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Clay County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Clay County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Clay County, the 7th Judicial Circuit. The court's Probate Department is part of the Clay County Circuit Clerk's office. |
| Courthouse | James S. Rooney Justice Center, 11 South Water Street, Liberty, MO 64068. |
| Mailing | No separate probate mailing address is published. Use 11 South Water Street, Liberty, MO 64068. |
| Probate phone | 816-407-3880. |
| [email protected] for probate questions. Division 4 uses [email protected] for proposed judgments and hearing matters. | |
| Fax | No probate-specific fax is published. The courthouse fax is 816-407-3888, and the Circuit Clerk lists 816-407-3899 for certain older public records requests. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Courtrooms open at 9:00 a.m. under Local Rule 2.1.1. No lunch closure or probate filing cutoff is published. |
| Cost due with application | Clay County's probate court costs order is effective August 28, 2018, and was ordered July 20, 2021. Letters testamentary with a will: $210.50 under that Clay County order. Letters of administration without a will: $170.50 under that Clay County order. Refusal of letters or small estate affidavit without a will admitted at the same time: $65.50 under that Clay County order. The court's statewide cost structure includes an inventory-value add-on under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023. |
| Local forms | Yes. Clay County publishes a Probate department form library with series 100 through 700, including Deceased and Independent Deceased estate forms. |
| E-filing | Attorneys have been required to use the Missouri eFiling System in Clay County since April 11, 2016. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file; Clay County says they may file paper documents at the courthouse and the Circuit Clerk scans them. |
| Case search | Case.net: https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/. Clay County probate case information is available for public cases pending as of, or filed after, January 1, 1977. |
| Remote appearance | Ask Division 4 whether a particular probate hearing may be attended by video or telephone. The probate division does not publish a probate remote-appearance instruction. |
| Website | https://www.circuit7.net/probate/Index |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in Clay County, identify what the decedent owned in their sole name, what already passed by joint title, payable-on-death or transfer-on-death designation, beneficiary deed, or another nonprobate route, and what debts are known. That local inventory matters because Clay County's own rules treat real property differently from an all-personal-property small estate.
Sunset's estate settlement tools help families search across more than 2,300 financial institutions, assemble the asset picture, and decide whether the next local step is a refusal of letters, a small estate affidavit, or a full administration with counsel.
Which court handles jurisdiction
One courthouse serves Clay County probate matters: the James S. Rooney Justice Center at 11 South Water Street in Liberty. The circuit also operates the R. Kenneth Elliott Children's Justice Center, but the local materials do not identify that building as a probate filing location.
The 7th Judicial Circuit is Clay County only. Missouri is divided into forty-six judicial circuits (RSMo 478.011), but this circuit does not share a probate counter with another county.
Clay County includes Avondale, Claycomo, Excelsior Springs, Gladstone, Glenaire, Holt, Kansas City North, Kearney, Lawson, Liberty, Missouri City, Mosby, North Kansas City, Oakview, Pleasant Valley, Prathersville, Randolph, Smithville, and the Villages of Birmingham, Oaks, Oakwood, and Oakwood Park. A Kansas City address is not automatically a Jackson County probate matter; the decedent's domicile controls. Missouri venue for probating a will and granting letters is the county where the decedent was domiciled (RSMo 473.010).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the probate assets, debts, and Clay County real estate. Property that passed by joint title, payable-on-death or transfer-on-death designation, or a recorded beneficiary deed may not be part of the probate estate. Clay County real estate matters because Local Rule 72.2.1 requires an attorney of record for a small estate affidavit when real estate is an asset.
- Choose the local route before preparing forms. Clay County's probate page says filings that require counsel include applications for letters testamentary, letters of administration, letters with will annexed, determination of heirship, petitions to require administration, and small estate affidavits with real property. The same court page lists refusals of letters, small estate affidavits without real property, filing a will, and admitting a will among matters that may be filed without counsel.
- Build the packet from Clay County's form library. The court publishes Form 519-D for letters testamentary or letters of administration with will annexed, Form 526-D for letters of administration, Forms 501-D and 502-D for delivery of a purported will, Form 209 for inventory and appraisement, Form 219 for settlement, and Form 606-DI for statement of account in an independent administration. Every application to the probate division must be under oath or affirmation under Local Rule 72.1.1, and the caption must read, In the Circuit Court of Clay County, Liberty, Missouri, under Local Rule 3.2.1.
