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Jefferson County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Jefferson County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Jefferson County District Court, probate division |
| Filing office | Jefferson County Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Probate Division |
| Courthouse address | Louis D. Brandeis Hall of Justice, 600 W. Jefferson St., 2nd Floor, Room 2063, Louisville, KY 40202 |
| Mailing | No separate mailing address or post office box is published. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk tells self-represented filers they may file by regular U.S. Mail, so call (502) 595-4434 to confirm where to send it. |
| Phone | (502) 595-4434, Probate Division |
| Office hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Other counters in the same building keep different hours, and the Court of Justice advises calling the division or checking the clerk's website for current hours. |
| Filing fee | $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. Jefferson 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 (KRS 453.060) where one is in force, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file. |
| Local forms | None of its own. Jefferson uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts forms, but Jefferson County District Court requires a specific list of them and requires the proposed order to be tendered with the petition. |
| E-filing | Required for attorneys since January 1, 2024. Self-represented filers file on paper, in person or by regular U.S. Mail. |
| Case lookup | Kentucky Court of Justice docket lookup by county, division and date at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/. The court portal at kcoj.kycourts.net requires an account. |
| Remote appearance | Jefferson County District Court states that for probate all parties may appear either in person or by Zoom, and the court publishes login details for each probate courtroom. |
| Websites | jeffersonkycourtclerk.com for the Office of Circuit Court Clerk; jeffersondistrictcourt.com for the court's probate calendar and courtroom information; kycourts.gov for the Kentucky Court of Justice county page. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Jefferson County, make a practical list of the accounts, real estate, debts, beneficiary information and likely claims. Estate settlement starts with the asset picture because the forms, the filing route and the first court date depend on what exists and who needs authority to act.
Sunset searches more than 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts and assets before they choose a probate path. That matters in Jefferson County because the opening packet includes a financial disclosure under KRS 395.015, and the local court tells petitioners which orders to tender with the petition.
Which court handles jurisdiction
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 Jefferson County at the Louis D. Brandeis Hall of Justice in Louisville. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Jefferson Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal (KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240).
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 Jefferson County, the papers go to the Probate Division in Room 2063 at 600 W. Jefferson St. KRS 395.450 puts a proceeding to dispense with administration in the same court under KRS 395.455.
Jefferson County is the 30th Judicial District under KRS 24A.030, and unlike most Kentucky judicial districts, which cover two to four counties sharing one District Judge, Jefferson has the district to itself. Residents of Louisville, Jeffersontown, Saint Matthews, Shively, Middletown, Anchorage, Lyndon, Prospect, Hurstbourne, West Buechel and other Jefferson County cities use the same downtown probate filing counter.
The jurisdiction process
- Build the asset and debt list before choosing the estate settlement path. Jefferson's opening packet includes AOC-808 Financial Disclosure, which asks for the decedent's real estate, personal property and debts by approximate good-faith value and is filed under seal under KRS 395.015.
- Get the current Kentucky AOC probate forms. Jefferson County District Court lists AOC-805 for probate of a will and/or appointment under KRS 394.145, AOC-808 under KRS 395.015, AOC-809 for the oath, and the proposed appointment order, AOC-805.1 where there is a will or AOC-805.2 where there is not. The court says the proposed order is to be tendered by the petitioner.
- File at the Probate Division of the Jefferson County Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Louis D. Brandeis Hall of Justice, 600 W. Jefferson St., 2nd Floor, Room 2063, Louisville, Kentucky. Probate is in District Court under KRS 24A.120, and District Court is at 600 W. Jefferson St.; Circuit Court and Family Court are in the Jefferson County Judicial Center at 700 W. Jefferson St.
- Use the right filing method. An attorney has had to e-file Kentucky probate cases since January 1, 2024. If you are handling the estate yourself, the Jefferson County Office of Circuit Court Clerk says self-represented litigants file in person or via regular U.S. Mail, and that documents submitted through its website are not filed. Call (502) 595-4434 for where to send mailed probate papers.
- $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. Jefferson 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 (KRS 453.060) where one is in force, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk publishes cash, cashier's checks, money orders and credit or debit cards with a vendor convenience fee as its forms of payment, and says personal checks are not accepted. Confirm accepted payment with the Probate Division at (502) 595-4434 before you travel.
- Use the correct Jefferson probate docket. Appointments are heard on the Rapid Appointment Docket on Wednesdays at 9 a.m., with a filing deadline of 2 p.m. on the preceding Wednesday. Motions are heard at Probate Motion Hour on Tuesdays, at 1 p.m. for attorneys and 2 p.m. for self-represented parties, with a filing deadline of noon on the preceding Thursday. Anything filed later is scheduled for the following motion hour. The court also instructs that all movants must make sure their motions comply with the applicable notice requirements.
