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Letcher County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Court | Letcher 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 Letcher County |
| Courthouse address | Letcher County Courthouse, 156 Main St., Suite 201, Whitesburg, KY 41858 |
| Mailing | No separate mailing address is published for the Letcher County Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Phone | (606) 633-7559. The office page also lists 606-633-1048 as an additional office line without a label. |
| Fax | (606) 633-5864 |
| 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. Letcher 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 under KRS 453.060 where one is in force, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file. |
| Forms | Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms apply. Letcher County does not publish a separate local probate form set. |
| E-filing | Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling a Kentucky probate, intestate, or dispense-with-administration case must file electronically. Self-represented filers may register, but they may still file paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Case lookup | Kentucky does not publish a free public case search for District Court probate cases under KRS 24A.120. A separate no-login court-date lookup exists at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ with a subject-to-change caveat. For estate status, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Whitesburg. |
| Remote appearance | Kentucky courts have used Zoom for some proceedings since March 2020, but whether a Letcher County District Court probate matter under KRS 24A.120 is in person or remote is up to the judge. The Letcher page posts no local login details. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming either way. |
| Payments | Cash, money order, personal check, cashier's check, certified check, credit cards, and debit cards are listed. A card fee applies. For checks and money orders, the office asks for a phone number, birth date, and Social Security number. |
| Accessibility | Ramp to building entrance and elevator in the building. Parking is around the building and in the lot behind the library, with designated disability parking. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Letcher.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Whitesburg, list the assets, debts, real estate, account titles, and likely heirs or beneficiaries. That first inventory of information is what tells you whether estate settlement can be handled by a court order to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 or whether the family needs appointment of a personal representative.
Sunset helps families start estate settlement by searching across 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, then organizing what is found so the Letcher County filing packet matches the estate instead of relying on guesses.
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 Letcher County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg.
The same courthouse serves estates from Whitesburg, Jenkins, Fleming-Neon, Isom, Kona, Mayking, Linefork, and other communities in Letcher County. KRS 24A.120 gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over probate matters, and Letcher County is the 47th Judicial District under KRS 24A.030.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the correct Kentucky AOC path before you file. AOC-805 is used to probate a will or ask for appointment of an executor or administrator, with KRS 394.145 and KRS 395.015. AOC-830 asks the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. If appointment is requested, include the required financial disclosure on AOC-808 under KRS 395.015.
- File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Letcher County Courthouse, 156 Main St., Suite 201, Whitesburg. Kentucky probate is a District Court matter because KRS 24A.120 gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over matters involving probate.
- Pay the opening cost or confirm the exact amount 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. Letcher 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 under KRS 453.060 where one is in force, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file.
- If an attorney is handling the case, the attorney files through Kentucky eFiling because the attorney rule has applied to probate case types since January 1, 2024. If you are self-represented, you may register for eFiling, but you may also file paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Whitesburg.
- Ask the clerk's office how the hearing or order review will be scheduled. Letcher County's court page does not publish probate motion days or hearing days, and remote appearance details are not posted locally. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming the matter will be in person or remote.
- If the District Court appoints you, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, showing that the appointment order is in force. Kentucky law also refers to the fiduciary's authority as letters of appointment under KRS 395.105, and KRS 395.110 allows formal letters under seal.
- Administer the estate after qualification. File the inventory on AOC-841 within ninety days under KRS 395.250, including the current rule that the inventory is confidential and filed under seal. Kentucky no longer requires a bond by default under KRS 395.130, but the court may order one where the statute allows.
- Handle creditor claims under KRS 396.011, pay allowed debts and taxes if due, then close the estate. 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.
- If a dispute becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Letcher Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal, under KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Letcher County
Letcher County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Letcher County form set. AOC-805 opens the estate under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 asks the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 is the inventory under KRS 395.250, and AOC-846 or AOC-850 closes the estate under KRS 395.610 or KRS 395.605.
The forms are available through the Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms catalogue, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Whitesburg can provide paper copies. The clerk can provide forms and fee information, but the clerk cannot give legal advice or decide which form you should file.
