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Monroe County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Monroe County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Monroe County |
| Courthouse address | Monroe County Courthouse, 300 N. Main St., Paris, MO 65275 |
| Mailing | Use the courthouse address unless the Probate Division gives you a different mailing instruction. |
| Phone | 660-327-5131. Alternate toll-free number: 877-433-3061 ext. 425. |
| Fax | 660-327-5781 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Closed 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. |
| Opening court cost | Ask the Probate Division for the current Monroe County total. State components under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, include $115 when original letters are applied for in a decedent's estate, one certified copy included; $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, total capped at $565; $35 for a small estate affidavit, refusal of letters, determination of heirship, or admitting a will; and copies at $1 per page plus $1.50 per seal. |
| Local forms | Monroe County does not publish a separate local probate packet. Use the Missouri Courts probate forms page and any instructions from the Probate Division. |
| 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 Probate Division whether a self-represented probate filing can be submitted electronically or by email. |
| Case search | Case.net covers Monroe County probate cases. Public probate case information is available for cases pending as of, or filed after, September 12, 2005. |
| Remote appearance | The 10th Judicial Circuit's local rules do not set a probate-specific remote appearance procedure. Ask the Probate Division before assuming a hearing can be handled remotely. |
| Website | https://monroecountymo.gov/circuit-clerk/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Monroe County probate path, make a practical inventory of what the person owned, what passed outside probate, and what debts or expenses remain. That means checking bank accounts, vehicles, real estate title, beneficiary designations, possible beneficiary deeds, and bills before you decide whether the estate needs full administration, a small estate affidavit, refusal of letters, or another Missouri procedure.
Sunset's estate settlement tools help organize that first pass, including asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions. The goal is to know what actually belongs in the Monroe County probate file before you spend time at the Paris courthouse or ask a lawyer to prepare papers.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File Monroe County estate matters at the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, 300 N. Main St., Paris, Missouri. Monroe County is in Missouri's 10th Judicial Circuit with Marion and Ralls Counties, but each county keeps its own courthouse and probate filing location.
Missouri venue starts in the county where the decedent was domiciled. If the decedent was domiciled in Monroe County, the will is probated and letters are granted in Monroe County; if the decedent was not domiciled in Missouri, venue depends on where Missouri property is located, with special rules for real estate (RSMo 473.010).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the local path before filing. A full estate administration appoints a personal representative, meaning an executor or administrator. 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 their own inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7). A small estate affidavit (RSMo 473.097) or refusal of letters (RSMo 473.090) does not appoint a personal representative.
- Gather the papers. Use Missouri probate forms, the death certificate, asset and debt information, and the original will if there is one. The original will should be delivered to the Probate Division on paper even if other papers are prepared electronically.
- File with the Probate Division in Paris. Take or mail the packet to the Monroe County Courthouse, 300 N. Main St., Paris, MO 65275, allowing for the 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. lunch closure. Ask the Probate Division for the current Monroe County court-cost total before you submit the packet.
- Handle notice and creditor steps. In a full administration, the clerk causes notice of letters to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks (RSMo 473.033). Missouri also uses two creditor clocks: six months from first publication, or two months from mailed or served notice if later, and a separate one-year bar from the date of death (RSMo 473.360; RSMo 473.444).
- Prepare for any hearing. The 10th Judicial Circuit's local rules set Monroe County's regular Law Day as the first Thursday of each month, but the Probate Division controls how a particular estate is scheduled. Ask the Probate Division before assuming a remote appearance is allowed.
- Obtain authority if letters are granted. When the court grants letters testamentary or letters of administration, the personal representative uses those letters to work with banks, buyers, and other institutions during estate settlement.
- Administer and close the estate. After letters are granted, the personal representative files an inventory within 30 days unless the court grants more time (RSMo 473.233), pays valid expenses and claims, distributes property under the will or Missouri law, and closes through the settlement or statement-of-account process that applies to the type of administration.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Monroe County
Monroe County does not publish a separate local probate forms packet. Start with the Missouri Courts probate forms page, then follow any Monroe County Probate Division instruction about signatures, attachments, copies, and delivery of the original will.
