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Christian County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Christian County probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Christian County, 38th Judicial Circuit, Division IV |
| Probate filing location | Christian County Justice Center, 110 W. Elm, Room 202, Ozark, MO 65721 |
| Probate hearing room | Courtroom 107, Christian County Justice Center, 110 W. Elm, Ozark, MO 65721 |
| Mailing address | Christian County Circuit Clerk, 110 W. Elm, Room 202, Ozark, MO 65721 |
| Probate phone | (417) 582-5140, press 3 |
| General circuit clerk phone | (417) 582-5120 |
| Fax | (417) 581-0391 |
| Hours | 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays |
| Filing fee | Christian County's published probate cost schedule lists $298.50 for a decedent estate with a will and $263.50 without a will, schedule updated December 29, 2023. Smaller or later charges depend on the filing type and final inventory value. |
| Local probate forms | No local Christian County probate packet was published. Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms and the required filing information sheet. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers may deliver papers to the appropriate clerk for the case type, and the clerk scans those papers into the electronic file under Local Rule 4. |
| Case search | Case.net, the Missouri statewide public case search |
| Remote appearance | Local Rule 33.6 allows remote appearance by Webex in routine civil matters through the Virtual Hearing Room link on Case.net. Ask the probate desk how that rule applies to the specific probate setting. |
| Website | https://courts.christiancountymo.gov/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Christian County, make a list of what the person owned, how each asset was titled, what debts exist and whether any real estate is involved. That first inventory determines whether the family is looking at a no-letters route, a full administration, or a deed recording step after the probate division issues a certificate or order.
Sunset's estate settlement tools help organize that first pass before you call the Ozark probate desk. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions, helps identify accounts and assets, and gives the family a clearer picture before papers go to Room 202 at the Christian County Justice Center.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Christian County serves the whole county from Ozark. Christian County is the whole of the 38th Judicial Circuit, so a Christian County estate is filed, heard and closed in Ozark rather than in another county courthouse. Missouri is divided into forty-six judicial circuits (RSMo 478.011).
Christian County's municipalities include Billings, Clever, Fremont Hills, Highlandville, Nixa, Ozark, Sparta and the Village of Saddlebrooke. A Nixa or Highlandville decedent's estate is still filed at the Christian County Justice Center in Ozark if venue belongs in Christian County.
Missouri venue for probating a will and granting letters is the county of the decedent's domicile, and later estate proceedings stay in the county where letters were granted (RSMo 473.010). The probate office is at 110 W. Elm, Room 202; the Circuit Court Building at 102 W. Walnut is not the probate filing counter.
The jurisdiction process
- Work out what is in the probate estate before choosing a path. List accounts, vehicles, debts, real estate and nonprobate transfers, then decide whether the estate needs letters testamentary, letters of administration, a small estate affidavit, a refusal of letters, or another statewide route.
- Call the Christian County probate line at (417) 582-5140, press 3, before making the trip to Ozark. Ask what the Room 202 counter wants for the filing type, how many copies to bring and how the court wants payment.
- Get the correct statewide Missouri probate forms. Christian County does not publish a local probate packet, but the Missouri Judiciary publishes probate forms, including the required filing information sheet and the property listing exhibit used with several no-letters filings.
- Deliver the original will to the probate division on paper if there is one. Christian County's schedule says filing a deceased person's will is free, schedule updated December 29, 2023; admitting a will to probate is a separate charge on the court's schedule.
- File at the probate desk in the circuit clerk's office, Room 202 of the Christian County Justice Center, 110 W. Elm, Ozark, MO 65721, or mail the filing to that same address. Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System; self-represented filers may take papers to the clerk for the case type under Local Rule 4.
- Pay the court's published charge for the filing type. Christian County accepts the payment methods allowed by Local Rule 5.1, but personal checks are not accepted.
- For a full administration, the clerk causes notice of letters to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks (RSMo 473.033). Christian County's opening charge for a decedent estate includes the court's listed publication cost, schedule updated December 29, 2023.
- Plan around the Division IV probate docket. Local Rule 2.4.2 sets the probate docket on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 9:00 a.m., subject to change by the court, with probate hearings in Courtroom 107 at 110 W. Elm.
- After the court grants authority, use the certified letters testamentary or letters of administration to administer the estate. Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, provides one certified copy of the letters with the state component of the charge.
