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Andrew County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Andrew County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Andrew County, 5th Judicial Circuit |
| Courthouse address | Andrew County Courthouse, 411 Court Street, 2nd floor, Savannah, MO 64485 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 318, Savannah, MO 64485 |
| Phone | (816) 324-3624, ext. 1 |
| Fax | No fax number is published on the Andrew County Circuit Court page |
| Hours | For filing papers, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding state legal holidays, under 5th Judicial Circuit Local Rule 2.1. The county homepage separately lists general courthouse building hours as 8:00 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. and says individual offices may differ. |
| Court costs to start | Ask the Savannah clerk for the current Andrew County total. The statewide component includes $115 when original letters are applied for and inventory based additions capped at $565 under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, before any local surcharge. |
| Local forms | No Andrew County probate packet, cover sheet, or checklist is published on the county Circuit Court page. Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page and any instruction from the Savannah clerk. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file, and 5th Judicial Circuit Local Rule 4.1.1 allows unrepresented litigants to file hard copies for scanning by the circuit clerk. |
| Original will | The paper original of the will goes to the probate division in Savannah, even when other documents are submitted electronically. |
| Case search | Case.net, https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Remote appearance | The 5th Judicial Circuit local rules do not publish a probate-specific remote appearance rule. Follow the hearing notice or ask the clerk before any scheduled hearing. |
| Website | Andrew County Circuit Court page, https://andrewcounty.org/offices/circuit-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Savannah, make a working list of the accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts, joint assets, beneficiary designations, and any will. Missouri probate turns on what is still in the decedent's name, so good asset discovery is the first practical step in estate settlement.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts and policies before choosing between a full administration, a small estate affidavit, or a refusal of letters. That work also helps you avoid paying for a filing path that does not fit the assets.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Andrew County courthouse in Savannah serves Andrew County probate matters. Andrew County is in the 5th Judicial Circuit with Buchanan County, but a shared circuit is not a shared courthouse, and an Andrew County estate is filed in Savannah rather than St. Joseph.
Missouri venue generally puts the will probate and letters in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent had no Missouri domicile, venue can be in a Missouri county where the decedent left property, with special treatment when the major part of the Missouri estate is real estate (RSMo 473.010).
The filing office is the circuit clerk's office, serving as the clerk of the probate division for Andrew County (RSMo 472.010(4)). Local Rule 4.4(2) assigns Andrew County probate cases and matters to Division 7 of the Circuit Court.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the probate path before going to the courthouse. Full administration, independent administration, small estate affidavit, refusal of letters, and determination of heirship are Missouri paths with different paperwork and court involvement.
- Gather the will, death certificate, asset list, debt list, names and addresses of interested persons, and any documents showing title or beneficiary designations. Bring the paper original will to the probate division in Savannah.
- Prepare the petition or application and any statewide Missouri probate forms that apply. Andrew County does not publish its own probate packet or local cover sheet on the county Circuit Court page.
- File at the Andrew County Courthouse, 411 Court Street, 2nd floor, Savannah, or mail the packet to P.O. Box 318, Savannah, MO 64485. Self-represented filers may file hard copies under 5th Judicial Circuit Local Rule 4.1.1, and the clerk scans them into the electronic case file.
- Pay the current Andrew County court cost total requested by the clerk. If original letters are requested, the statewide component begins with $115 and can include inventory based additions up to a $565 cap under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, before any local surcharge.
- If letters testamentary or letters of administration are issued, the clerk causes notice of appointment to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks, and creditor deadlines run under Missouri law (RSMo 473.033, RSMo 473.360).
- Watch the hearing notice. The local rules do not publish a probate-specific remote appearance rule for Andrew County, so follow the notice or ask the clerk whether the appearance is in person.
- After the court grants authority, the personal representative receives letters testamentary or letters of administration. A non-lawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney, although the personal representative may prepare and file their own inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7).
- Administer the estate, inventory assets, handle claims, sell or transfer property only as authorized, account to interested persons and the court as required, and close the estate when the Missouri closing requirements for that type of administration are met.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Andrew County
Andrew County's own Circuit Court page does not publish an Andrew County probate forms packet, cover sheet, or checklist. Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page for statewide probate forms, then follow any instruction the Savannah clerk gives for copies, signatures, proposed orders, and the original will.
If the estate may fit a small estate affidavit, the Missouri threshold is a net estate of $40,000 or less, effective August 28, 2002, and the affidavit is filed under RSMo 473.097. If the family is seeking a refusal of letters, the application is a different Missouri procedure under RSMo 473.090.
