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Muhlenberg County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Muhlenberg County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Muhlenberg County District Court, probate division under KRS 24A.120 |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Muhlenberg County |
| Courthouse address | Muhlenberg County Judicial Building, 136 S. Main St., Greenville, KY 42345 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 776, Greenville, KY 42345 |
| Phone | District line for probate matters: 270-338-0995. Circuit line: 270-338-4850. |
| Fax | 270-338-0177 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Saturday and Sunday. |
| 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. Muhlenberg 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 under KRS 453.060, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file. |
| Payment options | Cash, check, and money order are listed. No card option is listed. The county page also links Pay online with ePay. |
| Forms | Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms apply. A separate Muhlenberg County probate form set is not published. |
| E-filing | Since January 1, 2024, attorneys handling eligible Kentucky probate matters must e-file. Self-represented filers may register for e-filing, but may also file on paper with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Court-date lookup | https://kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ is a no-login court-date lookup, not the official docket. For case records, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Greenville. |
| Remote appearance | Kentucky courts use Zoom instructions statewide, but whether a Muhlenberg County probate matter is in person or remote is decided for that court event. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for login information before the hearing. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Muhlenberg.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Greenville, make a working list of the person's assets, debts, beneficiaries, and whether a will exists. The right Muhlenberg County filing depends on what must pass through court, what is jointly owned, and whether someone needs authority from the District Court under KRS 24A.120.
Sunset's estate settlement tools help families search for accounts across 2,300 institutions, organize liabilities, and decide what belongs in the probate packet before they call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. That preparation is especially useful when the District line and Circuit line are different, as they are in Muhlenberg County.
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 Muhlenberg County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Muhlenberg County Judicial Building in Greenville.
Muhlenberg County is in the 45th Judicial District under KRS 24A.030, shared with McLean County. 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 Muhlenberg County, at the Muhlenberg County Judicial Building in Greenville. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Muhlenberg Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal, KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the opening filing. Use AOC-805 for probate of a will or appointment of an executor or administrator, with KRS 394.145. If you ask the judge to dispense with administration, use AOC-830 with KRS 395.455. The application for appointment also includes the financial disclosure required by KRS 395.015, using AOC-808.
- File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Muhlenberg County Judicial Building, 136 S. Main St., Greenville, KY 42345. If filing by mail, use P.O. Box 776, Greenville, KY 42345. Attorneys must use Kentucky e-filing for eligible probate matters filed on or after January 1, 2024; self-represented filers may file on paper at the clerk's office.
- 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. Muhlenberg 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 under KRS 453.060, so confirm the exact total with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk before you file.
- Give any required notice and publication. If a personal representative is appointed, creditor claims are handled under KRS 396.011. Ask the clerk what notice, publication, or waiver papers the judge requires for the filing you are making.
- Ask how the hearing will be scheduled. The Muhlenberg County court page does not list a probate motion day or a filing-to-hearing window. Use the District line, 270-338-0995, to ask when the judge will review the petition and whether you need to appear.
- Confirm any remote appearance details before the hearing. Kentucky courts have used Zoom for remote proceedings, but login information is not published centrally for every case. Contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Greenville before assuming that the probate matter will be remote or in person.
- After appointment, get proof of authority. When the District Court appoints you, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, showing that the appointment order is in effect. Kentucky law also refers to letters of appointment, KRS 395.105, and permits letters in due form under seal.
- Administer and close the estate. File the inventory and appraisement within 90 days after qualifying, and the inventory is confidential and filed under seal under KRS 395.250. Kentucky no longer requires bond by default under KRS 395.130, although the court can order one. To close, use informal final settlement with AOC-850 under KRS 395.605 when available, or formal settlement with AOC-846 under KRS 395.610.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Muhlenberg County
Muhlenberg County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; a separate Muhlenberg County probate form set is not published. You file AOC-805 with KRS 394.145 to open the estate, AOC-830 with KRS 395.455 if you are asking the court to dispense with administration, AOC-808 with KRS 395.015 for the financial disclosure, AOC-841 with KRS 395.250 for the inventory, and AOC-846 under KRS 395.610 or AOC-850 under KRS 395.605 to close.