- Check the courtroom and appearance information. Jefferson County District Court states that for probate all parties may appear either in person or by Zoom, and the court publishes the login details for each probate courtroom on its own pages, including a dial-in method. Do not rely on a saved link; check the court's page or call the Probate Division at (502) 595-4434 before your date.
- Get proof of authority after appointment. When the District Court appoints the personal representative under KRS 24A.120, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807, showing that the appointment order is in effect. Kentucky also uses letters of appointment under KRS 395.105, and KRS 395.110 lets the clerk issue formal letters in due form under seal.
- File the inventory on AOC-841. Jefferson's own instruction marks the AOC-841 inventory for filing under seal under KRS 395.250, and Kentucky now requires the inventory no later than ninety (90) days from qualifying under KRS 395.250.
- Administer the estate and close it with the Jefferson settlement packet. Jefferson lists an informational page, AOC-841 under KRS 395.250, AOC-850 and AOC-851 for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605, AOC-846 for settlement under KRS 395.610, an affidavit of exemption, and the proposed closing order, AOC-850.1 or AOC-846.2, tendered by the petitioner. Ask the Probate Division for the informational page and affidavit of exemption because the court lists them but does not publish them as forms.
Executor duties
- Bring the proposed order. Jefferson County District Court requires the petitioner to tender AOC-805.1 where there is a will or AOC-805.2 where there is not, and later to tender AOC-850.1 or AOC-846.2 with the closing packet under KRS 395.605 or KRS 395.610.
- File AOC-808 Financial Disclosure with the opening papers. Jefferson lists AOC-808 as part of the required opening packet and directs the clerk to file it under seal under KRS 395.015.
- Expect the AOC-841 inventory to be sealed. Jefferson's instruction marks AOC-841 for filing under seal under KRS 395.250, and older Kentucky guidance may not reflect that change.
- Work backward from Jefferson's filing deadlines. Probate Motion Hour filings are due by noon on the preceding Thursday, and Rapid Appointment Docket filings are due by 2 p.m. on the preceding Wednesday.
- Check the weekly pre-ruling before you travel. Jefferson County District Court publishes probate motion-hour pre-rulings weekly and tells people not on the attorney list to call the probate clerk's office or read the list posted outside courtroom 201 or 202.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Jefferson County
Jefferson County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Jefferson County form set. You file 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 Probate Division in Room 2063 will also hand you paper copies.
What is local is Jefferson County District Court's required-forms list. Since July 15, 2026, the court says an opening packet in a decedent's estate uses AOC-805, AOC-808 Financial Disclosure filed under seal under KRS 395.015, AOC-809 and a proposed appointment order tendered by the petitioner. For the inventory and settlement stage, the court lists AOC-841 filed under seal under KRS 395.250, AOC-850 and AOC-851 under KRS 395.605, AOC-846 under KRS 395.610, an affidavit of exemption and a proposed closing order.
Timeline
- Appointment docket: Jefferson County District Court publishes a Rapid Appointment Docket on Wednesdays at 9 a.m. The filing deadline is 2 p.m. on the preceding Wednesday.
- Motion docket: Probate Motion Hour is on Tuesdays. Attorneys are heard at 1 p.m. and self-represented parties are heard at 2 p.m.
- Motion filing deadline: motions for Probate Motion Hour are due by noon on the preceding Thursday. Motions filed after that deadline are scheduled for the following motion hour, and the court instructs movants to comply with the applicable notice requirements.
- Judge and courtroom selection: Jefferson County District Court alternates probate work between courtrooms 201 and 202 and asks filers to choose the motion hour that corresponds with the judge on the case.
- Pre-rulings: the court publishes weekly probate motion-hour pre-rulings. A person who is not on the attorney list can check them by calling the Probate Division at (502) 595-4434 or by reading the list posted outside courtroom 201 or 202.
- Remote option: Jefferson County District Court states that for probate all parties may appear either in person or by Zoom, and the court publishes the login details for each probate courtroom. Call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk's Probate Division at (502) 595-4434 before your date if you are unsure which courtroom is yours.
