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Butler County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Butler County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Butler County |
| Courthouse address | Butler County Courthouse, 100 N. Main Street, 1st floor, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 |
| Mailing | Butler County Probate Division, 100 N. Main Street, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 |
| Phone | (573) 686-8073, Probate Division |
| Fax | (573) 686-0056, Probate Division |
| Hours | General courthouse office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call the Probate Division before traveling to ask about counter availability, lunch closures or a same-day filing cutoff. |
| Court cost | Butler County's current total should be requested from the Probate Division at (573) 686-8073. The statewide structure includes $115 when original letters are applied for under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, plus $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, capped at $565, with one certified copy of the letters included. |
| Local forms | No Butler County-specific probate packet. Use the Missouri Judiciary statewide probate forms and filing information sheet. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4); most self-represented probate filings are handled on paper in person on the 1st floor or by mail. |
| Case search | Case.net covers Butler County probate cases. Butler County says Remote Public Access began July 1, 2023, for public court documents filed on or after that date. |
| Remote appearance | No Butler County probate remote-appearance rule is published. If a hearing is virtual, the court's decision should appear on the Notice of Hearing and on Case.net's Scheduled Hearings and Trials tab. |
| Website | County Circuit Courts page: https://butlercountymo.com/circuit-courts/. Missouri Judiciary Butler County Local Rules and Filing Information page. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Butler County probate path, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, beneficiary designations, jointly owned property and any real estate. The right estate settlement route depends on what is actually in the probate estate, not only on whether there is a will.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find bank, brokerage, retirement and insurance relationships before filing in Poplar Bluff. That early asset search can reduce surprises later in the estate settlement process.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Butler County probate filings go to the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Butler County at the Butler County Courthouse in Poplar Bluff. Although Butler County is part of the 36th Judicial Circuit with Ripley County, a Butler County estate is not filed at the Ripley County courthouse.
Missouri venue is based first on the county where the decedent was domiciled when they died. If the decedent was not domiciled in Missouri, venue can be based on where Missouri property is located, with the real-estate rule applying when the major part of the Missouri estate is real estate (RSMo 473.010).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the local filing office. For a Butler County estate, use the Probate Division on the 1st floor of the Butler County Courthouse, 100 N. Main Street, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901. Do not use the Civil Division phone or fax for probate questions.
- Choose the Missouri probate path. A full estate administration asks for letters testamentary or letters of administration. A small estate affidavit, refusal of letters or determination of heirship may fit only if the statewide requirements for that path are met.
- Gather the paperwork. Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms and filing information sheet, plus the original will if there is one. The original will is delivered to the Probate Division even when other paperwork is prepared electronically.
- File with the Probate Division. Self-represented filers most often file on paper in person on the 1st floor or by mail. Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System.
- Pay the court cost that applies to the filing. Butler County's current total should be obtained from the Probate Division before filing. The statewide structure includes $115 when original letters are applied for under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, plus $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, capped at $565.
- Complete notice. In a full administration, the clerk causes notice of letters to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks, and creditor deadlines run under Missouri's notice and claims statutes (RSMo 473.033, RSMo 473.360, RSMo 473.444).
- Watch for hearing information. No Butler County probate docket day is published. If a hearing is needed, look to the Notice of Hearing and Case.net for the date, time and whether any remote appearance has been allowed.
- Receive authority if the court grants letters. Letters testamentary or letters of administration are the documents the personal representative uses with banks, title companies and other institutions. A non-lawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney, but may prepare and file inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7).
- Administer and close the estate. The personal representative gathers assets, gives required notices, addresses claims, files the inventory and settlement papers required by the court, distributes property and completes the closing steps for the chosen Missouri administration path.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Butler County
Butler County does not publish a county-specific probate packet or local probate checklist. Use the Missouri Judiciary's statewide probate forms and filing information sheet, and call the Butler County Probate Division at (573) 686-8073 if you are unsure which forms the clerk expects for your situation.
If real estate in Butler County passes through a small estate certificate or an order refusing letters, the real-estate document is recorded with the Butler County Recorder of Deeds after the probate division step is complete.
