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Cumberland County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Cumberland County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Cumberland County District Court, sitting in probate under KRS 24A.120 |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Cumberland County |
| Courthouse address | Cumberland County Justice Center, 112 Courthouse Square, Burkesville, KY 42717 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 395, Burkesville, KY 42717-0395 |
| Phone | (270) 864-2611 |
| Fax | (270) 864-1227 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Saturday and Sunday |
| Cost to open | $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. Cumberland 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 options | Cash, local personal check, credit and debit cards with a fee, and money order. The county page also links Pay online with ePay. |
| Forms | Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms. Cumberland County's Office of Circuit Court Clerk does not publish a separate county probate form set on its page. |
| Electronic filing | Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling eligible Kentucky probate filings must file electronically. A self-represented filer may register for electronic filing but may still file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Burkesville. |
| Court-date lookup | The Kentucky Court of Justice provides a free court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ with a not-official-docket caveat. For estate status or documents, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Remote options | Kentucky courts have used Zoom for remote proceedings since March 2020, but login details are not published centrally. Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (270) 864-2611 whether your Cumberland County District Court probate matter under KRS 24A.120 is in person or remote. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Cumberland.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Cumberland County, make a working list of the person's accounts, vehicles, real estate, debts, funeral expenses and family contacts. The right Kentucky filing depends on what must actually pass through court, and estate settlement is much smoother if you know the assets and liabilities before you choose forms.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 institutions for accounts and benefits that families often miss, then helps organize what belongs in the Cumberland County probate packet and what may pass outside court.
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 Cumberland County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Cumberland County Justice Center in Burkesville.
The Cumberland County filing location serves estates for people who lived anywhere in Cumberland County, including Burkesville, the county's only incorporated city. Cumberland County is in Kentucky's 59th Judicial District with Monroe County only, under KRS 24A.030. Probate itself remains a Cumberland County District Court matter under KRS 24A.120.
If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Cumberland Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal (KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240).
The jurisdiction process
- Start with the asset and debt list. Decide whether the estate needs an appointment or whether the family is asking the District Court under KRS 24A.120 to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
- Get the statewide forms. Use AOC-805 for probate of a will or appointment of an executor or administrator under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 for a petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, and AOC-808 for the financial disclosure required by KRS 395.015 when appointment is requested.
- File at the Cumberland County Justice Center, 112 Courthouse Square, Burkesville, KY 42717, or mail the packet to P.O. Box 395, Burkesville, KY 42717-0395. Since January 1, 2024, an attorney must file eligible Kentucky probate papers electronically; a self-represented filer may still file on paper with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
- Pay the opening cost or confirm the current total before mailing. $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. Cumberland 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.
- Use Cumberland County's published payment options if you file at the counter: cash, local personal check, money order, or credit or debit card with a fee. The county page also links Pay online with ePay.
- Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for the court date. Cumberland County's court page does not publish a probate docket schedule, and the 59th Judicial District local rules were not available through the standard Kentucky Court of Justice local-rules file pattern.
- Ask about remote appearance before you plan travel. Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020, but whether a Cumberland County District Court probate matter under KRS 24A.120 is in person or remote is handled through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
- If the District Court appoints you, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807. Kentucky also uses letters of appointment language in KRS 395.105 and KRS 395.110, and banks or title companies often want the certificate plus a certified copy of the appointment order.
- Administer the estate and close it using the statewide deadlines and forms. The inventory, AOC-841, is due under KRS 395.250; creditor claims are governed by KRS 396.011; closing usually uses AOC-846 for settlement under KRS 395.610 or AOC-850 for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Cumberland County
Cumberland County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Cumberland County form set. AOC-805 opens the estate under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 asks 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 closes the estate under KRS 395.610 or KRS 395.605.
The forms are available from the Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms catalogue, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Burkesville can provide paper copies. The clerk can provide forms and filing-fee information under CR 3.03, but cannot give legal advice about which form to choose.