Local nuance
Jefferson County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Two courthouse buildings | Probate is a District Court matter under KRS 24A.120, and District Court and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk are at 600 W. Jefferson St. Circuit Court and Family Court are at 700 W. Jefferson St. |
| Dedicated Probate Division | Jefferson publishes a probate-specific counter, room and phone line: Room 2063 in the Hall of Justice, (502) 595-4434. The general administrative office number is not the probate counter. |
| Tendered orders | Jefferson County District Court requires the petitioner to tender the proposed order with the petition and again with the closing packet. That local instruction applies to AOC-805.1, AOC-805.2, AOC-850.1 and AOC-846.2. |
| Separate self-represented motion hour | Probate Motion Hour is Tuesday at 1 p.m. for attorneys and 2 p.m. for self-represented parties, with a noon Thursday filing deadline before the hearing week. |
| Published probate Zoom option | Jefferson County District Court states that for probate all parties may appear either in person or by Zoom, and the court publishes the login details for each probate courtroom. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk is the office to call at (502) 595-4434 to confirm the date and room. |
| Curatorship wording | Jefferson lists curatorships among its probate-division matters. In Kentucky, a curator serves a living adult who is mentally competent but needs help managing affairs, not a temporary estate administrator (KRS 395.410). |
Recent updates
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| July 15, 2026 | Jefferson County District Court published a standing instruction that, pursuant to 2026 Ky. Acts ch. 134 (SB 50), the probate session now requires a specific set of forms in every decedent's estate: AOC-805, AOC-808 Financial Disclosure filed under seal under KRS 395.015 and AOC-809 to open, with the proposed appointment order tendered by the petitioner, and AOC-841 filed under seal under KRS 395.250 with the settlement packet and a tendered closing order to finish. |
| July 1, 2026 | The probate filing fee rose to $50 under CR 3.03(1)(c), set by Supreme Court of Kentucky Order 2026-15, entered May 14, 2026. Jefferson County District Court posted the increase on its own site and hosts the order. |
| June 2, 2026 | Jefferson County District Court began sending probate motion-hour pre-rulings only to attorneys who joined its Master Probate Attorney List. Anyone else can get the pre-rulings by calling the probate clerk's office or by reading the list posted outside the probate courtrooms. |
| December 5, 2025 | Jefferson County District Court directed that all probate motions be filed for the Tuesday motion hour unless the case already has a scheduled date or hearing. |
| March 20, 2025 | The Probate Division of the Office of Circuit Court Clerk moved to Room 2063 on the second floor of the Louis D. Brandeis Hall of Justice. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Jefferson County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | If the home is already titled with survivorship rights, the house may not be the reason to open the estate. The Jefferson question is what stood in the deceased spouse's sole name. If the surviving spouse's $30,000 exemption under KRS 391.030, together with any preferred claims under KRS 396.095 that have been paid, equals or exceeds the distributable assets, the District Court can dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 using AOC-830. If not, file the Jefferson opening packet at Room 2063. | Sunset helps identify accounts and debts before the family chooses an estate settlement route, so the comparison required by KRS 395.455 is based on the full picture. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the parent lived in Jefferson County at death, venue is in Jefferson County under KRS 394.140, and if there is no will, KRS 395.030 sends the intestate estate to the same court. A self-represented filer may file in person or via regular U.S. Mail, and Jefferson County District Court states that for probate all parties may appear either in person or by Zoom. Call (502) 595-4434 before mailing papers so the Office of Circuit Court Clerk can tell you where to send them. | Sunset can assemble the asset list and filing packet from out of state, which helps reduce unnecessary trips during estate settlement. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home that must be sold usually points to full administration: file AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, AOC-808 under KRS 395.015, AOC-809 and the tendered order in Jefferson County. After appointment, the AOC-841 inventory is filed under seal under KRS 395.250. Motions use the Tuesday Probate Motion Hour, with the 2 p.m. slot for self-represented parties. | Sunset helps build the full asset and liability picture, including what is owed against the property, before the parent asks to be appointed. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Probate Division | Probate forms, paper copies, filing fee totals under CR 3.03, weekly probate motion-hour pre-rulings by telephone and case information. The clerk is not an attorney and cannot give legal advice. | Louis D. Brandeis Hall of Justice, 600 W. Jefferson St., 2nd Floor, Room 2063, Louisville, KY 40202; (502) 595-4434; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Jefferson County District Court probate page | Jefferson's required AOC form list, Probate Motion Hour, Rapid Appointment Docket timing, weekly pre-rulings and the court's Zoom details for each probate courtroom. | jeffersondistrictcourt.com |
| Kentucky Court of Justice self-help portal and A2J guided interviews | Free guided interviews for forms. The topic list includes Probate Estate and Dispense with Administration under KRS 395.455. The Court of Justice cautions that the forms are not a substitute for legal advice. | kycourts.gov Legal Self-Help, interviews at a2j.org |
| Jefferson clerk legal self-help resources | The clerk republishes the A2J list for Jefferson readers, including Petition for Probate of Estate and Petition to Dispense with Administration under KRS 395.455. | jeffersonkycourtclerk.com |
