Back to Kentucky
Garrard County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Garrard County District Court, sitting in probate under KRS 24A.120 |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Garrard County |
| Courthouse | Garrard County Justice Center, 54 Stanford St., Lancaster, KY 40444 |
| Mailing | No separate mailing address is published for the filing office. Use 54 Stanford St., Lancaster, KY 40444, and call before mailing original papers. |
| Phone | 859-792-2961. Jury service has a separate line, 859-792-6032. |
| Fax | 859-792-6414 |
| 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. Garrard 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. |
| Payment | Cash, personal check, money order, credit cards and debit cards are accepted. A card fee applies. Cash is required for bond under KRS 395.130. |
| Forms | Kentucky statewide AOC forms are used. No separate Garrard County probate form set is listed by the filing office. |
| Electronic filing | Attorneys have been required to e-file eligible Kentucky probate papers since January 1, 2024. Self-represented filers may register for eFiling since January 1, 2024, but may still file on paper with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Case information | Kentucky does not publish a free public docket search for District Court probate cases. CourtNet and the Kentucky Court of Justice portal should be handled through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. A statewide court-date lookup is available at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets, but it is not the full case file. |
| Remote appearance | Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020. Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk whether your Garrard County probate event will be in person or remote. |
| Accessibility | Designated parking is available for people with a disability parking permit. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Garrard.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Lancaster, list the estate's assets, debts, beneficiaries, and any real estate. That information determines whether the family is asking for appointment of a personal representative, asking to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, or preparing for another estate settlement step.
Sunset searches across 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts, insurance, and other assets before they build a probate packet. That asset picture makes the Garrard County estate settlement process less likely to stall after the first filing.
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 Garrard County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Garrard County courthouse in Lancaster.
Garrard County District Court serves all of Garrard County from the Garrard County Justice Center at 54 Stanford St. in Lancaster. Lancaster is the county seat and the county's only incorporated city; other Garrard County communities include Paint Lick and Bryantsville. Garrard County is in the 13th Judicial District with Jessamine and Lincoln counties (KRS 24A.030), but a Garrard County probate filing remains a Garrard County filing.
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 Garrard County, at the Garrard County courthouse in Lancaster. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Garrard 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. Identify bank accounts, vehicles, real estate, funeral expenses, creditor claims under KRS 396.011, and the people who may inherit before choosing the filing path.
- Choose the correct statewide AOC 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 required forms from kycourts.gov or from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Lancaster. For a full estate, expect AOC-808 financial disclosure under KRS 395.015, oath paperwork, and any bond paper the court orders under KRS 395.130.
- File the papers with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Garrard County Justice Center, 54 Stanford St., Lancaster, KY 40444. If you plan to mail originals, call 859-792-2961 first because no separate mailing address is published for the 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. Garrard 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. Garrard County accepts cash, personal check, money order, credit cards, and debit cards, with a card fee. Cash is required for bond under KRS 395.130.
- Ask for the hearing date and format. Garrard County publishes general District Court sitting times on Monday at 9 a.m. and Thursday at 1 p.m., but it does not publish a separate probate docket. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for the date assigned to your estate and for any Zoom or in-person instructions.
- If the District Court appoints you, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807. Kentucky law also uses letters of appointment for the fiduciary's authority under KRS 395.105, and KRS 395.110 allows letters in due form under seal.
- Administer the estate after appointment. File the inventory and appraisement using AOC-841 within 90 days of qualification; the inventory is confidential and filed under seal under KRS 395.250.
- Close the estate when the legal requirements are satisfied. Use AOC-850 for an informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 where that route fits, or AOC-846 for a settlement under KRS 395.610.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Garrard County
Garrard County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Garrard County form set listed by the filing office. 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 under KRS 395.610 or AOC-850 under KRS 395.605 to close. All of them are free at kycourts.gov, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Lancaster will also hand you paper copies.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| AOC-805 | Petition for Probate of Will and/or Appointment of Executor or Administrator under KRS 394.145 |
| AOC-807 | Certificate of Qualification, the appointment certificate issued after the court appoints a personal representative |
| AOC-808 | Financial disclosure statement required with an application for appointment under KRS 395.015 |
| AOC-830 | Petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 |
| AOC-841 | Inventory and appraisement of estate under KRS 395.250 |
| AOC-846 | Settlement of estate under KRS 395.610 |
| AOC-850 | Application for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 |
| AOC-860 | Affidavit for probate fee exemption for qualifying line of duty deaths, using AOC-860 |
Timeline
- Garrard County publishes general District Court sitting times of Monday at 9 a.m. and Thursday at 1 p.m. District Court handles probate under KRS 24A.120, but the county does not publish a separate probate docket, so ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk which date applies to your estate.
- After appointment, the personal representative must file the AOC-841 inventory within 90 days. The inventory is confidential and filed under seal under KRS 395.250.
- Creditor claims are governed by KRS 396.011. Build that claims period into your estate settlement plan before making distributions.
