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Monroe County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Monroe County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Monroe County District Court, sitting in probate under KRS 24A.120. |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Monroe County. |
| Courthouse | Monroe County Justice Center, 300 N. Main St., Tompkinsville, KY 42167. |
| Mailing | No separate probate mailing box is published for Monroe County, so use the courthouse address unless the Office of Circuit Court Clerk gives different instructions. |
| Phone | 270-487-5480. |
| Fax | 270-487-0068. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday. No lunch closure or filing cutoff is published. |
| 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. Monroe 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. Monroe County does not publish a separate local probate form set. Use AOC-805 for probate or appointment under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 to ask to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, 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. |
| Electronic filing | Since January 1, 2024, attorneys handling Kentucky probate papers must file eligible documents electronically. Self-represented filers may register, but may still file on paper at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Tompkinsville. |
| Case and date lookup | Kentucky does not publish a free full case-file search for District Court probate cases under KRS 24A.120. The Kentucky Court of Justice has a free court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/, and Monroe County's page links it as Find a Court Date. For the estate's status, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Remote hearings | Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020, but Monroe County does not publish probate login details. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming a matter will be heard remotely. |
| Payment | Cash, check or money order at the courthouse. Monroe County also links Pay online with ePay. |
| Accessibility | Designated parking for people with disability parking permits, ramps and elevator. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Monroe.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Monroe County, make a practical list of the person's accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts, funeral expenses and likely beneficiaries. Estate settlement moves faster when you know whether the family needs appointment of an executor or administrator, or whether a narrower court order may be enough.
Sunset can help with that first pass by searching across 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, then organizing what you find into an estate settlement plan for the Monroe County Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
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 Monroe County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Monroe County courthouse in Tompkinsville.
The same Tompkinsville courthouse serves estates for people who lived anywhere in Monroe County, including Tompkinsville, Fountain Run, Gamaliel and unincorporated parts of the county. Monroe County is in the 59th Judicial District with Cumberland County (KRS 24A.030), so court dates depend on when District Court is sitting in Tompkinsville.
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 Monroe County, at the Monroe County courthouse in Tompkinsville. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Monroe Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal (KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240).
The jurisdiction process
- List the assets, debts and family facts before you choose a filing path. Monroe County does not publish a local probate schedule or fee table, so bring enough information for the Office of Circuit Court Clerk to identify what you are filing.
- Get Kentucky's statewide AOC probate forms from kycourts.gov or from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Tompkinsville. AOC-805 is used for probate or appointment under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 is used to ask to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, AOC-808 is the financial disclosure required by KRS 395.015, and AOC-841 is the inventory form under KRS 395.250.
- File at the Monroe County Justice Center, 300 N. Main St., Tompkinsville, KY 42167. Since January 1, 2024, an attorney must file eligible Kentucky probate papers electronically, while a self-represented filer may register for electronic filing or file on paper at the counter.
- 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. Monroe 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.
- Use Monroe County's published payment methods unless the clerk gives different instructions: cash, check or money order at the courthouse, with Pay online with ePay also linked from the county page.
- Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for the court date and any notice instructions. Monroe County publishes no separate probate docket, and creditor claims are governed by KRS 396.011 after appointment.
- Ask about remote hearing details before the court date. Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020, but Monroe County does not publish probate login details, so contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before assuming the appearance will be remote.
- If the District Court appoints you as executor, administrator or other personal representative, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807. Kentucky law also refers to letters of appointment under KRS 395.105.
- Administer the estate under the statewide deadlines. File the inventory within 90 days under KRS 395.250, address creditor claims under KRS 396.011, and close with AOC-846 under KRS 395.610 or AOC-850 under KRS 395.605 when the estate is ready.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Monroe County
Monroe County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms. The county's court page does not publish a separate Monroe County probate form set, checklist or packet.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| AOC-805 | Petition for probate of a will or appointment of an executor or administrator under KRS 394.145. |
| AOC-830 | Petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. |
| AOC-807 | Certificate of Qualification issued after appointment. |
| AOC-808 | Financial disclosure required as part of appointment under KRS 395.015. |
| AOC-841 | Inventory and appraisement of estate, filed within 90 days under KRS 395.250. |
| AOC-846 | Settlement of estate for a formal or periodic settlement under KRS 395.610. |
| AOC-850 | Application for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605. |
The forms are free through the Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms page, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Tompkinsville can provide paper copies. The clerk can provide forms and tell you the current cost, but cannot give legal advice.
