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Clinton County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Clinton County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Clinton County, in the 43rd Judicial Circuit |
| Courthouse | Clinton County Courthouse, 207 N. Main St., Plattsburg, MO 64477 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 275, Plattsburg, MO 64477 |
| Probate phone | (816) 539-3298 |
| General Circuit and Civil Clerk phone | (816) 539-3731 |
| Fax | (816) 539-3893 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, closed for lunch from noon to 12:30 p.m. |
| Court costs | Clinton County does not publish a local probate cost schedule. Original letters include a $115 state component, with total fees under that rule capped at $565.00 (Court Operating Rule 21.01, eff. Sept. 1, 2023). Ask the Clinton County Probate Division for the current local total before you file. |
| Local forms | No Clinton County-specific probate packet, cover sheet, or checklist is published on the county probate page. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file, and should ask the Probate Division whether a particular probate filing can be submitted electronically. |
| Case search | Case.net. The Circuit 43 help page lists Clinton County probate case information for public cases pending as of, or filed after, January 23, 2006. Older probate judgments must be checked at the courthouse in Plattsburg. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the Probate Division before any scheduled hearing. |
| Website | https://clintoncomo.org/government/courts/probate/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Missouri probate path, make a practical list of what the person owned, what passed outside probate, what debts are known, and whether there is a will. That asset picture determines whether the Clinton County estate settlement needs letters testamentary or letters of administration, a small estate affidavit, a refusal of letters, or another Missouri procedure.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families look for bank, brokerage, retirement, insurance, and other accounts before they prepare the probate packet for Plattsburg. Starting with the asset list also helps you avoid paying court costs for the wrong filing.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Clinton County serves probate matters for Clinton County from the courthouse in Plattsburg. Clinton County is part of the 43rd Judicial Circuit with Caldwell, Daviess, DeKalb, and Livingston counties, but Clinton County filings are handled at the Clinton County courthouse, not at another county's courthouse in the circuit.
Local communities include Plattsburg, Cameron in part, Lathrop, Gower, Trimble, and Turney. Missouri venue generally starts in the county where the decedent was domiciled, and once letters are granted, estate proceedings stay in the county where the letters were granted (RSMo 473.010).
The jurisdiction process
- Decide the Missouri probate path. If the estate needs a personal representative, plan for a full administration with letters testamentary or letters of administration. If the estate may qualify for a small estate affidavit or refusal of letters, review those Missouri paths before requesting letters.
- Gather the documents for the Clinton County filing. Start with the original will if there is one, a death certificate, the asset and debt list, names and addresses of heirs and devisees, and the proposed personal representative's information.
- Use the correct forms. Clinton County does not publish a county-specific probate packet, so use Missouri probate forms and any instructions the Clinton County Probate Division gives you for the type of case you are filing.
- File with the Clinton County Circuit Clerk's office serving as clerk of the probate division. Use the courthouse at 207 N. Main St. in Plattsburg or the mailing address at P.O. Box 275, Plattsburg, MO 64477. Call the probate phone, (816) 539-3298, before mailing time-sensitive materials.
- Address court costs before the filing is accepted. Clinton County does not publish a local total, so ask the Probate Division for the current amount for your filing type and whether any copy or certification charges are needed.
- Deliver the original will on paper if there is a will. Missouri probate practice requires the original will to reach the probate division even when other filings are handled electronically.
- Complete notice after letters are issued. The clerk causes the notice of appointment and notice to creditors to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks, and creditor deadlines run under the Missouri claims statutes (RSMo 473.033, RSMo 473.360, RSMo 473.444).
- Attend any hearing the court sets. If you need to appear remotely, ask the Clinton County Probate Division before the hearing date because no standing remote-appearance instruction is published on the county probate page.
- Use the issued authority document. A personal representative uses letters testamentary or letters of administration to collect probate assets, communicate with financial institutions, and administer the estate.
- Administer and close the estate. File inventories, accountings, settlements, or independent administration closing documents as Missouri law and the court require, and keep copies for the estate settlement file.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Clinton County
Clinton County does not publish a county-specific probate packet, cover sheet, or checklist on its Circuit Clerk page or Probate page. Start with the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page, then call the Clinton County Probate Division before filing to ask whether the clerk wants any local formatting, copies, or proposed orders.
If there is an original will, treat it as a paper original that must reach the Probate Division. Do not rely on an electronic copy of a will as a substitute for lodging the original with the court.
