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Marion County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Local detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Marion County District Court, sitting under KRS 24A.120 for probate matters. |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Marion County. |
| Courthouse address | Marion County Judicial Center, 121 N. Spalding Ave., Lebanon, KY 40033. |
| Mailing address | The court page does not publish a separate mailing address. Use the courthouse address unless the Office of Circuit Court Clerk gives you different instructions. |
| Phone | (270) 692-2681. The separate jury line is (270) 692-2147 and is not the probate contact. |
| Fax | (270) 692-3097. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday. No lunch closure is published. |
| 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. Marion 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, personal check, credit and debit cards with a card fee. Pay online with ePay. |
| Forms | Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms. Marion County does not publish a separate local form set. |
| E-filing | Since January 1, 2024, attorneys must e-file eligible probate papers. Self-represented filers may register for eFiling but can file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Lebanon. |
| Case lookup | Kentucky does not publish a free public case search for District Court probate cases. The Kentucky online court portal requires an account, and court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ is not an official docket. Call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for the estate status. |
| Court schedule | District Court sits Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:00 a.m. Circuit Court sits the first and third Thursday after the first Monday. Call for the date assigned to a specific estate. |
| Remote appearance | Marion County's court page posts District Court Zoom links and points readers to the 11th District local rules for remote attendance. Call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming a probate matter is in person or by Zoom. |
| Parking | Lot behind building. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Marion.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Lebanon, make a working list of the person's accounts, debts, real estate, vehicles, benefits and recurring bills. The right Kentucky filing path depends on what has to be transferred, who is asking, and whether a personal representative needs authority from Marion County District Court under KRS 24A.120.
Sunset helps families start estate settlement by searching for accounts and assets across 2,300 institutions, organizing what is found, and turning that information into the probate packet for the Marion County Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Kentucky sends a will to the District Court of the county where the person lived at death (KRS 394.140), and an intestate estate to that same court (KRS 395.030). If the person lived in Marion County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Marion County Judicial Center in Lebanon.
Lebanon is the Marion County seat. The same courthouse serves estates for people who lived in Lebanon, Bradfordsville, Loretto, Raywick, Saint Mary, or any unincorporated part of Marion County. Do not confuse Marion County with Marion, Kentucky, a town in Crittenden County.
Marion County is in the 11th Judicial District with Green, Taylor and Washington counties (KRS 24A.030). That shared judicial district context matters because a specific probate date comes from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk, not from the general court-sitting days alone.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the right Kentucky AOC form. Use AOC-805 for probate of a will and/or appointment of an executor or administrator (KRS 394.145). Use AOC-830 if you are asking the judge to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. Applications for appointment also include the financial disclosure required by KRS 395.015.
- File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Marion County Judicial Center, 121 N. Spalding Ave., Lebanon, KY 40033. Attorneys must e-file eligible probate papers through Kentucky eFiling since January 1, 2024; self-represented filers may register but can file on paper in Lebanon.
- 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. Marion 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 clerk how notice and scheduling will be handled for the filing you are making. Marion County publishes general District Court sitting days on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:00 a.m., but that is not a promise that a probate filing will be heard on any particular day.
- Confirm whether your appearance is in person or by Zoom. Marion County's court page posts District Court Zoom links and points to the 11th District local rules, but the Office of Circuit Court Clerk is the place to confirm how your specific estate will be called.
- If the court appoints you, obtain the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807. Kentucky law also refers to the fiduciary's authority as letters of appointment under KRS 395.105, and KRS 395.110 lets you ask the clerk for formal letters under seal.
- Administer the estate under Kentucky deadlines. The inventory, AOC-841, is due within 90 days after qualification and is filed under seal under KRS 395.250. Creditor claims are governed by KRS 396.011.
- Close the estate when the Kentucky settlement requirements are met. AOC-850 is used for an informal final settlement under KRS 395.605, and AOC-846 is used for a settlement under KRS 395.610.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Marion County
Marion County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Marion County form set. AOC-805 opens the estate and cites 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 page, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Lebanon can provide paper copies. The clerk can provide forms and fee information, but cannot give legal advice.
Timeline
- Marion County District Court sits Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:00 a.m. under the District Court probate structure in KRS 24A.120.
- That published schedule is a general court-sitting schedule, not a probate-specific docket or a filing-to-hearing window.
- For a filed estate, call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (270) 692-2681 to confirm the assigned date, whether the matter is in person or by Zoom, and whether any filing cutoff applies.
- If a dispute becomes contested, KRS 24A.120 sends the adversary proceeding to Marion Circuit Court as an original action, and KRS 394.240 governs the will contest timing. Marion County publishes Circuit Court days as the first and third Thursday after the first Monday, with a call required for the Circuit civil schedule.