The forms are available from the Kentucky Court of Justice and from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Greenville. If you are unsure which form fits your estate settlement, the clerk can provide forms and fee amounts, but cannot give legal advice.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Muhlenberg County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by separating jointly owned property from assets that need District Court action under KRS 24A.120. If only limited personal property needs transfer, the spouse may ask whether AOC-830 under KRS 395.455 fits; if appointment is needed, file AOC-805 under KRS 394.145 in Greenville. | Sunset helps identify accounts, flag jointly held assets, and assemble a packet for the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Call the District line, 270-338-0995, before traveling. Kentucky does not use a bank affidavit for this path; the local filing is a court petition to dispense with administration, AOC-830, under KRS 395.455. If the court requires a hearing, ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk whether the event can be handled remotely. | Sunset helps gather balances, debts, and family information so the child can decide whether the dispense-with-administration filing is realistic before making the trip to Greenville. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A real-estate sale usually requires clear court authority. File in Muhlenberg County District Court under KRS 24A.120 if Muhlenberg County is the proper county under KRS 394.140 or KRS 395.030, then obtain the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, and authority documents needed by the title company. Letters of appointment are addressed in KRS 395.105. | Sunset helps organize the asset list, locate debts, prepare the probate packet, and connect the parent with a local probate attorney when a home sale is involved. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Muhlenberg County Office of Circuit Court Clerk | Provides court forms, accepts probate filings for Muhlenberg County District Court under KRS 24A.120, gives current fee totals under CR 3.03, and provides court-date information. | District line: 270-338-0995. Judicial Building: 136 S. Main St., Greenville, KY 42345. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice self-help portal | Offers guided help topics for Probate Estate and Dispense with Administration under KRS 395.455. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Pages/Self-Help-Portal.aspx |
| Guide to Basic Kentucky Probate Procedures | State court guide to Kentucky probate basics. Use current statutes and current AOC forms when a statute or form has changed. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Documents/probateguide.pdf |
| Kentucky Legal Aid | Civil legal aid program listed for Muhlenberg County. Ask the program whether your estate settlement issue is within its services. | 270-782-1924 or 800-782-1924; https://klaid.org |
| KY Free Legal Answers | Online question-and-answer resource for eligible Kentucky residents. | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral | Helps families look for a Kentucky lawyer when probate questions, title issues, or disputes need legal advice. | https://www.kybar.org/page/lawreferserv |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a probate attorney if family members disagree, the will may be challenged, the estate includes a home to sell, creditors are pressing claims under KRS 396.011, tax questions affect closing, or you are unsure whether to seek appointment or ask the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families locate bank, investment, retirement, insurance, and other accounts so the estate settlement starts with a clearer asset picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns what you know about the person, the will, the family, and the assets into an organized probate packet for filing with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Greenville.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal advice, a home sale, a contested issue under KRS 24A.120, or help with creditor claims under KRS 396.011, Sunset helps connect you with a local probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools without paying a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Muhlenberg County?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Muhlenberg County Judicial Building, 136 S. Main St., Greenville, KY 42345. Kentucky probate is handled in District Court under KRS 24A.120, and venue is based on the person's residence at death under KRS 394.140. If there is no will, KRS 395.030 sends the estate to the same court.
Which phone number should I call for a Muhlenberg County probate question?
Use the District line, 270-338-0995, because probate is a District Court matter under KRS 24A.120. The county page also lists a Circuit line, 270-338-4850.
Can I e-file a Muhlenberg County probate case?
Attorneys must e-file eligible Kentucky probate matters beginning January 1, 2024. Self-represented filers may register for e-filing, but they may also file paper documents with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Greenville.
How much does it cost to open probate in Muhlenberg 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. Muhlenberg County may add a $10 court facilities fee under KRS 24A.185 if adopted by ordinance, and a county law library fee where one is in force under KRS 453.060, so call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for the exact amount before filing.
Does Muhlenberg County publish its own probate forms?
A separate Muhlenberg County probate form set is not published. Kentucky AOC forms are used, including AOC-805 with KRS 394.145 to open an estate, AOC-830 with KRS 395.455 to ask the court to dispense with administration, AOC-841 with KRS 395.250 for the inventory, AOC-850 with KRS 395.605 for informal final settlement, and AOC-846 with KRS 395.610 for settlement.
Is there a Muhlenberg County probate hearing day?
The Muhlenberg County court page does not list a probate motion day or hearing window. Call the District line, 270-338-0995, and ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk how your District Court matter under KRS 24A.120 will be scheduled.
Can I appear remotely for probate in Muhlenberg County?
Kentucky courts provide Zoom instructions statewide, but login details for a specific court event come from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. Call 270-338-0995 before assuming that a Muhlenberg County probate hearing will be remote or in person.
Can I look up a Muhlenberg County probate case online?
The state court-date lookup at https://kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ can show court dates, but it is not the official docket. To ask about case records for a Muhlenberg County estate, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Greenville.
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.