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Trigg County, KY Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Court forum | Trigg County District Court, under KRS 24A.120, sitting in probate. |
| Filing office | Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Trigg County, Trigg County Justice Center, 41 Main St., Cadiz, KY 42211. |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 673, Cadiz, KY 42211-0673. |
| Phone | District, probate line: (270) 522-7070. Circuit line: (270) 522-6270. Jury line: (270) 522-9951. |
| Fax | (270) 522-5828. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 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. Trigg 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, check, money order, credit cards and debit cards are listed payment options. Card processing charges apply. The county page links to Pay online with ePay. |
| Forms | Kentucky statewide AOC probate forms are used. No separate Trigg County probate form set is posted by the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Electronic filing | Since January 1, 2024, attorneys must e-file eligible Kentucky probate filings. Self-represented filers may register for eFiling but can still file on paper at the Justice Center in Cadiz. |
| Online court-date lookup | Kentucky provides a public court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ with a notice that it is not the official docket. For the status of a Trigg County estate, contact the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (270) 522-7070. |
| Remote proceedings | Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020. Whether a Trigg County District Court probate matter under KRS 24A.120 is heard remotely is up to the judge, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk provides event-specific instructions. |
| Accessibility | The Office of Circuit Court Clerk is accessible. An elevator is available for courtroom access. |
| Website | https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Trigg.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Trigg County, make a working list of the person's assets, debts, account locations, beneficiaries and real estate. The right estate settlement path depends on what exists, who is entitled to it and whether the family needs a personal representative appointed by Trigg County District Court under KRS 24A.120.
Sunset can search across 2,300 institutions to help identify accounts and assets before you choose forms, call the Cadiz clerk's office or decide whether to ask a lawyer for help. That preparation makes estate settlement less dependent on guesswork at the courthouse counter.
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 Trigg County, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Trigg County Justice Center in Cadiz.
Trigg County publishes one filing location: 41 Main St., Cadiz, KY 42211, with mail directed to P.O. Box 673, Cadiz, KY 42211-0673. Cadiz is the county seat and only incorporated city, and the same Cadiz office serves estates from communities throughout the county, including Golden Pond, Linton, Montgomery, Donaldson, Oak Grove and Buffalo.
Trigg County is in the 56th Judicial District with Caldwell, Livingston and Lyon counties (KRS 24A.030). That district context matters for scheduling because rural Kentucky District Court judges often serve more than one county, but Trigg County's page does not post a separate District Court probate docket.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Kentucky probate form that matches the estate. Use AOC-805 to probate a will or request appointment of an executor or administrator (KRS 394.145). Use AOC-830 only if you are asking the court to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. For a full administration, include the required financial disclosure, AOC-808, under KRS 395.015.
- File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for Trigg County at the Trigg County Justice Center, 41 Main St., Cadiz, KY 42211, or use the mailing address, P.O. Box 673, Cadiz, KY 42211-0673. Kentucky probate is a District Court matter, and KRS 24A.120(2) gives District Court exclusive jurisdiction over matters involving probate.
- Pay the opening amount. $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. Trigg 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.
- If an attorney handles the filing, use Kentucky's eFiling system. Since January 1, 2024, an attorney handling a Kentucky probate, intestate or dispense-with-administration case must file electronically, and the circuit clerk will reject paper the attorney could have e-filed. A self-represented filer may register but is not required to and can still file on paper in Cadiz.
- Ask the District line, (270) 522-7070, about the hearing date, notice requirements and whether the matter will be heard in person or remotely. Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020, but event instructions come from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk for the county where the hearing is scheduled.
- If the District Court appoints you, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, form AOC-807. That certificate, with a certified copy of the order appointing you, is what banks and title companies generally ask to see. KRS 395.105 calls the fiduciary's authority letters of appointment.
- Administer the estate after qualification. File the inventory on AOC-841 within 90 days under KRS 395.250, keep the inventory confidential and under seal as required by KRS 395.250, address creditor claims under KRS 396.011, and do not distribute estate property before the Kentucky distribution rule permits it under KRS 395.190.
- Close the estate when the administration is ready. Use AOC-850 for an informal final settlement under KRS 395.605 when that route fits, or AOC-846 for a settlement under KRS 395.610. If the estate becomes contested, the dispute is filed fresh in Trigg Circuit Court as an original adversary proceeding, not as an appeal (KRS 24A.120(2), KRS 394.240).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Trigg County
Trigg County uses Kentucky's statewide Administrative Office of the Courts probate forms; there is no separate Trigg County form set posted by the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. AOC-805 opens the estate (KRS 394.145), AOC-830 asks the court to dispense with administration (KRS 395.455), AOC-841 is the inventory (KRS 395.250), and AOC-846 or AOC-850 closes the estate through a settlement under KRS 395.610 or KRS 395.605.
For a full administration, the current statewide packet also includes AOC-808 Financial Disclosure under KRS 395.015 and, after appointment, AOC-807 Certificate of Qualification. The clerk's office in Cadiz can provide forms, but the clerk cannot give legal advice or tell you which legal choice to make.