- An informal final settlement using AOC-850 may be available after the statutory conditions are met under KRS 395.605. A settlement using AOC-846 follows KRS 395.610.
- If anyone asks to appear remotely by Zoom, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before the hearing date. Kentucky courts have held remote proceedings since March 2020, but Garrard County does not publish probate login details in a central place.
Local nuance
Garrard County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Published court schedule | Garrard County publishes general District Court times on Monday at 9 a.m. and Thursday at 1 p.m. It does not list a separate probate docket, so call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for the hearing date assigned to the estate. |
| Payment at the courthouse | The office accepts cash, personal check, money order, credit cards, and debit cards, with a card fee. Cash is required for bond under KRS 395.130. |
| Jury line is separate | Use 859-792-2961 for probate filing questions. The separate 859-792-6032 jury service line is not the estate filing line. |
| Use the office title | Clerk names can change. Address filings and questions to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Garrard County, not to an individual official. |
| Communities outside Lancaster | The Lancaster courthouse serves the whole county, including unincorporated communities such as Paint Lick and Bryantsville. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | File in Lancaster if the decedent lived in Garrard County. A personal-property request to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 may fit some estates, but a home sale or title issue often requires opening a full estate with AOC-805 under KRS 394.145. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, insurance, and real estate details before you decide what to file. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate question under KRS 395.455 | Call 859-792-2961 before mailing papers because no separate mailing address is published. Ask whether AOC-830 under KRS 395.455 fits the assets, and ask how the clerk wants originals, payment, and hearing information handled. | Sunset can organize the asset list, generate a probate packet, and help you decide when a local Kentucky attorney is worth involving. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a home must be sold | A home sale usually means opening a full estate in Garrard County District Court under KRS 24A.120. After appointment, the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, and letters of appointment under KRS 395.105 are what banks and title companies typically need. | Sunset helps locate accounts, prepare the court forms, and connect the family with a vetted Kentucky probate attorney if the sale or family situation is complicated. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Garrard County | Filing office for Garrard County estates. The office can provide forms, take filings, give the current amount due, and provide court-date information. The clerk cannot give legal advice. | Garrard County Justice Center, 54 Stanford St., Lancaster, KY 40444; 859-792-2961; fax 859-792-6414 |
| 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 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 | The civil legal aid program listed for Garrard County. Ask directly what help may be 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 | A plain-language introduction to Kentucky probate. Use current forms and statutes for deadlines, bond under KRS 395.130, and inventory under KRS 395.250. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Documents/probateguide.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
Consider getting a Kentucky probate attorney if the estate includes a home sale, unclear heirs, creditor claims under KRS 396.011, a business, conflict among family members, or a contested matter that could move to Garrard Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding under KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240. Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney when legal help makes sense.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families look for bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance, and other assets so the Garrard County estate settlement starts with a more complete picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into organized Kentucky probate forms and filing instructions for the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Lancaster.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate includes a home sale, a dispute, difficult creditor claims under KRS 396.011, or questions about who should serve, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Kentucky probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, build documents, and understand next steps without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Garrard County?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Garrard County Justice Center, 54 Stanford St., Lancaster, KY 40444. Kentucky probate is handled in District Court under KRS 24A.120, and venue is based on where the person lived at death under KRS 394.140.
What phone number should I call for a Garrard County estate?
Call 859-792-2961 for the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. Garrard County also publishes a separate jury service line, 859-792-6032, but that is not the probate filing line.
How much does it cost to open probate in Garrard 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. Garrard 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.
What payment methods does the Garrard County clerk accept?
The office accepts cash, personal check, money order, credit cards, and debit cards. A card fee applies. Cash is required for bond under KRS 395.130.
Are there Garrard County probate forms?
Garrard County uses Kentucky's statewide AOC probate forms. Common forms include AOC-805 for opening an estate under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 for dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 for inventory under KRS 395.250, AOC-846 for settlement under KRS 395.610, and AOC-850 for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605.
Do attorneys have to e-file Garrard County probate papers?
Yes. Since January 1, 2024, attorneys handling eligible Kentucky probate filings must use the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system. Self-represented filers may register for eFiling since January 1, 2024, but they may still file paper documents with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
When are probate hearings in Garrard County?
Garrard County publishes general District Court times on Monday at 9 a.m. and Thursday at 1 p.m. District Court handles probate under KRS 24A.120, but the county does not publish a separate probate docket, so call 859-792-2961 for the hearing date assigned to your estate.
Can I appear remotely for a Garrard 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 Garrard 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 859-792-2961 and ask before you assume either way.
Can I look up a Garrard County probate case online?
Kentucky does not publish a free public docket search for District Court probate cases. CourtNet runs behind the Kentucky Court of Justice portal, and trial-court case information is handled through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. The statewide court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets can help with hearing dates, but it is not the full case file.
Do I have to travel to Lancaster to file?
If you are self-represented, paper filing is still available through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Lancaster. Call 859-792-2961 before mailing originals because no separate mailing address is published. If an attorney represents the estate, eligible probate filings must be e-filed since January 1, 2024.
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.