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Madison County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Madison County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Madison County District Court, probate division. Kentucky gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over probate matters under KRS 24A.120. |
| Probate filing location | Madison County Hall of Justice, 351 W. Main St., Richmond, KY 40475. Call the probate division before you go, because the county also has a separate courthouse on the same street. |
| Clerk main office and Circuit Court | Madison County Courthouse, 101 W. Main St., Richmond, KY 40475. A contested estate is filed fresh in Madison Circuit Court under KRS 24A.120(2) and KRS 394.240. |
| Mailing | The Madison County court page lists street addresses only and does not publish a separate probate mailing box. Call the probate division before mailing estate papers. |
| Phone | Probate division: (859) 624-4723. Main office and Circuit Court: (859) 624-4713. |
| Fax | The Madison County court page does not publish a fax number for the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., eastern time. Closed Saturday and Sunday. |
| Filing 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. Madison 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 | The office takes cash, check, money order, credit cards and debit cards. A card fee applies. The county page also links the Kentucky Court of Justice online payment option labeled Pay online with ePay. |
| Forms | Madison County uses Kentucky statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms. The Madison County court page does not publish a separate county probate form set. |
| Electronic filing | Attorneys handling Kentucky probate case types file electronically through the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system since January 1, 2024. Self-represented filers may register, but they may still file on paper with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Richmond. |
| Case and court-date lookup | Kentucky does not publish a free public case search for District Court probate cases. The Court of Justice has a free court-date lookup that includes Madison County and carries a not-official-docket caveat; call (859) 624-4723 to ask where an estate stands. |
| Remote appearance | Madison County links the statewide remote-court instructions but posts no local login details. The Court of Justice tells parties to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for event information, so call (859) 624-4723 before assuming how a hearing will be held. |
| Parking | The county court page lists two-hour parking on Main Street for the courthouse and a parking lot behind the Hall of Justice. |
| Website | Madison County court information |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Richmond, make a working list of the person's accounts, vehicles, real estate, debts and possible beneficiaries. That inventory of facts drives the estate settlement path, the form choice and whether the family needs a personal representative appointed by Madison County District Court under KRS 24A.120.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts before they choose the wrong filing path or pay a filing cost too early. Better information at the start makes estate settlement easier whether you file on paper in Richmond, work with counsel, or use Kentucky's statewide probate forms.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Kentucky sends a will to the District Court of the county where the person lived at death under KRS 394.140, and an intestate estate goes to the same court under KRS 395.030. If the person lived in Madison County, the papers go through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Richmond, with District Court at the Madison County Hall of Justice, 351 W. Main St.
Madison County includes Richmond, Berea and communities such as Kirksville, Kingston, Boonesborough, College Hill, Valley View, Bighill, Bybee and Baldwin. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk publishes court addresses in Richmond, so an estate for a Madison County resident is routed to Richmond even if the family lives closer to Berea.
Madison County is in Kentucky's 25th Judicial District with Clark County under KRS 24A.030. The county page lists three District Court divisions, but it does not assign probate matters to a particular division or publish a probate hearing schedule.
The jurisdiction process
- Start with the assets and debts. List accounts, vehicles, real estate, funeral expenses, unpaid bills and likely beneficiaries before you choose a filing path or begin estate settlement.
- Get the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts forms. Madison County uses the statewide forms: AOC-805 for a petition to probate a will or appoint an executor or administrator under KRS 394.145, and AOC-830 if you are asking the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
- Call the Madison County probate division at (859) 624-4723 before traveling or mailing papers. Probate is District Court business under KRS 24A.120, and Madison County District Court is at the Madison County Hall of Justice, 351 W. Main St., Richmond.
- File through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. An attorney handling a Kentucky probate, intestate estate, or petition to dispense with administration files electronically through the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system since January 1, 2024; a self-represented filer may still file on paper in Richmond.
- Pay the 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. Madison 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 your matter will be scheduled. Madison County's court page does not publish probate motion days, hearing days, or local login details, and the statewide remote-court instructions tell parties to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for event information.
