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Edmonson County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Edmonson County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Edmonson 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 Edmonson County |
| Courthouse address | Edmonson County Courthouse Annex, 110 E. Main Cross St., Brownsville, KY 42210 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 739, Brownsville, KY 42210-0739 |
| Phone | (270) 597-2584 |
| Fax | (270) 597-2884 |
| 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. Edmonson 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 methods | Cash, certified check, money order, and online ePay. The Edmonson County page does not list an in-person card option. |
| Forms | Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms. No separate Edmonson County probate packet is listed on the county page. |
| Electronic filing | Attorneys handling eligible Kentucky probate filings must e-file through the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system since January 1, 2024. Self-represented filers may register, but may still file on paper in Brownsville. |
| Court-date lookup | The county page links to Kentucky's court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/. It is not a full District Court probate case file search. For estate status, call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Remote appearance | No Edmonson County probate Zoom details are posted on the county page. Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming the hearing will be remote or in person. |
| Accessibility | Wheelchair ramps and elevator. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Edmonson.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose forms, make a practical list of the accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts, funeral expenses, and family members involved. Edmonson County's clerk can provide forms and fee information, but cannot choose a legal path for you, so the asset picture drives whether you ask for appointment or ask the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
Sunset helps families begin estate settlement by searching across 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, then organizing what you find into the Kentucky forms and attorney handoff materials you need for the Brownsville filing office.
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 Edmonson County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Edmonson County courthouse in Brownsville.
The filing location is the Edmonson County Courthouse Annex, 110 E. Main Cross St., Brownsville, KY 42210. Mail filings to P.O. Box 739, Brownsville, KY 42210-0739.
Edmonson County is part of Kentucky's 38th Judicial District with Butler, Hancock, and Ohio counties (KRS 24A.030). The court serves all of Edmonson County, including Brownsville and unincorporated communities such as Bee Spring, Chalybeate, Rocky Hill, and Sunfish.
The jurisdiction process
- List the estate's assets, debts, funeral expenses, possible heirs or beneficiaries, and whether there is a will. Kentucky probate starts in District Court under KRS 24A.120, but contested matters move to Circuit Court as original adversary proceedings under KRS 24A.120(2) and KRS 394.240.
- Choose the opening form. Use AOC-805 for probate of a will and appointment of an executor or administrator under KRS 394.145, or use AOC-830 if you are asking the judge to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
- Get the Kentucky AOC forms online or from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Brownsville. A full appointment packet may also include AOC-808 financial disclosure under KRS 395.015, AOC-809 oath, and any bond form the court orders under KRS 395.130.
- File at the Edmonson County Courthouse Annex, 110 E. Main Cross St., Brownsville, KY 42210, or mail the papers to P.O. Box 739, Brownsville, KY 42210-0739. If an attorney is filing, eligible probate documents must be e-filed through the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system since January 1, 2024.
- 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. Edmonson 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. The Edmonson County page lists cash, certified check, money order, and online ePay.
- Ask the clerk how the court date will be handled. Edmonson County does not post a probate motion-day schedule or local Zoom login on its county page, so call (270) 597-2584 for the date and appearance instructions.
- If the District Court appoints you, ask for the Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807. The certificate, together with the appointment order, proves your authority; Kentucky also uses letters of appointment under KRS 395.105 and KRS 395.110.
- After qualification, file the inventory and appraisement on AOC-841 within 90 days as required by KRS 395.250. Since July 15, 2026, KRS 395.250 makes the inventory confidential and filed under seal.
- Administer and close the estate. Address creditor claims under KRS 396.011, then use AOC-850 for an informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 when that route fits, or AOC-846 for a settlement under KRS 395.610.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Edmonson County
Edmonson County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Edmonson County form set. You file form 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. All of them are free at kycourts.gov and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Brownsville will also hand you paper copies.
