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Caldwell County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Caldwell County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Caldwell County |
| Courthouse address | Caldwell County Courthouse, 49 East Main, Kingston, MO 64650 |
| Mailing | Call the Probate Division before mailing probate papers. |
| Phone | 816-586-2771 or 816-586-2581 |
| Fax | 816-586-2333 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday |
| Court costs | The 43rd Circuit Local Rules direct probate filers to contact the clerk of the probate division for current probate costs. State court components include $115 when original letters are applied for in a decedent's estate, with one certified copy included, plus $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, capped at $565, and $35 for small estate, refusal of letters, determination of heirship, or admitting a will, all under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023. Certified copies are $1 per copied page plus $1.50 per seal under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023. |
| Local forms | No 43rd Circuit local probate packet is listed in the local rules. Caldwell County uses Missouri Courts statewide probate forms, and self-represented probate filers must include a Filing Information Sheet. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file probate cases electronically in PDF through the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented parties are not required to e-file and may submit hard copies that the Circuit Clerk scans under 43rd Circuit Local Rule 4.1. |
| Case search | Case.net covers Caldwell County probate cases filed after, or pending as of, January 23, 2006. Older probate judgments are checked through the judgment index at the Caldwell County Courthouse Probate Division in Kingston. |
| Remote appearance | The 43rd Circuit Local Rules do not list a probate remote-appearance procedure. Ask the Probate Division when a hearing is set. |
| Website | Caldwell County Circuit Clerk |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before choosing forms or calling the courthouse, make a working inventory of the decedent's assets, debts, title documents, beneficiary designations and unpaid bills. In Caldwell County, that list helps you decide whether the estate settlement needs letters testamentary or letters of administration, a small estate affidavit, a refusal of letters, or another Missouri probate path.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help identify bank, investment, insurance and retirement accounts before you file. That matters locally because the Caldwell County clerk needs enough information to open the correct probate case and because Missouri court costs can include an inventory-value component under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Caldwell County serves probate filings for decedents whose Missouri domicile was in Caldwell County. The courthouse is in Kingston. Caldwell County is in the 43rd Judicial Circuit with Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb and Livingston counties, but each county keeps its own courthouse and probate counter.
Missouri venue starts in the county where the decedent was domiciled when they died. If the decedent had no Missouri domicile, venue can be based on Missouri property, with real estate pointing to the county where the real estate, or the major part of it, is located (RSMo 473.010).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the Missouri probate path before filing. A full administration asks for letters testamentary or letters of administration. A small estate affidavit or refusal of letters may fit some estates and does not appoint a personal representative.
- Collect the forms. For Caldwell County, use Missouri Courts statewide probate forms. A self-represented probate filer must include a Filing Information Sheet under the 43rd Circuit Local Rules.
- File with the Probate Division at the Caldwell County Courthouse in Kingston. Attorneys file probate cases electronically in PDF through the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers may submit hard copies for scanning by the Circuit Clerk under 43rd Circuit Local Rule 4.1.
- Ask the clerk of the probate division for the current local total before you file. The 43rd Circuit Local Rules do not publish a Caldwell County probate cost total and direct filers to contact the probate clerk. State court components are set by Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023.
- Deliver the original will on paper if there is one. Electronic filing does not replace the need for the original will to reach the probate division.
- Complete notice and publication steps when they apply. In a full administration, the clerk causes notice of letters to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks, and Missouri creditor deadlines run from that notice and from mailed or served notice when applicable (RSMo 473.033; RSMo 473.360).
- Attend any required hearing or respond to court questions. The 43rd Circuit Local Rules do not list a Caldwell County probate remote-appearance procedure, so ask the Probate Division about the attendance method for your specific setting.
- Receive authority if the court grants it. A testate estate uses letters testamentary, and an intestate estate uses letters of administration.
- Administer the estate settlement. The personal representative gathers assets, gives required notices, files the inventory within thirty days after letters are granted unless the court gives more time, pays allowed claims and expenses, and prepares required settlements or closing papers (RSMo 473.233).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Caldwell County
The 43rd Circuit Local Rules describe filing mechanics but do not publish a Caldwell County local probate packet. Caldwell County filers use Missouri Courts statewide probate forms and follow the local rule that self-represented probate filers include a Filing Information Sheet.