- Administer, track and close the estate. Watch the docket on Case.net, budget for Christian County's annual charge while a decedent estate stays open and the later charge tied to final inventory value, and record any small estate certificate or refusal order that affects Christian County real estate with the Recorder of Deeds at 100 W. Church, Room 104.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Christian County
Christian County does not publish a local probate packet, local estate forms or a probate cover sheet. Its forms page lists domestic, criminal, small claims, landlord, replacement-title and other forms, but not probate estate forms. The circuit's Local Rule 72 for probate also states that there is no local probate rule.
Use the Missouri Judiciary's statewide probate forms instead. The statewide probate forms include FI-50 Confidential Case Filing Information Sheet for probate and non-domestic relations cases, PR 16 Affidavit to Establish Title of Distributee, Small Estate, Intestate, PR 22 Exhibit A for the property listing, PR 23 Application of Creditor for Refusal of Letters, PR 25 Application of Unmarried Minor Children for Refusal of Letters, PR 28 Petition for Determination of Heirship, PR 30 Application to Amend Order Refusing Letters and PR 33 Application of Surviving Spouse for Refusal of Letters.
The filing information sheet is required on each case filed. For a Christian County filing, take or mail the completed probate papers to the probate desk in Room 202 of the Christian County Justice Center, unless an attorney is filing electronically.
Fees
Christian County publishes its own probate cost schedule. The figures below come from the 38th Judicial Circuit administrative order on costs, schedule updated December 29, 2023, with state components governed by Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023.
| Filing or charge | Amount and date | Local note |
|---|---|---|
| Decedent estate with a will | $298.50, schedule updated December 29, 2023 | Includes the court's listed publication cost and the charge to admit the will. |
| Decedent estate without a will | $263.50, schedule updated December 29, 2023 | Includes the court's listed publication cost. |
| Small estate | $68.50, schedule updated December 29, 2023 | Add $60.00, schedule updated December 29, 2023, when publication is required under the small estate statute (RSMo 473.097). |
| Admit a will with no letters granted | $68.50, schedule updated December 29, 2023 | Filing a deceased person's will without admitting it is listed as free, schedule updated December 29, 2023. |
| Order refusing letters to a spouse or creditor | $68.50, schedule updated December 29, 2023 | The state component includes one certified copy of the order under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023. |
| Determination of heirship | $268.50, schedule updated December 29, 2023 | The total includes the court's listed publication cost. |
| Require administration, reopen a closed estate or safe deposit box matter | $68.50, schedule updated December 29, 2023 | Each appears as a separate line on the Christian County schedule. |
| Trust matter | $78.50, schedule updated December 29, 2023 | Listed separately from decedent estate filings. |
| Deposit a will during life | $3.00, schedule updated December 29, 2023 | This is different from filing a deceased person's will, which the schedule lists as free. |
| Annual decedent estate charge | $30.00, schedule updated December 29, 2023 | Charged annually while a decedent estate remains open. |
| Additional charge tied to final inventory value | Runs from $50.00 to $450.00, schedule updated December 29, 2023 | The opening amount is not the whole cost if the final inventory value reaches the schedule's later bands. |
| Dispense with administration at final settlement | $35.00, schedule updated December 29, 2023 | Charged at the end of the final settlement and includes one certified copy. |
| Probate copies and certification | $1.00 per copied page and $1.50 for certification, schedule updated December 29, 2023 | These are the probate copy charges, not the civil copy charges. |
| Publication for sale of real property, statement of account or notice to unknown heirs | $200.00, $120.00 or $125.00, schedule updated December 29, 2023 | These charges apply only when that publication is needed. |
Local nuance
Christian County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Christian County |
|---|---|
| Use the Justice Center | Probate filings go to Room 202 of the Christian County Justice Center at 110 W. Elm in Ozark. The Circuit Court Building at 102 W. Walnut houses other divisions, not the probate filing counter. |
| Division IV hears probate | The probate docket is in Division IV, an associate circuit division. Local Rule 2.4.2 places the probate docket on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 9:00 a.m., subject to change by the court. |
| Direct probate line | Call (417) 582-5140, press 3, for probate, guardianship and child support. The general circuit clerk line is different. |
| Self-represented filings | Local Rule 4 allows self-represented filers to file papers in the office of the appropriate clerk for the case type. The clerk scans those papers into the electronic file. |
| Attorney filings | Attorneys file electronically through the Missouri eFiling System under Local Rule 4, Court Operating Rule 27 and Missouri Supreme Court Rule 103. |
| Payment rules | Local Rule 5.1 allows e-filing charges by approved electronic check, credit card or debit account. Other charges may be paid by cash, certified check, business check, money order or an approved card. Personal checks are not accepted. |