| Legal Aid Society | Jefferson County's regional civil legal aid program. Its public materials describe civil help related to income, family, housing, safety and health; ask the program before relying on it for a decedent's estate matter. | 416 W. Muhammad Ali Boulevard, Suite 300, Louisville, KY 40202; (502) 584-1254 or (800) 292-1862; yourlegalaid.org |
| Kentucky Lawyer Referral Service, sponsored by the Louisville Bar Association | A referral service named for Louisville readers in the Administrative Office of the Courts probate guide. | (502) 583-1801 |
| Guide to Basic Kentucky Probate Procedures, Administrative Office of the Courts | A statewide plain-language probate booklet. It is useful background, but it predates the July 15, 2026 rewrite of KRS Chapter 395, so follow current statutes and current Jefferson forms for the AOC-808 financial disclosure under KRS 395.015, the AOC-841 inventory under KRS 395.250 and bond questions under KRS 395.130. | kycourts.gov Legal Help |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is especially useful in Jefferson County if real estate must be sold, family members disagree, a will contest may be filed as an original Circuit Court action under KRS 394.240 after a District Court decision under KRS 24A.120, creditors under KRS 396.011 are active, or the judge raises a bond question under KRS 395.130. Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps identify bank, investment, retirement and insurance accounts so the Jefferson County estate settlement plan starts with a complete asset picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for the Kentucky AOC forms and for Jefferson's local requirement that the proposed order be tendered with the petition.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate involves real property, a dispute, creditor issues or a court-ordered bond under KRS 395.130, Sunset can help you find a local probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families use Sunset at no cost while they organize the estate settlement tasks, court paperwork and next steps.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Jefferson County, Kentucky?
File with the Probate Division of the Jefferson County Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Louis D. Brandeis Hall of Justice, 600 W. Jefferson St., 2nd Floor, Room 2063, Louisville, KY 40202. Kentucky probate is a District Court matter under KRS 24A.120.
Which Louisville courthouse do I go to for probate?
Go to 600 W. Jefferson St., the Louis D. Brandeis Hall of Justice. The Jefferson County Judicial Center at 700 W. Jefferson St. houses Circuit Court and Family Court, but probate is handled in District Court under KRS 24A.120 at the Hall of Justice.
What is the phone number for the Jefferson County probate clerk?
The Probate Division's direct line is (502) 595-4434. The Jefferson County Office of Circuit Court Clerk lists that number for probate, and it is the number to call for the filing counter, docket questions and where to send mailed papers.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Jefferson 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. Jefferson 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 (KRS 453.060) where one is in force, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file.
Can I file Jefferson County probate papers online or by mail?
An attorney handling a Kentucky probate case has had to e-file since January 1, 2024. A self-represented filer uses paper. The Jefferson County Office of Circuit Court Clerk says self-represented litigants file in person or via regular U.S. Mail, and that documents submitted through its website are not filed. Call (502) 595-4434 for where to send a probate filing.
When is probate court held in Jefferson County, and how far ahead do I have to file?
Appointments are heard on the Rapid Appointment Docket on Wednesdays at 9 a.m., with papers due by 2 p.m. on the preceding Wednesday. Motions are heard at Probate Motion Hour on Tuesdays, 1 p.m. for attorneys and 2 p.m. for self-represented parties, with papers due by noon on the preceding Thursday. Jefferson County District Court also instructs movants to satisfy the applicable notice requirements.
Can I appear by Zoom for a Jefferson County probate hearing?
Jefferson County District Court states that for probate all parties may appear either in person or by Zoom, and the court publishes the login details for each probate courtroom, including a dial-in method. Check the court's own page or call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk's Probate Division at (502) 595-4434 before your date.
Does Jefferson County have its own probate forms?
Jefferson County does not publish a separate county form set. It uses the statewide Kentucky AOC forms, including AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, AOC-808 under KRS 395.015, AOC-841 under KRS 395.250, AOC-846 under KRS 395.610 and AOC-850 under KRS 395.605. Jefferson's local point is that the District Court publishes a required-forms list and requires the proposed order to be tendered with the petition.
How do I look up a Jefferson County probate case or find my courtroom?
The Kentucky Court of Justice has a docket lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ that asks for county, division and date, and the Jefferson clerk links to it from its dockets page. Jefferson County District Court sends parties who need a courtroom by name to the court portal at kcoj.kycourts.net, which requires an account. For a Jefferson estate, the practical contact is the Office of Circuit Court Clerk's Probate Division at (502) 595-4434.
Is the probate booklet the Jefferson clerk links to up to date?
The booklet is the Administrative Office of the Courts' statewide Guide to Basic Kentucky Probate Procedures, revised February 2025. It predates the July 15, 2026 rewrite of KRS Chapter 395. Current law now requires the AOC-841 inventory no later than ninety (90) days from qualifying and files it under seal under KRS 395.250, adds AOC-808 Financial Disclosure under KRS 395.015, and no longer requires bond by default under KRS 395.130.
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.