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Ralls County, MO Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Ralls County probate details |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Ralls County, 10th Judicial Circuit |
| Filing office | Circuit Clerk/Recorder of Deeds, Ralls County Courthouse |
| Courthouse address | 311 South Main St., New London, MO 63459 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 466, New London, MO 63459 |
| Probate phone | (573) 985-5641 for criminal and probate matters |
| Secondary phone | (573) 985-5633 for civil matters |
| Fax | (573) 985-3446 |
| 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 |
| Court cost | Ralls County does not post a local probate cost total online. For original letters, the state component is $115, plus $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, with total charges under that provision capped at $565, under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective Sept. 1, 2023. Ask the Circuit Clerk/Recorder for the total collected at the counter. |
| Local forms | No Ralls County-specific probate packet, cover sheet or checklist is posted on the county site or the Judiciary's Ralls County filing page. Use the statewide Missouri Judiciary probate forms page and ask the Circuit Clerk/Recorder which papers are needed for your filing. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under COR 27.03(b)(4), effective Oct. 1, 2019. Ask the Circuit Clerk/Recorder which probate filing types the 10th Judicial Circuit accepts from a self-represented filer. |
| Case search | Case.net is the statewide public case search for Missouri circuit court cases, including probate division cases. |
| Remote appearance | Call the Circuit Clerk/Recorder before relying on a remote appearance for a Ralls County probate hearing. |
| Website | https://rallscountymo.gov/circuit-clerk/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Ralls County, list the assets, debts, title documents, beneficiaries, and any nonprobate transfers you already know about. That first inventory decision drives whether the family is asking for letters, a small estate affidavit, a refusal of letters, or another Missouri probate route.
Sunset's estate settlement process includes 2,300-institution asset discovery, which can help identify accounts before you call the Ralls County Circuit Clerk/Recorder or ask a Missouri probate attorney which local filing path fits.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Ralls County is served locally at the Ralls County Courthouse in New London. The Circuit Clerk/Recorder is the filing office for probate matters and is also the local recording office for Ralls County real estate.
Missouri venue for letters is generally the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (RSMo 473.010). If the decedent was domiciled in Ralls County, start with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Ralls County. If the decedent was not domiciled in Missouri, venue can depend on where Missouri property is located, and proceedings stay in the county where letters are first granted (RSMo 473.010).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the filing path before you prepare papers. Full administration asks for letters testamentary or letters of administration. A small estate affidavit may fit when the Missouri statutory requirements are met, including the $40,000 net estate limit effective August 28, 2002 (RSMo 473.097). A refusal of letters may fit a surviving spouse, unmarried minor children, or a qualifying creditor under Missouri's separate refusal statute (RSMo 473.090).
- Prepare the required Missouri probate forms and any local papers the Ralls County Circuit Clerk/Recorder requests. Ralls County does not post a county probate packet online, so ask the clerk's office which statewide forms and supporting documents to bring.
- File with the Circuit Clerk/Recorder at the Ralls County Courthouse, 311 South Main St., New London, or mail filings to P.O. Box 466, New London, MO 63459, if the office accepts that filing by mail. Deliver any original will to the probate division on paper.
- Pay the court cost collected at the counter. For original letters, Missouri's state component is $115, plus $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, capped at $565 under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective Sept. 1, 2023. Because Ralls County does not post a local total online, ask the Circuit Clerk/Recorder for the amount due for your filing.
- Handle notice. In a full administration, the clerk causes notice of letters to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks (RSMo 473.033). Missouri creditors then have the later of six months from the first published notice of letters or two months from mailed or served notice to file claims, with a separate one-year-from-death bar also applying (RSMo 473.360; RSMo 473.444).
- Ask how hearings are scheduled. Ralls County does not post a probate hearing day or remote appearance rule in the local materials provided here, so call the probate phone line before assuming that travel can be avoided.
- Obtain the authority document after the court grants it. With a will, the authority document is letters testamentary. Without a will, it is letters of administration. A non-lawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney, although the personal representative may prepare and file inventories and settlements (RSMo 473.153.7).
- Administer and close the estate. Inventory deadlines, creditor claims, sale authority, distributions, and final settlement depend on the Missouri path chosen. For Ralls County real estate involved in a small estate certificate or refusal order, the recording step is handled by the same combined Circuit Clerk/Recorder office at the courthouse.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Ralls County
Ralls County does not post a county-specific probate packet, cover sheet or checklist on its county site or on the Judiciary's Ralls County filing page. The practical local step is to call the Circuit Clerk/Recorder at (573) 985-5641 before filing and ask which statewide Missouri probate forms, death certificate copies, will documents, proposed orders, or bond papers are needed for your type of case.
Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page for statewide forms. Do not rely on form numbers alone unless the form page and the Ralls County office match the path you are filing.
Local nuance
Ralls County-specific considerations
Ralls County's local probate counter and recorder of deeds function are in one combined Circuit Clerk/Recorder office at the Ralls County Courthouse. That matters when a Missouri probate shortcut also needs a recording step for Ralls County real estate.