- If the District Court appoints you, get the authority document. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, and Kentucky law also refers to the fiduciary's authority as letters of appointment under KRS 395.105.
- Administer the estate. If a personal representative is appointed, the inventory on AOC-841 is due under KRS 395.250, creditor claims are handled under KRS 396.011, and distribution timing is governed by KRS 395.190.
- Close the estate. Use AOC-846 for a settlement under KRS 395.610 or AOC-850 for an informal final settlement under KRS 395.605, depending on which statewide closing path fits the estate.
- If the estate becomes contested, the dispute does not stay in District Court. It is filed fresh in Madison Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding under KRS 24A.120(2), and a will contest is governed by KRS 394.240. Circuit Court sits at the Madison County Courthouse, 101 W. Main St., Richmond.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Madison County
Madison County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; the Madison County court page does not publish a separate Madison County form set. Use AOC-805 for a petition to probate a will or appoint an executor or administrator under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 for a request to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, AOC-808 for the financial disclosure required by KRS 395.015, AOC-841 for the inventory under KRS 395.250, and AOC-846 or AOC-850 to close under KRS 395.610 or KRS 395.605.
All of those forms are available through the Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms catalog, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Richmond can provide paper copies. When the District Court appoints a personal representative, the clerk issues the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, which families commonly need for banks and title companies.
Local nuance
Madison County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Two Richmond court buildings matter for estates | District Court probate is tied to the Madison County Hall of Justice at 351 W. Main St. The clerk's main office and Madison Circuit Court are at the Madison County Courthouse, 101 W. Main St. If an estate becomes contested, KRS 24A.120(2) and KRS 394.240 send the dispute to Circuit Court as a new adversary proceeding. |
| Use the probate division phone number | Call (859) 624-4723 for estate questions. The county page also publishes (859) 624-4713 for the main office and Circuit Court. |
| Berea families still start with Richmond | The separate Madison County Clerk has Richmond and Berea offices for deeds, vehicles, elections and licenses. Probate papers go through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk, whose court addresses are in Richmond. |
| Parking is split by building | The county court page lists two-hour parking on Main Street for the courthouse and a parking lot behind the Hall of Justice. |
| Payment methods are published | The office takes cash, check, money order, credit cards and debit cards. A card fee applies, and the amount should be asked about before filing. |
| 25th Judicial Circuit motion practice is dated | The published 25th Judicial Circuit local rules, approved February 2, 1998, place Circuit Court motion days on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. and close the motion docket at the end of the preceding Monday. Use that only as contested-estate context and confirm the current schedule with the clerk. |
Recent updates
| Date | Change | What it means for probate |
|---|---|---|
| May 2025 | Madison County Circuit Court and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk moved back into the renovated Madison County Courthouse at 101 W. Main St., Richmond, from the temporary location used since November 2022. | District Court, which hears probate under KRS 24A.120, stayed at the Madison County Hall of Justice at 351 W. Main St. throughout the move. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Madison County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by calling the probate division at (859) 624-4723 and sorting out which assets actually require District Court authority under KRS 24A.120. If a Kentucky petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 is being considered, treat that as a statewide court order question rather than a bank form. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and title issues before the spouse spends time at the wrong Richmond building. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | A self-represented filer may use paper filing in Richmond, while an attorney files electronically through the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system since January 1, 2024. Ask the clerk about the exact cost, card fee and any court date before booking travel. If the family is asking to dispense with administration, use AOC-830 under KRS 395.455. | Sunset organizes the estate settlement information, helps prepare the probate packet and can connect the family with local counsel if travel or title issues become difficult. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of real property usually means the family needs an appointed personal representative and a Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807. File the opening petition on AOC-805 under KRS 394.145 through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Richmond, then use the appointment documents for the title company. | Sunset helps find the assets, build the court packet and connect the parent with a vetted attorney if the sale, heirs or creditor issues make the estate more complex. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Madison County | Filing office for Madison County estate papers. The office can provide forms, quote the current amount due and give court-date information, but it cannot give legal advice. | Probate division: (859) 624-4723. Madison County Hall of Justice, 351 W. Main St., Richmond, KY 40475. Madison County court page |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | Statewide AOC probate forms, including AOC-805, AOC-807, AOC-830, AOC-841, AOC-846 and AOC-850. | Legal forms catalog |