| Form or packet | What it is used for |
|---|---|
| FI-50 Confidential Case Filing Information Sheet, probate and non-domestic relations | Case-opening information for probate and related filings. |
| PR 10 Statement of Reimbursable Attorney Fees | Attorney-fee reimbursement information. |
| PR 16 Affidavit to Establish Title of Distributee, Small Estate, Intestate | Small estate filing where the decedent did not leave a will. |
| PR 22 Exhibit A | Exhibit used with the statewide probate form set. |
| PR 23 Application of Creditor for Refusal of Letters | Creditor refusal-of-letters filing. |
| PR 25 Application of Unmarried Minor Children for Refusal of Letters | Refusal-of-letters filing for unmarried minor children. |
| PR 26 Exhibit B, heirs | Heir information exhibit. |
| PR 28 Petition for Determination of Heirship | Determination of heirship filing. |
| PR 30 Application to Amend Order Refusing Letters | Request to amend a refusal-of-letters order. |
| PR 33 Application of Surviving Spouse for Refusal of Letters | Refusal-of-letters filing for a surviving spouse. |
| PR 75 Election of Surviving Spouse | Surviving spouse election form. |
Local nuance
Monroe County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Monroe County |
|---|---|
| Lunch closure | The courthouse office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, with a 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. lunch closure. Plan in-person probate filing around that closure. |
| 10th Judicial Circuit | Monroe County shares the 10th Judicial Circuit with Marion and Ralls Counties, but Monroe County probate filings are made at the Paris courthouse. |
| Judicial officer | Monroe County probate matters are heard by an associate circuit judge exercising probate jurisdiction under Missouri's probate-division structure (Mo. Const. art. V, § 27). |
| Older probate judgments | Case.net covers public Monroe County probate case information for cases pending as of, or filed after, September 12, 2005. Older probate judgments are checked through the judgment index kept at the Monroe County Courthouse, Probate Division, in Paris. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Monroe County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by checking how the home is titled and whether any beneficiary deed or other nonprobate transfer applies. If only limited probate property remains, ask whether refusal of letters for a surviving spouse fits (RSMo 473.090). File any needed papers with the Probate Division in Paris. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title questions, debts, and documents so the spouse can see whether Monroe County probate is needed at all. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the net estate fits Missouri's small estate affidavit procedure, $40,000 effective August 28, 2002 (RSMo 473.097), use the statewide small-estate forms and ask the Monroe County Probate Division how to submit the packet from outside Missouri. If the estate includes Monroe County real estate, the clerk's certificate is later used with the recorder of deeds step. | Sunset organizes the asset list, helps generate the packet, and can connect the child with local counsel if a hearing or full administration becomes necessary. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale often points toward full administration, especially if no nonprobate transfer controls the title. File in Monroe County if venue belongs there under RSMo 473.010, and expect counsel if the personal representative will need to appear in court (RSMo 473.153.7). | Sunset helps gather financial information, prepare a probate packet, and connect the parent with a vetted Monroe County-area probate attorney for the sale and court process. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Monroe County Circuit Clerk page | Local courthouse address, phone, fax, and hours for the office that handles circuit court business, including probate filing logistics. | https://monroecountymo.gov/circuit-clerk/ |
| Case.net | Missouri's public case lookup for circuit court cases, including Monroe County probate cases that are within the public Case.net coverage period. | https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ |
| Missouri Courts probate forms | Statewide probate forms, including small estate, refusal of letters, determination of heirship, and related probate forms used when Monroe County has no separate local packet. | Missouri Courts probate forms page |
| Legal Services of Eastern Missouri | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Missourians in Monroe County. Intake decides whether the issue is within the program's services. | Hannibal branch: 801 Broadway #200, Hannibal, MO 63401. Phone: 573-248-1111 or 800-767-2018. Intake hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. |
| The Missouri Bar Probate Law Resource Guide | Consumer guide published by The Missouri Bar for general probate orientation. | https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Probate-Guide-Updated-2024.pdf |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel makes sense in Monroe County when the estate needs full administration, a home sale, disputed heirs, creditor issues, or a court appearance by a personal representative who is not a lawyer, because Missouri bars that personal representative from appearing in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7). Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families search for accounts, policies, and other assets so the Monroe County probate path is based on the property that actually needs estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into organized probate paperwork and checklists for the path you are using, including the documents to review before filing with the Probate Division in Paris.
Find a local probate attorney. When full administration, a court appearance, a sale of real estate, or a dispute calls for counsel, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Missouri probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools, document organization, and attorney connection at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Monroe County?
File Monroe County probate matters with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Monroe County at the Monroe County Courthouse, 300 N. Main St., Paris, MO 65275. If the decedent was domiciled in Monroe County, venue belongs in Monroe County under Missouri's venue rule (RSMo 473.010).
Is Monroe County in a shared circuit?
Yes. Monroe County is in Missouri's 10th Judicial Circuit with Marion and Ralls Counties. That does not move Monroe County probate filing to another courthouse; Monroe County filings stay at the Paris courthouse.
Can I e-file a Monroe County probate case?
Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented parties are not required to e-file under Court Operating Rule 27.03(b)(4). If you are filing without an attorney, ask the Monroe County Probate Division whether your particular probate filing can be submitted electronically or by email.
Are Monroe County probate hearings remote?
Do not rely on a remote appearance unless the Probate Division authorizes it for your hearing. The 10th Judicial Circuit's local rules do not set a probate-specific remote appearance procedure.
When are Monroe County probate hearings scheduled?
The 10th Judicial Circuit's local rules set Monroe County's regular Law Day as the first Thursday of each month. The rules do not say that every probate matter is heard on that day, so ask the Probate Division how your estate hearing will be scheduled.
Can I look up a Monroe County probate case online?
Yes. Case.net covers Monroe County probate cases. Public probate case information is available for cases pending as of, or filed after, September 12, 2005; older probate judgments are checked through the judgment index kept at the Monroe County Courthouse, Probate Division, in Paris.
Does Monroe County have its own probate forms?
Monroe County does not publish a separate local probate packet. Use the Missouri Courts probate forms page, including FI-50 and the applicable PR-series forms, and ask the Probate Division if it wants additional copies or attachments.
How much does a Monroe County probate filing cost?
Ask the Probate Division for the current Monroe County total before submitting papers. Missouri state components are set by Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective September 1, 2023, and local charges can affect the amount due.
Do I have to travel to Paris to handle probate?
Not always. Some papers may be handled by mail or through counsel, and attorneys file electronically. If you are self-represented, call the Probate Division before relying on mail, email, or any electronic option, and remember that original wills are delivered to the Probate Division on paper.
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.