Local nuance
Letcher County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Two office phone lines | Call (606) 633-7559 first. The court page also lists 606-633-1048 as an additional Office of Circuit Court Clerk line, but it does not label the second number. |
| Payment details | The Letcher office lists cash, money order, personal check, cashier's check, certified check, credit cards, and debit cards. A card fee applies, and the amount is not published. For checks and money orders, be ready to provide a phone number, birth date, and Social Security number. |
| Accessibility | The courthouse page lists a ramp to the building entrance and an elevator in the building. Parking is around the building and in the lot behind the library, with designated disability parking. |
| Own judicial district | Letcher County is the 47th Judicial District under KRS 24A.030, and it does not share that district with another county. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | File at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Whitesburg. Whether the estate can be handled without appointing a personal representative depends on the statewide exemption and a petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. A co-owned home may still require title review before anyone assumes no court order is needed. | Sunset organizes account and asset information so the spouse and any attorney can see what passes outside probate and what needs a Letcher County filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Call the Letcher office before mailing papers because no separate mailing address is published. If paying by check or money order, be ready to provide the payment information the office asks for. An attorney must e-file after January 1, 2024, while a self-represented filer may file paper. A petition to dispense with administration must fit KRS 395.455. | Sunset turns the asset list into an estate settlement plan and helps identify whether the statewide dispense-with-administration path or appointment papers are the better starting point. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Selling real property usually requires appointment through AOC-805 under KRS 394.145 and a personal representative who can show authority. After appointment, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, and Kentucky law also uses letters of appointment under KRS 395.105. | Sunset helps collect property, account, and debt information, then can connect the parent with a Kentucky probate attorney for the sale and closing steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Letcher County | Filing office for Letcher County estates. The office provides forms, accepts filings, and can tell you the current amount due under CR 3.03 and any local add-ons. | Letcher County Courthouse, 156 Main St., Suite 201, Whitesburg, KY 41858. Phone: (606) 633-7559. Fax: (606) 633-5864. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | Statewide free AOC probate forms, including AOC-805, AOC-830, AOC-841, AOC-846, and AOC-850. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Forms/Pages/default.aspx |
| Kentucky Court of Justice Self-Help Portal | Free guided A2J interviews, 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 | Civil legal aid program listed for Letcher County. Ask the program whether it can help with your situation. | 866-277-5733. https://ardfky.org/ |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | Online Q&A with a volunteer Kentucky attorney for income-eligible residents. | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral services | Statewide attorney referral resource. | https://www.kybar.org/page/lawreferserv |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for accounts, policies, and assets so families are not building a Letcher County estate settlement from memory alone.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes what it finds into the information needed for Kentucky AOC forms and for the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Whitesburg.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs counsel, Sunset can connect the family with a Kentucky probate attorney who understands District Court filings under KRS 24A.120.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to make estate settlement clearer before deciding whether they can file themselves or need legal help.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Letcher County?
File at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Letcher County Courthouse, 156 Main St., Suite 201, Whitesburg, KY 41858. Kentucky probate is a District Court matter because KRS 24A.120 gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over matters involving probate.
What does it cost to open a Letcher 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. Letcher 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 under 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 pay by card at the Letcher County clerk's office?
The office lists credit cards and debit cards, and says a card fee applies. The amount of that card fee is not published. The office also lists cash, money order, personal check, cashier's check, and certified check. For checks and money orders, be ready to provide a phone number, birth date, and Social Security number.
Does Letcher County have its own probate forms?
Letcher County uses Kentucky's statewide AOC probate forms, not a separate county packet. Common forms include AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 for the inventory under KRS 395.250, AOC-846 under KRS 395.610, and AOC-850 under KRS 395.605.
Can I use e-filing for a Letcher County probate case?
Kentucky probate eFiling has been required for an attorney in covered probate case types since January 1, 2024. A self-represented filer may register for the system, but may also file paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Whitesburg.
When does Letcher County District Court hear probate matters?
The Letcher County court page does not publish probate hearing days or motion days. Call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (606) 633-7559 to ask how a District Court probate matter under KRS 24A.120 will be scheduled.
Can I attend a Letcher County probate hearing remotely?
Kentucky courts have used Zoom for some proceedings since March 2020, but the Letcher County page posts no local Zoom link or login information. Whether a particular District Court probate matter under KRS 24A.120 is heard in person or remote is up to the judge, so contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming either option.
Can I look up a Letcher County estate online?
Kentucky does not publish a free public case search for District Court probate cases under KRS 24A.120. The Kentucky Court of Justice has a no-login court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ with a subject-to-change caveat, but for estate status you should contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Whitesburg.
Is the Letcher County Courthouse accessible?
The courthouse page lists a ramp to the building entrance and an elevator in the building. It also lists parking around the building and in the lot behind the library, with designated disability parking.
Is Letcher County its own judicial district?
Yes. Letcher County is the 47th Judicial District under KRS 24A.030, and the district is Letcher County alone.
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.