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Gentry County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Gentry County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Gentry County |
| Courthouse address | Gentry County Courthouse, 200 W. Clay Street, Suite 101, Albany, MO 64402 |
| Mailing address | 200 W. Clay Street, Suite 101, Albany, MO 64402 |
| Phone | (660) 726-3618 |
| Fax | (660) 726-4102 |
| Hours | The Circuit Clerk's probate hours are not separately published. Call before visiting. The Recorder of Deeds in the same courthouse publishes hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with marriage licenses issued until 4:00 p.m. |
| Court cost for letters | Gentry County does not publish a county probate cost schedule. Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, sets a $115 cost when original letters are applied for in a decedent's estate, adds $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, caps that rule's total at $565, and includes one certified copy of the letters. The 4th Judicial Circuit local rules say the probate clerk provides fee information, so ask the Albany probate clerk for the total due before filing. |
| Local forms | No Gentry County probate packet is published. Use the statewide Missouri Judiciary probate forms and the 4th Judicial Circuit Party Information Form required by Local Rule 4.3(b). |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are never required to e-file (Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4)); 4th Circuit Local Rule 72.1(e) directs self-represented parties to file original pleadings and documents with the clerk of the probate division. |
| Case search | Use Case.net for Gentry County probate dockets. Public users can view available public case documents filed on or after July 1, 2023 from the Docket Entries tab. |
| Remote appearance | The 4th Judicial Circuit local rules do not establish a probate remote-appearance practice. Follow the notice of hearing and the Case.net Scheduled Hearings and Trials tab. |
| Website | Gentry County elected offices: https://gentrycounty.net/index.php/elected-officials/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Gentry County probate path, list what the person owned, how each asset was titled, the known debts, and whether real estate is still in the decedent's name. That first inventory determines whether the family is dealing with a full administration, a small estate affidavit, a refusal of letters, or a later determination of heirship.
Sunset's estate settlement tools help families search across 2,300 financial institutions for accounts, balances, and clues that change the filing strategy. In Gentry County, that preparation also helps you call the Albany probate clerk with a focused question about the correct forms, court cost, and whether the original will must be delivered in person or by mail.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Gentry County serves probate matters for Gentry County from the courthouse in Albany. Communities in Gentry County include Albany, Darlington, King City and Stanberry.
Gentry County is part of Missouri's 4th Judicial Circuit with Atchison, Holt, Nodaway and Worth counties. A shared circuit is not a shared courthouse. If the decedent was domiciled in Gentry County, the will is probated and letters are granted in Gentry County (RSMo 473.010). If a Missouri decedent was not domiciled in Missouri, venue can turn on where Missouri property is located (RSMo 473.010).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the probate path before filing. A full administration asks the court for letters testamentary or letters of administration. A small estate affidavit may fit when the statewide requirements in RSMo 473.097 are met. A refusal of letters may fit for a surviving spouse, unmarried minor children, or a qualifying creditor under RSMo 473.090.
- Prepare the forms for the chosen path. Gentry County does not publish a county packet. Use the statewide Missouri Judiciary probate forms and include the 4th Judicial Circuit Party Information Form required by Local Rule 4.3(b).
- File at the Gentry County Courthouse, 200 W. Clay Street, Suite 101, Albany. Self-represented parties file original pleadings and documents with the clerk of the probate division under 4th Circuit Local Rule 72.1(e). Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System.
- Deliver the original will on paper if there is one. Under 4th Circuit Local Rule 72.1(b) and (c), an original will or codicil submitted electronically is only conditionally accepted until the original arrives physically in the probate division, and the court will not act on it before then.
- Ask the Albany probate clerk for the total cost due with the filing. Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, sets a $115 cost when original letters are applied for, adds $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, caps that rule's total at $565, and includes one certified copy of the letters. The 4th Circuit local rules say the probate clerk provides fee information.
- Watch Case.net for deficiency notices. Under 4th Circuit Local Rule 72.1(k), the division reviews new estate filings and may list deficiencies with a due date. Missing that due date can lead to dismissal for failure to prosecute.