- Include the death certificate and confidential filing information sheet. Clay County's probate FAQ says all decedent estate filings must include a certificate of death, and that a copy is preferred and need not be certified. The probate page also publishes a confidential case filing information sheet for probate cases.
- File with the probate division at the James S. Rooney Justice Center. Local Rule 4.3.1 sends probate and estate administration matters to the Probate Division. Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers may file paper documents at the courthouse, and the Circuit Clerk scans them under Local Rule 14.1.1.
- Pay the Clay County court cost due with the application. Under Clay County's probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021, letters testamentary cost $210.50, letters of administration cost $170.50, a refusal of letters costs $65.50 without a will admitted at the same time, and a small estate affidavit costs $65.50 without a will admitted at the same time. The Missouri cost structure also includes an inventory-value add-on under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, but Clay County says not to pay that add-on until the inventory is filed.
- Handle publication when required. Clay County's cost order places publication responsibility on the attorney for testate and intestate letters, petitions to require administration, and determination of heirship. Publication is separate from the court cost.
- Set the hearing through Division 4. Division 4 is the probate division under Local Rule 6.2.4.3. Routine probate motions are heard Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. If a matter is likely to take more than thirty minutes, it can be specially set. Contested probate matters and matters with a jury trial request are set separately following a motion for trial setting. Proposed judgments must be emailed to Division 4 before the case is set for hearing.
- Use the letters after appointment. After the court appoints a personal representative, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration. Clay County certified copies cost $4.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021.
- Administer and close the estate on Clay County's local forms. Local Rule 72.1.4 requires inventories on yellow forms, claims on pink forms, decedent estate settlements on green forms, and trust settlements on blue forms, and the probate division's clerk supplies those forms on request. Clay County charges $30.00 under its probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021, for each twelve months or part of one after the first twelve months before the final settlement or statement of account is filed. Closing forms include Forms 542-D through 546-D for supervised estates and Forms 603-I through 606-DI for independent administration.
- Record real-estate transfer paperwork when a no-letters route moves Clay County title. A small estate affidavit with the clerk's certificate, or a certified order refusing letters, is recorded with the Clay County Recorder of Deeds at 1 Courthouse Square in Liberty when Clay County real estate must be transferred of record.
Executor duties
Clay County adds several local tasks to the usual work of a Missouri personal representative. Use the court's local forms for estate settlement: Form 209 for the inventory and appraisement, Form 219 for the settlement, Form 212 if more time is needed for an inventory, settlement, statement of account, status report, or verification, and Form 213 for compensation requests.
Local Rule 72.1.4 also controls the paper color for probate filings. Inventories are yellow, claims are pink, decedent estate settlements are green, and trust settlements are blue. The probate division's clerk supplies the color-coded forms on request.
Watch the local cost consequences of delay. Clay County's probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021, adds $30.00 for each twelve months or part of one after the first twelve months before the final settlement or statement of account is filed.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Clay County
Clay County publishes a substantial local probate form library at https://www.circuit7.net/courtforms. Use the Probate department, series 100 through 700. The library includes Probate 500 Deceased forms, Probate 600 Independent Deceased forms, and Probate 200 forms used across case types.
| Form or rule | Clay County use |
|---|---|
| Form 519-D | Application for letters testamentary or letters of administration with will annexed. |
| Form 526-D | Application for letters of administration. |
| Forms 501-D and 502-D | Delivery of a purported will to the court. |
| Form 209 | Inventory and appraisement. |
| Form 219 | Settlement. |
| Form 606-DI | Statement of account in an independent administration. |
| Form 265 | Request for a court costs estimate. |
| Form 236 | Order permitting matter to proceed without a deposit on costs. |
| Local Rule 72.1.4 | Inventories, claims, and settlements must use the color-coded probate forms supplied by the probate division's clerk on request. |
The Clay County probate page also links statewide Missouri Judiciary probate forms for small estate affidavits, refusals of letters, and determination of heirship. Clay County hosts editable versions of the surviving spouse and unmarried minor children refusal applications.