Local nuance
Butler County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Separate probate counter | The Butler County Circuit Clerk's office lists separate Civil, Criminal and Probate divisions. Probate is on the 1st floor, while Civil and Criminal are on the 3rd floor. |
| Use the probate phone and fax | For probate, use (573) 686-8073 and fax (573) 686-0056. The Civil Division has different numbers. |
| Shared circuit, separate courthouse | Butler County shares the 36th Judicial Circuit with Ripley County, but Butler County estate filings stay in Poplar Bluff. |
| Remote Public Access date | Butler County says Remote Public Access began July 1, 2023, for public court documents filed on or after that date. |
Recent updates
| Date | Local update |
|---|---|
| July 1, 2023 | Butler County announced that Remote Public Access began, allowing the public to view public court documents filed on or after that date from a personal computer, tablet or phone. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Butler County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by confirming how the home was titled and whether it passes outside probate. If a Butler County probate filing is still needed for other assets, file with the Probate Division on the 1st floor in Poplar Bluff. | Sunset helps identify accounts, beneficiary designations and jointly owned assets before the spouse chooses an estate settlement path. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the Missouri small estate affidavit requirements fit, the child can usually work with the Butler County Probate Division by paper filing in person or by mail. If a hearing is set, check the Notice of Hearing and Case.net before making travel plans. | Sunset helps gather account information, generate a probate packet and coordinate next steps so the child does not start with the wrong courthouse or wrong phone number. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale often points toward a full administration or another court-supervised title path. A non-lawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7), so counsel is usually important before listing or selling estate real estate. | Sunset helps find assets and connects the parent with a vetted Missouri probate attorney for the Butler County estate settlement. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Website or phone |
|---|---|---|
| Butler County Circuit Courts page | Local courthouse address, division locations, probate phone, probate fax and Remote Public Access notice. | https://butlercountymo.com/circuit-courts/ |
| Butler County Probate Division | Call before filing to ask about current court-cost totals, counter availability and whether your paper filing should be delivered in person or mailed. | (573) 686-8073 |
| Case.net | Statewide public case lookup for Missouri circuit court cases, including probate division cases. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Statewide court-approved probate forms and filing information for Missouri probate matters. | Missouri Judiciary probate forms page |
| Legal Services of Southern Missouri | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Missourians in the Butler County area. Intake decides whether help is available for a particular matter. | https://www.lsosm.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
Missouri law says 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). In Butler County, counsel is especially useful when letters are needed, a home must be sold, heirs disagree, creditor claims are expected or a hearing is likely. Sunset connects families to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across 2,300 institutions to help identify bank, brokerage, retirement and insurance relationships before you file in Butler County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized estate settlement packet so you can work from a cleaner asset list and a clearer filing plan.
Find a local probate attorney. When a full administration or court appearance is needed, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Missouri probate attorney who can handle the Butler County process.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's asset discovery, probate packet support and attorney connection at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Butler County?
File Butler County probate matters with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Butler County at the Butler County Courthouse, 100 N. Main Street, 1st floor, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901.
What is the Butler County Probate Division phone number?
Call the Probate Division at (573) 686-8073. The probate fax number is (573) 686-0056.
Can I e-file a Butler County probate case if I am not a lawyer?
Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4). No Butler County rule requires self-represented probate e-filing, and most self-represented probate filings are handled on paper in person on the 1st floor or by mail. Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System.
How do I look up a Butler County probate case online?
Use Case.net. Butler County also states that Remote Public Access began July 1, 2023, allowing public court documents filed on or after that date to be viewed from a personal computer, tablet or phone.
Does Butler County have its own probate forms?
Butler County does not publish a county-specific probate packet. Use the Missouri Judiciary statewide probate forms and filing information sheet, and call the Probate Division if you are unsure which forms apply.
What does it cost to apply for letters in Butler County?
Ask the Butler County Probate Division at (573) 686-8073 for the current local total. The statewide structure includes $115 when original letters are applied for under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, plus $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, capped at $565, with one certified copy of the letters included. Local statutory surcharges are added to that structure.
Do I need a lawyer for Butler County probate?
For full administration, often yes in practice, because a non-lawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7). A small estate affidavit or refusal of letters does not appoint a personal representative, so the attorney-appearance rule does not apply in the same way.
Do I have to travel to Poplar Bluff for probate?
Not always. Paper filings may be handled in person or by mail, and Case.net can show case information. If the court sets a hearing, check the Notice of Hearing and Case.net to see whether the court has allowed any remote appearance before you travel.
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.