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Russell County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Russell County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Russell County District Court, sitting in probate under KRS 24A.120 |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Russell County |
| Courthouse address | Russell County Judicial Center, 202 Monument Square, Suite 106, Jamestown, KY 42629 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is published for the Russell County office, so use the courthouse address and call before mailing papers. |
| Phone | (270) 343-2185 or (270) 343-2186. Both are published as Circuit lines. Do not use the juror answering-service lines for probate filings. |
| Fax | (270) 343-5808 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday. |
| Cost 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. Russell 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 | Cash, check, money order, credit cards and debit cards are accepted. A card fee applies. The county page also links to ePay. |
| Forms | Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms are used. No separate Russell County probate packet is published on the county court page. |
| E-filing | Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling eligible Kentucky probate filings must use the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system. Self-represented filers may register, but may still file paper documents at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Case information | A court-date lookup is available at https://kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/. It is not a full District Court probate case-file search. For a Russell County estate, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Jamestown. |
| Remote appearance | Kentucky remote-court instructions tell you to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in the county where you are scheduled to appear. No Russell County probate Zoom login is posted on the county page. |
| Accessibility | The Russell County page states that the facility is fully ADA compliant. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Russell.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Russell County filing path, make a list of the assets, debts, likely beneficiaries and any real estate. That first inventory of facts helps you decide whether the estate settlement needs appointment of a personal representative or whether a Kentucky petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 should be discussed with the clerk or an attorney.
Sunset can help families search more than 2,300 institutions for accounts and policies before they prepare the Jamestown filing. A clearer asset picture makes the Russell County estate settlement packet easier to assemble and helps avoid filing the wrong AOC forms.
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 Russell County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Russell County courthouse in Jamestown.
The Russell County Judicial Center serves all of Russell County, including Jamestown, Russell Springs and the county's unincorporated communities. Do not confuse Russell County or Russell Springs with the city of Russell in Greenup County or with Russellville in Logan County.
Russell County is in Kentucky's 40th Judicial District with Clinton and Wayne counties (KRS 24A.030). The filing is still a Russell County District Court probate matter under KRS 24A.120, filed through the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Jamestown.
The jurisdiction process
- Start with the asset and debt list. Identify real estate, bank accounts, vehicles, funeral expenses, known creditors under KRS 396.011 and whether the person left a will.
- Choose the opening form. Use AOC-805 for probate of a will or appointment of an executor or administrator (KRS 394.145). Use AOC-830 if you are asking the District Court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. If appointment is requested, include the required financial disclosure on AOC-808 under KRS 395.015.
- Get the forms from the Kentucky Court of Justice form library or from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at 202 Monument Square, Suite 106, Jamestown. Russell County uses the statewide AOC probate forms, not a separate local form set.
- File the papers with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Russell 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 Russell County, at the Russell County courthouse in Jamestown. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Russell Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal (KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240).
- 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. Russell 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. Russell County accepts cash, check, money order, credit cards and debit cards, with a card fee, and links to ePay.
- Ask how the court date will be handled. Russell County does not publish a probate hearing schedule on its county page. Use the Kentucky court-date lookup for dates, and call (270) 343-2185 or (270) 343-2186 to ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk what applies to your filing.
- Ask about remote appearance before the hearing. Kentucky courts have held proceedings remotely by Zoom since March 2020 and the Kentucky Court of Justice publishes statewide remote-court instructions. Whether a particular Russell County District Court probate matter under KRS 24A.120 is heard in person or remotely is up to the judge, and the login details are not published centrally: the Court of Justice's own instruction is to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in the county where you are scheduled to appear.
- If the District Court appoints you, get the Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807. That certificate, together with the appointment order, is what banks and title companies usually ask to see. Kentucky law also refers to letters of appointment under KRS 395.105 and allows formal letters in due form under KRS 395.110.
- Administer the estate after qualification. File the inventory and appraisement on AOC-841 no later than 90 days after qualifying. Under KRS 395.250, the inventory is confidential and filed under seal. Handle creditor claims under KRS 396.011 and do not distribute estate property before the timing allowed by KRS 395.190.
- Close the estate when ready. Use AOC-850 for an informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 when that route fits, or AOC-846 for a settlement of estate under KRS 395.610. Keep copies of the signed orders for banks, title companies and beneficiaries.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Russell County
Russell County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Russell County form set. You file form AOC-805 to open the estate under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 if you are asking the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 for the inventory under KRS 395.250 and AOC-846 under KRS 395.610 or AOC-850 under KRS 395.605 to close. All of them are free at kycourts.gov and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Jamestown will also hand you paper copies.