- Handle notice. When letters are issued, the clerk causes notice of the appointment and notice to creditors to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks (RSMo 473.033). Missouri creditors then have the later of six months from first publication or two months from mailed or served notice to file claims, subject to the separate one-year bar from death (RSMo 473.360; RSMo 473.444).
- Attend any hearing as directed by the court. The 4th Judicial Circuit local rules do not establish a probate remote-appearance practice, so use the notice of hearing and Case.net to see how the matter is set. In Missouri, a personal representative who is not a lawyer cannot appear in court except through an attorney, though the personal representative may prepare and file their own inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7).
- After the court grants authority, use the letters testamentary or letters of administration to collect estate assets, pay valid expenses and claims, and administer the estate. File the inventory within thirty days after letters are granted unless the court allows more time (RSMo 473.233).
- Close the estate settlement carefully. Keep vouchers, receipts, bank statements and brokerage statements from the start, because 4th Circuit Local Rule 72.2 requires vouchers to support settlement disbursements. If the decedent was enrolled in MOHealthNet at death, Local Rule 72.1(l) requires the separate disclosure and closing compliance described by the rule.
Executor duties
Gentry County is subject to the 4th Judicial Circuit's probate settlement rules. Keep receipts and account statements as the estate settlement proceeds, because Local Rule 72.2 requires vouchers to be attached to a settlement in the same order as the disbursements listed, with account verification filed separately.
For a new full estate, 4th Circuit Local Rule 72.1(l) requires a separate MOHealthNet disclosure stating whether the decedent was enrolled in MOHealthNet at death. If the decedent was enrolled, closing pleadings must show compliance with Missouri's MOHealthNet estate recovery requirements.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Gentry County
Gentry County does not publish its own probate forms packet, cover sheet or checklist. File with the statewide Missouri Judiciary probate forms and the 4th Judicial Circuit Party Information Form required by Local Rule 4.3(b).
For any filing involving a will or codicil, plan for the original paper document to reach the probate division in Albany. The 4th Circuit local rules treat an electronically submitted will or codicil as conditional until the physical original is filed with the probate division.
Fees
Gentry County does not publish a local probate cost schedule. The useful local rule is 4th Circuit Local Rule 5.1, which says the probate clerk provides fee information, and Local Rule 4.7(3), which says a filing tendered without the proper fee is held until the proper fee is received.
For letters, use the statewide structure as the starting point and ask the Albany probate clerk for the total collected at the counter. Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, sets a $115 cost when original letters are applied for in a decedent's estate, adds $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, caps that rule's total at $565, and includes one certified copy of the letters.
Local nuance
Gentry County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Gentry County |
|---|---|
| Shared circuit, separate courthouse | Gentry County is in the 4th Judicial Circuit with Atchison, Holt, Nodaway and Worth counties, but Gentry County probate filings go to the Albany courthouse. |
| County Clerk is a different office | Use the Circuit Clerk probate number, (660) 726-3618. Do not use the County Clerk and county commission number for probate filings. |
| Original will handling | Under 4th Circuit Local Rule 72.1(b) and (c), the original will or codicil must physically reach the probate division before the court acts on that filing. |
| Deficiency review | Under Local Rule 72.1(k), the division may post filing deficiencies and due dates on Case.net for a newly opened estate. |
| Real estate recording | When a small estate certificate or refusal-of-letters order must be recorded for Gentry County real estate, the Gentry County Recorder of Deeds is in the same courthouse and accepts electronic recordings. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Gentry County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by checking how the home and accounts were titled. Assets that pass outside probate may leave only a limited filing in Albany. A refusal of letters may fit if the estate falls within the spouse or unmarried-minor-children path in RSMo 473.090. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title clues and debts before you decide whether a court filing is needed for the estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Call the Albany probate clerk at (660) 726-3618 before mailing papers. The 4th Circuit local rules have self-represented filers file original pleadings and documents with the clerk of the probate division, and the clerk provides fee information. | Sunset helps organize the asset list, generate a probate packet, and connect you with a Missouri attorney if the filing turns into a full administration. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of real estate often points toward full administration and letters. If a personal representative is appointed, a non-lawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7). Gentry County real estate title work also involves the Recorder of Deeds in the Albany courthouse. | Sunset helps collect account information, prepare for attorney review, and keep the estate settlement organized from first filing through closing. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Gentry County Circuit Clerk, Probate Division | Local filing counter for Gentry County probate matters, fee information under 4th Circuit Local Rule 5.1, and questions about mailing original documents. | Gentry County Courthouse, 200 W. Clay Street, Suite 101, Albany, MO 64402. Phone: (660) 726-3618. |
