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Meade County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court forum | Meade County District Court. KRS 24A.120(2) gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over matters involving probate. |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Meade County Courthouse, 516 Hillcrest Drive, Suite 4, Brandenburg, KY 40108. |
| Mailing | Use the courthouse address unless the Office of Circuit Court Clerk gives you different mailing instructions. |
| Phone | 270-422-4961. The county page publishes one clerk phone line and does not list a separate District or probate line. |
| Fax | 270-422-2147. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 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. Meade 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. The Meade County page does not publish a separate local probate packet. |
| eFiling | Attorneys have been required to use Kentucky eFiling for eligible probate filings since January 1, 2024. A self-represented filer may register for eFiling, but may also file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Schedule | District Court Civil/Probate is listed for Tuesday at 1 p.m. District Court motions must be filed by Thursday of the week before the hearing. |
| Online lookup | Kentucky provides a free court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets. It is not the full official case file. Account-based portal access is separate, and estate status questions should go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Remote court | Kentucky publishes statewide Zoom instructions, but login details for a Meade County probate setting are obtained from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Payment and parking | The clerk accepts cash, cashier's check, and money order for fines, costs, and bonds; cash is required for bond. The county page also links Pay online with ePay. Parking is in front of the building. |
| Website | Meade County information page on kycourts.gov. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Brandenburg, list the assets, debts, likely beneficiaries, and whether a will exists. Kentucky estate settlement starts with choosing the right District Court filing, and the Meade County clerk can provide forms but cannot tell you which legal path to choose.
Sunset helps families search across 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, organize liabilities, and prepare for the local filing conversation. That asset picture makes estate settlement faster whether you file on paper yourself, use Kentucky eFiling through an attorney, or ask the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
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 where there is no will, to the same court (KRS 395.030). If the person lived in Meade County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Meade County Courthouse in Brandenburg.
Kentucky probate is a District Court matter. KRS 24A.120(2) gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over matters involving probate, and the papers are filed with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Meade County, at the Meade County Courthouse in Brandenburg. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Meade Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal (KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240).
Meade County is in Kentucky's 46th Judicial District, shared with Grayson and Breckinridge counties (KRS 24A.030). The Meade County page publishes a local District Court Civil/Probate docket for Tuesday at 1 p.m.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Kentucky filing that matches the estate. Use AOC-805 for probate of a will or appointment of an executor or administrator, with AOC-808 financial disclosure under KRS 395.015 when appointment is requested. Use AOC-830 if you are asking the District Court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455.
- Prepare the statewide AOC forms before you go to Brandenburg. AOC-805 cites KRS 394.145, AOC-841 is the inventory form required by KRS 395.250, and AOC-807 is the Certificate of Qualification issued after appointment.
- File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at 516 Hillcrest Drive, Suite 4, Brandenburg, KY 40108. Attorneys must use Kentucky eFiling for eligible probate filings because attorney eFiling has been required since January 1, 2024; self-represented filers may file on paper at the clerk's office.
- 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. Meade 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 your matter will be placed on the local probate calendar. Meade County lists District Court Civil/Probate for Tuesday at 1 p.m., and District Court motions must be filed by Thursday of the week before the hearing.
- If a hearing is scheduled, ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk whether the appearance is in person or whether Zoom login details will be provided. Kentucky courts publish remote-court instructions, but the login information for a Meade County setting comes from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
- After the District Court appoints a personal representative, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification on AOC-807. Kentucky law also refers to letters of appointment under KRS 395.105 and lets the clerk issue letters in due form under KRS 395.110.
- Administer the estate by collecting assets, addressing creditor claims under KRS 396.011, filing the inventory within 90 days under KRS 395.250, and following any court order about bond under KRS 395.130.
- Close the estate with the proper settlement filing. AOC-850 is used for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 when that route applies, and AOC-846 is used for settlement of estate under KRS 395.610.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Meade County
Meade County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms. The Meade County court page does not publish a separate local probate packet, so start with the statewide form number that matches your filing.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| AOC-805 | Petition for Probate of Will and/or Appointment of Executor/Administrator, tied to KRS 394.145. |
| AOC-808 | Financial disclosure filed with an appointment request under KRS 395.015. |
| AOC-830 | Petition to Dispense with Administration under KRS 395.455. |
| AOC-841 | Inventory and Appraisement of Estate, filed within 90 days under KRS 395.250. |
| AOC-807 | Certificate of Qualification issued by the clerk after appointment. |
| AOC-846 or AOC-850 | Settlement of Estate under KRS 395.610 or Application for Informal Final Settlement under KRS 395.605. |
The Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Brandenburg can provide paper copies of the forms, but the clerk cannot give legal advice or decide which form you should file.
Timeline
- Before filing: gather the will, asset list, debts, names of interested people, and the correct statewide AOC form.
- Filing day: file at the Meade County Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Brandenburg or, if an attorney represents the estate, through Kentucky eFiling as required since January 1, 2024.
- Scheduling: Meade County lists District Court Civil/Probate for Tuesday at 1 p.m.
- Motion cutoff: District Court motions must be filed by Thursday of the week before the hearing.
- After appointment: file the AOC-841 inventory within 90 days after qualification; the inventory is confidential and filed under seal under KRS 395.250.
