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Lincoln County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Lincoln County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Lincoln County District Court, with probate papers filed through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Lincoln County. KRS 24A.120 gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over matters involving probate. |
| Court business address | Lincoln County Judicial Center, 101 E. Main St., Stanford, KY 40484. |
| Temporary filing location | The court page currently says the Office of Circuit Court Clerk is temporarily located at 104 Agriculture Way in Stanford for filings not required to be filed electronically, while court schedules and other court business continue at 101 E. Main St. |
| Mailing | No separate mailing address is published for probate filings beyond the Lincoln County Judicial Center and the temporary filing location. |
| Phone | (606) 365-2535. |
| Fax | (606) 365-3389. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Saturday and Sunday. No lunch closure is published on the court page. |
| Fee 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. Lincoln 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, check, and money order are published payment options. The court page also links to Pay online with ePay. |
| Forms | No separate Lincoln County probate form set is published. Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms apply. |
| Electronic filing | Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling an eligible Kentucky probate filing must file electronically. A self-represented filer may register for the system, but may file paper documents that are not required to be filed electronically through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Case and date lookup | The Kentucky Court of Justice account portal is not a free public District Court probate case search. A free court-date lookup exists at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/. For estate status, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Stanford. |
| Remote appearance | Kentucky courts have used Zoom for remote proceedings, but Lincoln County publishes no local probate login information. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming a District Court probate matter under KRS 24A.120 will be heard remotely. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Lincoln.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Lincoln County, make a working list of the accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts, final bills, and possible beneficiaries. The clerk can provide forms and fee information, but the clerk cannot give legal advice about what belongs in the estate or which estate settlement path fits your facts.
Sunset searches across 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts and assets before they prepare probate papers. That early asset picture makes the Lincoln County filing more accurate and helps you decide whether estate settlement should start with appointment of a personal representative or a request to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
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 Lincoln County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Lincoln County in Stanford.
Lincoln County includes Stanford, Crab Orchard, Eubank, Hustonville, McKinney, and unincorporated areas of the county. Probate for a Lincoln County resident is handled through the same Stanford filing office, even if the person lived outside the city limits.
Lincoln County District Court sits in the 13th Judicial District under KRS 24A.030. The county page also lists Lincoln County in the separately numbered 28th Judicial Circuit for Circuit Court and Family Court, but routine probate starts in District Court under KRS 24A.120.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the assets, debts, beneficiaries, and any will before filing. This helps you choose between appointment of a personal representative and a request to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
- Get the statewide Kentucky AOC probate forms. AOC-805 is used to open an estate and cites KRS 394.145; AOC-830 is used to ask the District Court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455; AOC-841 is the inventory under KRS 395.250; AOC-846 is used for settlement under KRS 395.610; and AOC-850 is used for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605.
- File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Lincoln County. Court schedules and court business remain at the Lincoln County Judicial Center, 101 E. Main St., Stanford, KY 40484. The court page currently directs filings not required to be filed electronically to the temporary location at 104 Agriculture Way in Stanford during building repairs.
- If an attorney is filing, use the Kentucky Court of Justice electronic filing system. Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling eligible probate papers must file electronically. A self-represented filer may register for electronic filing, but may still file paper documents that are not required to be filed electronically at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
- Pay the opening cost or confirm the exact 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. Lincoln 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 the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for the court date. Lincoln County's page confirms that court schedules and other court business remain at 101 E. Main St., but it does not publish a specific probate docket day.
- Ask before assuming a remote appearance. Kentucky courts have held proceedings by Zoom since March 2020, but Lincoln County publishes no probate login information. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (606) 365-2535 for instructions for your District Court matter under KRS 24A.120.
- If the District Court appoints you, obtain the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807. Kentucky law also refers to letters of appointment under KRS 395.105 and allows formal letters in due form under KRS 395.110.