Local nuance
Clinton County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Clinton County filing |
|---|---|
| Plattsburg courthouse | Clinton County probate is handled in Plattsburg. Do not confuse Clinton County with the City of Clinton in Henry County. |
| Lunch closure | The clerk's office lists a noon to 12:30 p.m. lunch closure. Plan hand filings outside that window. |
| Courthouse entry | The county probate page states that shorts are not permitted in the courthouse, cell phones must remain in vehicles, and the courthouse has metal detectors at the entrance. |
| Probate phone | Use the probate line, (816) 539-3298, rather than the general Circuit and Civil Clerk number when asking about probate filing details. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Clinton County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | First identify whether the home passed outside probate and whether any probate assets remain in Clinton County. If a refusal of letters or small estate affidavit fits the facts, it may avoid a full administration; otherwise the Probate Division may need to issue letters. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title issues, and nonprobate transfers before you choose the estate settlement path. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Call the Clinton County Probate Division about filing by mail and current court costs. If the estate qualifies for a Missouri small estate affidavit, the filing is made with the probate division in Plattsburg and the clerk's certificate is the document institutions usually need. | Sunset helps assemble the asset list, prepare the packet, and connect you with Missouri counsel if a hearing or full administration is needed. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If Clinton County real estate is still titled in the child's name and no nonprobate transfer controls it, the estate may need letters or another Missouri court order before sale. If a small estate or refusal order affects real estate, the follow-up recording step is with the recorder of deeds for the county where the real property is located. | Sunset helps organize real estate, debts, heirs, and sale-related documents so the attorney or court packet starts from a complete estate settlement picture. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Clinton County Probate Division | Local filing location, probate phone, hours, lunch closure, and courthouse entry rules | https://clintoncomo.org/government/courts/probate/ |
| Case.net | Public Missouri case lookup for Clinton County probate cases within the Circuit 43 date range listed by the Missouri Judiciary | https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Statewide probate forms page for Missouri probate matters | Missouri Courts website |
| The Missouri Bar Probate Law Resource Guide | Consumer guide published by The Missouri Bar | https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Probate-Guide-Updated-2024.pdf |
| Legal Aid of Western Missouri, St. Joseph office | Free civil legal aid intake for eligible low-income Missourians in Clinton County and nearby counties | 706 Felix St., St. Joseph, MO, (816) 364-2325 or 1-800-892-2101 |
When to hire an attorney
Missouri allows some no-letters paths, but a full estate administration is different. 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 if the will is disputed, real estate must be sold, creditors are active, heirs disagree, or the court sets a hearing. Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property before the Clinton County estate settlement plan is chosen.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's information into an organized probate packet for the Missouri path that fits the estate, with court-ready details you can review before filing in Plattsburg.
Find a local probate attorney. When Missouri law or the facts call for counsel, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted probate attorney familiar with Missouri estate administration.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools, asset discovery, document organization, and attorney connection at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Clinton County, Missouri?
File with the Clinton County Circuit Clerk's office serving as clerk of the probate division at the Clinton County Courthouse, 207 N. Main St., Plattsburg, MO 64477. The mailing address is P.O. Box 275, Plattsburg, MO 64477.
What phone number should I use for Clinton County probate questions?
Use the dedicated probate phone number, (816) 539-3298. The county also lists a general Circuit and Civil Clerk number, (816) 539-3731, but the probate page publishes a separate probate line.
Can I e-file a Clinton County probate case myself?
Attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Missouri's electronic filing rules, and self-represented access depends on the filing type the system makes available. Ask the Clinton County Probate Division whether your particular probate filing can be submitted electronically.
Does Clinton County publish local probate forms?
No Clinton County-specific probate packet, cover sheet, or checklist is published on the county Circuit Clerk or Probate page. Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page and ask the Probate Division what copies or local instructions apply before you file.
How much does it cost to start probate in Clinton County?
Clinton County does not publish a local probate cost schedule. Court costs for original letters are structured under Court Operating Rule 21.01, eff. Sept. 1, 2023, and the Probate Division can give you the current local total for your filing type.
Can I look up a Clinton County probate case online?
Yes. Use Case.net at https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/. The Missouri Judiciary's Circuit 43 help page states that Clinton County probate case information is available for public cases pending as of, or filed after, January 23, 2006. Earlier probate judgments must be checked at the courthouse in Plattsburg.
Are remote probate hearings available in Clinton County?
Do not assume a remote appearance is allowed. If a hearing is scheduled, call the Clinton County Probate Division before the hearing date and ask what the judge permits for that setting.
Do I have to travel to Plattsburg for a Clinton County estate?
Not always. Some filings may be handled by mail, and an attorney can often appear for a personal representative when the estate requires counsel. Call the Probate Division before mailing originals or planning travel, especially if there is a will, a hearing, or a deadline.
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.