- Closing: use AOC-850 for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 when eligible, or AOC-846 for settlement of estate under KRS 395.610.
Local nuance
Meade County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Tuesday probate docket | The Meade County page lists District Court Civil/Probate on Tuesday at 1 p.m. Build your filing plan around that local calendar, not the separate Circuit Court civil and criminal motion dates. |
| Prior-week motion cutoff | District Court motions must be filed by Thursday of the week before the hearing. |
| Shared district | Meade County is part of the 46th Judicial District with Grayson and Breckinridge counties (KRS 24A.030), so local court calendars matter. |
| Payment methods | The Meade County Office of Circuit Court Clerk accepts cash, cashier's check, and money order for fines, costs, and bonds. Cash is required for bond under KRS 395.130 when bond is ordered. No card option is published on the county page. |
| Parking | The county page says parking is in front of the building. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Local probate calendar | Meade County publishes District Court Civil/Probate on Tuesday at 1 p.m., plus a Thursday prior-week deadline for District Court motions. |
| State filing cost | The current probate opening cost uses the $50 probate filing fee effective July 1, 2026 under CR 3.03(1)(c), plus statewide add-ons and any conditional county add-ons. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Meade County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Confirm what passed outside probate and what still needs District Court action under KRS 24A.120. If only transfer orders are needed, ask whether AOC-830 under KRS 395.455 fits before seeking appointment of a personal representative. | Sunset identifies accounts and property interests so the spouse can decide whether estate settlement needs a full appointment or a narrower court order. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Kentucky does not use an out-of-court small estate affidavit. For Meade County, the child files in District Court in Brandenburg and may ask to dispense with administration using AOC-830 under KRS 395.455 if the statutory comparison fits. | Sunset organizes assets, debts, and contact information so the child can make one focused filing plan and reduce unnecessary travel. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Real estate sales often require clear authority. The parent may need appointment through AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, then a Certificate of Qualification on AOC-807 before working with banks, buyers, or title companies. | Sunset helps gather account information, prepare the probate packet, and connect the family with a local probate attorney when a sale or title issue makes legal help important. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Meade County Office of Circuit Court Clerk | Provides the local filing counter, paper forms, local schedule information, and payment details. The clerk cannot give legal advice. | 516 Hillcrest Drive, Suite 4, Brandenburg, KY 40108; 270-422-4961. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice self-help portal | Offers guided interviews for Probate Estate and for dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. | kycourts.gov Legal Help Self-Help Portal and A2J.org Kentucky. |
| Guide to Basic Kentucky Probate Procedures | Statewide AOC probate overview. Use current statutes and current AOC forms when a 2026 change matters. | Available through kycourts.gov Legal Help. |
| Legal Aid Society | Civil legal aid program listed for Meade County. Ask the program directly about eligibility and whether it can help with your issue. | 502-584-1254; yourlegalaid.org. |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral resources | Helps families look for Kentucky counsel when the estate is contested, includes real estate, or needs tax or title advice. | kybar.org lawyer referral resources. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider hiring a Kentucky probate attorney if the family disagrees, a will contest is possible under KRS 394.240, the estate includes real estate that must be sold, creditor claims under KRS 396.011 are unclear, or you are not sure whether AOC-830 under KRS 395.455 is the right filing. Sunset connects you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for financial accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property so the family can see what may belong in the Meade County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset picture into an organized probate packet, including the information families need for Kentucky AOC forms and the filing conversation with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
Find a local probate attorney. When an estate needs legal judgment, Sunset helps connect the family with a vetted Kentucky probate attorney who can advise on Meade County District Court filings 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 help without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Meade County?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Meade County Courthouse, 516 Hillcrest Drive, Suite 4, Brandenburg, KY 40108. Kentucky probate is filed in District Court because KRS 24A.120 gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over probate matters.
What day does Meade County hear probate matters?
The Meade County page lists District Court Civil/Probate on Tuesday at 1 p.m. It also says District Court motions must be filed by Thursday of the week before the hearing.
Can I file Meade County probate papers electronically?
An attorney handling eligible Kentucky probate filings must use eFiling because attorney eFiling has been required since January 1, 2024. If you are self-represented, you may register for Kentucky eFiling, but you may also file paper forms at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Brandenburg.
Can I appear remotely for a Meade County probate hearing?
Kentucky courts publish Zoom instructions, but Meade County login details are not listed as a standing probate rule. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at 270-422-4961 before assuming whether your setting will be in person or remote.
How much does it cost to open probate in Meade 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. Meade 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 Meade County have its own probate forms?
Meade County uses Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms. The county page does not publish a separate local probate packet. Common forms include AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 under KRS 395.250, AOC-807, AOC-846 under KRS 395.610, and AOC-850 under KRS 395.605.
Can I look up a Meade County probate case online?
Kentucky provides a free court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets, but it is not the full official case file. Account-based portal access is separate, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Brandenburg is the local contact for Meade County estate status questions.
Do I have to travel to Brandenburg if I live out of state?
You may need to file paper documents in Brandenburg if you are self-represented, unless you register for Kentucky eFiling or work through an attorney. If a hearing is set, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at 270-422-4961 to ask how the Meade County District Court setting under KRS 24A.120 will be handled.
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.