- Administer and close the estate under Kentucky's statewide deadlines. A personal representative files the inventory under KRS 395.250, handles creditor claims under KRS 396.011, and closes by the appropriate settlement procedure under KRS 395.605 or KRS 395.610.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Lincoln County
Lincoln County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; Lincoln County's Office of Circuit Court Clerk page does not publish a separate county probate form set. The statewide forms are free at kycourts.gov, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Stanford can provide paper forms.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| AOC-805 | Petition for Probate of Will and/or Appointment of Executor/Administrator, used to open the estate. The form cites KRS 394.145. |
| AOC-830 | Petition to Dispense with Administration, used to ask the District Court to transfer assets without appointing an executor or administrator under KRS 395.455. |
| AOC-807 | Certificate of Qualification, the clerk-issued proof of appointment after the District Court appoints a personal representative. The form number is AOC-807. |
| AOC-841 | Inventory and Appraisement of Estate, filed under KRS 395.250. |
| AOC-846 | Settlement of Estate, used in a formal or periodic settlement under KRS 395.610. |
| AOC-850 | Application for Informal Final Settlement, used when the estate can close under KRS 395.605. |
Recent updates
| Update | What it means for Lincoln County filings |
|---|---|
| Temporary Office of Circuit Court Clerk relocation | The Lincoln County court page says the Office of Circuit Court Clerk is temporarily located at 104 Agriculture Way in Stanford, starting Monday, June 1, for building repairs at the Lincoln County Judicial Center. Filings not required to be filed electronically are accepted at the temporary location, the phone number remains (606) 365-2535, and court schedules and other court business continue at the judicial center at 101 E. Main St. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by separating jointly held property from anything titled only in the decedent's name. If a Lincoln County filing is needed, file through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Stanford. If you ask to dispense with administration, cite KRS 395.455 and use AOC-830. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title clues, debts, and beneficiary information before you decide what must be filed for estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Kentucky does not use an affidavit handed directly to a bank for this path. A Lincoln County request to dispense with administration is a District Court filing under KRS 395.455, made through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Stanford. Ask the clerk whether your hearing or filing step can be handled without travel. | Sunset helps organize the asset list, generate a probate packet, and connect you with a Kentucky attorney if distance or court attendance becomes an issue. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home or sale proceeds require a personal representative, the Lincoln County District Court under KRS 24A.120 can appoint an executor or administrator. After appointment, the clerk issues the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, and the personal representative can work with title and closing professionals. | Sunset helps gather account information, prepare the court packet, and find local legal help for sale-related probate questions. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | Contact | How it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Lincoln County | 101 E. Main St., Stanford, KY 40484 for court business; temporary filing location at 104 Agriculture Way in Stanford for documents not required to be filed electronically during building repairs; (606) 365-2535; fax (606) 365-3389. | The filing office for Lincoln County probate matters. The clerk can provide forms, tell you the amount due, and give court-date information, but cannot give legal advice. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Forms/Pages/default.aspx | Statewide probate forms, including AOC-805, AOC-807, AOC-830, AOC-841, AOC-846, AOC-850, and AOC-860. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice Self-Help Portal | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Pages/Self-Help-Portal.aspx and https://a2j.org/#Kentucky | Guided interviews for Probate Estate and Dispense with Administration under KRS 395.455. |
| AppalReD Legal Aid | 866-277-5733; https://ardfky.org/ | The civil legal aid program listed for Lincoln County. Ask the program what kinds of civil matters it can review. |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ | Online civil legal questions answered by volunteer Kentucky attorneys. |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral services | https://www.kybar.org/page/lawreferserv | Statewide lawyer referral information for families who need probate counsel. |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families locate financial accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property before the Lincoln County filing begins, so the estate settlement plan starts from a clearer inventory under KRS 395.250.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you gather into an organized packet for the Kentucky AOC forms used in Lincoln County, including the opening petition, dispense-with-administration request under KRS 395.455 when appropriate, and closing forms.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves conflict, real estate, creditor issues under KRS 396.011, or an out-of-state personal representative, Sunset can connect the family with Kentucky probate counsel.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, prepare for the Lincoln County filing, and understand what to ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before going to Stanford.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Lincoln County, Kentucky?
File through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Lincoln County in Stanford. Court schedules and court business remain at the Lincoln County Judicial Center, 101 E. Main St., Stanford, KY 40484. The court page currently directs filings not required to be filed electronically to 104 Agriculture Way during building repairs. Probate is a District Court matter under KRS 24A.120.
Is probate filed with the Lincoln County Clerk?
No. Probate filings go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Lincoln County, because Kentucky probate is handled in District Court under KRS 24A.120. The separately elected Lincoln County Clerk is a different office.
How much does it cost to open probate in Lincoln 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. Lincoln 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 Lincoln County court page list?
The Lincoln County court page lists cash, check, and money order. It also links to Pay online with ePay. It does not publish a credit or debit card option for the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
Does Lincoln County have its own probate forms?
Lincoln County's Office of Circuit Court Clerk page does not publish a separate county probate form set. Use Kentucky's statewide AOC forms, including AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 under KRS 395.250, AOC-846 under KRS 395.610, and AOC-850 under KRS 395.605.
Do attorneys have to file Lincoln County probate papers electronically?
Yes. Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling eligible Kentucky probate papers must file electronically through the Kentucky Court of Justice system. A self-represented filer may register, but is not required to file electronically and may file paper documents that are not required to be filed electronically with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
Can I appear remotely for a Lincoln County probate hearing?
Do not assume either way. Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020, but Lincoln County publishes no local probate login information. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (606) 365-2535 to ask whether your District Court probate matter under KRS 24A.120 will be in person or remote.
Can I look up a Lincoln County probate case online?
The Kentucky Court of Justice account portal is not a free public District Court probate case search. A free court-date lookup is available at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/. For estate status, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Stanford at (606) 365-2535.
Do I have to travel to Stanford for a Lincoln County estate?
Maybe. Self-represented filers can use paper filings that are not required to be filed electronically, and attorneys must file eligible papers electronically as of January 1, 2024. If a hearing is set, call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk to ask about the date, location, and any remote instructions before making travel plans.
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.