Local nuance
Trigg County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Use the District phone line for probate | Trigg County publishes three phone lines: District at (270) 522-7070, Circuit at (270) 522-6270 and jury at (270) 522-9951. Because probate is a District Court matter under KRS 24A.120, start with the District line for estate questions. |
| The county page lists a fax | The Trigg County page lists fax (270) 522-5828 for the Office of Circuit Court Clerk. Call before sending anything by fax if a deadline or original signature is involved. |
| Do not confuse the Circuit Court Clerk with the County Clerk | Probate papers are filed with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Justice Center in Cadiz. The separate Trigg County Clerk handles other county functions, so estate filings should not be routed there. |
| Only a Circuit Court motion schedule is posted | The Trigg County page lists Circuit Court Motion and Rule Day on the second Wednesday, but District Court probate scheduling under KRS 24A.120 is not separately posted. Call (270) 522-7070 for a probate court date. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Trigg County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by separating assets that pass by deed or beneficiary designation from assets that need Trigg County District Court action under KRS 24A.120. If court action is needed, the papers go to the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in Cadiz. | Sunset helps identify accounts, real estate clues and institution contacts so the spouse can decide what actually needs estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Call the District line at (270) 522-7070 before traveling. Kentucky does not use an out-of-court small-estate affidavit. If the facts fit, the family may ask to dispense with administration by filing AOC-830 under KRS 395.455 in Trigg County District Court. | Sunset helps organize asset information, generate the probate packet and connect the child with a Kentucky probate attorney if local help is needed. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a home must be sold | If a sale requires court-appointed authority, the parent may need appointment as administrator through Trigg County District Court under KRS 24A.120. After appointment, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk issues a Certificate of Qualification, AOC-807, and KRS 395.105 recognizes the fiduciary's letters of appointment. | Sunset helps create a clearer estate settlement file for banks, title companies and a local attorney before the sale process begins. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk, Trigg County | Filing office for Trigg County probate matters in District Court under KRS 24A.120. | Trigg County Justice Center, 41 Main St., P.O. Box 673, Cadiz, KY 42211; District phone (270) 522-7070; fax (270) 522-5828. |
| Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms | Statewide AOC probate 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. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Forms/Pages/default.aspx |
| Kentucky Court of Justice Self-Help Portal | Free guided interviews, 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 |
| Kentucky Legal Aid | Civil legal aid program listed for Trigg County. Ask the program directly whether it can help with your estate issue. | 270-782-1924 or 800-782-1924; https://klaid.org/ |
| Kentucky Free Legal Answers | Free online civil legal question service. | https://ky.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Kentucky Bar Association lawyer referral services | Statewide attorney referral for families who need legal advice. | https://www.kybar.org/page/lawreferserv |
| Guide to Basic Kentucky Probate Procedures | AOC plain-language introduction to Kentucky probate. Use current statutes and current AOC forms for deadlines and bond questions under KRS 395.250 and KRS 395.130. | https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Documents/probateguide.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is especially useful if the will may be challenged, heirs disagree, a home must be sold, a creditor claim under KRS 396.011 is disputed, tax questions affect closing, or the estate cannot use an informal final settlement under KRS 395.605. If you need legal help in Trigg County, Sunset connects you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families build a clearer estate settlement picture by identifying financial accounts, property leads and institution contacts before filing in Trigg County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized packet for Kentucky probate forms, including the materials commonly used to start an estate in District Court under KRS 24A.120.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal advice, a contested filing, help with a home sale or guidance on creditor claims under KRS 396.011, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Kentucky probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, prepare for the Cadiz filing office and understand the next step without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Trigg County?
File with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Trigg County Justice Center, 41 Main St., Cadiz, KY 42211. Mail can be sent to P.O. Box 673, Cadiz, KY 42211-0673. Kentucky probate is handled in District Court under KRS 24A.120.
Which Trigg County phone number should I call for probate?
Call the District line, (270) 522-7070. Trigg County also lists a Circuit line, (270) 522-6270, and a jury line, (270) 522-9951, but probate is a District Court matter under KRS 24A.120.
How much does it cost to open a probate case in Trigg 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. Trigg 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 e-file a Trigg County probate case?
Since January 1, 2024, attorneys must e-file eligible Kentucky probate filings, including probate, intestate matters under KRS 395.030 and petitions to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455. Self-represented filers may register for eFiling, but they can still file on paper at the Justice Center in Cadiz.
Does Trigg County have its own probate forms?
Trigg County uses the statewide Kentucky AOC probate forms. Common forms include AOC-805 to open an estate under KRS 394.145, AOC-830 to dispense with administration under KRS 395.455, AOC-841 for the inventory under KRS 395.250, and AOC-850 for an informal final settlement under KRS 395.605.
How do I find my Trigg County probate court date?
The public court-date lookup at kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets/ is a date lookup and is not the official docket. Trigg County's page does not post a separate District Court probate schedule under KRS 24A.120, so call the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at (270) 522-7070.
Can I appear remotely for a Trigg County probate hearing?
Kentucky courts have used Zoom since March 2020, but the Office of Circuit Court Clerk provides event-specific instructions. Call (270) 522-7070 before assuming that a Trigg County District Court probate matter under KRS 24A.120 will be remote or in person.
Do I use the Trigg County Clerk or the Circuit Court Clerk for probate?
Use the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Trigg County Justice Center. The separate Trigg County Clerk handles other county functions, while probate filings go through District Court under KRS 24A.120 and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.
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.