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Hopkins County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Hopkins County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Hopkins County District Court, probate division, under KRS 24A.120. |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Hopkins County. |
| Courthouse address | Hopkins County Justice Center, 120 E. Center St., Madisonville, KY 42431. |
| Mailing | No separate mailing address is published for Hopkins County. Use the street address and call before mailing original probate papers. |
| Phone | Main office: 270-824-7502. District Civil: 270-824-7509. The page also lists District Criminal at 270-824-7507 and 270-824-7508, Circuit Civil at 270-824-7503, Circuit Criminal at 270-824-7501, Family Court Records at 270-824-7502, and Bookkeeping at 270-824-7504. Say you are calling about a probate or estate matter. |
| Fax | No Hopkins County fax number is published on the Kentucky Court of Justice county page. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 7:30 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. Hopkins 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 | Cash, check, and money order are listed. Cash is required for bonds and restitution, and a bond may be ordered under KRS 395.130. The county page also links to ePay. |
| Forms | Hopkins County uses Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms. No separate Hopkins County probate packet is published. |
| Electronic filing | Kentucky probate filings can be e-filed through the Kentucky Court of Justice system. Since January 1, 2024, an attorney must e-file eligible probate documents. Self-represented filers may register, but may still file on paper at the Madisonville office. |
| Court dates and records | The county page links to the Kentucky court-date lookup at https://kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/. Treat it as a court-date lookup, not full case records. CourtNet account access is not a substitute for calling the Office of Circuit Court Clerk about a Hopkins County estate. |
| Remote participation | No Hopkins County Zoom login or probate-specific remote instruction is posted. Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming whether a hearing will be in person or remote. |
| Accessibility | The county page describes the building as fully accessible and lists free parking in the lot. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Hopkins.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Madisonville, make a working list of the decedent's accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts, bills, and possible beneficiaries. Hopkins County's clerk lines are split by case type, so a clearer asset and liability list makes it easier to ask the District Civil line what estate settlement papers and payment amount the office expects.
Sunset can help identify accounts across 2,300 institutions before you choose between opening a full estate and asking the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. That asset picture also helps you decide whether estate settlement can stay simple or whether a title issue, debt issue, or family disagreement needs an attorney.
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 Hopkins County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Hopkins County courthouse in Madisonville.
That filing location is the Hopkins County Justice Center, 120 E. Center St., Madisonville, KY 42431. The court serves all of Hopkins County, including Madisonville, Dawson Springs within Hopkins County, Earlington, Hanson, Mortons Gap, Nortonville, White Plains, Anton, and Nebo.
Hopkins County is the 4th Judicial District under KRS 24A.030. 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 Hopkins County, at the Hopkins County courthouse in Madisonville. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Hopkins Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal (KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240).
The jurisdiction process
- Start with the estate inventory work, even before filing: list assets, debts, beneficiaries, and whether there is a will. Do not file the formal inventory until required, because the AOC-841 inventory is due within 90 days after qualification and is filed under seal under KRS 395.250.
- Choose the opening path. Use AOC-805 for probate of a will or appointment of an executor or administrator under KRS 394.145. Use AOC-830 if you are asking the judge to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
- Gather the statewide Kentucky AOC forms. A full appointment packet commonly includes AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, AOC-808 financial disclosure under KRS 395.015, and oath or bond papers if ordered under KRS 395.130. Hopkins County also uses AOC-830 for dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
- File at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Hopkins County Justice Center, 120 E. Center St., Madisonville, KY 42431. If you plan to mail papers, call first because no separate Hopkins County mailing address is published.
- Pay the opening cost or confirm the current total before filing. $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. Hopkins 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. Hopkins County lists cash, check, money order, and ePay, but no card option is posted.
- Ask how the matter will be scheduled. The Hopkins County page does not publish probate motion days or a probate hearing schedule. Call 270-824-7502 or District Civil at 270-824-7509 and say the filing is a probate or estate matter.
- Ask about notice and remote participation before the hearing date. 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 Hopkins County District Court probate matter is heard in person or remotely is up to the judge, and the login details are not published centrally. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in the county where you are scheduled to appear.
- After appointment, get proof of authority. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807. Kentucky law also refers to letters of appointment under KRS 395.105 and allows formal letters under seal under KRS 395.110.
- Administer the estate. A personal representative must file the AOC-841 inventory within 90 days, and the inventory is confidential and filed under seal under KRS 395.250. Creditor claims are governed by KRS 396.011.