| Form | When it is used |
|---|---|
| AOC-805 | Petition for probate of will or appointment of executor or administrator, tied to KRS 394.145. |
| AOC-808 | Financial disclosure required with an appointment request under KRS 395.015. |
| AOC-807 | Certificate of Qualification issued after appointment. |
| AOC-830 | Petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. |
| AOC-841 | Inventory and appraisement, due within 90 days and filed under seal under KRS 395.250. |
| AOC-846 | Settlement of estate under KRS 395.610. |
| AOC-850 | Application for informal final settlement under KRS 395.605. |
Local nuance
Russell County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Two main office numbers | The county page publishes (270) 343-2185 and (270) 343-2186 as Circuit lines. Probate is a District Court matter under KRS 24A.120, so ask for probate filing help when you call. |
| Juror lines are separate | The county page also publishes separate answering-service numbers for jurors. Do not use those for an estate filing. |
| Card payment | Russell County lists credit cards and debit cards as accepted, with a fee. It also accepts cash, check and money order. |
| Name confusion | Russell County filings go to Jamestown. Russell County is different from the city of Russell in Greenup County and Russellville in Logan County. |
| Shared judicial district | Russell County is in the 40th Judicial District with Clinton and Wayne counties under KRS 24A.030, but the estate still files in Russell County if venue belongs there under KRS 394.140. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Russell County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | File at the Russell County Judicial Center in Jamestown if venue belongs in Russell County under KRS 394.140. If the estate is personal-property-only, ask whether a petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 and AOC-830 fits. A home sale often requires opening an estate with AOC-805 under KRS 394.145. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, policies and real estate details before the family chooses the estate settlement path. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate under KRS 395.455 | Call (270) 343-2185 before mailing papers because no separate mailing address is published. If a petition to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455 is possible, use AOC-830. Russell County accepts card payment with a fee and links to ePay. | Sunset organizes the documents and helps prepare the Kentucky form packet so a family member can reduce back-and-forth with the Jamestown office. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually means opening a full estate with AOC-805 under KRS 394.145. After appointment, the personal representative uses the Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, for banks and title companies. If a dispute becomes contested, KRS 24A.120 and KRS 394.240 send the dispute to Russell Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding. | Sunset helps find assets, generate the probate packet and connect the family with a local probate attorney when a sale or dispute makes counsel important. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Russell County | Filing office for Russell County estates. The office can provide forms, accept filings, tell you the current filing amount under CR 3.03 effective July 1, 2026 and give court-date information. The clerk cannot give legal advice. | Russell County Judicial Center, 202 Monument Square, Suite 106, Jamestown, KY 42629. Phone: (270) 343-2185 or (270) 343-2186. Fax: (270) 343-5808. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | Free statewide probate forms, including AOC-805 under KRS 394.145, AOC-807, AOC-830 under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 under KRS 395.250, AOC-846 under KRS 395.610, AOC-850 under KRS 395.605 and AOC-860. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Forms/Pages/default.aspx |
| Kentucky Court of Justice Self-Help Portal | Free guided interviews for self-represented people, including Dispense with Administration under KRS 395.455 and Probate Estate. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Pages/Self-Help-Portal.aspx and https://a2j.org/#Kentucky |
| AppalReD Legal Aid | Civil legal aid program listed for Russell County. Ask directly what help is available for your situation. | 866-277-5733. https://www.ardfky.org/ |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | Income-eligible Kentuckians can post a civil legal question online for a volunteer attorney to answer. | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral services | Statewide place to look for a Kentucky attorney. | https://www.kybar.org/page/lawreferserv |
| Guide to Basic Kentucky Probate Procedures | AOC plain-language introduction to Kentucky probate. Use current statutes and forms for deadlines, inventory under KRS 395.250 and bond under KRS 395.130 because the booklet predates the July 15, 2026 statutory changes. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Documents/probateguide.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
Consider getting legal help if the estate includes a home sale, unclear heirs, a contested matter under KRS 24A.120, creditor claims under KRS 396.011, tax questions, or a dispute about who should serve as executor or administrator. Russell County uses statewide forms, but the Office of Circuit Court Clerk cannot give legal advice. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance policies and other assets so the Russell County estate settlement starts with a clearer picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps assemble the Kentucky forms that fit the situation, 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.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Russell County estate involves a home sale, a dispute, creditor claims under KRS 396.011 or questions about appointment, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Kentucky probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, prepare for the Jamestown filing and understand what to ask the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Russell County, Kentucky?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Russell County at the Russell County Judicial Center, 202 Monument Square, Suite 106, Jamestown, KY 42629. Kentucky probate is handled in District Court under KRS 24A.120.
What phone number should I use for a Russell County estate?
Call (270) 343-2185 or (270) 343-2186. The county page labels both numbers as Circuit lines, and it does not publish a separate District Court probate line. Ask for probate filing help when you call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
How much does it cost to open probate in Russell 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. Russell 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.
Does Russell County have its own probate forms?
Russell County uses the statewide Kentucky AOC probate forms. No separate Russell County form packet is published on the county court page. 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 e-file a Russell County probate case?
Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling eligible Kentucky probate filings must use the Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling system. A self-represented person may register for eFiling, but may still file paper documents with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Jamestown.
How do I check a Russell County probate court date?
The Kentucky court-date lookup at https://kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ lists Russell County, but it is not a full District Court probate case-file search. For the status of an estate, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Jamestown.
Can I appear remotely for Russell County probate?
Kentucky courts have used Zoom for remote proceedings since March 2020, but no Russell County probate Zoom login is posted on the county page. The statewide remote-court instructions tell you to contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in the county where you are scheduled to appear, so call before assuming the hearing format.
Do I have to travel to Jamestown if I live out of state?
Do not assume travel is required or excused. Russell County does not publish a probate hearing schedule or local remote-appearance rule on the county page. Call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (270) 343-2185 or (270) 343-2186 before mailing papers or making travel plans.
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.