Back to Missouri
Cooper County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Cooper County probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Cooper County, 18th Judicial Circuit |
| Courthouse address | Cooper County Courthouse, 200 Main Street, Room 31, Boonville, MO 65233 |
| Mailing address | Use the courthouse address, Room 31. No separate probate mailing address is published. |
| Phone | (660) 882-2232 |
| Fax | (660) 882-2043 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Filing cost | No Cooper County probate-cost schedule is published. Original letters carry a state component set by Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, with added inventory-value charges, and local surcharges may apply. |
| Local forms | No Cooper County probate packet or local checklist is published. Use Missouri Judiciary probate forms and any instructions the clerk gives for Cooper County. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4); ask the clerk whether the filing type you need is available electronically or should be filed at the counter or by mail. |
| Case search | Case.net covers Cooper County probate cases. |
| Remote appearance | No Cooper County probate remote-appearance rule is published. The hearing notice controls, and you should call the clerk before assuming a phone or video appearance is available. |
| Website | Cooper County Circuit Court page: https://www.coopercountymo.gov/circuit-court.html |
| Payment at the court | The county states that court payments may be made by cashier's check, money order, cash or credit card, and that personal checks are not accepted. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a probate path in Cooper County, list what the person owned, how each asset was titled, known debts, and whether anything passed by beneficiary designation, joint ownership or beneficiary deed. Estate settlement often turns on that inventory before it turns on a form, because the same family may need full administration for one asset and no court process for another.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find accounts, insurance, investments and other assets before filing. That gives you a clearer picture before you call the Cooper County circuit clerk, ask about current costs, or speak with a Missouri probate attorney.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File Cooper County probate matters at the Cooper County Courthouse in Boonville, not at the Pettis County courthouse in Sedalia, even though Cooper and Pettis counties share the 18th Judicial Circuit. The Cooper County circuit clerk serves as the clerk of the probate division for local estate filings (RSMo 472.010).
Missouri venue for letters is generally the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent had no Missouri domicile, venue can be in a county where Missouri property is located, with special attention to where the major part of Missouri real estate is located (RSMo 473.010). That rule means the Boonville courthouse covers deaths and property situations that belong in Cooper County, including Boonville and the rest of Cooper County.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the probate path before filing. Full administration seeks letters testamentary or letters of administration; a small estate affidavit, refusal of letters, or determination of heirship may fit only if the statewide statutory conditions are met.
- Gather the original will, death certificate, asset list, debt list, names and addresses of heirs or devisees, and information about any Cooper County real estate. The original will is delivered to the probate division on paper even when other filings are handled electronically.
- Prepare the required Missouri probate forms or attorney-drafted petition. Cooper County does not publish a local probate packet, so use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page and the clerk's local filing instructions.
- File with the circuit clerk's office at the Cooper County Courthouse, 200 Main Street, Room 31, Boonville. For a full administration, remember that a nonlawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney, although the personal representative may prepare and file inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153).
- Pay the court cost or ask the clerk for the current Cooper County total before presenting payment. Cooper County states that court payments may be made by cashier's check, money order, cash or credit card, and that personal checks are not accepted.
- Follow the notice instructions. In a full administration, the clerk causes notice of letters to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks, and creditor deadlines run from that notice and from any mailed or served notice as Missouri law provides (RSMo 473.033, RSMo 473.360).
- Watch for the hearing notice. Cooper County does not publish a probate hearing-day calendar or remote-appearance rule, so use the date, room and appearance instructions on the court notice and call the clerk before relying on a remote appearance.
- After appointment, obtain letters testamentary or letters of administration if the court grants them. Banks, title companies and other institutions usually ask for the issued letters before they will work with the personal representative.
- Administer and close the estate settlement. Missouri requires an inventory within thirty days after letters are granted unless the court gives more time (RSMo 473.233), and the closing path depends on whether the estate is supervised or independent administration.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Cooper County
Cooper County does not publish a separate local probate forms packet or checklist on its county circuit court page. Start with the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page, then call the Cooper County circuit clerk before filing if you need to know whether a particular filing should be brought to Room 31, mailed, or submitted by an attorney through the Missouri eFiling System.