Local nuance
Cumberland County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Cumberland County filing |
|---|---|
| Two clerks on Courthouse Square | Probate filings go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at 112 Courthouse Square. The separate Cumberland County Clerk is at 601 Courthouse Square and handles land records, deeds, motor vehicles and elections, not estate filings. |
| Payment at the Justice Center | The Cumberland County court page lists cash, local personal check, credit and debit cards with a fee, and money order. It also links Pay online with ePay. |
| Parking and access | The court page lists free parking behind the building, two-hour parking in front of the building, and an elevator. |
| Shared rural district | Cumberland County shares the 59th Judicial District with Monroe County under KRS 24A.030. Probate remains filed in Cumberland County District Court under KRS 24A.120 when Cumberland County is the proper county. |
| Dates are by direct contact | Cumberland County's court page does not publish a probate docket schedule. Call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (270) 864-2611 for your court date and to ask whether the appearance is in person or remote. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Cumberland County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | File any needed probate papers with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Cumberland County Justice Center in Burkesville. Kentucky's KRS 391.030 exemption and the KRS 395.455 dispense-with-administration path may help with personal property, but a co-owned home may need separate title review. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, beneficiary designations and real estate questions before the spouse chooses the Cumberland County filing path. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a modest estate | Mailing to P.O. Box 395, Burkesville, KY 42717-0395 may be practical. Call (270) 864-2611 before sending payment or booking travel, because the county page does not publish a probate schedule and remote appearance details come through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. | Sunset organizes the estate settlement checklist, helps prepare the probate packet and flags when a local attorney would make travel unnecessary. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a home must be sold | Full administration may be needed so a personal representative can obtain the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Burkesville. If a dispute becomes contested, KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240 send the matter to Cumberland Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding. | Sunset helps gather asset details, produce a cleaner starting packet and connect the family with a local probate attorney for title and sale issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Cumberland County | Filing office for Cumberland County estates. Provides forms, states the filing fee amount under CR 3.03, and gives court-date information. The clerk cannot give legal advice. | Cumberland County Justice Center, 112 Courthouse Square, Burkesville, KY 42717; mail to P.O. Box 395, Burkesville, KY 42717-0395; (270) 864-2611; fax (270) 864-1227 |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | Statewide probate form catalogue, including AOC-805, AOC-830, AOC-841, AOC-846 and AOC-850. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Forms/Pages/default.aspx |
| Kentucky Court of Justice Self-Help Portal | Free A2J guided interviews, including Dispense with Administration 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 by the Kentucky Court of Justice for Cumberland County. Ask the program what help is available for your situation. | 866-277-5733; https://ardfky.org/ |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | Free online civil legal question service. | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral services | Statewide lawyer referral list. | https://www.kybar.org/page/lawreferserv |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a probate attorney if the estate includes a home that must be sold, missing heirs, disagreements among family members, taxable beneficiaries, business interests, or questions about whether KRS 395.455 can be used instead of full administration. Counsel also makes sense if you live outside Kentucky and want fewer trips to Burkesville. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for bank, investment, retirement, insurance and benefit accounts so the Cumberland County estate settlement starts with a clearer picture of what exists.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized set of next steps and draft materials for the Kentucky AOC forms used in Cumberland County.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Kentucky probate attorney who understands District Court filings under KRS 24A.120.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools without paying Sunset, and the goal is to make the Cumberland County process easier to understand before anything is filed.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Cumberland County?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Cumberland County Justice Center, 112 Courthouse Square, Burkesville, KY 42717. You may also mail filings to P.O. Box 395, Burkesville, KY 42717-0395. Probate is in Cumberland County District Court under KRS 24A.120.
Which clerk handles an estate in Burkesville?
Use the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at 112 Courthouse Square for probate. The separate Cumberland County Clerk at 601 Courthouse Square handles land records, deeds, motor vehicles and elections, not estate filings.
How much does it cost to open a Cumberland 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. Cumberland 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.
Can I pay by card in Cumberland County?
Yes. The Cumberland County court page lists credit and debit cards with a fee, along with cash, local personal check and money order. It also links Pay online with ePay.
Are there local Cumberland County probate forms?
Cumberland County uses Kentucky's statewide AOC forms and does not publish a separate county probate form set on its page. Common forms include 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.
Can I e-file a Cumberland County probate case?
Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling eligible Kentucky probate papers must file electronically. If you are self-represented, you may register for electronic filing, but you may still file on paper with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Burkesville.
When does the court hear probate matters in Cumberland County?
Cumberland County's court page does not publish a probate docket schedule. Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (270) 864-2611 for your court date in Cumberland County District Court under KRS 24A.120.
Can I appear by phone or video for a Cumberland County probate hearing?
Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020 and publish statewide remote-court instructions, but login details are not published centrally. Whether your Cumberland County District Court probate matter under KRS 24A.120 is in person or remote is handled through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk, so call (270) 864-2611 before you assume either way.
Can I look up a Cumberland County probate case online?
The Kentucky Court of Justice provides a free court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ with a not-official-docket caveat, but it is not a full public case file. For estate status or documents, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Burkesville at (270) 864-2611.
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.