Local nuance
Andrew County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Andrew County |
|---|---|
| Shared circuit | Andrew County shares the 5th Judicial Circuit with Buchanan County, but Andrew County probate filings go to the courthouse in Savannah. |
| Division assignment | Local Rule 4.4(2) assigns all Andrew County probate cases and matters to Division 7 of the Circuit Court. |
| Filing counter | The county publishes a circuit clerk's office at the Andrew County Courthouse, 411 Court Street, 2nd floor, with mailing address P.O. Box 318, Savannah, MO 64485. |
| Filing hours | Local Rule 2.1 says the courts are open for filing papers Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding state legal holidays. The courthouse building hours posted by the county are slightly shorter. |
| Hard-copy filings by unrepresented parties | Local Rule 4.1.1 allows unrepresented litigants to file hard copies that the circuit clerk scans. Keep original documents when originals may matter, especially a will. |
| Remote appearances | The local rules do not publish a probate-specific remote appearance rule. Use the hearing notice and ask the clerk before assuming a remote option is available. |
| Compensation requests | Local Rule 72.01 applies to Andrew County probate matters and treats the statutory compensation calculation under RSMo 473.153 as the presumed minimum reasonable fee. A request above the statutory amount must be supported by a written, signed, itemized application. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Current local phone number | The Andrew County Circuit Court page lists (816) 324-3624, ext. 1, for the circuit clerk's office. |
| Filing-hours caveat | The 5th Judicial Circuit local rules give filing hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., while the county homepage lists general courthouse building hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. and tells visitors that individual offices may differ. |
| Andrew County court cost total | No Andrew County probate cost schedule is published on the county Circuit Court page. Call the Savannah clerk for the current total before you file. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Andrew County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by separating assets that already pass outside probate from anything still titled only in the decedent's name. If an Andrew County probate filing is needed, use the Savannah courthouse rather than the Buchanan County courthouse in St. Joseph. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title issues, debts, and beneficiary designations so the spouse can see whether a full estate settlement filing is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the net estate is $40,000 or less, effective August 28, 2002, a small estate affidavit under RSMo 473.097 may be available after the statutory waiting period. The filing is made with the Andrew County probate division in Savannah. | Sunset helps build the asset list, find accounts, organize the affidavit packet, and connect the child with local counsel if a court appearance or full administration is needed. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home remains in the child's name, the parent should expect a court-supervised path or other Missouri proceeding that can support sale or transfer of real estate. Andrew County real estate issues begin with the probate division in Savannah, and any recording step happens only after the court document exists. | Sunset helps assemble property information, debts, heirs, and sale-related documents, then connects the family with a Missouri probate attorney when court authority is needed. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew County Circuit Court | Local courthouse contact page for the circuit clerk's office, mailing address, phone number, and courthouse location. | https://andrewcounty.org/offices/circuit-court/ |
| Case.net | Missouri's statewide public case search for circuit court matters, including probate dockets. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Statewide probate forms page. Do not assume a form number until you have the current form in front of you. | Go to https://www.courts.mo.gov/ and search for probate forms |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | Official source for Missouri probate statutes, including RSMo chapters 472, 473, and 474. | https://revisor.mo.gov/ |
| Legal Aid of Western Missouri | Free civil legal aid intake for eligible low-income Missourians in Andrew County. Intake decides whether help is available for the issue. | https://www.lawmo.org/ and (816) 474-6750 |
| Missouri Legal Services offices page | Statewide directory that identifies the legal aid program serving each county. | https://www.lsmo.org/page/951/offices |
When to hire an attorney
Full Andrew County administration often involves hearings, notices, claims, inventory work, possible real estate authority, and court filings that benefit from Missouri probate counsel. In Missouri, a personal representative who is not a lawyer cannot appear in court except through an attorney, although the personal representative may prepare and file their own inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7). Small estate affidavits and refusals of letters are different because they do not appoint a personal representative. Sunset connects families to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across 2,300 institutions to help families identify bank accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance, investment accounts, and other assets that may affect the Andrew County probate path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's information into an organized estate settlement packet, including asset details, debts, interested persons, and court-ready information for the filing path that fits.
Find a local probate attorney. When a court appearance, full administration, real estate sale, creditor issue, or contested question requires legal help, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Missouri probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools, asset discovery, document organization, and attorney matching without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone who lived in Andrew County?
File with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Andrew County at the Andrew County Courthouse, 411 Court Street, 2nd floor, Savannah, MO 64485. Mail can be sent to P.O. Box 318, Savannah, MO 64485.
Do Andrew County probate filings go to St. Joseph because Andrew County shares a circuit with Buchanan County?
No. Andrew County and Buchanan County share the 5th Judicial Circuit, but they do not share one probate filing counter. Andrew County probate filings go to Savannah.
What phone number should I use for the Andrew County probate filing counter?
Use the Andrew County Circuit Court number published by the county: (816) 324-3624, ext. 1.
Can I e-file an Andrew County probate case if I am handling it myself?
Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4). The 5th Judicial Circuit local rules allow unrepresented litigants to file hard copies at the clerk's counter, where the circuit clerk scans them into the electronic case file.
Do attorneys e-file Andrew County probate documents?
Yes. Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System under Missouri Supreme Court Rule 103. The paper original will still goes to the probate division in Savannah.
Does Andrew County publish local probate forms?
The county Circuit Court page does not publish an Andrew County probate packet, cover sheet, or checklist. Use the statewide Missouri Judiciary probate forms page and ask the Savannah clerk what copies or proposed orders are needed for your filing.
How much does it cost to open an Andrew County estate?
Ask the Savannah clerk for the current Andrew County total. If original letters are requested, the statewide component includes $115 and possible inventory based additions capped at $565 under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, before any local surcharge.
Can I appear remotely for an Andrew County probate hearing?
The 5th Judicial Circuit local rules do not publish a probate-specific remote appearance rule for Andrew County. Follow the hearing notice and ask the clerk before assuming any remote appearance option is available.
Can I look up an Andrew County probate case online?
Yes. Use Case.net, Missouri's statewide public case search, at https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/. Public search generally shows docket information, not every document in the file.
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.