Local nuance
Monroe County-specific considerations
| Issue | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Use the Circuit Court Clerk, not the County Clerk | Probate filings go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Monroe County Justice Center, 300 N. Main St., Tompkinsville. The separate Monroe County Clerk office is a different office that handles matters such as land and vehicle work, not District Court probate under KRS 24A.120. |
| Juror hotline is not a probate line | Monroe County publishes a separate juror information hotline, 270-487-1014. For estate questions, use the Office of Circuit Court Clerk line, 270-487-5480. |
| No local probate schedule is posted | Monroe County shares the 59th Judicial District with Cumberland County under KRS 24A.030. Ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for the court date for a specific estate. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Monroe County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by separating assets that pass by title from assets that need a Monroe County District Court probate filing under KRS 24A.120. If court authority is needed, file with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Tompkinsville. | Sunset helps identify accounts, loans and property interests so the spouse knows what belongs in the estate settlement and what may pass outside the court file. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Do not assume Kentucky uses a bank affidavit. Kentucky uses a court petition to dispense with administration, AOC-830, under KRS 395.455, filed in Monroe County District Court if Monroe County was the proper venue under KRS 394.140 and KRS 395.030. | Sunset helps organize the asset list, generate the probate packet and flag when the adult child should ask a Kentucky attorney about the right filing. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually requires clear court authority for the executor, administrator or other personal representative. File in Tompkinsville, obtain the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, and confirm title-company requirements before listing or closing. | Sunset helps gather account information, prepare estate settlement materials and connect the parent with a local probate attorney when a real estate sale adds risk. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | Contact | How it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Monroe County | Monroe County Justice Center, 300 N. Main St., Tompkinsville, KY 42167. Phone: 270-487-5480. Fax: 270-487-0068. | Filing office for Monroe County estates. The office can provide probate forms, tell you the current cost 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 | Free guided interviews, including Dispense with Administration and Probate Estate. AOC-830 relates to KRS 395.455. |
| AppalReD Legal Aid | 866-277-5733. https://ardfky.org/ | Civil legal aid program listed for Monroe County. Ask the program directly what help is available for your situation. |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ | Free 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 finding Kentucky counsel. |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify bank, investment, retirement, insurance and other accounts so the Monroe County estate settlement starts with a clearer picture of what exists.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you collect into an organized probate packet for the Kentucky AOC forms used in Monroe County, including the forms for appointment, inventory under KRS 395.250 and closing under KRS 395.605 or KRS 395.610.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves a home sale, conflict, missing heirs, creditor claims under KRS 396.011 or a contested issue under KRS 24A.120, Sunset can help you find Kentucky probate counsel.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, documents and next steps without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Monroe County, Kentucky?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Monroe County Justice Center, 300 N. Main St., Tompkinsville, KY 42167. Probate is handled by Monroe County District Court under KRS 24A.120.
Do I use the Monroe County Clerk for probate?
No. Probate papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Justice Center. The separate Monroe County Clerk office is a different office and is not the filing office for District Court probate under KRS 24A.120.
What does it cost to open probate in Monroe 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. Monroe 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 Monroe County Justice Center list?
Monroe County lists cash, check and money order. The county page also links Pay online with ePay. It does not publish a separate card-payment or phone-payment statement for probate.
Does Monroe County have its own probate forms?
Monroe County uses Kentucky's statewide AOC probate forms and does not publish a separate local probate form set. 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 an attorney file Monroe County probate papers electronically?
Yes. Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling eligible Kentucky probate papers must file electronically. A self-represented filer may register for the system, but may also file paper probate documents at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Tompkinsville.
How do remote probate hearings work in Monroe County?
Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020, but Monroe County does not publish probate login details. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at 270-487-5480 before assuming whether a particular Monroe County District Court matter under KRS 24A.120 will be heard remotely.
Can I look up a Monroe County probate case online?
Kentucky does not provide a free full case-file search for District Court probate matters under KRS 24A.120. The Kentucky Court of Justice offers a free court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/, but for the estate's status you should contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Tompkinsville.
What accessibility information is published for the Monroe County Justice Center?
The Monroe County court page lists designated parking for people with disability parking permits, ramps and an elevator at the Monroe County Justice Center.
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.