Fees
Clay County publishes its own probate court costs order. The order is effective August 28, 2018, and was ordered July 20, 2021. Missouri's statewide probate cost structure includes a letters cost and inventory-value add-on under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, but Clay County's local order is the number set to use for a Clay County filing.
| Clay County item | Court cost |
|---|---|
| Letters testamentary, testate, supervised or independent | $210.50 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Letters of administration, intestate, supervised or independent | $170.50 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Refusal of letters, spouse, unmarried minor child, or creditor, no will admitted at the same time | $65.50 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Refusal of letters filed with a will admitted at the same time | $100.50 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Small estate affidavit, no will admitted at the same time | $65.50 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Small estate affidavit filed with a will admitted at the same time | $100.50 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Admit will to probate, no letters issued | $65.50 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Determination of heirship | $80.50, plus $12.00 for each heir for certified mail notice, under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Petition to require administration, no will | $170.50, plus $12.00 for each heir for certified mail notice, plus a $1,000.00 deposit for costs, fees, and expenses, under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Petition to require administration, with will | $210.50, plus $12.00 for each heir for certified mail notice, plus a $1,000.00 deposit for costs, fees, and expenses, under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Reopen estate | $135.50 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Estate open for lawsuit only | $135.50 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Deposit of will for safekeeping during the testator's lifetime | $3.00 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Clay County sheriff service | $50.00, paid by separate check to the Sheriff of Clay County, under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Additional annual charge while estate remains open | $30.00 for each twelve months or part of one after the first twelve months before the final settlement or statement of account is filed, under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021, and Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023. |
Clay County also publishes an inventory-value table. The court says not to pay this added cost until the inventory is filed.
| Inventory value | Additional cost |
|---|---|
| $50,001 to $100,000 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 | $50.00 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 |
| $100,001 to $150,000 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 | $100.00 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 |
| $150,001 to $200,000 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 | $150.00 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 |
| $200,001 to $250,000 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 | $200.00 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 |
| $250,001 to $300,000 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 | $250.00 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 |
| $300,001 to $350,000 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 | $300.00 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 |
| $350,001 to $400,000 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 | $350.00 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 |
| $400,001 to $450,000 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 | $400.00 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 |
| $450,001 or more under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 | $450.00 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 |
| Copies | Clay County cost |
|---|---|
| Certified copy, first page | $4.00 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 |
| Certified copy, each additional page | $1.00 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 |
| Authenticated copy, first page | $6.00 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 |
| Authenticated copy, each additional page | $1.00 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 |
| Photocopy or microfilm copy | $1.00 per page under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021 |
Timeline
- The clerk's counter is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Courtrooms open at 9:00 a.m. under Local Rule 2.1.1.
- Clay County publishes four court terms. Local Rule 2.2.1 says the terms begin on the third Tuesday in January and April, and on the second Tuesday in July and October each calendar year.
- Routine probate motions in Division 4 are set Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. Motions likely to take more than thirty minutes can be specially set.
- Probate matters that are not contested and have no jury trial request are heard on Division 4's listed days and times unless specifically set at another time. A contested probate matter, or a probate matter in which a jury trial is requested, is set separately following a motion for trial setting.
- Local Rule 20.1 says counsel should seek agreement with opposing counsel and the division clerk or judge on hearing dates. Local Rule 20.2 says that when agreement cannot be reached, the movant obtains a date and time from the division clerk and serves notice at least five days ahead, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.
- Division 4 requires proposed judgments to be emailed to the division before the case is set for hearing.
- Local Rule 72.1.3 gives an interested party thirty days to ask the probate division to set aside and reconsider an order entered without notice and an opportunity for a full evidentiary hearing.
- Clay County's probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021, adds $30.00 for each twelve months or part of one after the first twelve months before the final settlement or statement of account is filed.
