main St. in Marion, with expected completion in Fall 2026. |
| August 2026 | The Crittenden County court page still lists the temporary Circuit Court Clerk location at 208 S. Main St. and courtroom proceedings at the Marion City Hall Council Chamber, 217 S. Main St. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| situation | local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Confirm whether the home passes outside probate and whether any separately owned accounts require a Crittenden County filing. If the estate fits Kentucky's court petition to dispense with administration, use AOC-830 under KRS 395.455 rather than opening a full appointment case. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize title information and prepare an estate settlement plan before you contact the Marion clerk location. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before mailing anything because the clerk is in a temporary location and the new judicial center is under construction. Ask whether AOC-830 under KRS 395.455 or AOC-805 under KRS 394.145 is the correct starting form. | Sunset helps gather asset details, generate the Kentucky form packet and reduce unnecessary travel during estate settlement. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires a full estate with appointment through AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, followed by a Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807, and letters of appointment under KRS 395.105. If a dispute arises, Crittenden Circuit Court handles the original adversary proceeding under KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240. | Sunset helps assemble the petition materials, identify missing accounts and connect the family with local legal help when real estate must be transferred or sold. |
Self-help resources
| resource | how it helps | contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Crittenden County | Filing office for Crittenden County estates and the place to ask about current filing location, court dates, payment and copies. The clerk can provide forms but cannot give legal advice. | Temporary location: 208 S. Main St., Marion, KY 42064. Courtroom proceedings: Marion City Hall Council Chamber, 217 S. Main St. Phone: (270) 965-4200 or (270) 965-4046. Fax: (270) 965-4572. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | Free statewide probate forms, including AOC-805, AOC-807, AOC-830, AOC-841, AOC-846, AOC-850 and AOC-860. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Forms/Pages/default.aspx |
| Kentucky Court of Justice Self-Help Portal | Guided interviews for Dispense with Administration and Probate Estate. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Pages/Self-Help-Portal.aspx and https://a2j.org/#Kentucky |
| Kentucky Legal Aid | Civil legal aid program listed for Crittenden County. Ask the program whether your estate issue is within its services. | 270-782-1924. https://klaid.org/ |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | Online civil legal questions for income-eligible Kentuckians. | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral services | Statewide lawyer referral listing. | https://www.kybar.org/page/lawreferserv |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Kentucky probate attorney if the estate includes real property to sell, missing heirs, a business, disputed beneficiaries, creditor claims under KRS 396.011, tax questions or any contested issue that may become an original adversary proceeding under KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240. Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families locate financial accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property so the Crittenden County filing is based on a complete estate settlement picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized Kentucky probate packet, including the forms and next steps that fit the estate.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves real estate, creditor issues, conflict or a court appearance, Sunset helps connect you with a probate attorney who can handle Kentucky court requirements.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, understand the Crittenden County filing path and move forward without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Crittenden County, Kentucky?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Crittenden County. As of the last review, the clerk is at a temporary location, 208 S. Main St., Marion, KY 42064, while the new judicial center is under construction. Kentucky probate is a District Court matter under KRS 24A.120.
Is the Crittenden County courthouse address changing?
Yes. A new judicial center is under construction at 107 S. Main St. in Marion, but the court page lists the current Circuit Court Clerk location as 208 S. Main St. and courtroom proceedings at the Marion City Hall Council Chamber, 217 S. Main St. Call before traveling.
Can I e-file a Crittenden County probate case?
Kentucky probate e-filing through the Kentucky Court of Justice system has been required for attorneys since January 1, 2024. If you are self-represented, you may register for the system, but you are not required to do so and can still file paper with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
What does it cost to open probate in Crittenden County?
$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. Crittenden 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 (KRS 453.060), so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file.
Does Crittenden County have its own probate forms?
Crittenden County uses the statewide Kentucky AOC probate forms. The core forms include AOC-805 for opening a will or appointment case under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 for dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 for the inventory under KRS 395.250, and AOC-850 or AOC-846 for closing under KRS 395.605 or KRS 395.610.
Can I appear remotely for a Crittenden County probate hearing?
Maybe, but do not assume it. Kentucky courts have held proceedings remotely by Zoom since March 2020, but Crittenden County does not post probate login details. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk to ask how your specific hearing will be handled.
Can I look up a Crittenden County probate case online?
The Kentucky Court of Justice account portal requires an account, and the Administrative Office of the Courts is not the place to obtain trial-court case files. Crittenden County links a no-login court-date lookup, but it is only a court-date tool. For estate status, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
Do I have to travel to Marion to start estate settlement?
Not always, but you should call first. The temporary clerk location, the courtroom location and the new judicial center construction make it especially important to ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk how it wants your papers, payment and any appearance handled.
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.