Local nuance
Edmonson County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Use the Brownsville address carefully | The courthouse address to use is 110 E. Main Cross St., Brownsville, KY 42210. The mailing address is different: P.O. Box 739, Brownsville, KY 42210-0739. |
| Plan payment before filing | The Edmonson County page lists cash, certified check, money order, and online ePay. It does not list an in-person card option. |
| Ask for the court date | Edmonson County does not post a probate motion-day schedule on its county page. Use the Kentucky court-date lookup for scheduled dates, and call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for estate-specific questions. |
| Shared judicial district | Edmonson County is in the 38th Judicial District with Butler, Hancock, and Ohio counties (KRS 24A.030), but Edmonson County probate filings still go through the Brownsville Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Edmonson County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Brownsville. If the estate has only personal property, a petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 may fit. If the home must pass through the estate or be sold, expect to open a full estate with AOC-805 under KRS 394.145. | Sunset organizes accounts, debts, home information, and family details so the spouse can decide what to file and what to ask a Kentucky attorney. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Use the mailing address, P.O. Box 739, Brownsville, KY 42210-0739, if you are not coming to Brownsville. For a small estate request, AOC-830 asks the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. Plan payment carefully because the county page lists cash, certified check, money order, and online ePay, but no in-person card option. | Sunset helps gather asset information remotely, build the probate packet, and prepare a clean attorney handoff if local counsel is needed. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually means opening a full estate in Edmonson County District Court under KRS 24A.120, then using the Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807, with the appointment order for banks and title companies. If anyone contests the matter, the dispute is filed in Edmonson Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding under KRS 24A.120(2) and KRS 394.240. | Sunset helps identify accounts, build timelines, and connect the parent with a vetted Kentucky probate attorney for the real estate sale and any contested issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Edmonson County | Filing office for Edmonson County estates. The office can provide forms, accept filings, tell you the current cost under CR 3.03, and give court-date information. The clerk cannot give legal advice. | Edmonson County Courthouse Annex, 110 E. Main Cross St., Brownsville, KY 42210; mail to P.O. Box 739, Brownsville, KY 42210-0739; (270) 597-2584; fax (270) 597-2884 |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | Free statewide probate forms, including AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, AOC-807, 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 | Guided interviews for self-represented people, including Probate Estate and Dispense with Administration under KRS 395.455. | 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 Edmonson County. Ask directly what help is available for your situation. | 270-782-1924; 800-782-1924; https://www.klaid.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 | The AOC's plain-language introduction to Kentucky probate. Use current statutes and forms for deadlines and bond under KRS 395.130, because the booklet predates the July 15, 2026 changes. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Documents/probateguide.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Kentucky probate attorney if the estate includes real estate, a business, disputed heirs, creditor claims under KRS 396.011, a tax question, a sale that needs title company approval, or any contested issue that could become an adversary proceeding under KRS 24A.120(2). Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for accounts, insurance, benefits, and other assets so the family can see what may need probate and what can move outside the court process.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the estate settlement information you collect into an organized Kentucky probate packet, with the right Edmonson County filing address and the statewide AOC forms the court uses.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal help, Sunset helps you connect with a Kentucky probate attorney who can review the filing, real estate issues, creditor claims under KRS 396.011, and any contested matter.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, prepare for the Brownsville filing office, and understand next steps without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Edmonson County?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Edmonson County Courthouse Annex, 110 E. Main Cross St., Brownsville, KY 42210. You can mail filings to P.O. Box 739, Brownsville, KY 42210-0739. Kentucky probate is handled in District Court under KRS 24A.120.
What is the Edmonson County probate phone number?
Call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (270) 597-2584. The county page lists one office number and does not list a separate probate or District Court phone line.
How much does it cost to open probate in Edmonson 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. Edmonson 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.
What payment methods does the Edmonson County clerk list?
The county page lists cash, certified check, money order, and online ePay. It does not list an in-person card option, so call before you go if you planned to pay by card.
Does Edmonson County have its own probate forms?
Edmonson County uses Kentucky's statewide AOC probate forms. Use AOC-805 to open an estate under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 to ask the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 for the inventory under KRS 395.250, and AOC-850 or AOC-846 to close under KRS 395.605 or KRS 395.610.
Can I e-file an Edmonson County probate case?
Attorneys handling eligible Kentucky probate filings must e-file through the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system since January 1, 2024. If you are handling the estate yourself, you may register for electronic filing, but you may also file paper documents with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Brownsville.
How do I check an Edmonson County probate court date?
The county page links to Kentucky's court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/. It is a court-date lookup, not a full District Court probate case file search. For the status of an estate, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Brownsville.
Can I appear remotely for an Edmonson County probate hearing?
Kentucky courts have held proceedings remotely by Zoom since March 2020 and the Kentucky Court of Justice publishes statewide remote-court instructions. Whether a particular Edmonson County District Court probate matter is heard in person or remotely is up to the judge, and the login details are not published centrally: the Court of Justice's own instruction is to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in the county where you are scheduled to appear. Call (270) 597-2584 and ask before you assume either way.
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.