Local nuance
Clay County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Attorney rule for real property | Clay County Local Rule 72.2.1 requires an attorney of record for any proceeding for letters testamentary or letters of administration and for a small estate affidavit when real estate is an asset. Missouri also bars a non-attorney personal representative from appearing in court except through an attorney, while allowing that personal representative to prepare and file inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7). |
| Refusal forms help | Clay County's probate page says clerks cannot give legal advice, but may provide limited assistance in filling out forms needed for an order refusing letters. RSMo 473.091 allows that clerk assistance under the judge's supervision. |
| Color-coded forms | Local Rule 72.1.4 requires yellow inventories, pink claims, green decedent estate settlements, and blue trust settlements. The probate division's clerk supplies the color-coded forms on request. |
| Fixed caption | Local Rule 3.2.1 says the court designation in the caption is solely, In the Circuit Court of Clay County, Liberty, Missouri. |
| Publication responsibility | Clay County's cost order places publication responsibility on the attorney for several decedent estate matters, rather than collecting a publication amount as part of the court cost. |
| Older probate cases on Case.net | Clay County probate case information is available on Case.net for public probate cases pending as of, or filed after, January 1, 1977. Earlier probate judgments must be reviewed through the judgment index at the courthouse Probate Division in Liberty. |
| Recorder is in a different building | For Clay County real estate, a small estate affidavit with clerk's certificate or a certified order refusing letters is recorded at the Clay County Recorder of Deeds, 1 Courthouse Square, Liberty, not at the courthouse probate counter. |
Small-estate Alternatives
Clay County's local small-estate distinction is practical: the court allows a small estate affidavit without real property to be filed without an attorney, but Local Rule 72.2.1 requires an attorney of record when real estate is an asset. The statewide small estate threshold is $40,000 or less for the entire estate, less liens, debt, and encumbrances, including real and personal property, under RSMo 473.097, effective August 28, 2002.
Clay County's probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021, sets a small estate affidavit at $65.50 when no will is admitted at the same time, and $100.50 when a will is admitted at the same time. If Clay County real estate is transferred through a filed small estate affidavit and clerk's certificate, record the paperwork with the Clay County Recorder of Deeds at 1 Courthouse Square in Liberty.
Recent updates
| Update | Clay County detail |
|---|---|
| Probate court costs | Clay County's probate court costs order is effective August 28, 2018, and was ordered July 20, 2021. |
| Electronic filing | Attorneys have been required to use the Missouri eFiling System for new and pending Clay County cases since April 11, 2016. Self-represented filers are not required to use it. |
| Local court rules | The 7th Judicial Circuit local rules include recent amendment dates, including Rule 20.2 amended January 20, 2026, Rule 4.1 amended June 3, 2025, and Rule 2.2.1 on terms of court amended effective October 13, 2026. |
| Civil deposit order | The circuit's separate civil filing deposit order took effect August 1, 2021, and states that it is not applicable to probate. |
| Older public records requests | The Circuit Clerk directs requests for public records on cases prior to July 1, 2023 that Case.net does not cover to a faxed request at 816-407-3899. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Clay County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with title. If the home passed by survivorship or a recorded beneficiary deed, it may not need probate. For remaining assets, Clay County lists spousal refusal of letters as a filing that may be made without an attorney, and the court cost is $65.50 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021, or $100.50 under that order if a will is admitted at the same time. If real property is an estate asset, Clay County's local rule requires an attorney of record. | Sunset helps identify accounts, beneficiary designations, debts, and whether the estate settlement can use a no-letters route or needs a lawyer-led administration. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Clay County says a small estate affidavit without real property may be filed without an attorney. If real property is an asset, Local Rule 72.2.1 requires counsel. Clay County's cost is $65.50 under the Clay County probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021, or $100.50 under that order if a will is admitted at the same time. The court publishes no probate mail-filing instruction for self-represented filers, so call 816-407-3880 before sending papers. | Sunset organizes the asset list, helps spot nonprobate transfers, and can prepare the information a Clay County probate attorney needs if real estate is involved. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home that must be sold usually means an administration. Clay County requires an attorney of record for proceedings for letters and for estates with real property, and a non-attorney personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7). Expect the Clay County court cost for letters, plus the inventory-value add-on when the inventory is filed. | Sunset finds accounts and liabilities, keeps the estate settlement checklist organized, and connects the family with a vetted local probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Probate Department, 7th Judicial Circuit | Clay County's probate page, with attorney-required and attorney-optional lists, death certificate instructions, payment methods, the probate phone, and probate email. | https://www.circuit7.net/probate/Index |
| Clay County probate court costs order | The court's published probate cost schedule, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021. | https://www.circuit7.net/probate/fees/ |