Local nuance
Marion County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for Marion County |
|---|---|
| Lebanon, not Marion | File Marion County estate settlement papers in Lebanon. Marion, Kentucky is a town in Crittenden County, not the Marion County courthouse city. |
| Posted Zoom links | The Marion County court page posts District Court Zoom links and directs readers to the 11th District local rules for who may attend remotely. Use the current court page and call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before relying on Zoom for a probate date. |
| Published court sitting days | District Court sits Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:00 a.m. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk gives the actual date for a specific estate. |
| Payment at the courthouse | The court page lists cash, personal check, credit cards and debit cards with a card fee. It also lists ePay for online payment. |
| Parking | The court page says parking is in a lot behind the building. It does not publish an accessibility note. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Marion County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Lebanon. A co-owned home may pass outside a court transfer order, while other assets may require a Marion County District Court filing under KRS 24A.120. If you are asking to dispense with administration, use AOC-830 under KRS 395.455. | Sunset identifies accounts, flags property that may already have a co-owner or beneficiary, and helps prepare the Marion County filing packet for estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Call (270) 692-2681 before mailing anything, because no separate mailing box is published. Kentucky's court route for a small estate is a petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, not an affidavit handed to a bank. | Sunset organizes the asset list, generates the AOC-830 packet where that route fits KRS 395.455, and helps you decide whether to file on paper or work with a Kentucky attorney. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires full administration with AOC-805 under KRS 394.145 and authority from the court. After appointment, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, and the authority is tied to letters of appointment under KRS 395.105. | Sunset helps find the financial accounts, build the full administration packet, and connect you with a vetted Kentucky probate attorney if the sale or a contested issue under KRS 24A.120 needs counsel. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Marion County | Filing office for Marion County probate papers, court dates, local payment information and questions about Zoom for a scheduled matter. | Marion County Judicial Center, 121 N. Spalding Ave., Lebanon, KY 40033; (270) 692-2681; fax (270) 692-3097. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | Free statewide AOC probate forms used in Marion County. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Forms/Pages/default.aspx |
| Kentucky Court of Justice Self-Help Portal | Guided A2J interviews for Dispense with Administration and Probate Estate. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Pages/Self-Help-Portal.aspx and https://a2j.org/#Kentucky |
| Legal Aid Society | Civil legal aid program listed for Marion County. Ask the program directly what help is available for your situation. | 502-584-1254; https://yourlegalaid.org/ |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | Online Q&A with a volunteer Kentucky attorney. | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral services | Statewide attorney referral information. | https://www.kybar.org/page/lawreferserv |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Kentucky probate attorney if the estate includes real property to sell, multiple heirs who disagree, taxable beneficiaries, business interests, missing assets, or a dispute that could become an adversary proceeding under KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240. Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney when legal help is the right next step.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for bank, investment, retirement and insurance accounts so the family can begin estate settlement with a more complete picture of what exists.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into the Kentucky forms and supporting checklist for the Marion County Office of Circuit Court Clerk, including the forms needed for appointment or for a petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs counsel, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Kentucky probate attorney familiar with District Court probate under KRS 24A.120.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, prepare next steps and decide whether they need court filing support or attorney help, without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Marion County, Kentucky?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Marion County Judicial Center, 121 N. Spalding Ave., Lebanon, KY 40033. Kentucky probate is handled in District Court under KRS 24A.120, and Marion County's courthouse city is Lebanon.
Is Marion County probate filed in Marion, Kentucky?
No. Marion County's courthouse is in Lebanon. Marion, Kentucky is the seat of Crittenden County, so do not use Marion, Kentucky court information for a Marion County estate.
How much does it cost to open probate in Marion 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. Marion 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.
Can I pay Marion County probate costs by card?
The Marion County court page lists cash, personal check, credit cards and debit cards, with a card fee. It also lists ePay for online payment.
Does Marion County have its own probate forms?
No separate Marion County form set is published. Marion County uses 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.
Can I e-file a Marion County probate case?
Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling an eligible Kentucky probate, intestate or dispense-with-administration case must e-file. If you are self-represented, you may register for eFiling, but you can still file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Lebanon.
When does Marion County District Court sit for probate matters?
Marion County publishes District Court sitting days as Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:00 a.m. under the District Court system in KRS 24A.120. That is not a probate-specific date, so call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for the date assigned to your estate.
Can I attend a Marion County probate hearing by Zoom?
Marion County's court page posts District Court Zoom links and points to the 11th District local rules. Whether your probate matter is in person or remote is something to confirm with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before the date.
Can I look up a Marion County estate online?
Kentucky does not publish a free public case search for District Court probate cases. The Kentucky online court portal requires an account, and the free docket page is only a court-date lookup with a caveat that it is not official. For the status of a Marion County estate, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Lebanon.
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.