| Form source | How to use it in Cooper County |
|---|---|
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Use the statewide probate forms page for Missouri probate forms. Do not rely on a form number unless you are looking at the current Judiciary form page. |
| Attorney-drafted forms | Full administration often needs counsel because a nonlawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153). |
| Original will | Deliver the original will to the probate division on paper. Do not record the will with the recorder of deeds. |
| Local cover sheet or checklist | Cooper County does not publish a separate probate cover sheet or checklist. |
Local nuance
Cooper County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Cooper County filing |
|---|---|
| Shared circuit, local courthouse | Cooper County is in the 18th Judicial Circuit with Pettis County, but Cooper County probate filings go to the Boonville courthouse. |
| One published counter | The county publishes the circuit clerk's office in Room 31 as the office handling probate along with other circuit court case types. |
| Associate civil and probate grouping | The Missouri Judiciary groups Cooper County probate matters under Associate Civil and Probate for Circuit 18 case information. |
| Payment method | The county states that cashier's check, money order, cash and credit card are accepted for court payments, and personal checks are not accepted. |
| Case-number format | Cooper County probate cases use the Missouri probate case-type code PR. The Circuit 18 help page gives the Cooper County post-2001 format as 01PR315###. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Cooper County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | First confirm how the home was titled and whether it passes outside probate. If probate is still needed for Cooper County assets, file at the Boonville courthouse. A refusal of letters may be worth discussing if the spouse or unmarried minor children fit Missouri's statutory path (RSMo 473.090). | Sunset helps identify accounts, deeds and beneficiary designations before the family spends money on the wrong estate settlement path. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | List all Missouri probate assets and debts before choosing the small estate affidavit route. The Missouri small estate limit is a net entire-estate test of $40,000, effective August 28, 2002, and the affidavit is filed with the probate division (RSMo 473.097). | Sunset organizes asset information, helps generate a filing packet, and can connect the family with a Missouri probate attorney if the Cooper County filing is not a simple no-letters path. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home is still in the child's name and no nonprobate transfer controls it, a full administration may be needed so a personal representative can obtain authority to deal with title. File Cooper County matters in Boonville, and expect attorney involvement if court appearance is required (RSMo 473.153). | Sunset supports the estate settlement by finding financial accounts, organizing debt and asset information, and matching the family with local counsel when real estate needs to be sold. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it helps with | Link or contact |
|---|---|---|
| Cooper County circuit clerk | Local filing counter, hours, payment methods, phone and fax for Cooper County probate filings. | 200 Main Street, Room 31, Boonville, MO 65233. Phone: (660) 882-2232. Website: https://www.coopercountymo.gov/circuit-court.html |
| Case.net | Public Missouri case lookup for Cooper County probate dockets. Public lookup generally shows docket information, not every filed document. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Statewide probate forms for Missouri filings. | Missouri Courts website, probate forms page |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | Official text of Missouri probate statutes and the Missouri Constitution. | https://revisor.mo.gov/ |
| The Missouri Bar Probate Law Resource Guide | Consumer guide from The Missouri Bar about Missouri probate concepts. | https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Probate-Guide-Updated-2024.pdf |
| Mid-Missouri Legal Services | Free civil legal aid intake for eligible low-income Missourians in Cooper County. The program decides whether it can help with a particular estate issue. | 117 North Garth, Columbia, MO 65203. Phone: 573-442-0116 or 1-800-568-4931. Website: https://www.mmls.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
A Missouri lawyer is especially important for a full Cooper County administration, disputed heirs, real estate sales, creditor issues, or any hearing where a nonlawyer personal representative would otherwise need to appear in court. Missouri law allows a personal representative to prepare and file inventories and settlements, but a nonlawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153). 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, insurance, investments and other property before choosing a Cooper County probate path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family intake into an organized estate settlement packet, with asset summaries, debt information and next-step checklists that fit Missouri terminology and Cooper County filing logistics.
Find a local probate attorney. When a full administration, court appearance or real estate issue calls for counsel, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Missouri probate attorney familiar with local practice.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset does not charge families to use its estate settlement tools or to be connected with a vetted probate attorney.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Cooper County?
File Cooper County probate matters with the circuit clerk's office at the Cooper County Courthouse, 200 Main Street, Room 31, Boonville, MO 65233. Use Cooper County's Boonville courthouse, not the Pettis County courthouse, even though both counties are in the 18th Judicial Circuit.
Does Cooper County have its own probate forms?
Cooper County does not publish a separate local probate packet or checklist. Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page and ask the Cooper County circuit clerk about current local filing instructions before submitting your papers.
Can I e-file a Cooper County probate case myself?
Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4), and whether a specific probate filing type is open to a self-represented filer can depend on the system and local practice. Call the Cooper County circuit clerk before relying on electronic submission.
What is the probate cost in Cooper County?
No Cooper County probate-cost schedule is published. Original letters have a state component and inventory-value add-ons under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, and local surcharges may apply, so ask the Cooper County circuit clerk for the current total before you bring payment.
Can I look up a Cooper County probate case online?
Yes. Use Case.net for Cooper County probate docket information. The Missouri Judiciary's Circuit 18 help page states that Associate Civil and Probate public case information is available for cases pending as of April 1, 2001 and later, with electronic records viewable at the courthouse public access terminal beginning January 1, 2012 and Cooper County electronic availability for listed case types beginning October 28, 2013.
Can I appear by phone or video for a Cooper County probate hearing?
Do not assume a remote appearance is available. Cooper County does not publish a probate remote-appearance rule, so follow the hearing notice and call the circuit clerk before the hearing date if travel is a problem.
Do I have to travel to Boonville if I live outside Missouri?
Not always, but it depends on the filing and whether a hearing is set. Paper filings may be possible by mail for some steps, attorneys use the Missouri eFiling System, and the court's hearing notice will control any required appearance.
Does a full Cooper County estate need a lawyer?
For a full administration, plan to talk with a Missouri probate attorney early. A nonlawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney, although the personal representative may prepare and file inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153). Small estate affidavits and refusals of letters do not appoint a personal representative, so they are different paths under Missouri law.
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.