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Same courthouse counter | The probate filing office and the recording office are the same combined office at 311 South Main St. in New London. |
| Small estate real estate step | After the probate division issues the affidavit and clerk's certificate, Missouri law allows recording a copy with the recorder of deeds in each county where the real property is located (RSMo 473.097). |
| Refusal of letters real estate step | When a refusal order transfers Ralls County real estate, the certified order is recorded with the recorder of deeds for that county (RSMo 473.090). |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Ralls County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by checking title. If the home passed outside probate, the Ralls County filing may focus on assets still in the decedent's name. If a refusal of letters is appropriate for a spouse, the order and any Ralls County real estate recording step are handled through the combined Circuit Clerk/Recorder office. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize title questions, and prepare the estate settlement packet for attorney review or clerk filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Call the Ralls County Circuit Clerk/Recorder before mailing anything. A small estate affidavit can be available only after the Missouri statutory requirements are met, including the $40,000 net estate limit effective August 28, 2002 (RSMo 473.097). Ask whether the office will accept your papers by mail and what court cost is due. | Sunset helps gather asset information, create a filing checklist, and connect you with Missouri counsel if the case needs more than a small estate filing. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home is still in the child's name and must be sold, the family may need letters so a personal representative can act for the estate. In Missouri, a non-lawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7). | Sunset helps locate accounts, organize sale-related estate documents, and connect the family with a vetted local probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it helps with | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Ralls County Circuit Clerk/Recorder | Local filing questions, probate phone line, mailing address, hours, and recording steps for Ralls County real estate | Call (573) 985-5641 or use https://rallscountymo.gov/circuit-clerk/ |
| Case.net | Public Missouri circuit court case lookup, including probate division dockets | Use https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/ in a browser |
| Missouri Judiciary probate forms | Statewide probate forms | Use the Missouri Judiciary probate forms page and ask Ralls County which forms apply locally |
| The Missouri Bar Probate Law Resource Guide | Consumer background on Missouri probate | Use the 2024 guide at https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Probate-Guide-Updated-2024.pdf |
| Legal Services of Eastern Missouri | Free civil legal aid intake for eligible low-income Missourians in Ralls County | Use the office information at https://www.lsmo.org/page/951/offices |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes | Official Missouri statutes and constitution | Use https://revisor.mo.gov/ for the RSMo sections cited on this page |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel makes sense in Ralls County when the estate needs letters, a court appearance, a real estate sale, creditor disputes, heirship issues, or any disagreement among heirs or beneficiaries. Missouri law allows a personal representative to prepare and file inventories and settlements, but a non-lawyer personal representative cannot appear in court except through an attorney (RSMo 473.153.7). Sunset connects families to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify bank, brokerage, retirement, insurance, and other accounts so the Ralls County probate path is based on a complete asset picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for estate settlement and helps prepare a packet that can be reviewed by counsel or used to speak with the Ralls County Circuit Clerk/Recorder.
Find a local probate attorney. When Missouri law or the facts call for counsel, Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney who can advise on letters, real estate, claims, and court appearances.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset provides estate settlement support at no cost to families and helps keep the next steps organized from asset discovery through closing tasks.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Ralls County?
File with the Circuit Clerk/Recorder at the Ralls County Courthouse, 311 South Main St., New London, MO 63459. The mailing address is P.O. Box 466, New London, MO 63459.
What phone number should I use for a Ralls County probate question?
Use (573) 985-5641, which Ralls County lists for criminal and probate matters. The civil matters line is (573) 985-5633.
Does Ralls County have local probate forms?
Ralls County does not post a county-specific probate packet, cover sheet or checklist online. Use the statewide Missouri Judiciary probate forms page and call the Circuit Clerk/Recorder to ask which forms and supporting papers are needed.
Can I e-file probate papers in Ralls County if I am not a lawyer?
Self-represented filers are not required to e-file under COR 27.03(b)(4), effective Oct. 1, 2019. Attorneys file through the Missouri eFiling System. Ask the Ralls County Circuit Clerk/Recorder which probate filing types are accepted from a self-represented filer.
How much does it cost to open a probate estate in Ralls County?
Ralls County does not post a local probate cost total online. For original letters, the state component is $115, plus $50 for each additional $50,000 of final inventory value above $50,000 up to $500,000, capped at $565 under Court Operating Rule 21.01, effective Sept. 1, 2023. Ask the Circuit Clerk/Recorder for the total collected for your filing.
Can I look up a Ralls County probate case online?
Yes. Use Case.net, Missouri's statewide public case search, at https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/. Public Case.net is generally a docket lookup, not a promise that every document can be read online.
Do I have to travel to New London for a probate hearing?
Call the Ralls County Circuit Clerk/Recorder before assuming a remote appearance is available. No current local probate remote appearance practice is posted in the local materials used for this page.
Where do I record a small estate certificate or refusal order for Ralls County real estate?
Use the Ralls County Recorder of Deeds function, which is part of the same combined Circuit Clerk/Recorder office at the courthouse in New London. Missouri requires recording in the county where the real property is located for the applicable small estate or refusal real estate step (RSMo 473.097; RSMo 473.090).
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.