| Clay County probate forms library | Searchable court forms. Use the Probate department, series 100 through 700. | https://www.circuit7.net/courtforms |
| Local court rules, 7th Judicial Circuit | Rules on where probate is filed, e-filing, hearing settings, attorney requirements, and color-coded probate forms. | http://www.circuit7.net/circuitcourt/Local-Court-Rules.pdf |
| Case.net | Missouri public case search. Clay County probate cases pending as of, or filed after, January 1, 1977 are included. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Statewide PR probate forms, including forms the Clay County probate page links for small estate affidavits, refusals of letters, and determination of heirship. | courts.mo.gov, Court Forms, Probate Forms |
| Clay County Law Library | Open to the public for legal research Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a photo ID left at the upstairs security desk. The library does not give legal advice. | http://www.circuit7.net/circuitcourt/Local-Court-Rules.pdf |
| Legal Aid of Western Missouri | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Missourians. Clay County is in its service area; intake decides whether a matter fits. | https://www.lawmo.org/ |
| Clay County Recorder of Deeds | Records a small estate affidavit with clerk's certificate or a certified order refusing letters when Clay County real estate title is being moved. Office: 1 Courthouse Square, Liberty, 816-407-3550. | https://www.claycountymo.gov/253/Recorder-of-Deeds |
| The Missouri Bar probate guide | Consumer probate guide published by The Missouri Bar, 2024 edition. It is a bar publication, not a court checklist. | https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Probate-Guide-Updated-2024.pdf |
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 inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7). Clay County adds its own local rule: an attorney of record is required for any proceeding for letters testamentary or letters of administration, and for a small estate affidavit when real estate is an asset. Counsel also makes sense for contested matters, real estate sales, creditor disputes, and any estate settlement that will need a court hearing. Sunset connects families to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions so families can identify accounts, policies, loans, and other assets before choosing a Clay County probate path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for a refusal of letters, small estate affidavit, or full administration, and helps you avoid missing Clay County details such as the death certificate copy, local caption, and probate form series.
Find a local probate attorney. When Clay County requires counsel, especially for letters or real property, Sunset connects the family with a vetted local probate attorney who can appear in court and guide the administration.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools at no cost, and attorney connections are also free for families.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Clay County, Missouri?
File probate and estate administration matters with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Clay County at the James S. Rooney Justice Center, 11 South Water Street, Liberty, MO 64068. Local Rule 4.3.1 sends probate matters to the Probate Division.
What is the Clay County probate phone number?
Use 816-407-3880 for probate questions. The general courthouse number is 816-407-3900, but the probate page and Division 4 page both publish 816-407-3880 for probate.
Can I e-file a Clay County probate case myself?
Attorneys have used the Missouri eFiling System in Clay County since April 11, 2016. Clay County says self-represented filers are not required to e-file and may file paper documents at the courthouse, where the Circuit Clerk scans them. Ask the probate division before assuming a self-represented probate document can be filed electronically.
When are Clay County probate motions heard?
Division 4 hears routine probate motions Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. Matters likely to take more than thirty minutes can be specially set. Contested probate matters and probate matters with a jury trial request are set separately following a motion for trial setting.
Does Clay County allow remote probate hearings?
The probate division does not publish a probate remote-appearance instruction. Ask Division 4 whether a particular probate hearing may be attended by video or telephone.
Can I look up a Clay County probate case online?
Yes. Use Case.net at https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/. Clay County probate case information is available for public cases pending as of, or filed after, January 1, 1977. Public Case.net usually shows the docket, not every document.
Does Clay County have local probate forms?
Yes. Clay County publishes a Probate department form library at https://www.circuit7.net/courtforms. Use the Probate department, series 100 through 700. The library includes Deceased, Independent Deceased, and all-case probate forms.
How much does it cost to open a Clay County estate?
Clay County's probate court costs order, effective August 28, 2018, ordered July 20, 2021, lists $210.50 for letters testamentary with a will and $170.50 for letters of administration without a will. The court also publishes an inventory-value add-on that is not paid until the inventory is filed, under the statewide structure in Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023.
Do I have to travel to Liberty for Clay County probate?
Attorneys file electronically. Self-represented filers are told by Clay County that they may file paper documents at the courthouse. The court does not publish a probate mail-filing instruction for self-represented filers, so call 816-407-3880 before mailing anything.
Can Clay County clerks help me fill out refusal of letters forms?
Clay County says clerks cannot give legal advice, but may provide limited assistance in filling out forms needed for an order refusing letters. Missouri law allows that limited clerk assistance under the judge's supervision (RSMo 473.091).
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.