| Pleading details | Local Rule 3 says every person filing a pleading must include an e-mail address or note that they do not have one. Text-searchable PDF rules do not apply to parties who are ineligible for electronic filing. |
| Remote appearance rule | Local Rule 33.6 allows remote appearance by Webex in routine civil matters using the Virtual Hearing Room link on Case.net. For a special civil setting, the rule requires notice by e-filing a clerk note. Ask the probate desk how the rule applies to the specific probate setting. |
| Courthouse screening | Visitors pass through security screening. The courthouse rules prohibit cell phone use in courtrooms, cell phone camera and video in the courthouse, food or drinks in the building and photographic or audio-visual equipment. |
| Recorder of deeds | Real estate recording is a separate stop at 100 W. Church, Room 104, Ozark. The Recorder of Deeds accepts recordings until 3:30 p.m., even though county office hours run to 4:30 p.m. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| December 29, 2023 | The 38th Judicial Circuit's administrative order on costs sets the current Christian County probate charges, including the annual charge while a decedent estate stays open and the charge tied to the final inventory value. |
| October 6, 2022 | The Circuit Court of Christian County issued courthouse rules for public entry and conduct, including security screening and courtroom phone limits. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with the probate desk in Room 202 at 110 W. Elm or call (417) 582-5140, press 3. A refusal of letters may fit a surviving spouse because the spouse and unmarried minor children path is tied to exempt property and the support allowance rather than to a dollar limit (RSMo 473.090). The statewide PR 33 application and PR 22 property listing are the forms to look at. Christian County lists an order refusing letters at $68.50, schedule updated December 29, 2023. If the order affects Christian County real estate, record a certified copy with the Recorder of Deeds at 100 W. Church, Room 104. | Sunset identifies accounts and titled property before filing, helps decide whether a no-letters path is realistic and prepares the packet for the Ozark counter. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Mail can go to the circuit clerk at 110 W. Elm, Room 202, Ozark, MO 65721. The original will must reach the probate division on paper if one exists, and Christian County lists filing a deceased person's will as free, schedule updated December 29, 2023. The small estate line is $68.50, schedule updated December 29, 2023, with $60.00 added, schedule updated December 29, 2023, when publication is required under (RSMo 473.097). Follow the docket on Case.net. | Sunset helps from wherever the child lives by finding accounts, organizing debts and assets, generating the small estate packet and connecting the family with Missouri counsel if the filing becomes more complicated. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually points toward full administration. A personal representative who is not a lawyer cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7), though the personal representative may prepare and file their own inventories and settlements. Locally, plan for Room 202, the Division IV probate docket on the second and fourth Monday at 9:00 a.m., security screening at the Justice Center and the court's costs: $298.50 with a will or $263.50 without a will, schedule updated December 29, 2023, plus later charges if the estate remains open or final inventory value triggers them. | Sunset gets the asset picture and probate packet organized, then connects the parent with a local probate attorney for the court appearance, sale issues and estate settlement steps that follow. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it gives | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Christian County Circuit Court, 38th Judicial Circuit | The court's own site with locations, Division IV information, probate contact numbers, local rules, forms and fee pages. | Use it to find the Justice Center address, the probate phone line and the current local rules before visiting Ozark. |
| Christian County probate fees, Division IV | The court's published probate cost schedule for decedent estates, small estates, refusal of letters, determination of heirship, annual charges, inventory-value charges and probate copies. | Use it before filing so payment matches the filing type and Local Rule 5.1. |
| Christian County Local Rules & Filing Information, Missouri Courts | The Missouri Courts page for the county, with the 38th Judicial Circuit local rules and local administrative orders. | Use it to read the docket, e-filing, payment, remote appearance and courthouse conduct rules. |
| Case.net | Missouri's statewide public case search. Christian County public case information is available for public cases pending as of June 16, 2003 and after, with public documents available electronically for cases initiated in JIS beginning April 14, 2014. | Search by the decedent's name in a browser to follow the docket. For older judgments, ask the court in Ozark. |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | The statewide court-approved probate forms, including the filing information sheet, refusal of letters forms, small estate materials, determination of heirship petition and property listing exhibit. | Use these because Christian County does not publish a separate local probate packet. |