| Form or form group | Use in Caldwell County |
|---|---|
| FI-50 Confidential Case Filing Information Sheet, Probate and Non-Domestic Relations, updated July 2025 | Required local-rule filing information for self-represented probate filers. |
| PR 16 Affidavit to Establish Title of Distributee, Small Estate, Intestate | Statewide form for a Missouri small estate affidavit when the facts fit (RSMo 473.097). |
| PR 23 Application of Creditor for Refusal of Letters, updated May 2023 | Statewide refusal of letters form for a creditor path when the facts fit (RSMo 473.090). |
| PR 25 Application of Unmarried Minor Children for Refusal of Letters, updated May 2023 | Statewide refusal of letters form for unmarried minor children when the facts fit (RSMo 473.090). |
| PR 33 Application of Surviving Spouse for Refusal of Letters, updated May 2023 | Statewide refusal of letters form for a surviving spouse when the facts fit (RSMo 473.090). |
| PR 28 Petition for Determination of Heirship | Statewide form for a determination of heirship case when Missouri law allows that after the ordinary administration window has passed (RSMo 473.663). |
| PR 10 Statement of Reimbursable Attorney Fees, updated March 28, 2023 | Statewide probate form for attorney-fee reimbursement issues. |
Local nuance
Caldwell County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| 43rd Judicial Circuit | Caldwell County shares the 43rd Judicial Circuit with Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb and Livingston counties, but Caldwell County probate filings stay at the Caldwell County Courthouse in Kingston. |
| Associate Circuit Judge | The 43rd Circuit Local Rules state that each county's Probate Division is regularly presided over by an Associate Circuit Judge. |
| Attorney e-filing | Attorneys filing probate cases must submit PDF documents electronically through the Missouri eFiling System under 43rd Circuit Local Rules 4.1 and 4.6. |
| Self-represented filing | Self-represented parties may submit hard copies for scanning by the Circuit Clerk and must provide a Filing Information Sheet for probate cases. |
| Older probate records | Case.net covers Caldwell County probate cases pending as of, or filed after, January 23, 2006. Older probate judgments are checked through the judgment index at the Caldwell County Courthouse Probate Division in Kingston. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed locally |
|---|---|
| 43rd Circuit Local Rules updated March 10, 2023 | The current local rules state the attorney PDF e-filing rule, the self-represented hard-copy scanning rule, and the probate Filing Information Sheet requirement. |
| Caldwell County Case.net coverage | The Missouri courts' Caldwell County help page states that public probate case information is available on Case.net for cases pending as of, or filed after, January 23, 2006. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by checking the deed and account titles. If the home or accounts pass outside the probate estate, the Caldwell County filing may be smaller or unnecessary for that asset. If authority is still needed, file the correct Missouri probate papers with the Probate Division in Kingston. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title issues and beneficiary designations so the spouse does not file a larger estate settlement than the assets require. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Review whether a Missouri small estate affidavit or refusal of letters fits before seeking letters. If filing without a lawyer, prepare the statewide forms and the Filing Information Sheet, then coordinate with the Caldwell County Probate Division about submitting hard copies and any required hearing. | Sunset organizes the asset list, helps generate a probate packet, and can connect the child with a Missouri probate attorney if the case needs counsel. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of Missouri real estate often requires clear authority or a court order, depending on title and timing. If the parent becomes personal representative, Missouri limits court appearances by a nonlawyer personal representative (RSMo 473.153.7), so counsel may be needed for the Caldwell County case. | Sunset helps gather mortgage, deed, account and debt information and connects the family with a vetted local probate attorney for the real estate issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Caldwell County Circuit Clerk | Local courthouse contact for probate filing mechanics, current probate costs and in-person filing at the Caldwell County Courthouse. | Caldwell County Circuit Clerk; 816-586-2771 or 816-586-2581 |
| Case.net | Missouri's public case search for Caldwell County probate cases filed after, or pending as of, January 23, 2006. | Case.net |
| Missouri Courts probate forms | Statewide probate forms, including small estate, refusal of letters, determination of heirship and related probate forms used in Caldwell County. | Missouri Courts probate forms page |
| Legal Aid of Western Missouri | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Missourians in Caldwell County. Intake decides whether help is available for a particular estate issue. | Missouri Legal Services offices; Kansas City central office 816-474-6750 |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | Official source for Missouri probate statutes cited on this page. | Missouri Revisor of Statutes |
| The Missouri Bar probate guide | Consumer probate guide from The Missouri Bar, not a court form packet. | Probate Law Resource Guide |
When to hire an attorney
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). Counsel is especially important when the estate needs letters, a hearing, a real estate sale, creditor disputes, or a contested family issue. Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families build a practical inventory for estate settlement before they choose a probate path in Caldwell County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's answers into an organized probate packet, including the local court details, statewide Missouri forms and next-step checklist for filing in Kingston.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Caldwell County estate needs letters, a court appearance, a home sale, or advice about Missouri procedure, Sunset connects the family with a vetted probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools, asset discovery and attorney matching without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Caldwell County?
File with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Caldwell County at the Caldwell County Courthouse, 49 East Main, Kingston, MO 64650. Missouri venue usually belongs in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (RSMo 473.010).
Can I e-file a Caldwell County probate case?
Attorneys must file probate cases electronically in PDF through the Missouri eFiling System under the 43rd Circuit Local Rules. Self-represented parties are not required to e-file and may submit hard copies that the Circuit Clerk scans. Self-represented probate filers must include a Filing Information Sheet.
Does Caldwell County have its own probate forms?
The 43rd Circuit Local Rules do not publish a Caldwell County local probate packet. Caldwell County uses Missouri Courts statewide probate forms, including forms for small estate affidavits, refusal of letters and determination of heirship.
How much does a Caldwell County probate case cost?
The 43rd Circuit Local Rules tell probate filers to contact the clerk of the probate division for current probate cost information. State court components include $115 when original letters are applied for in a decedent's estate, with one certified copy included, and a cap of $565 on that section's total, under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023. The same rule lists $35 for a small estate affidavit, refusal of letters, determination of heirship, or admitting a will, effective September 1, 2023.
Can I look up a Caldwell County probate case online?
Yes. Case.net includes Caldwell County probate cases pending as of, or filed after, January 23, 2006. Older probate judgments are checked through the judgment index kept at the Caldwell County Courthouse Probate Division in Kingston.
Will I have to travel to Kingston for probate?
You may need to use the Caldwell County Courthouse in Kingston for hard-copy filings, original wills, records that are not on Case.net, or hearings. The local rules do not list a Caldwell County probate remote-appearance procedure, so ask the Probate Division about the attendance method for your specific setting.
Who hears probate matters in Caldwell County?
The 43rd Circuit Local Rules state that each county's Probate Division is regularly presided over by an Associate Circuit Judge. The page should describe the office, not the individual judge, because assignments can change.
Can a nonlawyer personal representative handle the Caldwell County case alone?
Missouri draws a line between filing paperwork and appearing in court. A nonlawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney, but may prepare and file their own inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7). Small estate affidavits and refusals of letters do not appoint a personal representative.
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.