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Lawrence County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Lawrence County District Court, sitting in probate. KRS 24A.120(2) gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over matters involving probate. |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Lawrence County |
| Courthouse | Lawrence County Judicial Center, 29 River Bend Road, Louisa, KY 41230 |
| Mailing | No separate mailing address is published by the court. Use 29 River Bend Road, Louisa, KY 41230 unless the clerk gives different instructions. |
| Phone | 606-638-4215 |
| Fax | The court page does not publish a fax number for Lawrence County. Call 606-638-4215 before sending anything by fax. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 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. Lawrence 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. |
| Forms | Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms apply. Lawrence County does not publish a separate local probate form set. |
| 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 at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Louisa. |
| Court dates | Lawrence District Court local rules set the probate division docket for every Monday that court is in session, at 9 a.m. |
| Case information | Kentucky does not publish a free full public docket search for District Court probate cases. A statewide court-date lookup exists, but for the status of a Lawrence County estate, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Louisa. |
| Remote appearance | No Lawrence District Court probate login is posted. For uncontested probate, call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. If a contested estate proceeds in Lawrence Circuit Court under KRS 24A.120(2) and KRS 394.240, the 24th Judicial Circuit rules allow a remote or hybrid request at the judge's discretion at least five business days before the proceeding. |
| Accessibility | Wheelchair ramp and equipped bathrooms in the main courthouse. |
| Payment | Cash, money order, credit cards and debit cards are accepted, with a card fee. The court page also links to ePay. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Lawrence.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Louisa, make a working list of the person's assets, debts, jointly owned property, beneficiary designations and bills that may need immediate attention. The right estate settlement path depends on what must pass through the court, who is asking to serve, and whether anyone is likely to object.
Sunset can help you start that inventory by searching more than 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, then organizing what you find into an estate settlement plan that matches Lawrence County's local filing steps.
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 Lawrence County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Lawrence County Judicial Center in Louisa.
Lawrence County is part of Kentucky's 24th Judicial District with Johnson and Martin counties (KRS 24A.030). The filing remains a Lawrence County District Court probate filing through the Louisa office. If the estate becomes contested, KRS 24A.120(2) sends the dispute to Lawrence Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal.
Louisa is the county seat. Lawrence County filings also cover Blaine and unincorporated Lawrence County communities, including areas near Yatesville Lake that are outside Louisa.
The jurisdiction process
- Start with the estate settlement facts: list accounts, vehicles, land, debts, funeral expenses, possible heirs and whether the person left a will.
- Choose the opening paper. Use AOC-805 for probate of a will or appointment of a personal representative, with KRS 394.145 and KRS 395.015 in mind. Use AOC-830 if you are asking the judge to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
- Get the current Kentucky AOC forms online or from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Louisa. Lawrence District Court local rules say pleadings should be typewritten when possible, handwritten additions and corrections are accepted, and current AOC forms should be used.
- If the person asking to serve as personal representative lives outside Kentucky, type the full name and address of a Kentucky process agent on the petition, as required by Lawrence District Court's local probate rule.
- File at the Lawrence County Judicial Center, 29 River Bend Road, Louisa, KY 41230. Attorneys must e-file eligible probate filings since January 1, 2024; self-represented filers may file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
- 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. Lawrence 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.
- Ask how the matter will be placed on the docket. Lawrence District Court local rules set the probate division for every Monday the court is in session at 9 a.m. and place many uncontested petitions, will probates and petitions to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 on an informal docket reviewed before court.
- Ask before assuming a remote appearance. For District Court probate under KRS 24A.120, no Lawrence County probate login is posted centrally. If the matter becomes a contested adversary proceeding under KRS 24A.120(2) and KRS 394.240, the 24th Judicial Circuit rules allow a remote or hybrid request at the judge's discretion at least five business days before the proceeding.
- After appointment, obtain the Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807. Kentucky also refers to the personal representative's authority as letters of appointment under KRS 395.105 and lets the clerk issue formal letters under KRS 395.110.
- Administer and close the estate. File the inventory within 90 days under KRS 395.250; the inventory is confidential and filed under seal under KRS 395.250. Address creditor claims under KRS 396.011, then close with AOC-850 for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 or AOC-846 for settlement under KRS 395.610.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Lawrence County
Lawrence County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Lawrence 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.
Lawrence District Court's local rules add practical paperwork instructions. Pleadings should be typewritten when possible, handwritten applications and corrections are accepted, and current AOC forms should be used. If the proposed personal representative is not a Kentucky resident, the petition must type the full name and address of a Kentucky process agent.
Timeline
- Before filing, call 606-638-4215 if you need to confirm the current filing total, payment method, court date or whether the clerk needs anything specific for your packet.
- When you file, ask whether the matter will go to Lawrence District Court's Monday probate division docket at 9 a.m. KRS 24A.120 keeps uncontested probate in District Court, and the local rule says the probate division convenes every Monday that court is in session.
- For an uncontested petition, ask whether it will be reviewed on the informal docket. Lawrence's local rule says uncontested petitions, will probates and petitions to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 are reviewed before court and are not called on the regular docket unless counsel or the petitioner requests it.
- If a dispute turns the matter into an adversary proceeding, KRS 24A.120(2) and KRS 394.240 place that dispute in Lawrence Circuit Court. The 24th Judicial Circuit rule allows a party or attorney to ask for a remote or hybrid proceeding at the judge's discretion by contacting the Circuit Judge's office, the Circuit Clerk and the other party or counsel at least five business days before the proceeding.