| Legal Services of Southern Missouri | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Missourians. Christian County applications are taken through the Springfield office at (417) 881-0533 or 1-800-444-4863 and online. | Contact intake to ask whether the program can help with the issue. Do not assume estate administration is covered. |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | The official Revised Statutes of Missouri. | Use it to read the Missouri statutes that govern small estates, refusal of letters, notice, claims and personal representative authority. |
When to hire an attorney
In Missouri, a personal representative who is not a lawyer cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7), though the personal representative may prepare and file their own inventories and settlements. Counsel is especially important in a full Christian County administration when real estate must be sold, an heir objects, a creditor claim is disputed or the personal representative lives outside Missouri. A small estate affidavit (RSMo 473.097) and a refusal of letters (RSMo 473.090) appoint no personal representative, and this circuit's rules expect self-represented filers at the clerk's counter. Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, balances and property before the family chooses a Christian County filing path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps assemble the information, forms and supporting documents needed for the Ozark probate desk, including the asset list that drives the estate settlement path.
Find a local probate attorney. When a full administration, court appearance, real estate sale or dispute calls for counsel, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Missouri probate attorney familiar with local practice.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a guided estate settlement workspace, document organization and attorney connection support without charging the family for access.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in Christian County?
File with the probate desk in the circuit clerk's office, Room 202 of the Christian County Justice Center, 110 W. Elm, Ozark, MO 65721. If there is an original will, it must be delivered to the probate division on paper. Christian County's schedule lists filing a deceased person's will as free, schedule updated December 29, 2023, while admitting a will to probate is a separate charge.
Which Ozark courthouse handles probate in Christian County?
Use the Christian County Justice Center at 110 W. Elm. The Circuit Court Building at 102 W. Walnut houses other court divisions and is not the probate filing counter.
What does it cost to open an estate in Christian County?
Christian County's published schedule lists $298.50 for a decedent estate with a will and $263.50 without a will, schedule updated December 29, 2023. Later costs can include $30.00 annually while the estate remains open and an additional charge from $50.00 to $450.00 tied to final inventory value, schedule updated December 29, 2023.
When does the Christian County probate docket sit?
Local Rule 2.4.2 sets the Division IV probate docket on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 9:00 a.m., subject to change by the court. Probate hearings are in Courtroom 107 at the Justice Center.
Can I file a Christian County probate case myself, or do I have to e-file?
Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. A self-represented filer is not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4), and Christian County Local Rule 4 allows self-represented filers to deliver papers to the appropriate clerk for the case type. The clerk scans those papers into the electronic file.
Does Christian County have its own probate forms?
No local Christian County probate packet is published. Use the Missouri Judiciary's probate forms, including the required filing information sheet and the property listing exhibit when the application calls for it.
Can I look up a Christian County estate case online?
Yes. Use Case.net, Missouri's statewide public case search, and search by the decedent's name. Christian County public case information is available for public cases pending as of June 16, 2003 and after, and public documents are available electronically for cases initiated in JIS beginning April 14, 2014.
Can I attend a Christian County probate hearing remotely?
The 38th Judicial Circuit has a remote appearance rule for routine civil matters through Webex using the Virtual Hearing Room link on Case.net. Because the rule does not say that every probate setting qualifies, ask the probate desk at (417) 582-5140, press 3, what the court will do for the specific hearing.
Do I need a lawyer for a Christian County estate?
A non-lawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7), though the personal representative may prepare and file inventories and settlements. No-letters filings, such as a small estate affidavit (RSMo 473.097) or refusal of letters (RSMo 473.090), do not appoint a personal representative, and the circuit's rules allow self-represented filings at the clerk's counter.
How do I pay the court, and where do I record a deed in Christian County?
Local Rule 5.1 allows cash, certified check, business check, money order or an approved card for non-electronic payments, but personal checks are not accepted. If a small estate certificate or refusal order affects Christian County real estate, record it at the Recorder of Deeds, 100 W. Church, Room 104, Ozark. That office accepts recordings until 3:30 p.m.
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.