| Kentucky Court of Justice Self-Help Portal | Links to free guided interviews for Probate Estate and Dispense with Administration. A petition to dispense with administration is governed by KRS 395.455. | Self-Help Portal and A2J Kentucky interviews |
| AppalReD Legal Aid | Civil legal aid program serving Madison County. Ask the program directly what estate-related help may be available. | 866-277-5733. AppalReD Legal Aid |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | Online service where an income-eligible Kentuckian can post a civil legal question for a volunteer Kentucky attorney. | Kentucky Free Legal Answers |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral services | Referral information for finding a Kentucky attorney when an estate involves real estate, family conflict or a court dispute. | KBA lawyer referral services |
| Guide to Basic Kentucky Probate Procedures | Administrative Office of the Courts plain-language booklet about Kentucky District Court probate. Use current statutes and current AOC forms for deadlines and bond questions under KRS 395.130 because KRS Chapter 395 changed effective July 15, 2026. | Probate guide |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel makes sense in Madison County when the estate includes real property to sell, beneficiaries disagree, a creditor issue is likely, the nominated executor lives out of state, or the matter may become contested and move from District Court to Madison Circuit Court under KRS 24A.120(2). Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify financial accounts, insurance, real estate clues and debts before filing, so the estate settlement plan is built around what actually exists.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for Kentucky AOC forms, including the opening petition, the form path for dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, and the documents a Madison County filer should review before calling the probate division.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves a home sale, a dispute, missing beneficiaries or a likely Circuit Court filing, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Kentucky probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement tasks, gather information and decide whether to file themselves in Richmond or work with counsel.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Madison County?
File through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Richmond. Probate is a District Court matter under KRS 24A.120, and Madison County District Court is at the Madison County Hall of Justice, 351 W. Main St. Call the probate division at (859) 624-4723 before you go.
Which Richmond court building handles a Madison County estate?
District Court probate is tied to the Madison County Hall of Justice at 351 W. Main St. The Madison County Courthouse at 101 W. Main St. houses the clerk's main office and Circuit Court, which matters if the estate becomes contested under KRS 24A.120(2) and KRS 394.240.
What number should I call about a Madison County probate case?
Call the probate division at (859) 624-4723. The county court page separately lists (859) 624-4713 for the main office and Circuit Court.
How much does it cost to open probate in Madison 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. Madison 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.
How can I pay the Madison County probate filing cost?
The county court page says the office accepts cash, check, money order, credit cards and debit cards, and that a fee applies to card payments. It also links the Kentucky Court of Justice online payment option labeled Pay online with ePay.
Are there Madison County probate forms?
Madison County uses Kentucky statewide AOC forms rather than a separate county probate packet. Common forms include 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.
Can I file electronically in Madison County probate?
An attorney handling a Kentucky probate case files electronically through the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system since January 1, 2024. A self-represented filer may register for electronic filing, but may also file on paper with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Richmond.
Can I look up a Madison County estate online?
Kentucky does not publish a free public case search for District Court probate cases. The Court of Justice has a free court-date lookup that includes Madison County and says it is not the official docket, but the safest way to ask where an estate stands is to call the probate division at (859) 624-4723.
Can I attend a Madison County probate hearing by phone or video?
Kentucky courts have used Zoom for remote proceedings since March 2020, and the Court of Justice publishes statewide remote-court instructions. Madison County posts no local probate login information, and the statewide instruction is to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for the event, so call (859) 624-4723 before assuming either way.
I live in Berea. Do I file the estate there or in Richmond?
The Office of Circuit Court Clerk publishes Madison County court addresses in Richmond. The separate Madison County Clerk has a Berea office for county clerk services such as vehicles, deeds and licenses, but estate papers go through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Richmond.
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.