- If a personal representative is appointed, the inventory is due within 90 days and is filed under seal under KRS 395.250. Creditor claims are handled under KRS 396.011 before final settlement under KRS 395.605 or KRS 395.610.
Local nuance
Lawrence County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Dedicated Monday probate docket | Lawrence District Court's local rules name a probate division that convenes every Monday the court is in session at 9 a.m. KRS 24A.120 keeps ordinary probate in District Court. |
| Informal docket for uncontested matters | Uncontested petitions, will probates, petitions to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, and uncontested motions and orders are reviewed before court and are not called on the regular docket unless counsel or the petitioner asks. |
| Out-of-state fiduciary paperwork | A proposed personal representative who does not live in Kentucky must type the full name and address of a Kentucky process agent on the petition. |
| Contested estate remote requests | If a Lawrence County estate becomes a Circuit Court adversary proceeding under KRS 24A.120(2) and KRS 394.240, the 24th Judicial Circuit rules allow a remote or hybrid request at the judge's discretion at least five business days before the proceeding. |
| Fax not posted by the court page | The Lawrence County court page does not publish a fax number. Call 606-638-4215 before sending any probate paper by fax. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Lawrence County path | Sunset role |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start at the Lawrence County Judicial Center in Louisa. If only personal property needs transfer, a petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 may fit. If the home or title issue requires a personal representative, the spouse may need AOC-805 under KRS 394.145. Many uncontested filings can be reviewed on the informal Monday probate docket. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, titles and beneficiary designations so the spouse can choose the right estate settlement path before filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Call 606-638-4215 before mailing because the court page does not publish a separate mailing address. If asking to serve as personal representative, a non-Kentucky resident must type a Kentucky process agent's name and address on the petition. If asking to dispense with administration, AOC-830 must be tied to KRS 395.455. | Sunset organizes the asset list, generates a county-ready packet and flags the Lawrence process-agent requirement before the child sends papers to Louisa. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a home must be sold | A home sale usually means opening a full estate with AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, then using the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, for banks and title companies. If a dispute develops, KRS 24A.120(2) and KRS 394.240 move the contested matter to Lawrence Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding. | Sunset helps find assets, prepare the estate settlement file and connect the parent with a Kentucky probate attorney when a sale or dispute makes legal help important. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it can help | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Lawrence County | Filing office for Lawrence County estates. The office can provide forms, take filings, tell you the current amount due under CR 3.03 and give court-date information. The clerk cannot give legal advice. | Lawrence County Judicial Center, 29 River Bend Road, Louisa, KY 41230. 606-638-4215. |
| 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. | 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 |
| AppalReD Legal Aid | The civil legal aid program listed for Lawrence County. Ask directly what help is 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 | 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 current AOC forms for deadlines, financial disclosure under KRS 395.015 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 to sell, unclear heirs, creditor claims under KRS 396.011, inheritance tax questions under KRS 140.070, a nonresident fiduciary, or any objection that could become an adversary proceeding under KRS 24A.120(2) and KRS 394.240. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney when the estate settlement needs legal help.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families build a clearer estate settlement picture by finding accounts, insurance, retirement assets, debts and other institutions that may need attention before a Lawrence County filing.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you gather into a packet organized around Kentucky AOC forms and Lawrence County's local requirements, including the Monday probate docket and the process-agent line for a non-Kentucky fiduciary.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate involves a home sale, a dispute, creditor claims under KRS 396.011 or a Circuit Court adversary proceeding under KRS 24A.120(2), Sunset can connect you with a Kentucky probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, prepare for court and understand what to ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before filing in Louisa.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Lawrence County, Kentucky?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Lawrence County Judicial Center, 29 River Bend Road, Louisa, KY 41230. Kentucky probate is a District Court matter, and KRS 24A.120(2) gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over probate matters.
What is the phone number for Lawrence County probate filings?
Call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Lawrence County at 606-638-4215. The court page publishes one filing-office number and does not list a separate probate division phone line.
How much does it cost to open a probate case in Lawrence 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. Lawrence 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.
Does Lawrence County have a weekly probate docket?
Yes. Lawrence District Court's local rules set the probate division docket for every Monday the court is in session, at 9 a.m. KRS 24A.120 keeps ordinary probate in District Court.
Will an uncontested Lawrence County probate matter be called in open court?
Not always. Lawrence District Court's local rules say uncontested petitions, will probates, petitions to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, and uncontested motions and orders go on an informal docket reviewed before court and are not called on the regular docket unless counsel or the petitioner requests it.
Can I e-file a Lawrence County probate case?
Attorneys handling eligible Kentucky probate filings must e-file since January 1, 2024. If you are self-represented, you may register for the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system, but you may still file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Louisa.
Can I appear remotely for Lawrence County probate?
For ordinary District Court probate under KRS 24A.120, no Lawrence County probate login is posted, so call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at 606-638-4215 before you assume either way. If the estate becomes a contested adversary proceeding under KRS 24A.120(2) and KRS 394.240, the 24th Judicial Circuit rules allow a party or attorney to request a remote or hybrid proceeding at the judge's discretion at least five business days before the proceeding.
Does Lawrence County have its own probate forms?
Lawrence County uses the Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms. There is no separate Lawrence County form set. Use AOC-805 under KRS 394.145 to open a full estate, AOC-830 under KRS 395.455 to ask 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.
Can I look up a Lawrence County probate case online?
Kentucky does not publish a free full public docket search for District Court probate cases. A statewide court-date lookup exists, but it is not a full case-status system. For the status of a Lawrence County estate, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Louisa at 606-638-4215.
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.