- Close the estate when ready. Use AOC-850 for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 when that route fits, or AOC-846 for settlement of estate under KRS 395.610.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Hopkins County
Hopkins County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Hopkins 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 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 Madisonville 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-808 | Financial disclosure required with an application for appointment under KRS 395.015. |
| AOC-807 | Certificate of Qualification showing the appointment is in effect. |
| AOC-830 | Petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. |
| AOC-841 | Inventory and Appraisement of Estate, due within 90 days and filed under seal under KRS 395.250. |
| AOC-846 | Settlement of Estate under KRS 395.610. |
| AOC-850 | Application for Informal Final Settlement under KRS 395.605. |
Local nuance
Hopkins County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for filing |
|---|---|
| Separate phone lines | Hopkins County publishes separate lines for main office, District Civil, District Criminal, Circuit Civil, Circuit Criminal, Family Court Records, and Bookkeeping. No line is labeled probate. Call the main office at 270-824-7502 or District Civil at 270-824-7509 and say the matter is a probate or estate filing under KRS 24A.120. |
| Baseline phone trap | The line 270-824-7501 appears on the county page as Circuit Criminal. It is not the closest published line for a District Court probate matter under KRS 24A.120. |
| Payment methods | Hopkins County lists cash, check, money order, and ePay. It does not list a credit or debit card option. Cash is required for bonds and restitution, and bond may be ordered under KRS 395.130. |
| County clerk is different | The Hopkins County Clerk is a different county office. Probate papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk because KRS 24A.120 puts probate in District Court. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Hopkins County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | File at the Hopkins County Justice Center in Madisonville. If the estate is only personal property, a petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 may fit. A home that must be handled through the estate usually points toward opening a full estate with AOC-805 under KRS 394.145. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, and title-sensitive assets before you decide whether the estate settlement needs a full appointment. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Call 270-824-7502 or District Civil at 270-824-7509 before mailing anything, because no separate mailing address is published. Kentucky's small estate path is a court petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, not an affidavit handed directly to a bank. | Sunset helps organize the estate picture, generate the likely form list, and reduce back-and-forth with the Madisonville clerk's office. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of real estate usually requires a full estate opening with AOC-805 under KRS 394.145. After appointment, the Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807, helps banks and title companies see who has authority. If the matter becomes contested, KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240 send the dispute to Hopkins Circuit Court as an original action. | Sunset helps collect asset information, prepare for title-company questions, and connect the family with a probate attorney when a sale or dispute makes the estate settlement more complex. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Hopkins County | The filing office for Hopkins County estates. The office can provide forms, accept filings, tell you the current filing amount under CR 3.03 effective July 1, 2026, and give court-date information. The clerk cannot give legal advice. | Hopkins County Justice Center, 120 E. Center St., Madisonville, KY 42431. Main phone 270-824-7502. District Civil 270-824-7509. |
| 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, AOC-850 under KRS 395.605, and AOC-860 for the probate fee exemption. | 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 |
| Kentucky Legal Aid | The civil legal aid program listed for Hopkins County. Ask directly what help is available for your situation. | 270-782-1924 or 800-782-1924. https://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 | A 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 because the booklet predates the July 15, 2026 changes. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Documents/probateguide.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
Talk with a Kentucky probate attorney if the estate includes a home sale, unclear title, unpaid debts, creditor claims under KRS 396.011, beneficiaries who do not agree, a possible will contest under KRS 394.240, or questions about whether the Madisonville filing should be a full estate or a petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. Counsel also helps out-of-state family members avoid repeated trips to the Hopkins County Justice Center. Sunset connects you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance, real estate leads, vehicles, and debts so the Hopkins County estate settlement starts with a clearer picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns what you know about the estate into an organized probate packet for the Hopkins County District Court process under KRS 24A.120, including the forms and next steps that match the situation.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate involves a home sale, conflict, creditor claims under KRS 396.011, or a contested issue under KRS 24A.120, Sunset can connect you with a Kentucky probate attorney who handles Hopkins County matters.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate settlement, understand the filing path, and decide what to do next without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Hopkins County?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Hopkins County Justice Center, 120 E. Center St., Madisonville, KY 42431. Kentucky probate is handled in District Court under KRS 24A.120.
Which Hopkins County phone number should I call about probate?
The county page does not publish a line labeled probate. Call the main office at 270-824-7502 or District Civil at 270-824-7509 and say you are calling about a probate or estate matter under KRS 24A.120.
How much does it cost to open a Hopkins 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. Hopkins 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 Hopkins County?
The Hopkins County page lists cash, check, money order, and ePay. It does not list a card option. Cash is required for bonds and restitution, and bond may be ordered under KRS 395.130.
Does Hopkins County have its own probate forms?
Hopkins County uses Kentucky's statewide AOC probate forms. Use AOC-805 under KRS 394.145 to open a full estate, AOC-830 under KRS 395.455 to ask the court to dispense with administration, AOC-841 under KRS 395.250 for the inventory, and AOC-846 under KRS 395.610 or AOC-850 under KRS 395.605 to close.
Do attorneys have to e-file probate cases in Hopkins County?
Yes. Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling eligible Kentucky probate filings must e-file. A self-represented filer may register for eFiling, but may still file paper documents with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Madisonville.
Can I look up a Hopkins County probate case online?
Kentucky does not publish a free public docket search for District Court probate cases. The county page links to a court-date lookup at https://kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/, but it is not full case records. CourtNet account access is not a substitute for contacting the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Madisonville.
Are Hopkins County probate hearings remote?
No Hopkins County Zoom login or probate-specific remote instruction is posted. Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020, but the Kentucky Court of Justice tells parties to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in the county where they are scheduled to appear. Call before assuming the hearing format.
Is the Hopkins County Clerk the probate filing office?
No. The Hopkins County Clerk is a different county office. Probate papers are filed with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk because KRS 24A.120 gives District Court probate jurisdiction.
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.