| Case.net | Statewide public case search for Missouri circuit courts, including probate dockets. The 4th Circuit local rules also use Case.net for deficiency notices on new estate filings. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Statewide Missouri probate form set for common probate filings. Gentry County does not publish its own probate packet. | Missouri Judiciary website, Probate Court Forms page |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | Official source for the Missouri probate statutes, including RSMo chapters 472 through 474. | https://revisor.mo.gov/ |
| Legal Aid of Western Missouri, St. Joseph office | Free civil legal aid intake for eligible low-income Missourians in Gentry County. Estate administration help is not guaranteed and depends on intake. | 706 Felix Street, St. Joseph, MO 64501. Phone: (816) 364-2325 or (800) 892-2101. |
| The Missouri Bar Probate Law Resource Guide | Consumer guide to Missouri probate concepts, published by The Missouri Bar. | https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Probate-Guide-Updated-2024.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, balances, and asset clues before the family chooses a probate path in Gentry County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family intake into an organized estate settlement file, including the asset list, family information, and documents a Missouri attorney or the Albany probate clerk may need to review.
Find a local probate attorney. When full administration is needed, Missouri law limits what a non-lawyer personal representative can do in court (RSMo 473.153.7). Sunset connects families with a vetted local probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate settlement, understand the next step, and get matched with professional help at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Gentry County?
File with the clerk of the probate division at the Gentry County Courthouse, 200 W. Clay Street, Suite 101, Albany, MO 64402. If the decedent was domiciled in Gentry County, venue for probating a will and granting letters is Gentry County (RSMo 473.010).
Is Gentry County probate filed in Maryville because it is in the 4th Judicial Circuit?
No. Gentry County shares the 4th Judicial Circuit with Atchison, Holt, Nodaway and Worth counties, but a Gentry County estate is filed in Albany. A shared circuit is not a shared courthouse.
Can I e-file a Gentry County probate case if I am representing myself?
Self-represented filers are never required to e-file (Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4)). In the 4th Judicial Circuit, Local Rule 72.1(e) says self-represented parties file original pleadings and documents with the clerk of the probate division. Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System.
What happens to the original will in Gentry County?
The original paper will or codicil must be filed physically with the probate division. Under 4th Circuit Local Rule 72.1(b) and (c), an electronic submission is only conditional until the original arrives, and the court will not act on it before then.
How much does it cost to start a Gentry County estate with letters?
Gentry County does not publish a local cost schedule. Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, sets a $115 cost when original letters are applied for, adds $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, caps that rule's total at $565, and includes one certified copy of the letters. The 4th Circuit local rules say the probate clerk provides fee information, so ask the Albany probate clerk for the total due.
Does Gentry County have local probate forms?
Gentry County does not publish a county probate packet. Use the statewide Missouri Judiciary probate forms and include the 4th Judicial Circuit Party Information Form required by Local Rule 4.3(b).
Can I attend a Gentry County probate hearing remotely?
The 4th Judicial Circuit local rules do not establish a probate remote-appearance practice. Follow the notice of hearing and check the Case.net Scheduled Hearings and Trials tab for how the court set the matter.
Can I look up a Gentry County probate case online?
Yes. Use Case.net, Missouri's statewide public case search. Public users can view available public case documents filed on or after July 1, 2023 from the Docket Entries tab. Older documents must be requested from the Albany court.
Do I have to travel to Albany for a Gentry County probate filing?
Not always. Some filings may be mailed, but call the Albany probate clerk at (660) 726-3618 before sending papers, especially if there is an original will, a cost payment, or a hearing date. The local rules require self-represented filers to file original pleadings and documents with the clerk of the probate division.
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.